Celebrating Disability History Month 2023

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16 Nov 2023
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This Disability History Month, join us in celebrating and raising awareness of disability rights, equality and inclusion in the legal profession and wider society.
Disabled Solicitors Network summer social 2022, hosted at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in London.
Speakers at the Disabled Solicitors Network summer social, hosted at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. Photograph: Noah Da Costa

We’ll be sharing stories, resources and guidance to promote disability inclusion because, like you, we believe a diverse and inclusive profession is a resilient one. This year’s theme is ‘disability, childhood and youth’. “The journey to a legal career can be a daunting experience for all aspiring solicitors,” said Law Society president Nick Emmerson.

“A disabled student faces the additional stress of having to overcome barriers based on assumptions and lack of knowledge.

“Employers are increasingly committed to recruiting candidates that can help shape a dynamic and diverse workforce and are tapping into a massive and often excluded talent pool.”

To support disabled students through their studies and in the workplace, we’ve created guidance signposting the available support.

Disability and the legal profession

Disability is underreported in the profession. Only 5% of lawyers and staff in law firms declared a disability in 2021, compared to 14% of the entire UK workforce.

There is a particular imbalance at the largest firms, which have a smaller proportion of disabled lawyers.

The 2020 Legally Disabled? research found many disabled people are not open about their disability in the workplace because they fear negative consequences.

As a result, many disabled people do not request reasonable adjustments meaning they are disadvantaged in the workplace.

We’ll be sharing resources and guidance throughout the month to encourage organisations to remove barriers and improve accessibility to the profession.

Help us to celebrate the contribution of disabled solicitors and reflect on what more we can do to make sure the profession reflects the society it serves.

Events 

Throughout the month, representatives from the Law Society and our Disabled Solicitors Network committee will be involved in and speaking at events at:

I want to know more

No matter how big or small your firm, in-house team or organisation, you can make a positive change to improve disability inclusion.

Create lasting change with the diversity and inclusion framework. It guides you through three steps to develop and deliver a strategic approach and action plan.

Discover what easy wins and actions points for disability inclusion you can adopt.

Understand how to better support colleagues and staff with our best practice guidance on reasonable adjustments.

Explore the findings of the Legally Disabled? research

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