The Game Changing Attorney Podcast with Michael Mogill

93. Brian Cuban — The Addicted Lawyer: Tales of the Bar, Booze, Blow, and Redemption

Feb 1, 2022

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"We know from the Betty Ford Hazelton study that lawyers suffer from alcohol use disorder at a rate almost twice the general public. We know if you're a millennial lawyer, it’s over a third with alcohol use disorder. We are a profession in crisis from that standpoint in terms of mental health. And it's hard to be a game-changing lawyer and it's hard to lead when we're not taking care of our own mental health struggles.” - Brian Cuban

What led to Brian Cuban’s struggle with eating disorders and addiction?
What caused Brian to eventually seek help?
Why did Brian decide to share his story so publicly?
What resources are there for lawyers struggling with addiction?
How can you build a compassionate community in the legal industry?

The Road to Recovery

Being a lawyer is stressful: long hours, high stakes situations, the threat of losing cases. As an attorney, people’s lives and potentially millions of dollars depend on you. Many lawyers turn to substances to help them handle that stress. That’s the message that Brian Cuban is here to share through his own personal struggle with addiction and mental health.

Brian, brother of billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks Mark Cuban, is an attorney and addiction recovery advocate. He’s the author of “The Addicted Lawyer,” which unflinchingly recounts his own addiction to alcohol and cocaine. Brian knows firsthand the vicious cycles of substance abuse and that even high-functioning lawyers might be falling apart inside.

On this special episode, we hear about Brian’s long road to recovery, from his fight with body dysmorphia and eating disorders to addiction’s rock bottom, and how he eventually turned his life around.

An At-Risk Population

One reason that Brian chose to become such a vocal advocate is that he didn’t see any recovery content geared towards lawyers — but the data shows that those in the legal profession are more likely to struggle with addiction than the general population.

Plus, the trials of recovery can present unique challenges to attorneys. For instance, one maxim Brian preaches is vulnerability. But that openness is given a negative connotation in law school and training. “We learn to take advantage of vulnerability on the witness stand or in the mediation room or wherever it is,” he says. “You look for weakness, but what we don't look for is our humanity.”

This is why Brian is so brutally honest about his own story. As he puts it, “I am an expert in my journey, nothing more...If you can take some commonality and apply that to yourself in taking a positive step, that is wonderful.”

Key takeaways:

You can’t love somebody enough to make them recover. They have to be ready to take that step on their own.
Vulnerability is key. Being honest with yourself and others is an important piece of recovery.
Create a compassionate community. Check in on your colleagues. You can’t be there for them if you don’t know that they’re struggling.

Links and Resources