Originally The Delaware Lawyers Assistance Committee was established to assist lawyers who experienced addiction and substance abuse problems that interfered with their personal lives or their ability to serve as lawyers. Today, the Delaware Lawyers Assistance Committee has expanded their scope to include, but not be limited to, issues of substance abuse/dependence, depression, gambling addiction, and other illnesses. This long-standing Committee remains the backbone of the Delaware Lawyers Assistance (DE-LAP) Program. It is a network of over 20 Delaware attorneys who have volunteered to help fellow Delaware attorneys.

The attorneys who are members of the Committee represent a diverse group of lawyers in every sense of the word. The attorneys have a wide range of practice areas drawn from all three counties. The Committee has regular quarterly meetings where advocacy, policy, and strategic issues are discussed. These meetings are held in all three counties and are hosted by Committee members of each particular county.

Some of the attorneys who are Committee members are practicing attorneys who, at some points, were pulled back from their abyss through the efforts of the Lawyers Assistance Committee. These Committee members have personally experienced and recovered from the unmanageability of problems that affected their quality of life. Other members have not experienced substance abuse or emotional problems themselves but have witnessed the consequences of these problems on family, friends, or fellow attorneys and have decided to volunteer their time because of their desire to assist their fellow attorneys.

For more information, call Mark Vavala (302) 777-0124 or e-mail mvavala@de-lap.org or call Victoria Sweeney, phone: 302-577-8890   or 

 Click here to apply to be a volunteer of the Lawyers Assistance Committee.