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Disabled Lawyers

Disability can affect any one of us, one in four people will be affected by mental ill health in the course of their life and 83 percent of people will acquire their disability whilst in employment.

Bristol Law Society is committed to promoting and supporting ED&I in the legal profession with a focus within Bristol and the South West. As part of this we promote equal opportunities for disabled people within the legal profession. Legal professionals can have a wide range of disabilities that affect them to varying degrees, including visual and other sensory impairments, impaired mobility and less immediately apparent disabilities, such as epilepsy, dyslexia and mental health issues.

For more information or local support please contact Coralie McKeivor Coralie.McKeivor@freeths.co.uk or Salma Maqsood S.Maqsood@barcankirby.co.uk

Virtual Coffee Mornings

The Bristol Law Society holds regular coffee mornings for disabled legal professionals based in the Bristol area. Our Coffee Mornings continue to be held virtually.

To be added to the Coffee Morning Mailing List please contact info@bristollawsociety.com or Coralie.McKeivor@freeths.co.uk.

UK Disability History Month

UK Disability History Month runs annually - details will be posted here as they come live.

Legally Disabled Research Project

The ‘Legally Disabled’ survey of solicitors and paralegals found 60% had experienced ill-treatment in the workplace, and of these 80% believed it was related to disability.

This project was led by Professor Debbie Foster of Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University and independent researcher Dr Natasha Hirst and was supported by the Lawyers with Disabilities Division of the Law Society.

This project was the first of its kind to document the career experiences of disabled people working in the legal profession. Bristol Law Society members have been involved with completing interviews, surveys and providing feedback as part of this project and the follow-up roundtable discussions.

Both the full report and the executive summary of findings and recommendations can be downloaded on the Legally Disabled website. http://legallydisabled.com/

Launched on the 2nd November 2020, their follow-up research, in partnership with The Law Society, shows how disabled lawyers have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and how increased remote working and more flexibility with reasonable adjustments could make the legal profession more accessible.

You can find all their reports here. http://legallydisabled.com/research-reports/

Lawyers with Disabilities Division of the Law Society

The Lawyers with Disabilities Division promotes equal opportunities for people with disabilities within the legal profession. We encourage solicitors to use their experiences and expertise to support aspiring solicitors or colleagues seeking to progress in the legal sector.

Bristol Law Society Honorary Secretary, Coralie McKeivor, sits on the Lawyers with Disabilities Division Committee and heads up their regional engagement sub-committee.

The Lawyers with Disabilities Division has produced guidance for law firms including:

If you are not already a member of the national Law Society Lawyers with Disabilities Division – why not join. Membership of the Lawyers with Disabilities Division is free, and is open to all solicitors and their allies. Members benefit from:

  • specialised events and training
  • networking opportunities
  • a shared platform to exchange views and further mutual interests
  • regular e-newsletters and updates
  • a one-to-one mentoring programme
  • voting rights for division seats on the Law Society’s governing council

To join the Lawyers with Disabilities Division, sign up to My Law Society and tick the Lawyers with disabilities box in special interests. You will receive regular email updates and tailored content will appear on your My Law Society homepage.

For more information email lawyerswithdisabilities@LawSociety.org.uk or get in contact with Coralie directly.

Law Society Guidance:

Other Reasonable Adjustments Resources:

Resources & Websites:

Disability Links:

We love collaborating with others. If you have any websites, resources or events you would like us to share or collaborate on please get in touch by emailing info@bristollawsociety.com.