Hosted In Recognition of Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM)
Disability:IN and Epstein Becker Green are joining forces to host a webinar, Advancing Disability Inclusion in the Legal Profession, that will bring together top national experts to discuss the critical barriers that people with disabilities face in the legal field, while covering practical and actionable solutions to foster greater inclusion at top firms. The webinar is being held in recognition of Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM), which celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities and highlights the importance of inclusive employment policies.
Several prominent organizations and law firms at the forefront of disability advocacy and inclusion will be presenting and speaking during the discussion, including the American Bar Association, Loyola Marymount University, White & Case, the National Disabled Law Students Association, and more.
“People with disabilities bring immense value to so many professions, the legal profession among them, yet the percentage of lawyers with disabilities remains far too low,” said Jill Houghton, President and CEO, Disability:IN. “This webinar is an important step in fostering a much-needed conversation about how we can all work together—across law firms, corporations, and academic institutions—to eliminate the barriers that have kept talent out of the legal field for far too long.”
Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) being enacted over 30 years ago, only 2% of lawyers identify as having a disability. The webinar will address this disparity by identifying key obstacles to achieving disability equality within the legal profession and exploring strategies to attract, recruit, retain, and advance individuals with disabilities in law firms, legal departments, and other sectors of the legal ecosystem.
Key topics will include:
- The challenges people with disabilities face when pursuing legal careers
- Effective strategies for advancing disability inclusion in the legal field
- The role law firms, law schools, bar associations, corporate legal departments, and government agencies can play in dismantling barriers
“As we reflect on Disability Employment Awareness Month, it’s important that we shine a light on the unique barriers that attorneys with disabilities face with employment,” said Ted Kennedy, Jr., Partner, Epstein Becker Green. “This webinar will not only examine these challenges, but also offer real-world solutions to create pathways for greater inclusion and representation. I’m proud to join alongside so many of my colleagues in the disability advocacy and legal community to chart a new course toward a more equitable future where disability is seen as an asset, not a barrier.”
Speakers include:
- Chad Jerdee, Board Chair, Disability:IN
- Constantin Nuernberger, Esq., Associate and Co-Chair of Beyond Barriers, White & Case
- Haley Miller, Executive Director, National Disabled Law Students Association
- Jill Houghton, President and CEO, Disability:IN
- Katherine Perez, Director of the Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy, and Innovation, Loyola Marymount University
- Robert Dinerstein, Chair, Commission on Disability Rights, American Bar Association, and Emeritus Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law
- Ted Kennedy, Jr., Partner, Epstein Becker Green, Co-Chair of the Disability Equality Index, and Immediate Past Chair, American Association of People with Disabilities
The webinar will be held on Tuesday, October 22nd from 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM EST.
To register, please visit https://disin.swoogo.com/advancingdisabilityinclusioninthelegalprofession.
