From Ronza.Othman at cms.hhs.gov Mon Jul 2 12:36:30 2012 From: Ronza.Othman at cms.hhs.gov (Othman, Ronza (CMS/OEOCR)) Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2012 08:36:30 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] FW: CMS Job Opportunity (Schedule A) (OOM-HCMG-DQC) Message-ID: Please see below. *** CMS Job Opportunity*** The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), located in Baltimore, Maryland, is seeking applicants for the position identified below. CMS is seeking to hire a veteran or non-veteran individual who is Schedule A eligible, meaning that they possess a “severe” disability. For more information on the Schedule A hiring authority, please visit http://www.opm.gov/disability/PeopleWithDisabilities.asp. The CMS hiring managers in the Office of Operations Management, Human Capital Management Group, Division of Quality and Compliance are looking to fill an Operations Specialist position at the GS-9 level. I am requesting your assistance to provide me with resumes of Schedule A applicants with the identified skills. Information on the major duties and responsibilities and the function of the center are attached. Please send any resumes of Schedule A applicants and the supporting certification documentation to Michele Lenkiewicz at Michele.lenkiewicz at cms.hhs.gov. Be sure to include “OOM-HCMG-DQC” in the subject line. The hiring managers are interested in selecting candidates, as soon as possible. Resumes must be received by 2:00pm Monday, July 2, 2012. Resumes will also be retained in a resume bank for possible future job openings. Thank you in advance for your assistance in reaching potential applicants and I look forward to continuing an ongoing relationship with you to support CMS’ efforts to hire, recruit and retain individuals with disabilities. "OEOCR the model of quality EEO and Civil Rights Services" Michele Lenkiewicz Disability Employment Program Manager Affirmative Employment Group Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (OEOCR) Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 7111 Security Boulevard, Rm. B2-11-32 Baltimore, MD 21244-1850 Phone: 410-786-5117 Fax: 410-786-4341 Email: michele.lenkiewicz at cms.hhs.gov Confidentiality: The information contained in this electronic mail message and any attachments is intended only for the official use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and may contain legally privileged, confidential information or work product. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, distribution, or forwarding of this email message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify me by email reply and delete the original message from your system. Thank you. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: OPERATIONS SPECIALIST GS-301-09.doc, DQC, HCMG.doc Type: application/msword Size: 50688 bytes Desc: OPERATIONS SPECIALIST GS-301-09.doc, DQC, HCMG.doc URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: OOM-HCMG-DQC.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 17759 bytes Desc: OOM-HCMG-DQC.pdf URL: From rumpole at roadrunner.com Mon Jul 2 19:49:49 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2012 15:49:49 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Attorney opening, U.S. Attorney office, Utah Message-ID: <0863FD1D158447E1BE09B996BFB8DDA9@mycomputer> ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DISTRICT OF UTAH 12-UT-06 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah has one opening for an Assistant United States Attorney. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The U. S. Attorneys' Office is seeking an experienced attorney to fill one Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) position in the Criminal Division of its Salt Lake City office. AUSAs in the Criminal Division advise federal law enforcement agents on criminal investigations, present criminal cases to the grand jury, prepare and argue a broad range of motions, and try criminal cases before the United States District Court. Candidates should be capable of handling a variety of significant and complex criminal prosecutions, including white collar and economic crime, violent crime, narcotics and immigration. THIS IS A TERM POSITION NOT-TO-EXCEED 09/30/13. This position may be extended and/or made permanent without further competition. Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least three years post-J.D. experience. Ideal qualifications include at least 3 to 9 years of post-J.D. litigation experience. Applicants must demonstrate a quick analytical ability and the facility to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and writing skills as well as strong research and interpersonal skills, and good judgment. Applicants must possess excellent communication and courtroom skills and exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff and client agencies. Applicants must have a demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment. Travel: Occasional travel may be required. Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorneys' pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number years of professional attorney experience and availability of funds. The range of basic pay is $44,581 to $117,994 plus locality pay where authorized. Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are not authorized. Application Process and Deadline Date: Please submit a resume and cover letter to the United States Attorney's Office, ATTN: Danna Reichert, 185 South State Street, Suite 300, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111. No telephone calls please. Applications must be postmarked no later than July 11, 2012. Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: EOUSA Employment Opportunities http://dojnet.doj.gov/usao/eousa/vacancies/index.html and http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html Department Policies: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed. See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for district-specific information. All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a time-limited (temporary) basis. Temporary appointments may, or may not, be extended or made permanent without further competition. The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys’ Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). From rumpole at roadrunner.com Mon Jul 2 19:51:47 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2012 15:51:47 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] U.S. Attorney opening Conn. Message-ID: <90A8AAB899DD470F8AA98D0D814AA631@mycomputer> ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY TERM POSITION UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NO.12-CT-04 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut prosecutes federal criminal offenses, litigates affirmative civil fraud and enforcement actions, and defends the U.S. Government’s interest in civil cases. The District of Connecticut has three offices: New Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford and has approximately 65 Assistant United States Attorneys representing the interests of the United States in the District of Connecticut.More information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut is available on our website at www.justice.gov/usao/ct THIS IS A TERM POSITION NOT TO EXCEED JULY 2013 Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The U.S. Attorney’s Office is seeking applications for an Assistant United States Attorney for theCriminal Division’s National Security and Major Crimes Unit.This unit is responsible for prosecuting matters involving international and domestic terrorism, civil rights and hate crimes, human trafficking and child exploitation, cybercrime and identity theft, international and domestic organized crime, immigration and customs enforcement, government program and defense contractor fraud, and environmental crimes. Qualifications: Required qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction) and have at least three years post-J.D. experience Preferred qualifications: Experience litigating criminal cases in federal courts, excellent written and oral communication skills, strong character, dedication, and work ethic, and the ability to work well both independently and with others in a demanding environment are highly desired. Travel: Occasional travel within and outside the District will be required. Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorneys’ pay is administratively determined, based in part on the number of years of professional attorney experience.The range of basic pay is $44,581.00to $131,534.00 plus locality pay where authorized.The current locality adjustment for Connecticut is 28.72% in New Haven and Bridgeport and 25.82 in Hartford. Location: New Haven, Connecticut Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized. Who May Apply: All U.S. Citizens Application Process and Deadline Date: Applicants interested should submit a cover letter and a detailed resume to: Richard Molot U.S. Attorney’s Office 157 Church Street, 23rd Floor New Haven, CT 06510 No telephone calls please. Applications must be received by July 11, 2012. Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements may be found at: http://www.justice.gov/usao/ct and http://www.justice.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html Department Policies:Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed.See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for district-specific information. All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a time-limited (temporary) basis.Temporary appointments may, or may not, be extended or made permanent without further competition. The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, politics, marital status, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys’ Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans’ preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans’ preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans’ preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the “point” system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10point preferences and the required supporting documents). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of non-service connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). * * * The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information. From dandrews at visi.com Mon Jul 2 23:57:54 2012 From: dandrews at visi.com (David Andrews) Date: Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:57:54 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Fwd: Target looking for contractors to assist with accessibility testing Message-ID: > >Target is currently looking to contract with a >number of individuals to perform accessibility >testing on its web site. Candidates nationwide are urged to apply. > >Position title: Accessibility Specialist > > >Position type: Contract > > >Reports to: Operations Analyst, Accessibility > > >RESPONSIBILITIES > * Performs testing to ensure that web sites > are free from accessibility-related defects and > are functioning as planned; confirming that > user requirements, design specifications, > development and accessibility meet or exceed expectations. > * Develops, follows, and maintains > documentation including User Requirements, Test plans, and User Scenarios. > * Reports all bugs, enhancements, or tasks > in JIRA (bug tracking software). > * Assigns all accessibility issues to > appropriate team members and works directly > with Project Manager or development staff to > identify solutions and next steps. > * Tracks progress regarding issue resolution > and confirms that issues are retested and closed. > * Supports Accessibility and Technical leads > regarding all issue tracking & reporting needs. > * Manages priorities and risks as defined by > the site deployment time line. > > >KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS >§ Screen-reader proficiency, particularly JAWS an absolute must. >§ Expert-level knowledge of W3C accessibility standards (WCAG 1.0/2.0). >§ Strong analytical skills and problem solving >skills necessary to identify programming errors >or inconsistencies, and the ability to recommend solutions. >§ Highly organized with great attention to detail. >§ Excellent verbal and written communication skills. >§ Ability to collaborate with developers as >needed to isolate root cause of defects. >§ Familiarity with common web site >applications, web browsers, and user experience best practices. > > >How to apply: Please direct any >inquiries/resumes via Email to: Steve Sawczyn >Steve.Sawczyn at target.com . > > > From b75205 at gmail.com Tue Jul 3 12:49:54 2012 From: b75205 at gmail.com (James Pepper) Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2012 07:49:54 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] What are the best solutions for scanning legal documentson a PC? In-Reply-To: References: <4453E212DC3D483999EA5B91E0FB2410@Spike> Message-ID: Thank you I am looking into both of them. James On Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 2:15 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > James, re scanners, most anything will do. A lot of photocopiers are > actually capable of doing this now. I use omnipage at work. its really > good. > I find the kurzweil interface frustrating - each to their own, i guess. > Ger > > On 6/16/12, ckrugman at sbcglobal.net wrote: > > Hi James, > > I scan documents with Kurzweil and then save the document in a Word > format > > so it can be sent to and read by others. > > Chuck > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "James Pepper" > > To: > > Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2012 7:56 AM > > Subject: [blindlaw] What are the best solutions for scanning legal > > documentson a PC? > > > > > >> What are the best solutions for scanning legal documents on a PC We are > >> trying to figure this out, we are starting out with Adobe Acrobat > >> Professional. Are there machines that are better at this than others? > I > >> have tunnel vision and I can see the document but they want for me to > >> start > >> digitizing everything as they were rather intrigued that I could scan a > >> document and read it with my screen reader. > >> > >> James > >> _______________________________________________ > >> blindlaw mailing list > >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org > >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > >> blindlaw: > >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.net > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > blindlaw mailing list > > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > > blindlaw: > > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%40gmail.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b75205%40gmail.com > From joshjsmith at charter.net Tue Jul 3 18:18:04 2012 From: joshjsmith at charter.net (joshjsmith at charter.net) Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2012 14:18:04 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [blindlaw] New member Message-ID: <4d3223b5.a6207.1384e1041a9.Webtop.45@charter.net> I am a new member to the list. I have been in private practice for over 12 years and have two offices in Georgia. We specialize in SSDI law, personal injury and juvenile law. We look forward to networking with everyone. Joshua J. Smith Attorney At Law P.O. Box 458 Dalton, GA. 30722 706 217-2095 From law at cordovaesq.com Tue Jul 3 21:05:40 2012 From: law at cordovaesq.com (Marina Cordova) Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2012 15:05:40 -0600 Subject: [blindlaw] What are the best solutions for scanning legal documentson a PC? In-Reply-To: References: <4453E212DC3D483999EA5B91E0FB2410@Spike> Message-ID: <009801cd595f$9b363a80$d1a2af80$@com> James, When you are looking for a scanner, look for a product that has software with good OCR - Optical character recognition. Its not just the machine, but the software also that counts. As with any legal practice, its helpful to ensure you can scan directly into Word, into adobe, as a jpg, or any other file format you use in your practice. That way you can immediately edit the document in word, or have it uneditable in pdf to email to someone you don't want making changes. Of course, if you have Adobe professional, you can convert a pdf to word, but it requires an extra step AND alters the formatting, making editing a pain. The layout stays the same, until you try to edit it. For example, it will include line, column, and page breaks in the word doc you don't want in the doc. However, the huge plus of adobe pro, is being able to combine several documents, necessary for combining extra large exhibits or packets I had to scan separately You also need to make sure your video card and memory on your computer can handle scanning, otherwise you will have to limit the other programs you have open while scanning. I use a PIC also, and right now I use a Brother MFC 790CW but it's a few years old, and newer models will have even more features. I use it as a combination fax, scanner, copier, and printer. I don't use it as my primary printer, its cheaper to print on my other printer. But I like utilizing a color printer, such as pictures or colored exhibit labels for court, when necessary. I can scan into any format, but it took time learning the software, and I'm not sure if its compatible with screen readers. Its also wireless and I leave it scanning across the room, it scans fairly quickly, but I can't use the computer for something else while its scanning. Sincerely, Marina A. Cordova Attorney at Law 551 W. Cordova Road, # 234 Santa Fe, NM 87505 Office (505) 467-8395 Fax (505) 467-8746 PLEASE NOTE MY CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS TO: law at cordovaesq.com "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need . . . Happy are the ones faultless in [their] way, the ones walking in the law of Jehovah. Uncover my eyes, that I may look at the wonderful things out of your law." Matthew 5:3; Psalms 119:1,18 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message (including attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Section 2510-2521, and is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, forwarding or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient but do not wish to receive communications through this medium, please so advise the sender immediately. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of James Pepper Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2012 6:50 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] What are the best solutions for scanning legal documentson a PC? Thank you I am looking into both of them. James On Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 2:15 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > James, re scanners, most anything will do. A lot of photocopiers are > actually capable of doing this now. I use omnipage at work. its really > good. > I find the kurzweil interface frustrating - each to their own, i guess. > Ger > > On 6/16/12, ckrugman at sbcglobal.net wrote: > > Hi James, > > I scan documents with Kurzweil and then save the document in a Word > format > > so it can be sent to and read by others. > > Chuck > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "James Pepper" > > To: > > Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2012 7:56 AM > > Subject: [blindlaw] What are the best solutions for scanning legal > > documentson a PC? > > > > > >> What are the best solutions for scanning legal documents on a PC We > >> are trying to figure this out, we are starting out with Adobe > >> Acrobat Professional. Are there machines that are better at this than others? > I > >> have tunnel vision and I can see the document but they want for me > >> to start digitizing everything as they were rather intrigued that I > >> could scan a document and read it with my screen reader. > >> > >> James > >> _______________________________________________ > >> blindlaw mailing list > >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org > >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info > >> for > >> blindlaw: > >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcgl > obal.net > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > blindlaw mailing list > > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info > > for > > blindlaw: > > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%4 > 0gmail.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b75205%40gmail.c > om > _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/law%40cordovaesq.com From attorney at alcidonislaw.com Wed Jul 4 02:57:58 2012 From: attorney at alcidonislaw.com (Alcidonis Law Office) Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2012 22:57:58 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] What are the best solutions for scanning legaldocumentson a PC? In-Reply-To: <009801cd595f$9b363a80$d1a2af80$@com> References: <4453E212DC3D483999EA5B91E0FB2410@Spike> <009801cd595f$9b363a80$d1a2af80$@com> Message-ID: <72BE426AA70948EDBA72323C66BC1F7E@RodPC> I didn't know that Adobe pro was accessible. I tried it and quickly gave up when it wouldn't do what I wanted it to do. Rod Alcidonis, Esquire. Alcidonis Law Office, LLC 2824 Cottman Avenue Suite 15 Philadelphia, PA 19149 Tel: (215) 305-8085 Fax: (215) 525-0999 Work: Attorney at alcidonislaw.com Listservs: lawoffice at alcidonislaw.com Licensed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. -----Original Message----- From: Marina Cordova Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2012 5:05 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] What are the best solutions for scanning legaldocumentson a PC? James, When you are looking for a scanner, look for a product that has software with good OCR - Optical character recognition. Its not just the machine, but the software also that counts. As with any legal practice, its helpful to ensure you can scan directly into Word, into adobe, as a jpg, or any other file format you use in your practice. That way you can immediately edit the document in word, or have it uneditable in pdf to email to someone you don't want making changes. Of course, if you have Adobe professional, you can convert a pdf to word, but it requires an extra step AND alters the formatting, making editing a pain. The layout stays the same, until you try to edit it. For example, it will include line, column, and page breaks in the word doc you don't want in the doc. However, the huge plus of adobe pro, is being able to combine several documents, necessary for combining extra large exhibits or packets I had to scan separately You also need to make sure your video card and memory on your computer can handle scanning, otherwise you will have to limit the other programs you have open while scanning. I use a PIC also, and right now I use a Brother MFC 790CW but it's a few years old, and newer models will have even more features. I use it as a combination fax, scanner, copier, and printer. I don't use it as my primary printer, its cheaper to print on my other printer. But I like utilizing a color printer, such as pictures or colored exhibit labels for court, when necessary. I can scan into any format, but it took time learning the software, and I'm not sure if its compatible with screen readers. Its also wireless and I leave it scanning across the room, it scans fairly quickly, but I can't use the computer for something else while its scanning. Sincerely, Marina A. Cordova Attorney at Law 551 W. Cordova Road, # 234 Santa Fe, NM 87505 Office (505) 467-8395 Fax (505) 467-8746 PLEASE NOTE MY CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS TO: law at cordovaesq.com "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need . . . Happy are the ones faultless in [their] way, the ones walking in the law of Jehovah. Uncover my eyes, that I may look at the wonderful things out of your law." Matthew 5:3; Psalms 119:1,18 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message (including attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Section 2510-2521, and is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, forwarding or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient but do not wish to receive communications through this medium, please so advise the sender immediately. