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What is ILAA?
International Lawyers in Alcoholics Anonymous (ILAA) is a fellowship of legal professionals who are recovering alcoholics. For more than 50 years, ILAA has provided a confidential, understanding environment where lawyers, judges, and law students can support one another in recovery.
Why a special group for lawyers?
Like doctors or pilots, lawyers face unique professional pressures and a heightened need for confidentiality. ILAA provides a peer-to-peer recovery space specifically for those in the legal profession, while still upholding the core principles of AA. CoLAP reinforces this by offering institutional support and resources across the legal community.
Is ILAA part of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)?
ILAA meetings are conducted in the spirit of Alcoholics Anonymous and follow the same 12-step principles. However, ILAA is not an official AA group because AA does not define membership by profession. Instead, ILAA serves as a bridge—helping legal professionals who may be hesitant to attend general AA meetings find a safe place to begin recovery and, when ready, connect to the wider AA community.
How does ILAA relate to CoLAP?
ILAA and CoLAP (American Bar Association’s Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs) share a common mission: to support lawyers, judges, and law students who may be struggling with alcoholism or substance use. CoLAP connects the legal community to resources, education, and lawyer assistance programs across the USA. ILAA complements this work by providing a peer-to-peer recovery fellowship grounded in the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Many members find support through both CoLAP and ILAA.
Is AA religious?
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is not a religious organization, but it is a spiritual program that is sometimes perceived as religious due to its origins and use of spiritual language.
Spirituality vs. Religion
AA makes a key distinction between spirituality and religion. While religion often involves specific beliefs, doctrines, and rituals tied to a particular deity or religious institution, AA’s program is founded on spiritual principles that are designed to be personal and non-dogmatic. The program’s core is the Twelve Steps, which encourage members to find a “Power greater than ourselves” to help them recover. AA literature and meetings repeatedly stress that this “higher power” can be anything a person chooses—it could be a traditional God, the power of nature, the universe, or even the AA fellowship itself.
Perceived Religious Elements
Despite AA’s official stance, some people perceive it as a religious organization due to several factors:
- Christian Origins: AA was founded by two men, Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith, who were influenced by the Christian revivalist Oxford Group. This influence is still evident in some of the language used in early AA literature, such as the use of the word “God.”
- Meeting Locations: Many AA meetings are held in church basements or other religious buildings, not because of an affiliation, but because these spaces are often available and affordable.
- Use of Prayer: Some meetings close with the Lord’s Prayer, a practice that originated in the early days of AA. This custom is not mandatory and varies by group, but it can be off-putting to non-religious or non-Christian attendees.
Inclusion of All Beliefs
AA emphasizes that it is a fellowship open to people of all backgrounds, including atheists and agnostics. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. The organization actively works to be inclusive, with literature and meetings specifically designed to address the concerns of non-believers and those who are uncomfortable with the spiritual language. The goal of AA is not to convert people to a specific faith, but to help them achieve and maintain sobriety
Does AA cost anything?
No, there are no dues or fees for membership in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.
While AA is free to join, its groups and services are self-supporting. This is based on the Seventh Tradition of AA, which states: “Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.”
Here’s how AA is funded:
- Voluntary Contributions: At most meetings, a basket is passed around for voluntary contributions, often called “the basket.” Members can contribute as much or as little as they want, or nothing at all. There is no pressure to give, and your ability to attend meetings and be a member is not dependent on a financial contribution.
- Purpose of Funds: These donations are used to cover the group’s expenses, which may include rent for the meeting space, coffee and other refreshments, and literature.
- Support for the Wider Organization: Beyond the local group, contributions from members and groups also help support the broader AA service structure, including district and area committees, as well as the General Service Office (GSO), which produces literature and provides services to the fellowship worldwide.
This principle of self-support is a cornerstone of AA, ensuring that the organization remains independent and focused on its primary purpose of helping alcoholics achieve sobriety, free from the influence of outside funding sources.
How confidential are AA and ILAA?
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and International Lawyers in AA (ILAA) are highly confidential organizations, with anonymity being a core principle. While they are not legally bound by confidentiality agreements like a doctor or lawyer, the tradition of anonymity is a powerful safeguard.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Anonymity is the “spiritual foundation” of all AA traditions. The organization’s commitment to anonymity serves two main purposes:
- Protecting individual members: Anonymity provides a safe space for people to seek help without fear of social stigma, especially for newcomers. The assurance that their identity as an alcoholic won’t be revealed to the public is a cornerstone of the program.
- Placing principles before personalities: Anonymity prevents members from using their AA affiliation for personal gain, fame, or recognition. It also protects the fellowship as a whole from being defined by the public actions or relapses of any single member.
AA’s anonymity tradition operates on two levels:
- Personal Level: Members are encouraged to keep what they hear in meetings confidential. They should not reveal the names or personal stories of other members outside of the AA fellowship. While an individual is free to disclose their own membership to family or friends, they are encouraged to respect the anonymity of others.
- Public Level: At the level of press, radio, television, and the internet, members maintain personal anonymity.This means not revealing their full names or faces in connection with their AA membership. This is a crucial distinction; a member can share their story as a recovered alcoholic, but they should not be identified as an AA member in a public forum.
International Lawyers in AA (ILAA)
ILAA, as a fellowship within AA, also adheres to the core principles of anonymity and confidentiality. It specifically addresses the concerns of lawyers, judges, and other legal professionals who may be particularly sensitive about their careers and reputations. The organization acts as a “bridge” to the broader AA fellowship, providing a safe and confidential environment where legal professionals can feel comfortable attending meetings.
While there are some specialized groups for legal professionals, all meetings, whether in-person or online, operate under the same AA traditions of anonymity. The goal is to provide a space where members can focus on their recovery without worrying that their attendance will be disclosed to colleagues, clients, or the public. The professional code of ethics for lawyers, which includes strict confidentiality rules, may also reinforce a lawyer’s understanding and respect for the tradition of anonymity in AA.
Who attends ILAA meetings?
Members of the legal profession attend our weekly Zoom meetings and our annual conference. This includes students, lawyers and judges. Notaries and others in international jurisdictions also attend. Paralegals are included as well. Finally, legal professionals who are working under suspension orders or are disbarred attend and share at our meetings.
Do you have Zoom meetings?
ILAA has a regular Monday night Zoom meeting and a Tuesday evening Women’s meeting.
How can ILAA help someone who lives far away?
We have ways to help someone who is not geographically proximate. Many of us work with sponsees and newcomers who live in small towns or cannot risk exposure for other reasons, yet they need support and Fellowship. Our Members are well used to working with alcoholics by phone, Zoom or email.
Does AA work with other therapeutic solutions?
We have found over the decades that our work complements other therapeutic solutions that an alcoholic might pursue such as therapy, medical treatment, or wellness practices. We do not claim to have the answers, we only offer help.
ILAA and AA are not substitutes for professional services, but they often complement them. CoLAP can also connect lawyers to licensed professionals and treatment options.
This material is not supplied by AA. Neither does it represent the policies of AA. ILAA is a separate organization not affiliated with AA, AA World Services or any division or part thereof.