Reasonable Accommodations for Attorneys with Disabilities

Abstract

[From Introduction] Diversity in the legal profession has been the subject of much discussion and study for a number of years. A 2003 report by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), entitled Diversity in Law Firms, notes the significant role that lawyers play in social, economic, and political life and the influence that minorities and women have been able to attain as their numbers in the legal profession increase. This fact sheet addresses the application of the reasonable accommodation obligation to attorneys and their employers. Attorneys with disabilities, both as applicants and employees,may need a range of accommodations in order to apply for and perform many types of legal jobs. Most of the accommodations that attorneys with disabilities may need are similar to those needed by other professionals with disabilities who work in an office setting. Thus, much of the discussion in this document will apply to a wide range of administrative and professional jobs.