[blindlaw] blind attorneys

Ross Doerr rumpole at roadrunner.com
Wed Nov 24 15:51:27 UTC 2010


The last I knew, Vermont and North Carolina were the only two states who 
still permitted that - and it was done through apprenticeship to an admitted 
attorney.
But that information is about 10 years old, so it may not apply any longer.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Susan Kelly" <Susan.Kelly at pima.gov>
To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 10:05 AM
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] blind attorneys


> Actually...my great-great grandfather "read" for the bar - in fact, he
> only had a high school diploma, but became an attorney by internship and
> very educated by his love of reading.  Going through modern law school,
> was always jealous that it had at least once been by practice and
> testing alone!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On Behalf Of Jorge Paez
> Sent: Tuesday, 23 November, 2010 6:52 PM
> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] blind attorneys
>
> Out rages!
> Employ someone who hasn't passed the BAR?
> Unless of course its some sort of internship.
>
>
> On Nov 23, 2010, at 8:48 PM, Steve P. Deeley wrote:
>
>> That is because Canada is a socialist nation.
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ross Doerr"
> <rumpole at roadrunner.com>
>> To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 2:40 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] blind attorneys
>>
>>
>>> Good point Blain.
>>> IF that were "required" in the U.S. the same result may append itself
> to
>>> U.S. graduates.
>>> I like it.
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Blaine Deutscher"
> <b.m.deutscher at sasktel.net>
>>> To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 1:28 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] blind attorneys
>>>
>>>
>>>> This is why Canadian Law students have somewhat of an advantage over
>>>> American students.  before you take the Bar you are required to do
> one
>>>> year
>>>> of what they call artickling.  This is where you go and work in a
> Law
>>>> firm.
>>>> A lot of Law students that attend  a Law school in Canada find that
> that
>>>> one
>>>> year helps then gain employment and if you're really good or they
> like you
>>>> then you might get reemploied after you pass the bar.  Some firms
> might
>>>> pay
>>>> for you to take the bar if they feel that you will be a real assit
> to the
>>>> firm.
>>>>
>>>> Blaine
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: <awilusa at yahoo.com>
>>>> To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 11:06 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] blind attorneys
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>       my name is Girmai Kahsai. I graduated from law school and
> acquired
>>>> my bar license in 2009. I have been applying for a job for more than
> a
>>>> year.
>>>> I have had interviews and I believe I was not selected for
> employment in
>>>> some cases due to discrimination tacit or otherwise whenever the
>>>> interviewers discovered that I am blind. federal and state agencies
>>>> require
>>>> experience which is a hurdle for new attorney. due to other
> obligations, I
>>>> am seeking gainful employment in other areaas which may help me to
> move to
>>>> attorney position in the long run.  I have been a lawyer for
> fourteen
>>>> years
>>>> in another country and I have no doubt that law is the best
> profession
>>>> that
>>>> would not require sight. nonetheless due to innumberable challenges
> such
>>>> as
>>>> the current economic crisis, bias etc. employment is evading me. but
> I
>>>> would
>>>> like to stress that with proper planning and preparation newly
> graduated
>>>> blind attorneys have the chance of employment. the prospective blind
>>>> lawyer
>>>> should work as intern duringg summers in federal or state agencies,
>>>> participate in nmoot court competitions, law school journal etc.
> these
>>>> experiences would give the blind lawyer an edge in the search for
>>>> employment. employers consider these experiences during the hiring
>>>> process.
>>>> the formation of a nonprofit organization for the provision of legal
> aid
>>>> should be explored as an alternative option by a blind attorney. the
> legal
>>>> profession is extremely broad and can be applied flexibly depending
> on the
>>>> creativity of the blind attorney individual. I  would like to
> encourage
>>>> blind individuals with stamina and skills to strive to study law.
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message----- From: James Weisberg
>>>> Sent: Friday, November 19, 2010 7:56 PM
>>>> To: 'NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List'
>>>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] blind attorneys
>>>>
>>>> My experience is similar Noel.  My point:  numerically speaking the
> effort
>>>> of the credentials are not worth the "chance" you will be one of the
