Recognized as one of the leading authorities on the substance use and mental health problems of lawyers, Patrick is the principle and founder of Krill Strategies, a behavioral health consulting firm exclusively for the legal profession. In that role, he serves as a trusted advisor to midsize and large law firms throughout North America and Europe, educating them about and helping them navigate addiction, mental health, and well-being issues. Patrick is an attorney, licensed and board-certified alcohol and drug counselor, author, advocate, and thought leader. His groundbreaking work in the field of attorney behavioral health includes initiating and serving as lead author of the first and only national study on the prevalence of attorney addiction and mental health concerns, a joint undertaking of the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation that was published in The Journal of Addiction Medicine.
Patrick is the former director of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation’s Legal Professionals Program, a preeminent clinical treatment program for addicted attorneys, judges, and law students. While leading that program, he counseled many hundreds of legal professionals from around the country who sought to better understand and overcome the unique challenges faced on a lawyer’s road to recovery.
Patrick has authored more than sixty articles related to addiction and mental health, including his advice column for Law.com, and frequent contributions to CNN.com and other national outlets. Also a frequent source for print and broadcast media, he has been quoted in dozens of national and regional news outlets, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and countless legal industry trade publications and blogs. Patrick has been a guest on numerous national broadcasts, including multiple appearances on NPR and the Dr. Drew Podcast.
As a frequent speaker about addiction and its intersection with the law, Patrick has taught multiple graduate-level courses in addiction counseling, and has spoken, lectured, or conducted seminars for over one hundred and fifty organizations around the world, including law firms, professional and bar associations, law schools, and corporations.
Patrick serves on the Advisory Committee to the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs, and in October 2017, was honored with the Commission’s Meritorious Service Award for Outstanding Contribution to Lawyer Wellbeing. In 2017 he was also appointed to ABA President Hilarie Bass’s Working Group to Improve Lawyer Wellbeing, and is a member of the National Task Force on Lawyer Wellbeing. Patrick was a co-author of the Task Force’s landmark 2017 report, The Path to Lawyer Well-Being, Practical Suggestions for Positive Change. In November 2016, he was presented with the “LCL Founders Award for Service to the Profession” by Minnesota Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers.
Patrick Krill talks about dealing with anxiety and substance abuse within the legal profession. He includes relevant studies and resources for both lawyers and employers that help cultivate wellbeing in the workplace.
Fabiani Duarte interviews Patrick Krill about the prevalence of substance misuse and other mental health concerns among lawyers.
With such a stressful profession, many attorneys face addiction and other mental health issues. If you find yourself struggling–or know another lawyer who is–what resources are out there? Does admitting a problem have to harm your career? What are your ethical duties if you do know that a colleague is battling an addiction or suffering...