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of James Pepper Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2012 6:50 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] What are the best solutions for scanning legal documentson a PC? Thank you I am looking into both of them. James On Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 2:15 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > James, re scanners, most anything will do. A lot of photocopiers are > actually capable of doing this now. I use omnipage at work. its really > good. > I find the kurzweil interface frustrating - each to their own, i guess. > Ger > > On 6/16/12, ckrugman at sbcglobal.net wrote: > > Hi James, > > I scan documents with Kurzweil and then save the document in a Word > format > > so it can be sent to and read by others. > > Chuck > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "James Pepper" > > To: > > Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2012 7:56 AM > > Subject: [blindlaw] What are the best solutions for scanning legal > > documentson a PC? > > > > > >> What are the best solutions for scanning legal documents on a PC We > >> are trying to figure this out, we are starting out with Adobe > >> Acrobat Professional. Are there machines that are better at this than others? > I > >> have tunnel vision and I can see the document but they want for me > >> to start digitizing everything as they were rather intrigued that I > >> could scan a document and read it with my screen reader. > >> > >> James > >> _______________________________________________ > >> blindlaw mailing list > >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org > >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info > >> for > >> blindlaw: > >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcgl > obal.net > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > blindlaw mailing list > > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info > > for > > blindlaw: > > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%4 > 0gmail.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b75205%40gmail.c > om > _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/law%40cordovaesq.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/attorney%40alcidonislaw.com From withat at msn.com Fri Jul 6 03:39:32 2012 From: withat at msn.com (Johnston) Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2012 20:39:32 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] ExamSoft References: <05204BAA125D467C95084E674B4CF1E4@elizabethrene><002101cd33f6$c00d7050$402850f0$@comcast.net> <000001cd55b8$4b9aec00$e2d0c400$@comcast.net> Message-ID: Hello Bill, What about the MPRE- are they giving you that in Word? Their website doesn't mention accessible electronic formats. It's only multiple choice, so I'll probably be fine if they only allow a reader. Thanks. Jay ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Spiry" To: "'Blind Law Mailing List'" Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2012 10:30 PM Subject: Re: [blindlaw] ExamSoft > No, your state bar should allow you to take the bar without exam soft. > I'll > be taking it in July with the MEE and MPT given in Word format and written > in word. NCBE is providing the MBE portion in Word format as well so that > I > can :"mark" my questions as someone with vision might mark up the Qs with > a > pencil for analysis. > > Bill Spiry, J.D. > bspiry at comcast.net > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On > Behalf Of Jon Schorsch > Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 11:32 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] ExamSoft > > Dear Elizabeth, > > I have just finished my first year of law school at Seattle University. > While everyone had to use exam soft for their finals, I was exempt from > having to use it. I did not ask for the exemption, the school was worried > about compatibility issues with JAWS, and simply did not have me try to > use > it. So, I assume it is not compatible, but I really have no idea if it is > compatible with JAWS or not. > > Jon Schorsch > > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On > Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene > Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 12:31 PM > To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org > Subject: [blindlaw] ExamSoft > > Hi all, > > I am retaking the Washington State Bar Exam after a long break from the > practice of Law. When I passed it the first time in 1980, the idea of > using > text-to-speech software on a computer was a dream of the future. For me, > anyway. > > My bar association requires its laptop-using examinees to register with > ExamSoft, Inc., and use their software product, SoftTest, to isolate their > essay answers from anything else on their machines that might allow them > to > cheat. My understanding is that exam questions must be accessed, and > responses composed and submitted, from within SoftTest. > > Some Internet research I've already done on this subject shows me that > many > or most law schools are using SoftTest for their exams now. My quick > overview of ExamSoft's Web site hasn't come up with any information from > them on accessibility or ADA awareness. > > Has anyone written a law school or bar exam using SoftTest with JAWS or > with > Apple's VoiceOver? > > I'm asking about both speech applications because I have to upgrade from > an > older JAWS version to JAWS 13 Pro to access my BARBRI bar review > applications and to be job-ready after the exam, and because I can get an > iBook, right now, with VoiceOver already running, for the price of JAWS > alone. Apparently, SoftTest runs on Windows 7 and OS 10. > > It's likely that the WSBA might exempt me from using SoftTest on ADA > grounds, but I'd rather not ask for an unnecessary accommodation. > > PS: I raised this question about a month or so ago from my iPhone, but > wasn't registered here from that address. > > Thanks in advance for your comments. > > Elizabeth Rene > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/schorschj%40comcast.ne > t > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/bspiry%40comcast.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/withat%40msn.com > From rumpole at roadrunner.com Fri Jul 6 17:42:31 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2012 13:42:31 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Question Message-ID: <49CAAEC086214876AA48FA4A0874262C@mycomputer> If anyone on this list has dealt with Bender Consulting Services would you please contact me off list? Thank you. Ross A. Doerr Esq rumpole at roadrunner.com From rumpole at roadrunner.com Fri Jul 6 22:41:02 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2012 18:41:02 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Two U.S Attorney postings Illinois Message-ID: <79699EAEC437433E8FC03415A0C45B58@mycomputer> These are limited duration postings, one for one year and one for two years Assistant United States Attorney 1-Year Term Appointment United States Attorney's Office Northern District of Illinois Vacancy Announcement Number: AUSA-NDIL-12-T1 Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Assistant United States Attorney 2-Year Term Appointment United States Attorney's Office Northern District of Illinois Vacancy Announcement Number: AUSA-NDIL-12-T2 Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. From jsoro620 at gmail.com Sat Jul 7 16:50:07 2012 From: jsoro620 at gmail.com (Joe) Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2012 12:50:07 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Reasonable Accommodations and Government Employers Message-ID: <00c801cd5c60$918dfd70$b4a9f850$@gmail.com> Hello, I'm hoping someone can give some guidance on a rather urgent issue. In 2010 I was given a conditional job offer with a federal agency as an intelligence analyst. I successfully passed the background investigation, and in January of this year I was finally given an office assignment and training date. I was supposed to have started my training next Monday, July 16, but this past Friday I was called by one of the agency attorneys with the news that they did not feel I could complete the duties and responsibilities of an IA. There are graphics used that are an essential function of the job for which accommodations cannot be provided. Instead, I was offered a position as management and program analyst, for which I am grateful but still very disappointed that I left my previous career to take a job different from what had been promised. These are my questions: 1. There are at least two other blind IAs currently working in the agency. When I pointed this out to the attorney, she said they had been grandfathered into the new requirements for IAs. Is this legal? My understanding is that either a position can be performed by all qualified staff or it cannot. If I'm wrong, I welcome your thoughts on the issue. 2. What kind of metric is used in determining reasonable accommodations? I do not know what percentage of my specific job assignments requires the use of graphics, and even though I plan to educate them on the use of Braille embossers to render certain diagrams, I would like to know to what degree human readers can be used to meet the definition of reasonable accommodation and to what extent I can perform the other tasks of my job. 3. Does the agency cover itself by offering an alternative position? I have looked at both general job descriptions, and a MAPA is not a clear substitute for an IA. 4. If I were to take the MAPA position while I try to resolve the issue of the IA position, will I be hurting my grounds for appeal? Other than my freelance business, I am unemployed, because I left my previous job with the intent to start my new job shortly. I feel like this very tight timeframe is leaving me with very little options. 5. Outside of the agency in question, what other resources may I pursue to plead my case, and perhaps more importantly, do you think I have a case to plead? I met all the security, suitability, and KSA requirements of the job in question. I believe I ought to be able to go through the training program, and allow the training to determine whether I am capable of meeting the responsibilities as is true of all other qualified employees in the IA program. In short, I appreciate anyone's help in clarifying this situation. The decision appears to be carried by the agency's EEO, so my natural option for assistance is part of what is causing the problem. I would hate for the position of IA to be forever closed against all future qualified blind employees, so any referrals and/or suggestions would be very much appreciated. Sincerely, Joe From dennisgclark at sbcglobal.net Sat Jul 7 20:25:45 2012 From: dennisgclark at sbcglobal.net (Dennis Clark) Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2012 13:25:45 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] Reasonable Accommodations and Government Employers References: <00c801cd5c60$918dfd70$b4a9f850$@gmail.com> Message-ID: <2E8A364BB1584D618DBDE10219DF8739@server1> Hello Joe, Can you tell me where your located? Best, Dennis Clark ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe" To: Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2012 9:50 AM Subject: [blindlaw] Reasonable Accommodations and Government Employers > Hello, > > > > I'm hoping someone can give some guidance on a rather urgent issue. > > > > In 2010 I was given a conditional job offer with a federal agency as an > intelligence analyst. I successfully passed the background investigation, > and in January of this year I was finally given an office assignment and > training date. I was supposed to have started my training next Monday, > July > 16, but this past Friday I was called by one of the agency attorneys with > the news that they did not feel I could complete the duties and > responsibilities of an IA. There are graphics used that are an essential > function of the job for which accommodations cannot be provided. Instead, > I > was offered a position as management and program analyst, for which I am > grateful but still very disappointed that I left my previous career to > take > a job different from what had been promised. > > > > These are my questions: > > > > 1. There are at least two other blind IAs currently working in the agency. > When I pointed this out to the attorney, she said they had been > grandfathered into the new requirements for IAs. Is this legal? My > understanding is that either a position can be performed by all qualified > staff or it cannot. If I'm wrong, I welcome your thoughts on the issue. > > > > 2. What kind of metric is used in determining reasonable accommodations? I > do not know what percentage of my specific job assignments requires the > use > of graphics, and even though I plan to educate them on the use of Braille > embossers to render certain diagrams, I would like to know to what degree > human readers can be used to meet the definition of reasonable > accommodation > and to what extent I can perform the other tasks of my job. > > > > 3. Does the agency cover itself by offering an alternative position? I > have > looked at both general job descriptions, and a MAPA is not a clear > substitute for an IA. > > > > 4. If I were to take the MAPA position while I try to resolve the issue of > the IA position, will I be hurting my grounds for appeal? Other than my > freelance business, I am unemployed, because I left my previous job with > the > intent to start my new job shortly. I feel like this very tight timeframe > is > leaving me with very little options. > > > > 5. Outside of the agency in question, what other resources may I pursue to > plead my case, and perhaps more importantly, do you think I have a case to > plead? I met all the security, suitability, and KSA requirements of the > job > in question. I believe I ought to be able to go through the training > program, and allow the training to determine whether I am capable of > meeting > the responsibilities as is true of all other qualified employees in the IA > program. > > > > In short, I appreciate anyone's help in clarifying this situation. The > decision appears to be carried by the agency's EEO, so my natural option > for > assistance is part of what is causing the problem. I would hate for the > position of IA to be forever closed against all future qualified blind > employees, so any referrals and/or suggestions would be very much > appreciated. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Joe > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dennisgclark%40sbcglobal.net From joshjsmith at charter.net Sat Jul 7 20:38:39 2012 From: joshjsmith at charter.net (joshjsmith at charter.net) Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2012 16:38:39 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [blindlaw] Reasonable Accommodations and Government Employers Message-ID: <51776cc7.cec23.138632a6677.Webtop.46@charter.net> I don't' think you hurt your grounds for appeal if you take the other job. It may be that the offer of this position is OK. Is the salary the same or less? That would be my first question and not just because we all have bills to pay but because they offered you the job, you passed all the requirements and at the last minute they pull it from you due to something they should have realized was a problem long ago. On Sat, Jul 7, 2012 at 12:50 PM, Joe wrote: > Hello, > > > I'm hoping someone can give some guidance on a rather urgent issue. > > > In 2010 I was given a conditional job offer with a federal agency as > an > intelligence analyst. I successfully passed the background > investigation, > and in January of this year I was finally given an office assignment > and > training date. I was supposed to have started my training next Monday, > July > 16, but this past Friday I was called by one of the agency attorneys > with > the news that they did not feel I could complete the duties and > responsibilities of an IA. There are graphics used that are an > essential > function of the job for which accommodations cannot be provided. > Instead, I > was offered a position as management and program analyst, for which I > am > grateful but still very disappointed that I left my previous career to > take > a job different from what had been promised. > > > These are my questions: > > > 1. There are at least two other blind IAs currently working in the > agency. > When I pointed this out to the attorney, she said they had been > grandfathered into the new requirements for IAs. Is this legal? My > understanding is that either a position can be performed by all > qualified > staff or it cannot. If I'm wrong, I welcome your thoughts on the > issue. > > > 2. What kind of metric is used in determining reasonable > accommodations? I > do not know what percentage of my specific job assignments requires > the use > of graphics, and even though I plan to educate them on the use of > Braille > embossers to render certain diagrams, I would like to know to what > degree > human readers can be used to meet the definition of reasonable > accommodation > and to what extent I can perform the other tasks of my job. > > > 3. Does the agency cover itself by offering an alternative position? I > have > looked at both general job descriptions, and a MAPA is not a clear > substitute for an IA. > > > 4. If I were to take the MAPA position while I try to resolve the > issue of > the IA position, will I be hurting my grounds for appeal? Other than > my > freelance business, I am unemployed, because I left my previous job > with the > intent to start my new job shortly. I feel like this very tight > timeframe is > leaving me with very little options. > > > 5. Outside of the agency in question, what other resources may I > pursue to > plead my case, and perhaps more importantly, do you think I have a > case to > plead? I met all the security, suitability, and KSA requirements of > the job > in question. I believe I ought to be able to go through the training > program, and allow the training to determine whether I am capable of > meeting > the responsibilities as is true of all other qualified employees in > the IA > program. > > > In short, I appreciate anyone's help in clarifying this situation. The > decision appears to be carried by the agency's EEO, so my natural > option for > assistance is part of what is causing the problem. I would hate for > the > position of IA to be forever closed against all future qualified blind > employees, so any referrals and/or suggestions would be very much > appreciated. > > > Sincerely, > > > Joe > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40charter.net From rothmanjd at gmail.com Sun Jul 8 02:07:58 2012 From: rothmanjd at gmail.com (R Othman) Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2012 22:07:58 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Reasonable Accommodations and Government Employers In-Reply-To: <00c801cd5c60$918dfd70$b4a9f850$@gmail.com> References: <00c801cd5c60$918dfd70$b4a9f850$@gmail.com> Message-ID: <9FA84D42679946F0B5828BA9A255CBE0@ownerqnd3hxb0k> Hi Jo, Unfortunately, access to classified information is one of those areas where the EEOC has tended to hold that national security usually trumps civil rights - not always, but often. You might be able to argue that reasonable accommodations would enable you to do the work, but it'll take quite a long time before you get a decision. In addition, you have an affirmative duty to mitigate damages, and the agency has offered you a position. If it is comparable in salary, then you can still pursue a claim on the basis that you were harmed by the change in position, but you wouldn't get any backpay if you won unless the Program Analyst position was at a lower grade than the IA position. Even then, you'd only be entitled to the difference in salary between the two positions. You may be best served by beginning the PA position and initiating the EEO process on the IA position. Also, once you've entered the federal government, it is a lot easier to move laterally than to get a position as a member of the public. It may be that another agency will hire you on as an IA once you've been at the PA job for a bit. Additionally, most agencies allow employees to detail into other positions after they've finished their probationary periods. You might be able to convince your agency to allow you to perform a detail as an IA, and if it doesn't work out during the 90 or 120 day detail, then you go back to your PA position with no harm done. Finally, if you really want to pursue a suit on this, Stuart Simms is an attorney at Brown Goldstein & Levy in Baltimore. He is handling several cases involving folks who weren't granted reasonable accommodations to do IA work or who were discriminated against based on disability in the process of seeking a security clearance. Just some thoughts. Regards, Ronza -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joe Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2012 12:50 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] Reasonable Accommodations and Government Employers Importance: High Hello, I'm hoping someone can give some guidance on a rather urgent issue. In 2010 I was given a conditional job offer with a federal agency as an intelligence analyst. I successfully passed the background investigation, and in January of this year I was finally given an office assignment and training date. I was supposed to have started my training next Monday, July 16, but this past Friday I was called by one of the agency attorneys with the news that they did not feel I could complete the duties and responsibilities of an IA. There are graphics used that are an essential function of the job for which accommodations cannot be provided. Instead, I was offered a position as management and program analyst, for which I am grateful but still very disappointed that I left my previous career to take a job different from what had been promised. These are my questions: 1. There are at least two other blind IAs currently working in the agency. When I pointed this out to the attorney, she said they had been grandfathered into the new requirements for IAs. Is this legal? My understanding is that either a position can be performed by all qualified staff or it cannot. If I'm wrong, I welcome your thoughts on the issue. 