[blindlaw] advice

[Scott C. LaBarre]

Katy, I am totally blind and have been so pretty much since the time I lost 
my sight.  Therefore, I cannot directly relate with you other than to say my 
wife is in a similar situation.  Sometimes, she carries her cane and 
sometimes not.  I have noticed that she usually does take her cane when we 
are going somewhere new and plan on meeting new people.  She finds it easier 
to explain that she is blind and has some residual vision than to deal with 
people thinking she is fully sighted and wondering why she isn't making the 
best eye contact or can't see the signs or can't read name tags or whatever. 
I think she also takes it because she wants to be able to use it in 
unfamiliar locations, especially at night and more especially to deal with 
stairs and other things she doesn't see too well.

Ultimately, I guess it depends on which issue you'd rather have.  I think it 
also depends on why it is you choose not to carry a cane.  These are 
questions with which I cannot help you much.

However, I can tell you that as an attorney, you are very likely going to be 
in situations that are pressure packed and move along quite quickly.  In a 
courtroom, do you want a Judge or jury wondering why you aren't exactly 
acting like the other lawyers in the room?  Would it be easier or harder to 
explain that you are legally blind  and that is  why you aren't able to read 
things or see objects or whatever?  Or would it be easier to  carry a cane 
alerting the judge and counsel that you are blind allowing you to explain 
later that you can see some.

Now, I know you sent off your post not wondering whether you should carry a 
cane or not but rather asking the question of how  you should explain 
yourself.  I guess my first advice is to  speak with others who are 
similarly situated.  We have such blind lawyers on this list.  Charlie 
Brown, our First Vice President, has quite a bit of residual  vision yet has 
always carried a cane.  I am sure there are others who don't.

I wish you luck with this dilemma and I hope we can be helpful.
Thanks,
Scott C. LaBarre, Esq.

LaBarre Law Offices P.C.
1660 South Albion Street, Ste. 918
Denver, Colorado 80222
303 504-5979 (voice)
303 757-3640 (fax)
slabarre at labarrelaw.com (e-mail)
www.labarrelaw.com (website)

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Katy Carroll" <kc2992a at student.american.edu>
To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2010 2:37 PM
Subject: [blindlaw] advice


> Hi List!
>
> I have run numerous times into the same dilemma and I am convinced this
> dilemma will become more and more of a problem as I move on in my career,
> unless I do something about it, which is why i am posing this problem to
> you:
>
> Recently I went to a meeting of a professional organization here in DC. 
> Not
> surprisingly, each of the attendees were given name tags with one's name 
> and
> either place of work or study to wear during the event, to help initiate
> networking. I am partially blind, and don't feel the need to carry a cane
> with me. However, I can't see other people;s name tags, and can't comment 
> or
> respond to what is written on them. I would like to be able to ask people
> who they are and where they work without seeming like I can't read. Has
> anyone perfected a introduction by which they can do this?
>
> I would appreciate any thoughts.
>
> -- 
> Kathryn CARROLL
> American University
> 631 521 3018
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