(a)Purpose. Impairment of a lawyer's performance may result from physical, mental or emotional illness, including addiction. The purposes of the LAP Program are as follows: (1) protect the interests of clients from harm caused by impaired lawyers;(2) educate the bench, bar and community to the causes of and remedies for lawyer impairment;(3) develop and administer resources to assist lawyers and judges in securing treatment for addictive diseases and mental health issues, including but not limited to alcoholism and chemical dependency, by providing a system which encourages early entry of the impaired attorney, while recognizing the necessity for absolute confidentiality and trust;(4) provide assistance to impaired lawyers in a manner that is separate and distinct from attorney discipline proceedings and to maintain that distinction.