2. What kind of metric is used in determining reasonable accommodations? I do not know what percentage of my specific job assignments requires the use of graphics, and even though I plan to educate them on the use of Braille embossers to render certain diagrams, I would like to know to what degree human readers can be used to meet the definition of reasonable accommodation and to what extent I can perform the other tasks of my job. 3. Does the agency cover itself by offering an alternative position? I have looked at both general job descriptions, and a MAPA is not a clear substitute for an IA. 4. If I were to take the MAPA position while I try to resolve the issue of the IA position, will I be hurting my grounds for appeal? Other than my freelance business, I am unemployed, because I left my previous job with the intent to start my new job shortly. I feel like this very tight timeframe is leaving me with very little options. 5. Outside of the agency in question, what other resources may I pursue to plead my case, and perhaps more importantly, do you think I have a case to plead? I met all the security, suitability, and KSA requirements of the job in question. I believe I ought to be able to go through the training program, and allow the training to determine whether I am capable of meeting the responsibilities as is true of all other qualified employees in the IA program. In short, I appreciate anyone's help in clarifying this situation. The decision appears to be carried by the agency's EEO, so my natural option for assistance is part of what is causing the problem. I would hate for the position of IA to be forever closed against all future qualified blind employees, so any referrals and/or suggestions would be very much appreciated. Sincerely, Joe _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rothmanjd%40gmail.com From rumpole at roadrunner.com Mon Jul 9 17:11:30 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2012 13:11:30 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] U.S. Attorney posting, Louisiana Message-ID: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE Eastern District of Louisiana Vacancy Announcement Number: 12-EDLA-AUSA ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The Eastern District of Louisiana, located in the City of New Orleans, is responsible for prosecuting all federal offenses committed within 13 parishes (counties) of southern Louisiana. The Criminal Division prosecutes a wide range of federal cases involving violent crime, narcotics, public corruption, and fraud crimes. The Civil Division, responsible for a wide range of affirmative and defensive litigation, handles matters involving environmental violations, health care, civil rights, employment discrimination, tax, immigration, and challenges to federal agency actions. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The Eastern District of Louisiana is seeking an experienced attorney for an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) position in the Criminal Division. This job announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Qualifications Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member in good standing of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least 3 years post-J.D. experience. Preferred Qualifications: Applicants must have a demonstrated ability to function as a criminal litigator, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment. Applicants also must demonstrate: (1) the ability to quickly, accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case; (2) superior oral and writing skills; (3) strong research and interpersonal skills; (4) good judgment; (5) excellent communication and courtroom skills; and (6) the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff and client agencies. United States citizenship is required. Travel: Occasional travel may be required. Type of Position: All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a 14 month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $44,851 to $131,534 plus a 14.16% locality pay. Location: This position is located in New Orleans, LA. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized. Application Process and Deadline Date: To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume indicating your interest in this position. Please submit your application by email to USALAE.Jobs at usdoj.gov. Cover Letter should be addressed to: Jim Letten United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Eastern District of Louisiana 650 Poydras St., Suite 1600 New Orleans, LA 70130 No telephone calls please. Applications must be submitted by 07/13/2012. Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint and credit checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html. From rumpole at roadrunner.com Mon Jul 9 21:24:26 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2012 17:24:26 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Overseas Div. attorney posting Message-ID: <2F5330B4136F4216AF3F8563013A4EBF@mycomputer> EXPERIENCED TRIAL ATTORNEY, GS-905-13/14/15 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (OIA) CRIMINAL DIVISION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON, DC VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 12-CRM-OIA-072 Closing Date: Monday, July 23, 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This position is limited to current Department of Justice employees and may be filled by a salary only reimbursable detail assignment or a term appointment. Conditions of the detail will be handled on a case-by-case basis and will require an agreement between the gaining and losing components. This assignment is for up to two years with the possibility of an extension and is expected to begin in August of 2012. About the Position: The Office of International Affairs (OIA) is a unique law office created to provide international assistance in criminal matters to U.S. and foreign investigators, prosecutors and judicial authorities. OIA's primary responsibilities are in the areas of international extradition of fugitives and evidence gathering (i.e., obtaining evidence for use in U.S. and foreign criminal investigations and prosecutions). In this regard, the office works directly with state and local as well as federal prosecutors and law enforcement agents to provide advice and assistance when international issues arise. OIA is also responsible for ensuring that the United States meets its reciprocal obligations to foreign countries with respect to the extradition of fugitives and the production of evidence located in the United States. In addition to handling the thousands of international extradition and evidence gathering (mutual assistance) cases opened each year, OIA is responsible, along with the Department of State, for the negotiation of bilateral and multilateral law enforcement treaties needed to effect extradition and facilitate evidence gathering. Once these treaties enter into force, OIA works with foreign counterparts to assure effective treaty implementation. Responsibilities and Opportunity offered: The attorney(s) selected will likely be assigned to one of six geographical teams. His/her responsibilities will include extensive, high-volume and fast-paced casework (international extradition and mutual legal assistance), law enforcement treaty negotiations and implementation consultations, the preparation of briefing materials for the Attorney General and Department principals, and other international criminal law matters. These responsibilities require regular contact with U.S. federal, state, and local prosecutors and law enforcement personnel, other Department components, the State Department and various other federal agencies, as well as law enforcement counterparts abroad. Responsibilities and Opportunities The attorney(s) selected will likely be assigned to one of six geographical teams. His/her responsibilities will include extensive, high-volume and fast-paced casework (international extradition and mutual legal assistance), law enforcement treaty negotiations and implementation consultations, the preparation of briefing materials for the Attorney General and Department principals, and other international criminal law matters. These responsibilities require regular contact with U.S. federal, state, and local prosecutors and law enforcement personnel, other Department components, the State Department and various other federal agencies, as well as law enforcement counterparts abroad. Qualifications Required qualifications: Interested parties must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least 3 years post J.D. experience as an attorney. Applicants must also have solid academic credentials as well as excellent writing and strong interpersonal skills. Experience in the field of criminal law is required. Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance. Preferred qualifications: Experience in handling international extradition and mutual legal assistance cases, and proficiency in at least one foreign language, are desirable. Travel: Periodic international and domestic travel, sometimes on short notice, is required. Salary Information: Current salary and years of experience determine the appropriate salary level of the position. Grade and salary range is from GS- 13 to GS-15 position is $89,033 – 155,500 per annum (includes locality pay). See OPM's Web page at http://www.opm.gov/oca/12tables/pdf/DCB.pdf Location:Washington, D.C. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are NOT authorized. Submission Process and Deadline Date: Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, brief writing sample, a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) and a current performance appraisal (if applicable) to: Mary Ellen Warlow, Director Office of International Affairs Criminal Division United States Department of Justice Post Office Box 27330, McPherson Square 8th Floor, 1301 New York Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20038-7330 We encourage applications and resumes be submitted by e-mail to OIA.Position at usdoj.gov, or Position, OIA on the DOJ Global Address Book. From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Mon Jul 9 22:08:02 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2012 17:08:02 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS - AMERICORPS FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR SERVICE, NW Justice Project In-Reply-To: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CA701B3@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CA701B3@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: Link: http://nwjustice.org/employment-opportunities/equal-justice-works-americorps-fellowship-opportunity-service Text: Current Openings EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS - AMERICORPS FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR SERVICE The Northwest Justice Project (NJP) is hosting a one-year fellowship sponsored by Equal Justice Works and the Corporation for National and Community Service to focus exclusively on assisting at-risk and homeless veterans remove barriers to housing, employment, and self-sufficiency. Legal assistance to be provided includes assistance with rental housing application denials and evictions, child support modifications, professional and drivers' license suspensions and revocations, sealing and vacating criminal convictions, and other civil legal issues. The AmeriCorps Fellow will be a full-time attorney serving Legal Services Corporation eligible veterans. The attorney selected for the Fellowship will work closely with NJP's Coordinated Legal Education, Advice and Referral system (CLEAR), NJP field offices, and will coordinate with organizations and agencies that serve veterans in providing a full range of legal services to at-risk and homeless veterans. Fellowship Description: The AmeriCorps Fellow will: * Review cases and assess for level of legal assistance needed and suitability for referral to NJP field office staff or pro bono attorneys. * Collaborate with local bar associations in promoting pro bono attorney recruitment, training, mentoring, case referral and placement, and data collection efforts. * Collaborate with Washington law schools on developing law student clinics and supervising volunteer or extern law students who may be veterans themselves. * Continue collaborative relationships, including outreach and training, to the network of agencies and organizations that are providing services to veterans and that may make initial assessments and referrals to NJP. * Update the "Representing Washington Veterans: Basic Legal and Cultural Concepts" manual sections on benefits, education, and employment and train legal aid advocates and volunteer attorneys on the manual. * Provide training for NJP staff on legal issues related to veterans. * Respond to inquiries from agencies and organizations, NJP staff, participating pro bono attorneys, law schools and law students, potential clients and others seeking technical assistance on veterans-related legal issues. * Provide direct client representation and/or co-counseling as time and resources permit and as appropriate based on case handling priorities. * Collect, organize, and submit information necessary to meet Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellowship and other grant reporting requirements. QUALIFICATIONS: The Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellow will preferably have experience with the veteran community and the legal problems of at-risk and homeless veterans, including landlord-tenant law, public benefits law, family law and child support, criminal records as a barrier to housing and employment, and professional and drivers' license issues. Knowledge and experience working with at-risk and homeless clients is a plus. The Fellow must be able to work independently and collaboratively with a diverse array of attorneys and public and private entities. This Fellowship is focused on attorneys with 0-1 year experience, but NJP will consider applicants with up to 3 years' experience, contingent on Equal Justice Works approval. Priority will be given to applicants who are admitted to the Washington State Bar or are taking the Washington state bar exam in July, 2012. The Northwest Justice Project is funded by the Legal Services Corporation and the State of Washington and subject to federal regulations, and numerous funding restrictions and reporting requirements. The attorney hired must be willing to work within the context of these requirements. The Fellow will be a member of AmeriCorps, which provides opportunities for thousands of Americans to make a difference in their local communities. Funding for this position is limited and is currently available for one year and may be renewed for a second year if funding becomes available. Compensation: Equal Justice Works-AmeriCorps Fellows receive a standard AmeriCorps Living allowance plus Supplemental benefits to cover certain expenses (housing, loan repayments, etc.). For compensation range see: EJW website link- "I Want to Apply to EJW-AmeriCorps" Other Benefits and Professional Opportunities: A $5,550 education award voucher, upon successful completion of program, to apply toward payment of federally backed educational loans and other expenses (if eligible under AmeriCorps service limitations). Health and dental insurance coverage Bar dues Eligibility to place all qualified student loans into forbearance and receive an interest accrual payment at the end of service; Opportunity to attend a national training program to develop leadership skills, learn effective practices to accomplish your projects and meet colleagues from across the country, and Child care assistance (if income eligible). Interested candidates should e-mail a letter and resume no later than July 15, 2012 to: Susan Encherman at suee at nwjustice.org with the subject line: AmeriCorps Fellowship - [Last name]. Letter of Interest should clearly refer to Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellowship position. The Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellow is scheduled to begin the term of service on or about July 30, 2012. Ability to speak languages other than English should be noted on the resume. ________________________________________ The Northwest Justice Project (NJP) is committed to a policy of equal opportunity in an environment free of barriers and discriminatory practices for its client communities, Board and staff. NJP actively promotes mutual respect, acceptance, teamwork and productivity among people who are diverse in work background, experience, race, color, national origin, sex, age, religious preference, marital status, sexual orientation, sensory, mental or physical abilities, veteran status, or any other perceived differences. This policy strengthens the program while reinforcing its commitment to basic fairness. People of color, people who identify as transgender, lesbian, gay, or bisexual, and those with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Individuals needing a reasonable accommodation for the application process should contact Susan Encherman at (206) 464-1519 ext. 250. The Northwest Justice Project is committed to non-discrimination in employment. To ensure equal employment opportunity, we ask your voluntary cooperation in responding to our survey found at http://tinyurl.com/yceposc. This information will be treated as confidential, and will be available only to authorized personnel. Please only complete if you are applying for a position. Thank you. From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Mon Jul 9 22:10:08 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Mon, 9 Jul 2012 17:10:08 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WASHINGTON INITIATIVE FOR DIVERSITY recruitment announcement attached in pdf format, with text pasted into body of e-mail In-Reply-To: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CA701AE@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CA701AE@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: Attached, with text pasted below, is the WSBA’s initiative for diversity executive director recruitment announcement in pdf format Text: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WASHINGTON INITIATIVE FOR DIVERSITY Scope of Responsibility The Executive Director will be responsible for the strategic, marketing, programmatic and financial management of the Washington Initiative for Diversity. This is a part-time position. Essential Duties and Responsibilities  Develop and implement marketing and advocacy strategies for the Initiative, as well as the legal diversity and inclusion objectives of the Initiative.  Conduct fundraising and capital campaign activities.  Work with the Initiative for Diversity Governing Council to secure signatories to the Commitments to Diversity promulgated by the Initiative; collaborate with law firms, corporations, governments, minority bar associations, non-profits and other legal employers.  Develop information and resource materials for legal employers and other stakeholders.  Manage business operations in accordance with standard business practices.  Direct and/or review the work of volunteers and other professionals as necessary.  Collaborate with and provide staff report to the Governing Council of the Initiative for Diversity. Required Qualifications  Minimum of 5 years of experience in senior-level legal or non-profit management.  Experience working on diversity programming and driving diversity goals and objectives.  Thorough knowledge and understanding of diversity and inclusion issues in the legal environment.  Experience in performance assessments and related tools to collect, measure and evaluate performance. The preferred candidate will also have:  Extensive experience interacting with high-level professionals in the legal community. Should have an understanding of and the ability to maneuver in the legal communities throughout the State of Washington.  Experience at the Executive Director level.  Proven leadership and the ability to manage and lead a team.  Juris Doctor degree.  Exceptional interpersonal skills and communication/presentation skills (oral and written).  Experience in public relations and outreach to media.  Proven skills in managing multiple and complex projects effectively and simultaneously. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Executive Director Recruitment Announcement.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 205578 bytes Desc: Executive Director Recruitment Announcement.pdf URL: From dricken at gmail.com Tue Jul 10 17:43:50 2012 From: dricken at gmail.com (Kendrick Kennedy) Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 12:43:50 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Evidence Message-ID: Hi All, I've got a blind witness who authorized two checks to be paid to the defendant. I need to get these checks into evidence to prove the defendant was paid. If anyone has had experience with this please comment. Kendrick Kennedy, Esq. From rumpole at roadrunner.com Tue Jul 10 20:55:06 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 16:55:06 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] U.S. attorney posting, Texas, southern district Message-ID: Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas Announcement Number 12-SDTX-17 (MCALLEN-CIVIL) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas, with approximately 190 Assistant United States Attorneys, is among the largest in the country. The office prosecutes federal crimes and represents the interests of the United States in civil cases. The Southern District of Texas stretches from the Houston area southwest to the Mexican border. The United States Attorney's Office operates staffed offices in Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Houston, Laredo, McAllen, and Victoria. Who May Apply: Due to the Attorney General's hiring freeze, only current permanent employees of a U.S. Attorney's Office and EOUSA may be considered and selected. