To promote the ABA's commitment to justice and the rule of law for persons with mental, physical, and sensory disabilities and to promote their full and equal participation in the legal profession. Click here for more information.
Commission Subcommittees
Subcommittee on Lawyers with Disabilities
This subcommittee works toward the full and equal participation in the legal profession for lawyers with disabilities. Projects focus on education and outreach within the ABA, and within the legal profession as a whole, such as the National Mentor Program for Law Students with Disabilities . The subcommittee was founded through an ABA Task Force charged with making membership benefits more accessible for persons with disabilities, and over the years has expanded its work to address a broader scope of issues concerning lawyers with disabilities. This subcommittee also plans the Commission's Annual Meeting Award Ceremony & Networking Reception.
Subcommittee Members, 2007-2008
Subcommittee on Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities
This subcommittee addresses issues related to attaining, employing, and retaining lawyers with disabilities. The Subcommittee worked in conjunction with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to host the ABA National Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities in 2006. This event was hosted by then-ABA President Michael S. Greco and co-sponsored by other national disability organizations. The Conference focused on what employers can do to increase the employment of lawyers with disabilities and successfully integrate them into the workplace. The other employment-related project was to assist the EEOC in preparing a fact sheet on reasonable accommodations that focused on legal employers. This subcommittee is currently working on the 2009 ABA National Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities.
Subcommittee Members, 2007-2008
Subcommittee on Goal IX Report
This subcommittee helps prepare for, draft, and publish the Commission's annual Goal IX Report. Members help create questions to be asked concerning the status of ABA leaders who may have a disability. Additionally, members draft the structure and content of the Report, including which ABA entities are to be honored for their diversity efforts.
Subcommittee Members, 2007-2008
Subcommittee on Paul G. Hearne Award
This subcommittee creates the guidelines for, and chooses the recipient of the Paul G. Hearne Award for disability rights.
Subcommittee Members, 2007-2008
Subcommittee on Criminal Issues
This subcommittee focuses on lawyers and clients in the criminal justice system that have disabilities. It sponsored a CLE at the 2006 Annual Meeting, entitled “Effectively Representing Defendants with Disabilities.” The subcommittee also participated on the Task Force on Mental Disability and the Death Penalty, which submitted a recommendation to bar the execution of certain categories of defendants with severe mental disabilities, which was adopted by the ABA’s House of Delegates.
Subcommittee Members, 2007-2008
For more information on these subcommittees, contact William Phelan at (202) 662-1576 or phelanw@staff.abanet.org.
