PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Tellefsen, Christiane TI - Commentary: Lawyer Phobia DP - 2009 Jun 01 TA - Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online PG - 162--164 VI - 37 IP - 2 4099 - http://jaapl.org/content/37/2/162.short 4100 - http://jaapl.org/content/37/2/162.full SO - J Am Acad Psychiatry Law2009 Jun 01; 37 AB - Fear of being involved in a malpractice lawsuit has spawned various defensive attitudes and behaviors in physicians. Despite the relative low rate of malpractice suits against psychiatrists, they too engage in defensive medicine. Simon's and Shuman's paper reviews the hidden danger to clinical care that defensive psychiatric practices can pose to both patients and doctors. This commentary further endorses the paper's position that the study of defensive medicine should be included in psychiatric residency training much like the study of countertransference.