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas seeks one experienced attorney to serve in the Civil Division of its McAllen, Texas office. The incumbent(s) will be responsible for a wide range of both affirmative and defensive litigation on behalf of the United States. Qualifications: Required qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from an accredited law school, and must be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state or territory of the United States or of the District of Columbia. Active bar membership (any jurisdiction) is required. Additionally, applicants must have at least three years of full-time experience as a licensed attorney. Preferred Qualifications: Hiring preferences include at least five (5) years of civil litigation experience, including the handling of one or more of the following types of cases: bankruptcy, employment litigation, torts, and immigration. Other desirable qualifications include first-chair federal trial experience, strong academics, outstanding organizational skills, superior legal writing and research ability, and a demonstrated commitment to professionalism, ethics, civility, and public service. Travel: Occasional travel may be required. Salary Information: Pay for Assistant United States Attorneys is administratively determined, based in part on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The 2012 range of basic pay is $44,581 to $131,534, plus locality pay. Location: Position is located in McAllen, Texas. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized. How to apply: Submit required application materials (described below) via E-mail to: attorneys.usatxs at usdoj.gov. PDF format is preferred. Kenneth Magidson United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas 1000 Louisiana, Suite 2300 Houston, Texas 77002 No telephone calls or faxes, please. What to send: Required materials include: (1) a cover letter; (2) a resume; and (3) a writing sample of not more than 10 pages. Incomplete applications will not be considered. When to apply: The position is open until filled. The initial cutoff date for receipt of applications is July 27, 2012. Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html. Department Policies: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which they are appointed. See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for district-specific information. All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a time-limited (temporary) basis. Temporary appointments may, or may not, be extended or made permanent without further competition. The United States Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, politics, marital status, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdfimage/sf0015.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting documents). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of non-service-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is ten percent or more). From m_b_gilmore at yahoo.com Wed Jul 11 10:54:26 2012 From: m_b_gilmore at yahoo.com (Mike Gilmore) Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2012 03:54:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [blindlaw] recovering deleted e-mails in Microsoft Outlook Message-ID: <1342004066.15528.YahooMailClassic@web112404.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Hi everybody,   I was wondering if there's a keyboard command to recover deleted e-mails in the recover deleted items folder in Microsoft Outlook. A co-worker told me there's a toolbar with three buttons to select. I just need to figure out how to use JAWS to get to that toolbar. Any tips?   Thanks.   Mike From kgborah at att.net Wed Jul 11 13:47:50 2012 From: kgborah at att.net (Kyle Borah) Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2012 08:47:50 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] recovering deleted e-mails in Microsoft Outlook In-Reply-To: <1342004066.15528.YahooMailClassic@web112404.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> References: <1342004066.15528.YahooMailClassic@web112404.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: If you press control+1 (twice quickly) it will move you into a kind of list thing. Then you can arrow up and down the different folders. Click on the deleted items folder and then you have access to all of your previously deleted emails. Blessings, Kyle Borah At-large board member of the Missouri Association of Blind Students and proud graduate of Oakville Senior high school class of 2012. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17 On Jul 11, 2012, at 5:54 AM, Mike Gilmore wrote: Hi everybody, I was wondering if there's a keyboard command to recover deleted e-mails in the recover deleted items folder in Microsoft Outlook. A co-worker told me there's a toolbar with three buttons to select. I just need to figure out how to use JAWS to get to that toolbar. Any tips? Thanks. Mike _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/kgborah%40att.net From joshjsmith at charter.net Wed Jul 11 16:34:43 2012 From: joshjsmith at charter.net (joshjsmith at charter.net) Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2012 12:34:43 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [blindlaw] Evidence Message-ID: <20aea2d4.fd15d.13876e48435.Webtop.49@charter.net> Are the checks canceled with bank info on the back? If so your client can authenticate the documents. Does your client have a way to read the checks incourt with a scanner? On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 1:43 PM, Kendrick Kennedy wrote: > Hi All, > > I've got a blind witness who authorized two checks to be paid to the > defendant. I need to get these checks into evidence to prove the > defendant > was paid. > If anyone has had experience with this please comment. > > Kendrick Kennedy, Esq. > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40charter.net From rumpole at roadrunner.com Thu Jul 12 17:16:37 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:16:37 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] U.S. Attorney Posting, Billings Montana Message-ID: <167B6B162CF04994AF4E137849E62884@mycomputer> ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DISTRICT OF MONTANA BILLINGS OFFICE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT #12-MT-006 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Montana has offices in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula. This position will be located in Billings, Montana The Billings office handles various criminal cases including violent crime (assaults, burglaries, homicides, sexual assaults), economic crime, public corruption, immigration, drugs. The civil cases include employment litigation, defensive torts, social security, bankruptcy and foreclosures. The Billings Office staff consists of 11 Assistant U.S. Attorneys, two Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, six Paralegal Specialists, a Victim Witness Specialist, three Legal Assistants, a Secretary, and five administrative staff. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The Assistant U.S. Attorney will handle the prosecution of both general narcotic cases and Indian Country cases for the District of Montana. The narcotic prosecution duties include handling both Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and non-OCDETF narcotics cases. In addition to trial work, other areas of responsibility include interaction with multi-jurisdictional drug task forces and training of officers. The Indian County duties include violent crime cases which occur on Indian Reservations in Federal Court. Among other substantive areas, cases will include assaults, burglaries, drugs, sexual assaults and homicides. The AUSA will also act as a liaison between specific Indian reservation or reservations and the U.S. Attorney. This particular position is also responsible for appellate work. Qualifications: Required qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree and licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, territory, or District of Columbia, demonstrate excellent computer literacy skills to include experience with automated research on the Internet, and electronic e-mail and word processing systems. Applicants must have at least one year of post J.D. professional experience. Applicants must be active members in good standing of the bar (any jurisdiction). Applicant must also be a member of the Montana Bar or sit for and pass the Montana Bar exam shortly after joining the U.S. Attorney's Office. The position has promotion potential to an AD-29. Preferred qualifications: Applicants must demonstrate a quick analytical ability and the facility to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and writing skills as well as strong research and interpersonal skills, and good judgment. Applicants must possess excellent communication and courtroom skills and exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff and client agencies. Applicants must have a demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment. Experience with automated electronic court filing. Travel: Travel will be required. Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorneys' pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number years of professional attorney experience. The current recruiting range of pay is $48,310 - $127,864. The District does not anticipate having the financial resources to offer a salary at the top of the range. These rates include a locality pay of 14.16%. Location: Billings, MT is located in the south central part of our state. You will find a rich history filled with names such as Lewis and Clark, Custer, Sitting Bull, Calamity Jane and others. As the largest city in Montana, with a population of approximately 100,000, Billings is a hub for business including manufacturing and retail, medical and transportation. You'll find a modern city that's a center for culture and commerce, yet still surrounded by six mountain ranges. In short, you'll find more than a few surprises in Montana's "Magic City." The city earned the nickname of "magic" because its growth was immediate and remarkable. The elevation is 3,125 feet and the average daytime temperature in January (winter) is 28 degrees, while July (summer) is 85.8 degrees. The average annual precipitation is 15 inches and snowfall is 57.2 inches. Billings is served by an International Airport providing service from several major airlines. Two modern and fully-equipped hospitals, over forty clinics, and hundreds of physicians offer every major medical specialty and complete a range of medical services, surgical services and emergency care. Three colleges, Montana State University-Billings, Rocky Mountain College and Montant State University College of Technology offer innovative and timely programs that draw students from a wide radius. Elementary and secondary schools are a real source of civic pride. Billings' high schools consistently rank in the top percentile nationwide in score achievement for the American College Test (ACT). Billings' students participate in the Montana Comprehensive Assessment/Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). These tests are nationally recognized educational barometers. The recreational benefits of this area are abundant with Yellowstone River adjacent to the city providing fishing, rafting and camping. There are also abundant access to hiking and backpacking trails, walking and biking trails. Yellowstone National Park in the city's back yard, is one of the most scenic recreation wonders of Montana. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are not authorized. Application Process and Deadline Date: Interested applicants should send a detailed resume and cover letter to the address below. The material should include information regarding the education and professional background of the candidate and a listing of all bar memberships. United States Attorney's Office Attn: Sheryl Nordahl PO Box 8329 Missoula, MT 59807 If Using Overnight Service: 105 E. Pine Missoula, MT 59802 No telephone calls please. Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on the closing date, which is July 27, 2012. If you prefer ,you may e-mail your resume and cover letter to sheryl.nordahl at usdoj.gov. Applications sent via e-mail must be received by 4:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on July 27, 2012. Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html Department Policies: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed. See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for district-specific information. All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a time-limited (temporary) basis. Temporary appointments may, or may not, be extended or made permanent without further competition. The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). From slabarre at labarrelaw.com Thu Jul 12 19:40:21 2012 From: slabarre at labarrelaw.com (Scott C. LaBarre) Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:40:21 -0600 Subject: [blindlaw] FW: Attorney Vacancies at the U.S. Department of Justice In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <000001cd6066$2db6fc70$8924f550$@labarrelaw.com> From: Hunter, Sue (JMD) [mailto:Sue.Hunter at usdoj.gov] Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2012 12:42 PM To: Hunter, Sue (JMD) Subject: Attorney Vacancies at the U.S. Department of Justice Below is a list of current attorney vacancies at the United States Department of Justice. We encourage all interested applicants to apply; however, please note that due to temporary funding restrictions we may not be able to fill all of the currently advertised positions. To learn more about Justice and our legal careers, please visit our website: www.justice.gov/careers/legal/. In addition, every year over 1,800 volunteer legal interns serve in DOJ components and U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country. If you know any law students who may be interested in a DOJ volunteer internship, please encourage them to review the many opportunities featured at www.justice.gov/careers/legal/volunteer-intern.html. Finally, please share this email with interested colleagues and peers. If you wish to update the contact information for you or the organization you represent, or no longer wish to receive these periodic email announcements, please respond to this email address and ask to be removed from our mailing list. Thank you. We welcome all applications but please note that due to temporary funding restrictions we may not be able to fill all positions as currently advertised. Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office District of Montana Billings Office Vacancy Announcement #12-MT-006 Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on the closing date, which is July 27, 2012. Date posted: 07-12-2012 Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Middle District of Alabama Announcement No: 12-MDAL-19 Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. CST on August 3, 2012. Date posted: 07-11-2012 Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) United States Attorney's Office Eastern District of Tennessee Vacancy Announcement # 12-EDTN-AUSA-10 Applications must be received by Wednesday, July 18, 2012. Date posted: 07-10-2012 Special Assistant United States Attorney Uncompensated United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut Position open until fillled. Date posted: 07-10-2012 U.S. Department of Justice Special Assistant United States Attorney (Uncompensated) United States Attorney's Office Western District of North Carolina 12-WDNC-SAUSA-02 Application must be received by July 25, 2012. Date posted: 07-10-2012 Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas Announcement Number 12-SDTX-17 (MCALLEN-CIVIL) The initial cutoff date for receipt of applications is July 27, 2012. Date posted: 07-10-2012 Experienced Trial Attorney, GS-905-13/14/15 Department of Justice Office of International Affairs (OIA) Criminal Division U.S. Department of Justice Washington, DC Vacancy Announcement Number: 12-CRM-OIA-072 All applications must be received by Monday, July 23, 2012. Date posted: 07-09-2012 U.S. Department of Justice Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Eastern District of Louisiana Vacancy Announcement Number: 12-EDLA-AUSA Applications must be submitted by 07/13/2012. Date posted: 07-09-2012 Assistant United States Attorney 1-Year Term Appointment United States Attorney's Office Northern District of Illinois Vacancy Announcement Number: AUSA-NDIL-12-T1 Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Date posted: 07-06-2012 Assistant United States Attorney 2-Year Term Appointment United States Attorney's Office Northern District of Illinois Vacancy Announcement Number: AUSA-NDIL-12-T2 Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Date posted: 07-06-2012 U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration Office of Chief Counsel Diversion and Regulatory Litigation Section Supervisory Attorney/GS 15 Applications must be received by August 6, 2012. Date posted: 07-04-2012 Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Ohio Vacancy Announcement #12-SDOH-696729-AUSA The deadline to apply is July 24, 2012. Date posted: 07-03-2012 Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas Announcement Number 12-SDTX-18 (CORPUS CHRISTI-CRIMINAL) This announcement is open until July 12, 2012. Date posted: 07-03-2012 Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas Announcement Number 12-SDTX-16 (HOUSTON-ASSET FORFEITURE) The position is open until filled. The initial cutoff date for receipt of applications is July 18, 2012. Date posted: 07-03-2012 Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Eastern District of Tennessee Vacancy Announcement #12-EDTN-AUSA-09 Applications must be received by Monday, July 16, 2012. Date posted: 07-03-2012 Assistant United States Attorney Term Position United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut Vacancy Announcement NO.12-CT-04 Applications must be received by July 11, 2012. Date posted: 07-02-2012 Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office District of Utah 12-UT-06 Applications must be postmarked no later than July 11, 2012. Date posted: 07-02-2012 Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Indiana Vacancy Announcement 12-SDIN-695392-AUSA-CI-IN05 Opens June 29, 2012 and Closes July 13, 2012. Date posted: 06-29-2012 Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office District of New Hampshire 01-NH-12 Applications must be received by July 16, 2012. Date posted: 06-29-2012 Attorney-Advisor Federal Bureau of Prisons Consolidated Legal Center Federal Correctional Complex Florence, Colorado This position is open until filled but no later than July 13, 2012. Date posted: 06-28-2012 Federal Bureau of Prisons Northeast Regional Office (Consolidated Legal Center) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Senior CLC Attorney This position is open until filled, but no later than July 13, 2012. Date posted: 06-28-2012 U.S. Department of Justice National Security Division Office of Intelligence Operations Section Attorney Advisor(s) Washington, D.C. GS-13/14/15 Applications will be handled on a rolling basis until all available positions are filled. Date posted: 06-21-2012 United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section Chief, Disability Rights Section, ES-905-00 Announcement Number: 12-SES-CRD-002 Applications are being accepted from June 18, 2012 through 11:59 PM, EST July 31, 2012. Date posted: 06-20-2012 United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section Chief, Criminal Section, ES-905-00 Announcement Number: 12-SES-CRD-001 Applications are being accepted from June 18, 2012 through 11:59 PM, EST July 31, 2012. Date posted: 06-20-2012 From taiablas at gmail.com Fri Jul 13 14:10:05 2012 From: taiablas at gmail.com (Tai Blas) Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 09:10:05 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Accessibility Contact at Lexis Message-ID: Hello all. I have always preferred using Westlaw for research simply because it seems to be more accessible with JAWS, and West has dedicated accessibility specialists to troubleshoot issues. However, I am constantly being admonished to learn to use Lexis as well. Does anyone know about its accessibility with JAWS or have tips on its use? Also,is there a Lexis representative trained on the use of JAWS or other adaptive technology? Any contact information would be appreciated. Thanks. Tai From dravant at ameritech.net Fri Jul 13 14:26:28 2012 From: dravant at ameritech.net (denise avant) Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 07:26:28 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [blindlaw] Accessibility Contact at Lexis In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <1342189588.5860.YahooMailClassic@web184804.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Hello Tai, Lexis does not have a text only page the way West law does. But the website is like any other, and so you use the various headings, links form fields, placemarkers etc that you would use on any other website. If there are frequent jurisdictions or publications you use, you will be able to place them in a tab, and add statutes reporters and alike to that tab. For example, for Illinois, I have the Illinois Compiled statutes, reporters for the 7th circuit and illinois reporters. As far as I know Lexis does not have specialist in accessibility the way West does. So if you get training, you will have to know your screen reader, and the trainer will do the rest. If you want to set up a favorites link with various publications anyone in lexis can show you how its done. Once its set, it will be there. if you are working on a particular issue, then you can set up alerts whenever there are cases mentioning that issue. You can have cases sent to you in different areas of the law if you wish. For example, I receive by e-mail u.s. supreme Court cases, 7th circuit cases, and Illinois State cases in criminal law each day. Its like your own advance sheet. If you have other questions, I will try to answer them. Hope this helps. --- On Fri, 7/13/12, Tai Blas wrote: From: Tai Blas Subject: [blindlaw] Accessibility Contact at Lexis To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Date: Friday, July 13, 2012, 9:10 AM Hello all. I have always preferred using Westlaw for research simply because it seems to be more accessible with JAWS, and West has dedicated accessibility specialists to troubleshoot issues. However, I am constantly being admonished to learn to use Lexis as well. Does anyone know about its accessibility with JAWS or have tips on its use? Also,is there a Lexis representative trained on the use of JAWS or other adaptive technology? Any contact information would be appreciated. Thanks. Tai _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dravant%40ameritech.net From pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com Fri Jul 13 16:26:08 2012 From: pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com (Peter Donahue) Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 11:26:08 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Law Symposium Recordings Not Working Message-ID: <01f001cd6114$35c51100$9e010b43@yourfsyly0jtwn> Hello everyone, I'd be curious to know if anyone has tried to hear or download the Jacobus TenBroek Disability Law Symposium Recordings from the NFB Web Site. Yesterday and this morning I attempted to hear them but received the following: Page not found. The requested page "/images/nfb/audio/jtb_law_symposium/2012%20JtB%20Law%20Symposium/02_theme_keynote_senator_jamin_b_raskin.mp3" could not be found. I tried other recording links and got similar messages. Has anyone else tried listening or downloading these recordings with success? I hope John, Lou Ann, or someone can check this out and get things working right in the next few days. That will be very much appreciated. Peter Donahue “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper.” Isaiah 54:17 “While for our princes they prepare In caverns deep a burning snare, He shot from heaven a piercing ray, And the dark treachery brought to day.” Anonymous From rumpole at roadrunner.com Fri Jul 13 16:48:18 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 12:48:18 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] U.S. Attorney posting - Texas Message-ID: <9E177845A0C04CF08A80AC30190080BC@mycomputer> ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY U.S. Attorney's Office Eastern District of Texas Vacancy Announcement No. 12-EDTX-701609-AUSA-07 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The United States Attorney's Office prosecutes federal criminal offenses and defends the interests of the United States in civil and appellate matters in the district. The Eastern District of Texas is a large district consisting of 6 staffed offices that cover 43 counties in the eastern part of the state, spanning more than 50,000 square miles from the Oklahoma border to the Gulf of Mexico. Offices are located in Beaumont, Lufkin, Plano, Sherman, Texarkana and Tyler. Our district works closely with federal agencies and law enforcement personnel located throughout the district and in the Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Texas has a vacancy in the Criminal Division in our Texarkana office. This position will be responsible for investigating and prosecuting a variety of federal crimes. Employment with the U.S. Attorney's Office offers a unique and challenging experience for the highly motivated and talented attorney who is committed to serving justice. Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, be licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a state, territory or District of Columbia and have at least three (3) years of post-J.D. experience. Preferred Qualifications: Strong academic credentials, superior legal research and writing skills, quick analytic ability to accurately and precisely articulate critical case-related issues, courtroom experience, good interpersonal skills, the ability to work in a supportive and professional team environment with client agencies, support staff and other attorneys, and a demonstrated commitment to public service. Travel: Occasional travel may be required. Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorneys' pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The recruiting range of pay, including locality pay, is $50,894 to $134,702 per year based on experience. A benefits package is authorized for this position. Additional information about Federal benefits can be obtained at http://www.opm.gov/insure/new_employ/index.asp. Location: This position is located in Texarkana, Texas. As needed, additional positions may be filled from this announcement. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Texarkana, Texas, is located at the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse Building, 500 State Line Avenue North, Suite 402. Geographically located on the border of Texas and Arkansas, Texarkana is composed of two cities with the same name. The Texarkana cities are very unique in that they are connected by a man-made line, State Line Avenue, through the center of Texarkana. Texarkana has a rich historical blend of southern charm and wild west spirit. With so many family-friendly activities, lakes and woodlands, antique shops, parks, concerts, gallery shows, museums, historical sites, golf courses, and rodeos to choose from, life in Texarkana is so large it takes two states. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized. Application Process and Deadline Date: Applications may be submitted online through the following link: http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/321075400 The deadline to apply is Friday, July 27, 2012. If you are unable to apply online, the announcement provides instructions for faxing your documents under the "How to Apply" tab. If you have questions, feel free to contact Princess Franklin, Human Resources Specialist, at (409) 839-2538 or email princess.franklin at usdoj.gov. A hiring committee will evaluate the applications and invite a limited number of applicants for an interview with the committee. Following committee interviews, applicants may be selected for additional interviews with criminal and civil division supervisors and/or the United States Attorney. Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of such factors as academic performance, research and writing ability, oral communication skills, trial experience, and other legal and community service experience. You will need to successfully complete a background security investigation before you can be appointed to this position. Internet Sites: The home page for the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Texas, can be found at: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txe/. Attorney vacancy announcements for other DOJ vacancies may be viewed at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html. Department Policies: Assistant U.S. Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for more district-specific information. All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a time-limited (temporary) basis. Temporary appointments may be extended or made permanent without further competition. The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for United States Attorney's and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting documents). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). From angie.matney at gmail.com Fri Jul 13 17:52:00 2012 From: angie.matney at gmail.com (Angie Matney) Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:52:00 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Accessibility Contact at Lexis In-Reply-To: <1342189588.5860.YahooMailClassic@web184804.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> References: <1342189588.5860.YahooMailClassic@web184804.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Hello Tai, I haven't used Lexis in a few years, but I don't remember the accessibility being that different than it is with Westlaw. If memory serves, you can still navigate through search results with JAWS with the "x" (next checkbox) and "shift-x" (previous checkbox) keys, just as you can in Westlaw. I should say that I do not use the Westlaw text only site, so I can't comment on how Lexis compares to that. Anyway, I believe Lexis does have some people who know something about screen-reader users. I called once with an issue, and they had someone there who was familiar with JAWS who was able to answer the question. But, again, that was several years ago--possibly five. (Wow, where did the time go?) I don't know that they produce targeted resources, as Westlaw does. But I always found them great to work with. I'm sorry, but I can't remember what you're doing now. If you are still in school, then, by all means, invest some time in learning Lexis. You could end up working for an employer that uses it exclusively (my firm did for a while; now they have only Westlaw). Or your employer's contract with Lexis could include different resources than the Westlaw contract. Sorry I can't be of more help. Angie On 7/13/12, denise avant wrote: > Hello Tai, > Lexis does not have a text only page the way West law does. But the website > is like any other, and so you use the various headings, links form fields, > placemarkers etc that you would use on any other website. If there are > frequent jurisdictions or publications you use, you will be able to place > them in a tab, and add statutes reporters and alike to that tab. For > example, for Illinois, I have the Illinois Compiled statutes, reporters for > the 7th circuit and illinois reporters. > As far as I know Lexis does not have specialist in accessibility the way > West does. So if you get training, you will have to know your screen reader, > and the trainer will do the rest. If you want to set up a favorites link > with various publications anyone in lexis can show you how its done. Once > its set, it will be there. if you are working on a particular issue, then > you can set up alerts whenever there are cases mentioning that issue. You > can have cases sent to you in different areas of the law if you wish. For > example, I receive by e-mail u.s. supreme Court cases, 7th circuit cases, > and Illinois State cases in criminal law each day. Its like your own advance > sheet. > If you have other questions, I will try to answer them. > Hope this helps. > --- On Fri, 7/13/12, Tai Blas wrote: > > > From: Tai Blas > Subject: [blindlaw] Accessibility Contact at Lexis > To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org > Date: Friday, July 13, 2012, 9:10 AM > > > Hello all. I have always preferred using Westlaw for research simply > because it seems to be more accessible with JAWS, and West has > dedicated accessibility specialists to troubleshoot issues. However, I > am constantly being admonished to learn to use Lexis as well. Does > anyone know about its accessibility with JAWS or have tips on its use? > Also,is there a Lexis representative trained on the use of JAWS or > other adaptive technology? Any contact information would be > appreciated. > > Thanks. > > Tai > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dravant%40ameritech.net > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/angie.matney%40gmail.com > From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Fri Jul 13 20:28:45 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 15:28:45 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, DISTRICT OF MONTANA, BILLINGS OFFICE, VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT #12-MT-006 In-Reply-To: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CA7089D@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CA7089D@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: Link: http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/jobs/ausa-12-mt-006drugbillings.htm Text: ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DISTRICT OF MONTANA BILLINGS OFFICE VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT #12-MT-006 ________________________________ About the Office: The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Montana has offices in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula. This position will be located in Billings, Montana The Billings office handles various criminal cases including violent crime (assaults, burglaries, homicides, sexual assaults), economic crime, public corruption, immigration, drugs. The civil cases include employment litigation, defensive torts, social security, bankruptcy and foreclosures. The Billings Office staff consists of 11 Assistant U.S. Attorneys, two Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, six Paralegal Specialists, a Victim Witness Specialist, three Legal Assistants, a Secretary, and five administrative staff. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The Assistant U.S. Attorney will handle the prosecution of both general narcotic cases and Indian Country cases for the District of Montana. The narcotic prosecution duties include handling both Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and non-OCDETF narcotics cases. In addition to trial work, other areas of responsibility include interaction with multi-jurisdictional drug task forces and training of officers. The Indian County duties include violent crime cases which occur on Indian Reservations in Federal Court. Among other substantive areas, cases will include assaults, burglaries, drugs, sexual assaults and homicides. The AUSA will also act as a liaison between specific Indian reservation or reservations and the U.S. Attorney. This particular position is also responsible for appellate work. Qualifications: Required qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree and licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, territory, or District of Columbia, demonstrate excellent computer literacy skills to include experience with automated research on the Internet, and electronic e-mail and word processing systems. Applicants must have at least one year of post J.D. professional experience. Applicants must be active members in good standing of the bar (any jurisdiction). Applicant must also be a member of the Montana Bar or sit for and pass the Montana Bar exam shortly after joining the U.S. Attorney's Office. The position has promotion potential to an AD-29. Preferred qualifications: Applicants must demonstrate a quick analytical ability and the facility to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and writing skills as well as strong research and interpersonal skills, and good judgment. Applicants must possess excellent communication and courtroom skills and exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff and client agencies. Applicants must have a demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment. Experience with automated electronic court filing. Travel: Travel will be required. Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorneys' pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number years of professional attorney experience. The current recruiting range of pay is $48,310 - $127,864. The District does not anticipate having the financial resources to offer a salary at the top of the range. These rates include a locality pay of 14.16%. Location: Billings, MT is located in the south central part of our state. You will find a rich history filled with names such as Lewis and Clark, Custer, Sitting Bull, Calamity Jane and others. As the largest city in Montana, with a population of approximately 100,000, Billings is a hub for business including manufacturing and retail, medical and transportation. You'll find a modern city that's a center for culture and commerce, yet still surrounded by six mountain ranges. In short, you'll find more than a few surprises in Montana's "Magic City." The city earned the nickname of "magic" because its growth was immediate and remarkable. The elevation is 3,125 feet and the average daytime temperature in January (winter) is 28 degrees, while July (summer) is 85.8 degrees. The average annual precipitation is 15 inches and snowfall is 57.2 inches. Billings is served by an International Airport providing service from several major airlines. Two modern and fully-equipped hospitals, over forty clinics, and hundreds of physicians offer every major medical specialty and complete a range of medical services, surgical services and emergency care. Three colleges, Montana State University-Billings, Rocky Mountain College and Montana State University College of Technology offer innovative and timely programs that draw students from a wide radius. Elementary and secondary schools are a real source of civic pride. Billings' high schools consistently rank in the top percentile nationwide in score achievement for the American College Test (ACT). Billings' students participate in the Montana Comprehensive Assessment/Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). These tests are nationally recognized educational barometers. The recreational benefits of this area are abundant with Yellowstone River adjacent to the city providing fishing, rafting and camping. There are also abundant access to hiking and backpacking trails, walking and biking trails. Yellowstone National Park in the city's back yard, is one of the most scenic recreation wonders of Montana. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are not authorized. Application Process and Deadline Date: Interested applicants should send a detailed resume and cover letter to the address below. The material should include information regarding the education and professional background of the candidate and a listing of all bar memberships. United States Attorney's Office Attn: Sheryl Nordahl PO Box 8329 Missoula, MT 59807 If Using Overnight Service: 105 E. Pine Missoula, MT 59802 No telephone calls please. Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on the closing date, which is July 27, 2012. If you prefer ,you may e-mail your resume and cover letter to sheryl.nordahl at usdoj.gov. Applications sent via e-mail must be received by 4:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on July 27, 2012. Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html Department Policies: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed. See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for district-specific information. All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a time-limited (temporary) basis. Temporary appointments may, or may not, be extended or made permanent without further competition. The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non-merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of non-service-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). * * * The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information. From rumpole at roadrunner.com Fri Jul 13 22:48:09 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 18:48:09 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] U.S. Attorney Posting - Missouri Message-ID: ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The Western District of Missouri is considered a large district, with 56 Assistant United States Attorneys and numerous Special Assistant United States Attorneys. The district comprises 66 of Missouri's 114 counties, contains 40,251 square miles and has a population of approximately 3.1 million people based upon the 2010 Census information. Included in the district are the metropolitan areas of Kansas City, St. Joseph, Columbia, Jefferson City, Springfield and Joplin. The office has three staffed offices: Kansas City, Springfield and Jefferson City. The United States Attorney's Office prosecutes federal criminal offenses and represents the U.S. government's interest in civil cases both affirmatively and defensively. The Criminal Division investigates and prosecutes federal cases arising from a wide array of criminal activity. The Springfield Criminal attorneys work several types of cases including Fraud and Corruption; Computer Crimes & Child Exploitation; Violent Crime; Narcotics; Terrorism and National Security; and Monetary Penalties. The Civil Division affirmatively litigates cases involving the False Claims Act and other statutes, defends the United States and its agencies and employees in a wide range of civil actions. More information about the office is available at www.justice.gov/usao/mow/. Who May Apply: Only applications from attorneys who are already employed by U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Executive Office for United States Attorneys will be accepted. Opportunity Offered: The Western District of Missouri is currently accepting applications for one permanent Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Springfield, Missouri, Office. Number of Positions: One Qualifications: Required qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least 3 years of post-J.D. experience. Preferred qualifications: Applicants must have excellent academic credentials, significant criminal or civil litigation experience, strong oral advocacy and legal writing skills, sound judgment, and a demonstrated commitment to public service. Travel: Occasional travel may be required. Salary Information: Assistant United Attorneys' pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $44,581 to $131,534 plus locality pay where authorized. Location: Springfield, Missouri Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized. Application Process and Deadline Date: Interested applicants should send a cover letter which includes reference to type of litigation experience, i.e., civil or criminal, resume, transcript, and writing sample to the following email address at USAMOW.HR at usdoj.gov. Applications must be received no later than July 20, 2012. No telephone calls please. Internet Site: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attyvacancies.html Department Policies: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed. See 28 USC Section 545 for district-specific information. All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a time-limited (temporary) basis, pending completion of the background investigation. The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, politics, marital status, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization or on the basis of personal favoritism. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD-214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference should submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF-15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting documents). Applicants should note that SF-15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of non-service-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Sat Jul 14 01:27:13 2012 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 20:27:13 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] research resources Message-ID: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme Court opinions for free or that are affordable? From pattichang at att.net Sat Jul 14 13:45:13 2012 From: pattichang at att.net (Pattichang@att.net) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 08:45:13 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] research resources In-Reply-To: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net> References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net> Fast case for I-phones is good Patti S. Gregory-Chang NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair Sent from my iPhone On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: > Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme Court > opinions for free or that are affordable? > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att.net From rumpole at roadrunner.com Sat Jul 14 14:17:33 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:17:33 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] research resources In-Reply-To: <49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net> References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net> <49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net> Message-ID: Hello Pat: "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like I-Phones? Thank you for your input. Ross -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources Fast case for I-phones is good Patti S. Gregory-Chang NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair Sent from my iPhone On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: > Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme > Court opinions for free or that are affordable? > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att > .net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: 07/13/12 From pattichang at att.net Sat Jul 14 15:40:47 2012 From: pattichang at att.net (Pattichang@att.net) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:40:47 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] research resources In-Reply-To: References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net> <49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net> Message-ID: <988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net> It is useable but not free from a desmgop. Patti S. Gregory-Chang NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair Sent from my iPhone On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > Hello Pat: > "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried it on > your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like I-Phones? > Thank you for your input. > Ross > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On > Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > Fast case for I-phones is good > > Patti S. Gregory-Chang > NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: > >> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme >> Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att >> .net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: 07/13/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att.net From rumpole at roadrunner.com Sat Jul 14 16:36:59 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 12:36:59 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] research resources In-Reply-To: <988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net> References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net><49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net> <988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net> Message-ID: <12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> Thank you Pat. I checked to see if Maine offers it, and sadly they do not. Maine offers CaseMaker to those of us who pay bar dues to be a member of the State Bar Association. Maine is not a mandatory Bar. I'm always on the look out for any new and accessible legal research tolols. