Lawyers' Depresssion Soars During Recession
Headline Legal News
According to the New York Law Journal, the economic climate is causing more lawyers to grow nervous about the job market.
Even in good times, depression is a part of a career in law because of the high stress atmosphere. In bad times, it's much worse.
"There is anxiety and depression over being underemployed or unemployed, or marital difficulties if they lost their job and the question is, how do they handle the anxiety," said Eileen Travis, head of New York City Bar Lawyer Assistance Program.
More lawyers are calling the program and a greater number have been suffering from depression that stems, at least partly, from the decline in their personal and professional prospects brought on by the economic downturn.
The organization this month started a support group, where for an hour each week for six weeks, lawyers can commiserate and share stories about their struggles. Thirty-one people signed up for the first session, led by Sylvan Schaffer, a licensed psychologist who also is an attorney.
Related listings
-
Hates Crimes May Cover Gender, Sexual Orientation
Headline Legal News 07/17/2009The Associated Press is reporting that on Thursday the Senate approved an expansion of federal hate crime laws. The legislation will allow the 1968 hate crimes law to cover those attacked because of their gender, sexual orientation, gender identity o...
-
New Immigration Bill In AZ
Headline Legal News 07/01/2009AP is reporting that Arizona has inched closer to making all illegal immigrants in the state criminals. The Arizona Senate voted 16-11 early today to expand its trespassing laws, making the presence of illegal immigrants a crime. The House must appro...
-
John Hinckley Gets More Freedom
Headline Legal News 06/17/2009The man who tried to kill President Ronald Reagan is now allowed to visit his mother more, to get a driver's license and spend more time away from the mental hospital where he lives, a federal judge ruled. John Hinckley shot President Reagan and woun...
USCIS Adjusting Premium Processing Fee
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today it is adjusting the premium processing fee for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers beginning on Oct. 1, 2018 to more effectively adjudicate petitions and maintain effective service to petitioners.
The premium processing fee will increase to $1,410, a 14.92 percent increase (after rounding) from the current fee of $1,225. This increase, which is done in accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act, represents the percentage change in inflation since the fee was last increased in 2010 based on the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers.
“Because premium processing fees have not been adjusted since 2010, our ability to improve the adjudications and service processes for all petitioners has been hindered as we’ve experienced significantly higher demand for immigration benefits. Ultimately, adjusting the premium processing fee will allow us to continue making necessary investments in staff and technology to administer various immigration benefit requests more effectively and efficiently,” said Chief Financial Officer Joseph Moore. “USCIS will continue adjudicating all petitions on a case-by-case basis to determine if they meet all standards required under applicable law, policies, and regulations.”
Premium processing is an optional service that is currently authorized for certain petitioners filing Forms I-129 or I-140. The system allows petitioners to request 15-day processing of certain employment-based immigration benefit requests if they pay an extra fee. The premium processing fee is paid in addition to the base filing fee and any other applicable fees, which cannot be waived.