Last month was Disability Pride Month, which initially started as a celebration in 1990 in the US, when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed.
It is now garnering support across the world, with inclusive employers like Buckles recognising the significant transformation the legal profession has undergone towards greater inclusivity and accessibility.
However, we are posting in August as the concern of focussing on a single day or month, is ignoring the effort expended throughout the year to improve accessibility and diversity within the legal profession. Law firms must maintain the pace of change and celebrate achievements throughout the year and not just July.
One aspect of the positive change our profession is undergoing, is the increasing presence and success of disabled lawyers, with recent statistics showing a rise in the number of disabled lawyers from 3% in 2015 to 6% in 2023.
Although something to be celebrated, with greater recognition and acceptance of what constitutes a disability, there remains work for the legal sector to do, given 24% of the working-age population in the UK reported in October to December 2023, they were disabled.
Not all disabilities are immediately obvious, but the growing number of disabled role models within the legal profession is encouraging and continues to provide the legal community and those who aspire to join us, with figures they can identify with.
As the legal landscape becomes more diverse and inclusive, important organisations such as the Association of Disabled Lawyers [ADL] have emerged. The ADL is an Association for disabled lawyers, with mental and physical health conditions, raising awareness that you can practise law in the UK and be a disabled person.
This progressive shift ensures that everyone, regardless of their physical ability or mental health experiences, has equal opportunities to carve out a career and help clients address the challenges they face at work and in life.
Historical Context
Historically, the legal profession was perceived as exclusive and predominantly occupied by white men, with the initial diversity focus being to address the gender imbalance to better reflect the communities in which law firms operate and the changing face of their client base.
These systemic barriers to accessibility included the disabled community, with obstacles ranging from physical accessibility issues to societal prejudices.
However, legal offices are now increasingly recognised as hubs of diversity, with many embracing the positive aspects of internal DEI Groups to develop more opportunities for minority groups, including those affected by disability.
Dedicated mentoring programmes, formal and informal, are crucial in helping individuals gain a better understanding of the legal profession and positioning them for success, often with minor access adjustments opening a world of opportunity.
Despite these recent advancements, disabled lawyers continue to face significant challenges in accessing the profession. There remains an urgent need for the implementation of physical accessibility measures in law firms and courtrooms.
Very little of the UK’s civil and criminal courthouses are fully accessible, which highlights the pressing need for more inclusive infrastructure, such as disabled parking, accessible toilets, lifts and assistive technology for the visually or hearing impaired. There remains a lot more to be done, before the profession can congratulate itself too much.
Given the number of employees declaring a disability in the total workforce is nearer 24%, how many in the legal profession have not identified themselves to their employers for fear that they would experience stigma and career disadvantages?
This worry is understandable and is born of unconscious bias within the legal profession, which undoubtedly creates considerable barriers for individuals with a physical disability or mental health experience and prevents the profession from achieving true diversity and inclusivity.
Like many firms we have a DEI Group and they work hard to ensure we raise awareness of unconscious bias within our business to help foster a better understanding of the implications of personal prejudice and the unintentional harm caused.
Conclusion
It is important to remember that laws have been established to protect disabled workers, with The Equality Act 2010 requiring employers to listen to their workers’ needs and provide reasonable adjustments.
This may involve establishing accessible premises for wheelchair users, providing deaf awareness training for other workers, or employing a support worker to assist a disabled worker. Beyond these reasonable adjustments, the Act also legally protects disabled workers from discrimination, fostering a more inclusive and welcoming environment where fair treatment is expected for all, regardless of disability.
Whilst we recognise there will always be more we can do, Buckles is on the path to being a fully inclusive and accessible firm, proud of the distance it has come to this point and the achievements of all our employees, whether they have made known to us their disability or not.
