New network welcomes all disabled lawyers and students

The Association will include disabled lawyers and lawyers with mental health experiences and/or who have a long-term health condition. This includes anyone studying or practicing law.

After becoming involved with the “Legally Disabled?” research project, aspiring Barrister Daniel Holt recognised a need for an inclusive network for all disabled lawyers from different areas of the profession.

Daniel said, “The Association will exist to create a community and network for disabled lawyers. We want to make it known that you can practice law and be a disabled person. There are many obstacles that make entering the legal professions and maintaining a career difficult.

We will be a platform for sharing ideas for positive change. We also campaign for such changes to be put in place to give disabled lawyers and students more support in their careers and to remove unnecessary obstacles that make the professions inaccessible to disabled people.

We share these ideas with other organisations that want to support us. We, as disabled people, also promote the rights of all disabled people. We have events that highlight issues relating to disability law and how the rights of disabled people can be protected and strengthened.”

The objectives of the Association of Disabled Lawyers are:

(a) To provide a supportive group for lawyers and students of law who identify as a disabled person or have mental health experiences and/or have a long-term health condition;

(b) To campaign for more inclusive and supportive legal professions;

(c) to further research, education and training into best practice for creating supportive and nurturing professions for disabled lawyers and lawyers with mental health experiences and/or have a long-term health condition; and

(d) to co-operate with other organisations whose objects are similar to those of the Association and those who seek to improve the professions for disabled lawyers and lawyers with mental health experiences and/or have a long-term health condition.

(e) to promote the effective legal protection of the rights of disabled people, people with mental health experiences or have a long-term health condition in the United Kingdom.

The Association for Disabled Students welcomes all disabled lawyers and students and lawyers and students with mental health experiences and/or have long-term health conditions. We also invite any person or organisation who is keen to support lawyers and students who would fit the membership of this organisation and to remove barriers to the legal professions.

Membership is free and you can find out more on the website: www.disabledlawyers.co.uk