Report: Lawyers bully lawyers

Posted on October 8, 2024
Erika Harold. (Photo courtesy Twitter/Erika Harold)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – An Urbana native who was bullied in high school made bullying her 2003 Miss America platform – and now has supervised a report on bullying in the legal profession. 

Erika Harold runs the state Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism, and says one quarter of Illinois lawyers say they have been bullied. The report’s out. Now what. 

“The first recommendation was for legal workplaces to set forth anti-bullying policies,” Harold said. “This is distinct from an anti-harassment policy, and it encompasses a wider scope of behavior.

“A second key recommendation is for courts and judges to have standing orders that prohibit bullying and uncivil behaviors in courtrooms or in the course of litigation activities.”

Harold said the most frequent offenders cited are opposing counsel, higher-ups within one’s law firm, and judges.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].

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