Carnival of violence against lawyers

Somehow this site became the sixth most popular destination for the Google search "violence against attorneys". This isn't a good sign.

Much better and more to the point is the second most popular page, Forensic Psychiatry & Medicine's Ask the Expert - Violence Against Attorneys and Judges: Protecting Yourself Before and After a Threat by Harold J. Bursztajn, M.D. and James T. Hilliard, J.D. Go there now if you've ever had to face any of these questions:

What steps can I take to prevent a violent assault by a client?

What kinds of cases are considered high-risk?

What are some high-risk factors to look for in the litigant?

What are some high-risk situations that can occur in legal proceedings?

What should I do when I get a case involving a heightened risk of client violence?

Can I reduce the risk of violence by the way I approach clients and communicate with them?

On the main Criminal Justice page, you'll also find a link to many articles, including "On Guard: Law as a High-Risk Profession" (pdf file). Try as I might, I don't remember signing up for this when I was a young p.d.

Bonus links:

from the ABA, "When Lawyers Become Prey"

from the Utah bar, "An Increasingly Violent Profession"

from Simon Fraser University in B.C., "VAL: Violence against lawyers"