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:41 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources It is useable but not free from a desmgop. Patti S. Gregory-Chang NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair Sent from my iPhone On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > Hello Pat: > "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried > it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like I-Phones? > Thank you for your input. > Ross > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > Fast case for I-phones is good > > Patti S. Gregory-Chang > NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: > >> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme >> Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40at >> t >> .net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadru > nner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: > 07/13/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att > .net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 From tmeloy at fuse.net Sat Jul 14 17:19:18 2012 From: tmeloy at fuse.net (Timothy J. Meloy) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 13:19:18 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] research resources In-Reply-To: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net> References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <8C3987CD-12A5-4EB2-AAFE-9A35D811B9E4@fuse.net> Is fast case free for your phone? Thanks, T.J. On Jul 13, 2012, at 9:27 PM, Daniel McBride wrote: > Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme Court > opinions for free or that are affordable? > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.net From william_t_miller at hotmail.com Sat Jul 14 18:51:36 2012 From: william_t_miller at hotmail.com (William T. Miller) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:51:36 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] research resources In-Reply-To: <12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net><49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net><988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net> <12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> Message-ID: The North Carolina Bar Association recently switched from CaseMaker to FastCase for its dues-paying members. I prefer FastCase for its simpler user interface and am pleased with it so far (I've been using it for about two months). My biggest criticism is that, unlike CaseMaker, it does not offer a "shepardizing" feature. I have not tried the app yet. On a related topic for law school students: your law school is doing you a disservice if they are spoonfeeding you WestLaw and Lexis Nexis exclusively for online legal research. Most law school grads who go into legal practice, sighted or not, will be forced to learn more cost-efficient ways to perform legal research once WestLaw and Lexis are no longer free. The more time you spend relearning legal research techniques after law school, the more overwhelming and less profitable legal practice will be for you upon graduation. Practice using free resources as much as you can. Also, find out if your state's bar association offers an online research tool to its members, then try to familiarize yourself with it in addition to WestLaw and Lexis if you can. My 2 cents, Will Miller -----Original Message----- From: Ross Doerr [mailto:rumpole at roadrunner.com] Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 12:37 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources Thank you Pat. I checked to see if Maine offers it, and sadly they do not. Maine offers CaseMaker to those of us who pay bar dues to be a member of the State Bar Association. Maine is not a mandatory Bar. I'm always on the look out for any new and accessible legal research tolols. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:41 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources It is useable but not free from a desmgop. Patti S. Gregory-Chang NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair Sent from my iPhone On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > Hello Pat: > "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried > it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like I-Phones? > Thank you for your input. > Ross > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > Fast case for I-phones is good > > Patti S. Gregory-Chang > NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: > >> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme >> Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40at >> t >> .net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadru > nner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: > 07/13/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att > .net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 From rumpole at roadrunner.com Sat Jul 14 19:19:31 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 15:19:31 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] research resources In-Reply-To: References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net><49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net><988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net><12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> Message-ID: <666CF2C8CC6B4C278F4AD9BFC22439DB@mycomputer> I couldn't agree with you more Will. Maine offers only casemaker, and I've had to strike out on my own to find online legal resources as well as other resources to be an effective attorney. Law Schools, in their research and writing courses, are "okay" for what they do, but in this age, they need to do more. Sighted or not, attornies need to be able to use a wide array of research tools, and that goes far beyond Westlaw or Lexis. Like Will, this is only my two cents worth on the topic. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William T. Miller Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 2:52 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources The North Carolina Bar Association recently switched from CaseMaker to FastCase for its dues-paying members. I prefer FastCase for its simpler user interface and am pleased with it so far (I've been using it for about two months). My biggest criticism is that, unlike CaseMaker, it does not offer a "shepardizing" feature. I have not tried the app yet. On a related topic for law school students: your law school is doing you a disservice if they are spoonfeeding you WestLaw and Lexis Nexis exclusively for online legal research. Most law school grads who go into legal practice, sighted or not, will be forced to learn more cost-efficient ways to perform legal research once WestLaw and Lexis are no longer free. The more time you spend relearning legal research techniques after law school, the more overwhelming and less profitable legal practice will be for you upon graduation. Practice using free resources as much as you can. Also, find out if your state's bar association offers an online research tool to its members, then try to familiarize yourself with it in addition to WestLaw and Lexis if you can. My 2 cents, Will Miller -----Original Message----- From: Ross Doerr [mailto:rumpole at roadrunner.com] Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 12:37 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources Thank you Pat. I checked to see if Maine offers it, and sadly they do not. Maine offers CaseMaker to those of us who pay bar dues to be a member of the State Bar Association. Maine is not a mandatory Bar. I'm always on the look out for any new and accessible legal research tolols. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:41 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources It is useable but not free from a desmgop. Patti S. Gregory-Chang NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair Sent from my iPhone On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > Hello Pat: > "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried > it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like I-Phones? > Thank you for your input. > Ross > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > Fast case for I-phones is good > > Patti S. Gregory-Chang > NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: > >> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme >> Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40at >> t >> .net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadru > nner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: > 07/13/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att > .net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 From law at cordovaesq.com Sat Jul 14 19:53:40 2012 From: law at cordovaesq.com (Marina Cordova) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 13:53:40 -0600 Subject: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone In-Reply-To: <12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net><49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net> <988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net> <12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> Message-ID: <000f01cd61fa$5e428b30$1ac7a190$@com> Hi, what cell phones have you found to be the most accessible? With speech and or large print? I was looking into mobile speak software made by code factory for phones, but I don't know what its compatible with. Their in spain and no number on web site. The web site suggests symbian or windows mobile operating system. But I cant find anyone selling a symbian/nokia phone any more. Yes, I've heard of the knfb reader, but I don't need all of that, and its expensive. Unless you think it's the only best option. Please share your suggestions. Thank you! Sincerely, Marina A. Cordova Attorney at Law 551 W. Cordova Road, # 234 Santa Fe, NM 87505 Office (505) 467-8395 Fax (505) 467-8746 PLEASE NOTE MY CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS TO: law at cordovaesq.com "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need . . . Happy are the ones faultless in [their] way, the ones walking in the law of Jehovah. Uncover my eyes, that I may look at the wonderful things out of your law." Matthew 5:3; Psalms 119:1,18 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message (including attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Section 2510-2521, and is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, forwarding or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient but do not wish to receive communications through this medium, please so advise the sender immediately. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross Doerr Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 10:37 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources Thank you Pat. I checked to see if Maine offers it, and sadly they do not. Maine offers CaseMaker to those of us who pay bar dues to be a member of the State Bar Association. Maine is not a mandatory Bar. I'm always on the look out for any new and accessible legal research tolols. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:41 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources It is useable but not free from a desmgop. Patti S. Gregory-Chang NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair Sent from my iPhone On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > Hello Pat: > "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried > it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like I-Phones? > Thank you for your input. > Ross > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > Fast case for I-phones is good > > Patti S. Gregory-Chang > NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: > >> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme >> Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40at >> t >> .net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadru > nner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: > 07/13/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att > .net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/law%40cordovaesq.com From law at cordovaesq.com Sat Jul 14 20:03:47 2012 From: law at cordovaesq.com (Marina Cordova) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:03:47 -0600 Subject: [blindlaw] research resources In-Reply-To: <666CF2C8CC6B4C278F4AD9BFC22439DB@mycomputer> References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net><49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net><988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net><12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> <666CF2C8CC6B4C278F4AD9BFC22439DB@mycomputer> Message-ID: <001601cd61fb$c84c94c0$58e5be40$@com> I agree with Will and Ross, we do need to utilize as many free resources as possible. But I also have to utilize a paid service. New Mexico bar offers fastcase too. I find it helpful for our local cases. Westlaw and lexis don't have very many NM state materials, and searches come out different on there than fastcase. I agree it should have shepardizing. I still have to use Lexis for shepardizing, and federal, and other searches. When I started my practice I started with westlaw, and lets just say I'm still paying the bill. Even with westlaw at my disposable, sometimes it faster and easier to google something. For free on google I found a federal gov advisory document I'm using in a case now that shows our state gov purposely violated a federal statute. Sincerely, Marina A. Cordova Attorney at Law 551 W. Cordova Road, # 234 Santa Fe, NM 87505 Office (505) 467-8395 Fax (505) 467-8746 PLEASE NOTE MY CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS TO: law at cordovaesq.com "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need . . . Happy are the ones faultless in [their] way, the ones walking in the law of Jehovah. Uncover my eyes, that I may look at the wonderful things out of your law." Matthew 5:3; Psalms 119:1,18 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message (including attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Section 2510-2521, and is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, forwarding or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient but do not wish to receive communications through this medium, please so advise the sender immediately. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross Doerr Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 1:20 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources I couldn't agree with you more Will. Maine offers only casemaker, and I've had to strike out on my own to find online legal resources as well as other resources to be an effective attorney. Law Schools, in their research and writing courses, are "okay" for what they do, but in this age, they need to do more. Sighted or not, attornies need to be able to use a wide array of research tools, and that goes far beyond Westlaw or Lexis. Like Will, this is only my two cents worth on the topic. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William T. Miller Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 2:52 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources The North Carolina Bar Association recently switched from CaseMaker to FastCase for its dues-paying members. I prefer FastCase for its simpler user interface and am pleased with it so far (I've been using it for about two months). My biggest criticism is that, unlike CaseMaker, it does not offer a "shepardizing" feature. I have not tried the app yet. On a related topic for law school students: your law school is doing you a disservice if they are spoonfeeding you WestLaw and Lexis Nexis exclusively for online legal research. Most law school grads who go into legal practice, sighted or not, will be forced to learn more cost-efficient ways to perform legal research once WestLaw and Lexis are no longer free. The more time you spend relearning legal research techniques after law school, the more overwhelming and less profitable legal practice will be for you upon graduation. Practice using free resources as much as you can. Also, find out if your state's bar association offers an online research tool to its members, then try to familiarize yourself with it in addition to WestLaw and Lexis if you can. My 2 cents, Will Miller -----Original Message----- From: Ross Doerr [mailto:rumpole at roadrunner.com] Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 12:37 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources Thank you Pat. I checked to see if Maine offers it, and sadly they do not. Maine offers CaseMaker to those of us who pay bar dues to be a member of the State Bar Association. Maine is not a mandatory Bar. I'm always on the look out for any new and accessible legal research tolols. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:41 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources It is useable but not free from a desmgop. Patti S. Gregory-Chang NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair Sent from my iPhone On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > Hello Pat: > "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried > it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like I-Phones? > Thank you for your input. > Ross > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > Fast case for I-phones is good > > Patti S. Gregory-Chang > NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: > >> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme >> Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40at >> t >> .net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadru > nner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: > 07/13/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att > .net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/law%40cordovaesq.com From rumpole at roadrunner.com Sat Jul 14 20:49:48 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 16:49:48 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] research resources In-Reply-To: <001601cd61fb$c84c94c0$58e5be40$@com> References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net><49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net><988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net><12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> <666CF2C8CC6B4C278F4AD9BFC22439DB@mycomputer> <001601cd61fb$c84c94c0$58e5be40$@com> Message-ID: <13312617404A4B3D97198F01E0A4F782@mycomputer> Marina, I thought things in Maine were sparse. Up there it is difficult to dtermine authority figures who know the difference between tradition and stagmation. "The views expressed in this email are those of the author and in no way..." -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marina Cordova Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 4:04 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources I agree with Will and Ross, we do need to utilize as many free resources as possible. But I also have to utilize a paid service. New Mexico bar offers fastcase too. I find it helpful for our local cases. Westlaw and lexis don't have very many NM state materials, and searches come out different on there than fastcase. I agree it should have shepardizing. I still have to use Lexis for shepardizing, and federal, and other searches. When I started my practice I started with westlaw, and lets just say I'm still paying the bill. Even with westlaw at my disposable, sometimes it faster and easier to google something. For free on google I found a federal gov advisory document I'm using in a case now that shows our state gov purposely violated a federal statute. Sincerely, Marina A. Cordova Attorney at Law 551 W. Cordova Road, # 234 Santa Fe, NM 87505 Office (505) 467-8395 Fax (505) 467-8746 PLEASE NOTE MY CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS TO: law at cordovaesq.com "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need . . . Happy are the ones faultless in [their] way, the ones walking in the law of Jehovah. Uncover my eyes, that I may look at the wonderful things out of your law." Matthew 5:3; Psalms 119:1,18 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message (including attachments) is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Section 2510-2521, and is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, forwarding or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient but do not wish to receive communications through this medium, please so advise the sender immediately. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross Doerr Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 1:20 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources I couldn't agree with you more Will. Maine offers only casemaker, and I've had to strike out on my own to find online legal resources as well as other resources to be an effective attorney. Law Schools, in their research and writing courses, are "okay" for what they do, but in this age, they need to do more. Sighted or not, attornies need to be able to use a wide array of research tools, and that goes far beyond Westlaw or Lexis. Like Will, this is only my two cents worth on the topic. