We all know that law students and lawyers frequently have significant rates of substance abuse. Because AI knows everything, I decided to see what it might tell me. This is what a Copilot search generated:

“Law Schools with the Largest Substance Abuse Problems

There is no single, publicly available list of law schools with the `largest’ substance abuse problems, but multiple reports and professional resources identify schools and programs that have been the focus of targeted interventions and policy development.

Why some schools are highlighted

The American Bar Association’s Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs and the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) have published toolkits and reports that note certain law schools as having significant substance abuse issues. These are often schools where:

• Substance abuse is a recurring problem in student and faculty surveys.
• Lawyer Assistance Programs (LAPs) or similar mental health initiatives have been established or expanded.
• Administrators have implemented or adopted specific prevention, education, and intervention policies.

For example, the ABA’s Substance Abuse in Law Schools toolkit references schools that have been the focus of its initiatives, though it does not rank them explicitly Louisiana State Bar Association. The ABA Law Student Division and CoLAP have also produced mental health and substance use toolkits that are used in many schools, but again, no official `worst’ list is published law.baylor.edu.

Factors that contribute to high rates

Research and professional commentary indicate that substance abuse is more common in law schools due to:

• High academic pressure and long hours.
• Competitive environment and identity tied to law school.
• Mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and stress law.baylor.edu+1.
• Access to alcohol and other substances in social settings.

A 2024 scoping review found that alcohol and tobacco are the most used substances among lawyers and law students, with problematic use and even suicide linked to substance use ejmh.semmelweis.hu.

How to find specific schools

If you want to know which schools have the most severe or visible problems:

• Review ABA LAP reports and AALS substance abuse toolkits for case studies.
• Look at state bar association publications (e.g., California State Bar’s CLE on substance abuse) for school-specific data.
• Check law school mental health and wellness reports or student surveys.
• Search for law school news or advocacy articles that cite specific institutions as examples of crisis or intervention.

Bottom line

While there is no official, ranked list of `worst’ law schools for substance abuse, the ABA, AALS, and state bar programs have identified certain schools as having notable problems and have used them as examples in prevention and intervention materials. To get the most accurate picture, you would need to consult these professional resources and, if possible, access internal school reports or surveys.”