CLE: From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction

Description

Judge Mary Beth O’Connor will describe her personal history of 20 years of drug use and 30 years of sobriety. She will explain how she transitioned from a teenager shooting methamphetamine to a federal administrative law judge. Judge O’Connor then will provide information about substance use disorder, such as definitions and frequency among attorneys. She will review the interplay between substance use disorder and the relevant ethics rules. Finally, the Judge will provide tips, guidance, and resources for those seeking to recover.

Judge O’Connor has written about her experiences. Here’s the Amazon link: From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction: O’Connor, Mary Beth: 9780757324567: Amazon.com: Books

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FACULTY:

Mary Beth O’Connor began using alcohol at 12, progressed to drugs, and struggled with meth addiction from 16 to 32. Sober since 1994, she created a secular recovery plan and addressed trauma and anxiety using similar methods.

Six years into recovery, she attended Berkeley Law, practiced law in Silicon Valley, litigated federal class actions, and served as a federal Administrative Law Judge from 2014 until her retirement in 2020.

A board member of LifeRing Secular Recovery and She Recovers Foundation, Mary Beth speaks on substance use disorder, recovery paths, trauma, PTSD, and related topics. Her memoir, From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction, has won awards and is widely available. Her essays appear in publications like The Wall Street Journal and Recovery Today.