Lawyers with Disabilities

Survey: who should pay for disabled lawyers?

The division would like to know your views on who should pay the additional costs that can be incurred when disabled lawyers take longer to complete work than their able-bodied counterparts.
Complete our online survey - closing date: 31 December

A new special interest group - join the network

Lawyers with disabilities

News

What we do

Lawyers with Disabilities Division (LDD) is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for people with disabilities - whether they are solicitors, would-be solicitors, or clients.

  • Helps people with disabilities to access legal services and facilities
  • Lobbies for legislation to protect their rights
  • Provides a powerful communication channel to enable solicitors with disabilities to make their voice heard to the Law Society, local law societies, the profession, government and other policy makers

As a member you can benefit from:

  • A shared platform to exchange views and further mutual interests
  • Networking opportunities
  • Mentoring scheme
  • Free regular newsletter
  • New improved website coming soon

Lawyers with Disabilities Division will campaign vigorously for its members, starting in 2009 with a drive to encourage employers to take on trainees and solicitors with disabilities.

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Mentoring scheme

The scheme will be actively promoted by LDD and we welcome new members. We would also like to hear from law firms who may be able to assist by providing mentees. Email judith.mcdermott@lawsociety.org.uk

Email update

You can receive a free regular email update covering training and education, legal policy, news from the Law Society and Solicitors Regulation Authority, forthcoming events, profiles of disabled solicitors in practice, developments in equality and diversity and more.

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How Lawyers with Disabilities is run

The chairman is David Merkel, who is also a Law Society council member. The vice-chair is Lucy Davies and the treasurer is Dr Garry Guest. The officers are elected annually.

An executive committee consists of the officers, the past chairman and the council member who represents the group on council. They can co-opt other members as they see fit.

The Group for Solicitors with Disabilities - making a difference for twenty years

The Group for Solicitors with Disabilities is superceded by Lawyers with Disabilities Division. It has made many successful interventions into key disability related issues including:

  • Commenting on the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Bill ? now the Disability Discrimination Act 1995
  • Conducting a survey for the Royal Courts of Justice on physical accessibility at law courts, as a result of which the RCJ made several reasonable adjustments with regard to disabled facilities
  • Highlighting discrimination experienced by people with visual and other sensory impairments wishing to be jurors
  • Developing initiatives to help students with disabilities find training contracts

Members come from a wide range of backgrounds and include law students, retired solicitors, paralegals, law lecturers and practising solicitors. Members have a wide range of disabilities that affect them to varying degrees, including visual and other sensory impairments, impaired mobility and various disabilities that are not immediately apparent, such as epilepsy and dyslexia.

'I first heard about the Group for Solicitors with Disabilities after reading an article in the Law Society Gazette. I was in my second year at university and had recently been diagnosed with dyslexia. I was extremely concerned about whether I should disclose to law firms I had a ?disability? when applying for training contracts. Over the years I have found the Group for Solicitors with Disabilities has been a great support and an excellent way to meet people who have similar life experiences.'
Group for Solicitors with Disabilities member

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Find out more

For more information about LDD contact Judith McDermott on 020 7320 5793 or e-mail judith.mcdermott@lawsociety.org.uk.

Join Lawyers with Disabilities Division

Download and complete the application form below and return it to:

LSS CAU
The Law Society
113, Chancery Lane
London WC2A 1PL

DX56 London/Chancery Lane

Membership application form (PDF, 105kb)

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