>>>> "lucky"
>>>> one's to get a job offer.  Congrats on making it into the public
> sector as
>>>> I
>>>> believe that is the place for those such as us with vision problems
> and
>>>> law
>>>> degrees.  I am currently in the process of waiting for a job
> interview
>>>> with
>>>> the Fed myself!
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>> Behalf Of Nightingale, Noel
>>>> Sent: Friday, November 19, 2010 1:28 PM
>>>> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
>>>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] blind attorneys
>>>>
>>>> James:
>>>>
>>>> I have lost track of your original point.   I hope this response is
> on
>>>> target.
>>>>
>>>> I was blind during law school, worked as a summer associate for a
>>>> nationally-known firm, and received a job offer as a result of my
> work
>>>> during that summer.  I was employed by that firm for over five
> years.  I
>>>> now
>>>> practice for the federal government.
>>>>
>>>> I know of others as well who were blind before law school who got
> jobs at
>>>> private firms.
>>>>
>>>> I also know that tremendous discrimination occurs but my own
> experience
>>>> tells me that it is entirely possible for a blind person to receive
> offers
>>>> of employment to practice in the private sector.
>>>>
>>>> Noel Nightingale
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>> Behalf Of James Weisberg
>>>> Sent: Friday, November 19, 2010 8:48 AM
>>>> To: 'NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List'
>>>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] blind attorneys
>>>>
>>>> I have to distinguish, I'm getting back to Dave's comments below
> again
>>>> now,
>>>> between employed blind lawyers who lost sight AFTER they had been
> employed
>>>> and developed a rep before going blind as being competent from those
> who
>>>> are
>>>> blind and thus never given the opportunity to develop such a rep
> unless
>>>> they
>>>> can do it on their own as I have.  I just don't count blind lawyers
> in my
>>>> calculation if they lost their sight after they were established
> because
>>>> my
>>>> point is NOT whether or not a blind person can do the work, I know
> as I
>>>> have
>>>> been doing it for over ten years now.  My point is the effort for
> the
>>>> credentials compared with the likelihood of a job offer means go for
>>>> something else . . . that's all.  So I too would love the numbers on
> blind
>>>> lawyers never offered employment compared against employed blind
> lawyers
>>>> who
>>>> were blind prior to ever practicing!!  I'm betting close to
>>>> "astronomical."
>>>> *smile*
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>> Behalf Of mfhurley at optonline.net
>>>> Sent: Friday, November 19, 2010 7:29 AM
>>>> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
>>>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] blind attorneys
>>>>
>>>> Prospects for blind lawyers were not good in a great ecomony.  I
> agree
>>>> with
>>>> Dennis' post wholeheartedly.
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: David Andrews
>>>> Date: Friday, November 19, 2010 5:26 am
>>>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] blind attorneys
>>>> To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
>>>>
>>>>> James:
>>>>>
>>>>> I would like to suggest that the unemployment rate for blind
>>>>> persons
>>>>> in most all, if not all fields of endeavor is low. While my
>>>>> evidence
>>>>> is anecdotal, I don't think that it is necessarily any worse for
>>>>> blind lawyers. Over the years I have known a bunch of blind
>>>>> lawyers,
>>>>> who are working.
>>>>>
>>>>> From what I read, the prospect for all lawyers isn't that good
>>>>> right
>>>>> now, so it is hard to separate the blindness penalty from the
>>>>> bad
>>>>> economy penalty.
>>>>>
>>>>> Dave
>>>>>
>>>>> At 05:55 PM 11/18/2010, you wrote:
>>>>> >Based upon my experience, Berkeley grad, top tier law grad,
>>>>> ZERO job offers
>>>>> >despite NEVER not getting an interview, combined with the
>>>>> extremely low
>>>>> >numbers of blind attorneys I can't think of what there might be
>>>>> to discuss.
>>>>> >My advice to anyone with vision issues considering law as a
>>>>> career is to not
>>>>> >waste their time or money they have a greater chance
> statistically,
>>>>> >probably, of getting hit by lightening on the way to law class
>>>>> than ever
>>>>> >getting an offer of employment. Now if you come from money, forget
>>>>> >everything I have said and just open your own firm! THAT IS
>>>>> THE WAY IT IS!
>>>>> >But there are always EXCEPTIONS. I personally wouldn't want to
>>>>> invest the
>>>>> >time and money law school requires on the hopes I'll be an
> exception.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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> onli
>>>> ne.net
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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