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William T. Miller Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 2:52 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources The North Carolina Bar Association recently switched from CaseMaker to FastCase for its dues-paying members. I prefer FastCase for its simpler user interface and am pleased with it so far (I've been using it for about two months). My biggest criticism is that, unlike CaseMaker, it does not offer a "shepardizing" feature. I have not tried the app yet. On a related topic for law school students: your law school is doing you a disservice if they are spoonfeeding you WestLaw and Lexis Nexis exclusively for online legal research. Most law school grads who go into legal practice, sighted or not, will be forced to learn more cost-efficient ways to perform legal research once WestLaw and Lexis are no longer free. The more time you spend relearning legal research techniques after law school, the more overwhelming and less profitable legal practice will be for you upon graduation. Practice using free resources as much as you can. Also, find out if your state's bar association offers an online research tool to its members, then try to familiarize yourself with it in addition to WestLaw and Lexis if you can. My 2 cents, Will Miller -----Original Message----- From: Ross Doerr [mailto:rumpole at roadrunner.com] Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 12:37 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources Thank you Pat. I checked to see if Maine offers it, and sadly they do not. Maine offers CaseMaker to those of us who pay bar dues to be a member of the State Bar Association. Maine is not a mandatory Bar. I'm always on the look out for any new and accessible legal research tolols. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:41 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources It is useable but not free from a desmgop. Patti S. Gregory-Chang NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair Sent from my iPhone On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > Hello Pat: > "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried > it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like I-Phones? > Thank you for your input. > Ross > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > Fast case for I-phones is good > > Patti S. Gregory-Chang > NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: > >> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme >> Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40at >> t >> .net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadru > nner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: > 07/13/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att > .net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/law%40cordovaesq.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 From fwlopez at comcast.net Sat Jul 14 21:41:38 2012 From: fwlopez at comcast.net (Fred Wright Lopez) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:41:38 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] research resources In-Reply-To: <8C3987CD-12A5-4EB2-AAFE-9A35D811B9E4@fuse.net> References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net> <8C3987CD-12A5-4EB2-AAFE-9A35D811B9E4@fuse.net> Message-ID: <31822C30-1089-459B-BDE4-26AD185FC70F@comcast.net> Please visit law.cornell.edu which is great free resource for Federal and State law material. Fred Wright Lopez On Jul 14, 2012, at 10:19 AM, Timothy J. Meloy wrote: > Is fast case free for your phone? > Thanks, > T.J. > On Jul 13, 2012, at 9:27 PM, Daniel McBride wrote: > >> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme Court >> opinions for free or that are affordable? >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/fwlopez%40comcast.net From emrene at earthlink.net Sat Jul 14 22:29:07 2012 From: emrene at earthlink.net (Elizabeth Rene) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 15:29:07 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation Message-ID: I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are working for private firms. I have always worked in the public sector. Could you please tell me your experience of logging billable hours for your firms? While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to do research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a half, at least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. How have your firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and how--generally--are blind lawyers in the private sector calculating their billable hours if they take longer than sighted colleagues to do specific tasks? Thanks, Elizabeth Rene From rumpole at roadrunner.com Sat Jul 14 23:23:08 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 19:23:08 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hello Elizabeth: Your question will probably get a wide variety of responses on this list, and that is a good thing. During my time in a law office, my first hurdle was the billing software program. There are a lot of different kinds out there, some work "okay" with speech software, some don't, and some "work" as long as you have time to club them into submission. That is hedging your question just a bit, but I thought I'd mention that up front. It is an issue that a lot of us face in law offices. My office had been using a billing package that was somehow rooted in MS Access, and every time I used it, the system crashed. I asked for an accommodation of using an Excel spread sheet to do my billing, and they agreed to do it. That solved one problem. Also, if you'd like to see the excel spread sheet billing sheet I used, contact me off list and I'll be happy to email a blank one to you. But to address your question directly, when you get into a firm that is more or less predatory billing (you eat what you kill), your billables are your lifeline. And that is pretty much what I think you are driving at with your question. At the outset, if the work you are doing is a new field, your time will stretch out to be more than what your sighted colleagues bill, and that can turn into a problem. Your research will take longer if, for no other reason, because it takes longer for a reader or for your software to read something aloud than a sighted person takes to read the same thing to themselves. That is a simple law of physics for most blind lawyers. Now, before someone on this list howls that they can read faster than their sighted colleagues do at their law office, in addition to reading two novels a week as they write two novels a week during the breaks that they take while writing their Bar publication submissions, you need to understand that some people can do that. They crank up the speech rate for Window Eyes or JAWS to the point where it resembles audio telemetry more than understandable speech. If you can read at that rate, you will have no trouble turning in realistic billables. If you are but a mere human, like I am, you'll need to understand a few things. Once you get used to whatever field of practice you are doing in a private office, your billables will get to be more in line with your office mates. You'll just know the material in your field, so you will experience anxiety for only a short period of time while you get "up to speed". If you are going into a more general practice area, where the learning/research curve is going to be high, then your billables will suffer, and that is in no way unique to you. Sighted attorneys experience the same thing, but they have the sighted advantage over you. I endede up practicing in three fields of law, so the materials I used had built-in history. The work never got to be "knee-jerk" practice, but kowing the field was a distinct advantage for me. Most blind lawyers tend to have a better memory than do our sighted colleagues. It also took me a while to get to that point. I got to be good at it because I made the concious decision to stay in that 3-field practice area. 3 fields were enoughf ro me. I regularly said "no" to taking cases that I could see up front would be an entirely new field for me, and that I just didn't have the time to put into learning it. My advice to you would be to network with two target groups. First, speak with other blind/impaired practitioners in private practice dooing the work YOU want to do. And then network with sighted private practitioners in the field. This is where you'd sit down over food or a drink and put things on the table, and ask them how they do it, or how they will deal with it. That is a wealth of input that will be invaluable to you. Then I'd set myself up accordingly. It really is attorney-specific, so how I do thinghs will be different from how others do it. Take what you can use from each of us and use it accordingly. My private practice rule was always "What is this worth to the client" and "what is the case really worth". What I billed them was usualy somewhere in the middle, because my clients were almost always middle class folks who didn't have a lot of money. But the good will and client base I built up was quick and moderately successful. Business clients are a different animal, and I was always vigilant to what class of work I wold get from that type of client. Some only wanted me to do collections work for them. The work that had decent pay attached to it was usually being done by another law office that had told them they won't do collections work any more. Collections work in this economy? I then shifted to a public interest office that was grant funded, and my billables had to justify our office retaining the grant, so the billable focus shifted accordingly. So when the grants from Washington dried up, so did my job. I hope this bit of information helps you out some. As I said, you will get a lot of advice from a lot of people. I suggest that you read all of it. I learn something all the time from those on this list. I even got a recipe for the best darn strawberry-rubarb pie that I've ever had here, but that is a bit off topic. Good luck. Ross "Wisdom comes from these 4 phrases/sentences: "I'm Sorry." I don't understand." "I need help." and "Please". Ross A. Doerr Attorney at Law Admitted to practice law in Maine and New Hampshire Federal Court Admissions ME. & N.H. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 6:29 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are working for private firms. I have always worked in the public sector. Could you please tell me your experience of logging billable hours for your firms? While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to do research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a half, at least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. How have your firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and how--generally--are blind lawyers in the private sector calculating their billable hours if they take longer than sighted colleagues to do specific tasks? Thanks, Elizabeth Rene _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 From tmeloy at fuse.net Sun Jul 15 01:40:41 2012 From: tmeloy at fuse.net (Timothy J. Meloy) Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 21:40:41 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone In-Reply-To: <000f01cd61fa$5e428b30$1ac7a190$@com> References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net><49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net> <988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net> <12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> <000f01cd61fa$5e428b30$1ac7a190$@com> Message-ID: <642F5160-3076-4B09-8DCB-0FA8969808FD@fuse.net> I have found the iPhone to be most accessible. It has speech built in to the operating system and when IOS 6 comes out this fall, you'll be able to run voice over and zoom at the same time. And with all the apps from the app store out there, whyou can do with your phone is limitless. T.J.On Jul 14, 2012, at 3:53 PM, Marina Cordova wrote: > Hi, what cell phones have you found to be the most accessible? With speech > and or large print? I was looking into mobile speak software made by code > factory for phones, but I don't know what its compatible with. Their in > spain and no number on web site. The web site suggests symbian or windows > mobile operating system. But I cant find anyone selling a symbian/nokia > phone any more. Yes, I've heard of the knfb reader, but I don't need all of > that, and its expensive. Unless you think it's the only best option. Please > share your suggestions. Thank you! > > Sincerely, > Marina A. Cordova > Attorney at Law > 551 W. Cordova Road, # 234 > Santa Fe, NM 87505 > Office (505) 467-8395 > Fax (505) 467-8746 > PLEASE NOTE MY CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS TO: law at cordovaesq.com > > "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need . . . Happy are the ones > faultless in [their] way, the ones walking in the law of Jehovah. Uncover > my eyes, that I may look at the wonderful things out of your law." Matthew > 5:3; Psalms 119:1,18 > > CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message (including attachments) is covered > by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Section 2510-2521, and > is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may > contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any unauthorized review, > use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, forwarding or distribution is > prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender > by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. If you are > the intended recipient but do not wish to receive communications through > this medium, please so advise the sender immediately. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On > Behalf Of Ross Doerr > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 10:37 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > Thank you Pat. I checked to see if Maine offers it, and sadly they do not. > Maine offers CaseMaker to those of us who pay bar dues to be a member of the > State Bar Association. Maine is not a mandatory Bar. > I'm always on the look out for any new and accessible legal research > tolols. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On > Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:41 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > It is useable but not free from a desmgop. > > Patti S. Gregory-Chang > NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > >> Hello Pat: >> "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried >> it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like > I-Phones? >> Thank you for your input. >> Ross >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] >> On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM >> To: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources >> >> Fast case for I-phones is good >> >> Patti S. Gregory-Chang >> NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" > wrote: >> >>> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or Supreme >>> Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40at >>> t >>> .net >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadru >> nner.c >> om >> >> >> ----- >> No virus found in this message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: >> 07/13/12 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40att >> .net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: 07/14/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/law%40cordovaesq.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.net From rumpole at roadrunner.com Sun Jul 15 13:58:53 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2012 09:58:53 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] N.Y. Times Article about Law Schools Message-ID: This article appeared in Today's New York Times. Speaking as a graduate of law school from 1988, I am disappointed that it took this long for the discussins we had over 20 years ago to be accepted on now. States complain about lawyers not going into public interest law where we are needed, while law schools and those same states do not budge on what can only be described as draconian school debt repayments. Even us poor, lowly public interest law types need to earn a living. The foregoing is only my opinion. *** >From today's NY Times July is the cruelest month for recent law school graduates. State bar exams next week are make-or-break affairs, determining how many will be allowed to practice law. Those exams once set a graduate on the path to a lifelong career. Not anymore. A huge number of new graduates, if lucky enough to find work, will not be employed in legal jobs that require passing the bar. Only 55 percent of 43,735 graduates in 2011 had a law-related job nine months after graduation, said William Henderson of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, who analyzed recent data from the American Bar Association. Twenty-eight percent were unemployed or underemployed. And at the 20 law schools with the highest employment, 83 percent of graduates were working as lawyers. At the bottom 20, it was a dismal 31 percent. These numbers are far worse than jobs data going back a generation and should be a deep embarrassment to law schools, which have been churning out more graduates than the economy can employ, indulging themselves in copious revenues that higher tuitions and bigger classes bring in. A growing list of deans acknowledge that legal education is facing an existential crisis, but the transformation to a more sustainable model will be difficult and messy. The number of law office jobs began to decline in 2004, well before the recession. And demand for new lawyers isn't expected to grow much even when the economy recovers. Outsourcing of legal work to places like India and greater efficiencies made possible by smarter software to search documents for evidence, for example, are allowing firms to cut the positions of multitudes of low-end lawyers. In 2009, twice as many people passed bar exams as there were legal openings - a level of oversupply that may hold up for years. There is, of course, tremendous need for lawyers to serve the poor and middle class, but scant dollars to pay them. Law schools have hustled to compensate for these shifts by trying to make it look as if their graduates are more marketable, even hiring them as research assistants to offer temporary employment. But those strategies won't fix legal education, particularly when students are starting to see that a high-priced degree, financed by mountains of loans, may never pay off. The number of people taking law school admissions tests fell 24 percent in the last two years, to the lowest level in a decade. Law schools will be crushed if they don't remake themselves, said Frank Wu, dean of Hastings College of the Law at the University of California in San Francisco. "This is Detroit in the 1970s: change or die." Hastings, for example, is reducing the number of its J.D. students by 20 percent in the next three years. It trimmed staff jobs to cut costs, and it increased the teaching load of each faculty member by 20 percent to reduce the need for adjunct professors, among other reasons. But Mr. Wu says the school has no plans to cut the size of its full-time faculty or its compensation or tuition - and tuition is an unavoidable problem. Brian Tamanaha reports in "Failing Law Schools" that in-state annual tuition at public law schools rose to an average of $18,472 in 2009 from $2,006 in 1985, and tuition at private law schools increased to $35,743 from $7,526. A lot of money went to raising faculty salaries. With salary and summer pay, the average now is likely close to $170,000 - and some law professors make $350,000 or more. As tuition has soared, so has student debt. Nearly 9 out of 10 graduates have sizable debt, with $98,500 the average for the class of 2010, or about $1,200 a month in loan payments over 10 years. Most schools and many students have banked on students' being able to pay back enormous loans with ample salaries, but that flawed model is irretrievably broken. It will be hard for any school to alter its cost structure without making substantial changes to its faculty and pay, though some schools are earnestly considering two-year J.D. programs and beginning to experiment with more virtual learning in selected courses. Course-sharing among law schools in lecture courses is another cost-saving option. But in some ways the crisis of law schools goes well beyond the unsustainable economics. Their missions have become muddled, with a widening gap between their lofty claims about the profession's civic responsibility and their failure to train lawyers for public service or provide them with sufficient preparation for practical work. Some schools are trying to break out of this dead end. Boston's Suffolk University Law School is planning to focus on the justice gap by preparing more students to serve the middle class and poor. At Washington and Lee School of Law in Virginia, the third year is now devoted to practical training. Others have increased courses in negotiation, counseling and other skills. The A.B.A., which accredits law schools, could help by allowing much more experimentation and differentiation among schools - and by being much more skeptical of diploma mills. This crisis makes it easy to forget that the law attracts pragmatic types, able to handle changed circumstances. And in fact, huge law firms, hot areas of practice and outsized salaries at top firms are fairly recent developments. Law schools need to be pragmatic, too, finding ways to ensure that graduates can afford to take jobs where the salary is less important than the impact. A version of this editorial appeared in print on July 15, 2012, on page SR10 of the New York edition with the headline: An Existential Crisis For Law Schools.. From rfarber at jw.com Sun Jul 15 18:15:54 2012 From: rfarber at jw.com (Farber, Randy) Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2012 13:15:54 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A207EB0EAD5A@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> Elizabeth - When it comes to billables, there are two places that the statistics are important. First, they show-up on the invoice to your client. I always review the invoices and bill based on what I believe is competitive. Therefore, I often write off some of the time I bill. Not because I am blind, but because I do not believe that the invoice is competitive in the market. The second place where billables are important is in your compensation as an associate (as opposed to a partner where it is the cash that is important). My recommendation is to write down all the hours you work, and let the billing attorney decide what should be billed. If you are solo or in a small firm, you may be both the working attorney and the billing attorney. In which case, I still have the same advise. You will want to be able to keep track of how many hours you are spending on a task, even if you are not billing the entire time. Feel free to contact me off list if you would like to discuss this issue in a lawfirm setting. Randy -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 5:29 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are working for private firms. I have always worked in the public sector. Could you please tell me your experience of logging billable hours for your firms? While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to do research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a half, at least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. How have your firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and how--generally--are blind lawyers in the private sector calculating their billable hours if they take longer than sighted colleagues to do specific tasks? Thanks, Elizabeth Rene _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.com From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Sun Jul 15 18:35:47 2012 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Sun, 15 Jul 2012 19:35:47 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation In-Reply-To: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A207EB0EAD5A@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A207EB0EAD5A@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> Message-ID: as a trainee we are told to account for all the time we work. Most of that will be written off, not just for me but for everyonE. This is a good question. Do you find yourselves working longer hours as blind lawyers? Ger On 7/15/12, Farber, Randy wrote: > Elizabeth - > > When it comes to billables, there are two places that the statistics are > important. First, they show-up on the invoice to your client. I always > review the invoices and bill based on what I believe is competitive. > Therefore, I often write off some of the time I bill. Not because I am > blind, but because I do not believe that the invoice is competitive in the > market. > > The second place where billables are important is in your compensation as > an associate (as opposed to a partner where it is the cash that is > important). My recommendation is to write down all the hours you work, and > let the billing attorney decide what should be billed. If you are solo or > in a small firm, you may be both the working attorney and the billing > attorney. In which case, I still have the same advise. You will want to be > able to keep track of how many hours you are spending on a task, even if you > are not billing the entire time. > > Feel free to contact me off list if you would like to discuss this issue in > a lawfirm setting. > > Randy > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On > Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 5:29 PM > To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org > Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation > > I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are working > for private firms. I have always worked in the public sector. Could you > please tell me your experience of logging billable hours for your firms? > While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to do > research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a half, at > least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. How have your > firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and how--generally--are blind > lawyers in the private sector calculating their billable hours if they take > longer than sighted colleagues to do specific tasks? > > Thanks, > > Elizabeth Rene > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.com > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%40gmail.com > From Susan.Kelly at pima.gov Mon Jul 16 14:38:59 2012 From: Susan.Kelly at pima.gov (Susan Kelly) Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2012 07:38:59 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone In-Reply-To: <642F5160-3076-4B09-8DCB-0FA8969808FD@fuse.net> References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net><49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net> <988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net> <12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> <000f01cd61fa$5e428b30$1ac7a190$@com> <642F5160-3076-4B09-8DCB-0FA8969808FD@fuse.net> Message-ID: Probably a dumb question, but will the new IOS require purchase of new iPhones/ iPads, or will it be something that can be upgraded for existing models? Still having a small amount of vision, I hate having to choose between the two functions, but my devices are still fairly new... -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Timothy J. Meloy Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 6:41 PM To: law at cordovaesq.com; Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone I have found the iPhone to be most accessible. It has speech built in to the operating system and when IOS 6 comes out this fall, you'll be able to run voice over and zoom at the same time. And with all the apps from the app store out there, whyou can do with your phone is limitless. T.J.On Jul 14, 2012, at 3:53 PM, Marina Cordova wrote: > Hi, what cell phones have you found to be the most accessible? With > speech and or large print? I was looking into mobile speak software > made by code factory for phones, but I don't know what its compatible with. Their in > spain and no number on web site. The web site suggests symbian or windows > mobile operating system. But I cant find anyone selling a > symbian/nokia phone any more. Yes, I've heard of the knfb reader, but > I don't need all of that, and its expensive. Unless you think it's the > only best option. Please share your suggestions. Thank you! > > Sincerely, > Marina A. Cordova > Attorney at Law > 551 W. Cordova Road, # 234 > Santa Fe, NM 87505 > Office (505) 467-8395 > Fax (505) 467-8746 > PLEASE NOTE MY CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS TO: law at cordovaesq.com > > "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need . . . Happy are the ones > faultless in [their] way, the ones walking in the law of Jehovah. Uncover > my eyes, that I may look at the wonderful things out of your law." > Matthew 5:3; Psalms 119:1,18 > > CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message (including attachments) is > covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Section > 2510-2521, and is intended only for the person or entity to which it > is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. > Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, > forwarding or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended > recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all > copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient but > do not wish to receive communications through this medium, please so advise the sender immediately. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Ross Doerr > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 10:37 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > Thank you Pat. I checked to see if Maine offers it, and sadly they do not. > Maine offers CaseMaker to those of us who pay bar dues to be a member > of the State Bar Association. Maine is not a mandatory Bar. > I'm always on the look out for any new and accessible legal research > tolols. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:41 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > It is useable but not free from a desmgop. > > Patti S. Gregory-Chang > NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > >> Hello Pat: >> "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried >> it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like > I-Phones? >> Thank you for your input. >> Ross >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] >> On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM >> To: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources >> >> Fast case for I-phones is good >> >> Patti S. Gregory-Chang >> NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" > wrote: >> >>> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or >>> Supreme Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>> for >> blindlaw: >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40a >>> t >>> t >>> .net >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadr >> u >> nner.c >> om >> >> >> ----- >> No virus found in this message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: >> 07/13/12 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40at >> t >> .net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadru > nner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: > 07/14/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/law%40cordovaesq > .com > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.ne > t _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/susan.kelly%40pima .gov From dbeitz at wiennergould.com Mon Jul 16 15:12:57 2012 From: dbeitz at wiennergould.com (Daniel K. Beitz) Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2012 11:12:57 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone In-Reply-To: References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net><49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net> <988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net> <12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> <000f01cd61fa$5e428b30$1ac7a190$@com> <642F5160-3076-4B09-8DCB-0FA8969808FD@fuse.net> Message-ID: <005d01cd6365$7bd5d370$73817a50$@wiennergould.com> It's my understanding that most features of the new IOS will work on the older phones. If you have a IPhone 4S, all features will work. ------------------------------------------- Daniel K. Beitz Wienner & Gould, P.C. 950 University Dr., Ste. 350 Rochester, MI  48307 Phone:  (248) 841-9405 Fax:  (248) 652-2729 dbeitz at wiennergould.com This email transmission and any documents, files or previous email messages attached to it may contain confidential information that is legally privileged.  If you are not the intended recipient or the individual responsible for delivering this email to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, or distribution or use of any of the information contained herein or attached to this email is strictly prohibited.  Should you receive this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the sender of this email or by telephoning us at (248) 841-9400. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Susan Kelly Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 10:39 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone Probably a dumb question, but will the new IOS require purchase of new iPhones/ iPads, or will it be something that can be upgraded for existing models? Still having a small amount of vision, I hate having to choose between the two functions, but my devices are still fairly new... -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Timothy J. Meloy Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 6:41 PM To: law at cordovaesq.com; Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone I have found the iPhone to be most accessible. It has speech built in to the operating system and when IOS 6 comes out this fall, you'll be able to run voice over and zoom at the same time. And with all the apps from the app store out there, whyou can do with your phone is limitless. T.J.On Jul 14, 2012, at 3:53 PM, Marina Cordova wrote: > Hi, what cell phones have you found to be the most accessible? With > speech and or large print? I was looking into mobile speak software > made by code factory for phones, but I don't know what its compatible with. Their in > spain and no number on web site. The web site suggests symbian or windows > mobile operating system. But I cant find anyone selling a > symbian/nokia phone any more. Yes, I've heard of the knfb reader, but > I don't need all of that, and its expensive. Unless you think it's the > only best option. Please share your suggestions. Thank you! > > Sincerely, > Marina A. Cordova > Attorney at Law > 551 W. Cordova Road, # 234 > Santa Fe, NM 87505 > Office (505) 467-8395 > Fax (505) 467-8746 > PLEASE NOTE MY CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS TO: law at cordovaesq.com > > "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need . . . Happy are the ones > faultless in [their] way, the ones walking in the law of Jehovah. Uncover > my eyes, that I may look at the wonderful things out of your law." > Matthew 5:3; Psalms 119:1,18 > > CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message (including attachments) is > covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Section > 2510-2521, and is intended only for the person or entity to which it > is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. > Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, > forwarding or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended > recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all > copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient but > do not wish to receive communications through this medium, please so advise the sender immediately. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Ross Doerr > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 10:37 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > Thank you Pat. I checked to see if Maine offers it, and sadly they do not. > Maine offers CaseMaker to those of us who pay bar dues to be a member > of the State Bar Association. Maine is not a mandatory Bar. > I'm always on the look out for any new and accessible legal research > tolols. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:41 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources > > It is useable but not free from a desmgop. > > Patti S. Gregory-Chang > NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > >> Hello Pat: >> "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried >> it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like > I-Phones? >> Thank you for your input. >> Ross >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] >> On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM >> To: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources >> >> Fast case for I-phones is good >> >> Patti S. Gregory-Chang >> NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" > wrote: >> >>> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or >>> Supreme Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>> for >> blindlaw: >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40a >>> t >>> t >>> .net >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadr >> u >> nner.c >> om >> >> >> ----- >> No virus found in this message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: >> 07/13/12 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40at >> t >> .net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadru > nner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: > 07/14/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/law%40cordovaesq > .com > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.ne > t _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/susan.kelly%40pima .gov _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennergould. com From tmeloy at fuse.net Mon Jul 16 16:19:57 2012 From: tmeloy at fuse.net (Timothy J. Meloy) Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:19:57 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone In-Reply-To: References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net> <49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net> <988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net> <12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> <000f01cd61fa$5e428b30$1ac7a190$@com> <642F5160-3076-4B09-8DCB-0FA8969808FD@fuse.net> Message-ID: No. But some features will only work on some models. Turn by turn only works on the 4s for example. On Jul 16, 2012, at 10:38 AM, "Susan Kelly" wrote: > Probably a dumb question, but will the new IOS require purchase of new > iPhones/ iPads, or will it be something that can be upgraded for > existing models? Still having a small amount of vision, I hate having > to choose between the two functions, but my devices are still fairly > new... > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Timothy J. Meloy > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 6:41 PM > To: law at cordovaesq.com; Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone > > I have found the iPhone to be most accessible. It has speech built in > to the operating system and when IOS 6 comes out this fall, you'll be > able to run voice over and zoom at the same time. And with all the apps > from the app store out there, whyou can do with your phone is limitless. > T.J.On Jul 14, 2012, at 3:53 PM, Marina Cordova wrote: > >> Hi, what cell phones have you found to be the most accessible? With >> speech and or large print? I was looking into mobile speak software >> made by code factory for phones, but I don't know what its compatible > with. Their in >> spain and no number on web site. The web site suggests symbian or > windows >> mobile operating system. But I cant find anyone selling a >> symbian/nokia phone any more. Yes, I've heard of the knfb reader, but > >> I don't need all of that, and its expensive. Unless you think it's the > >> only best option. Please share your suggestions. Thank you! >> >> Sincerely, >> Marina A. Cordova >> Attorney at Law >> 551 W. Cordova Road, # 234 >> Santa Fe, NM 87505 >> Office (505) 467-8395 >> Fax (505) 467-8746 >> PLEASE NOTE MY CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS TO: law at cordovaesq.com >> >> "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need . . . Happy are the > ones >> faultless in [their] way, the ones walking in the law of Jehovah. > Uncover >> my eyes, that I may look at the wonderful things out of your law." >> Matthew 5:3; Psalms 119:1,18 >> >> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message (including attachments) is >> covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Section >> 2510-2521, and is intended only for the person or entity to which it >> is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. >> Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, >> forwarding or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended >> recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all >> copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient but >> do not wish to receive communications through this medium, please so > advise the sender immediately. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > >> On Behalf Of Ross Doerr >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 10:37 AM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources >> >> Thank you Pat. I checked to see if Maine offers it, and sadly they do > not. >> Maine offers CaseMaker to those of us who pay bar dues to be a member >> of the State Bar Association. Maine is not a mandatory Bar. >> I'm always on the look out for any new and accessible legal research >> tolols. >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > >> On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:41 AM >> To: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources >> >> It is useable but not free from a desmgop. >> >> Patti S. Gregory-Chang >> NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" > wrote: >> >>> Hello Pat: >>> "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you tried > >>> it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like >> I-Phones? >>> Thank you for your input. >>> Ross >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >>> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] >>> On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net >>> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM >>> To: Blind Law Mailing List >>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources >>> >>> Fast case for I-phones is good >>> >>> Patti S. Gregory-Chang >>> NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" >> wrote: >>> >>>> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or >>>> Supreme Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> blindlaw mailing list >>>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>>> for >>> blindlaw: >>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40a >>>> t >>>> t >>>> .net >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >>> blindlaw: >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadr >>> u >>> nner.c >>> om >>> >>> >>> ----- >>> No virus found in this message. >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>> Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: >>> 07/13/12 >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40at >>> t >>> .net >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadru >> nner.c >> om >> >> >> ----- >> No virus found in this message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: >> 07/14/12 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/law%40cordovaesq >> .com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.ne >> t > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/susan.kelly%40pima > .gov > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.net From joshjsmith at charter.net Mon Jul 16 17:17:57 2012 From: joshjsmith at charter.net (joshjsmith at charter.net) Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:17:57 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation Message-ID: <14bcd0bb.9d22f.13890cbe2f7.Webtop.44@charter.net> I do tend to write down my bills. Probably because I don't want to over bill for the area but also because I realize it does take me longer to read through thick files and I don't want to pass that cost on to my clients. I will say that many clients to understand that it takes me longer and I have even had some tell me to bill for whatever time I spend on their case. I still write some time off however. On Sun, Jul 15, 2012 at 2:35 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > as a trainee we are told to account for all the time we work. > Most of that will be written off, not just for me but for everyonE. > This is a good question. > Do you find yourselves working longer hours as blind lawyers? > Ger > > On 7/15/12, Farber, Randy wrote: >> Elizabeth - >> >> When it comes to billables, there are two places that the >> statistics are >> important. First, they show-up on the invoice to your client. I >> always >> review the invoices and bill based on what I believe is competitive. >> Therefore, I often write off some of the time I bill. Not because I >> am >> blind, but because I do not believe that the invoice is competitive >> in the >> market. >> >> The second place where billables are important is in your >> compensation as >> an associate (as opposed to a partner where it is the cash that is >> important). My recommendation is to write down all the hours you >> work, and >> let the billing attorney decide what should be billed. If you are >> solo or >> in a small firm, you may be both the working attorney and the billing >> attorney. In which case, I still have the same advise. You will >> want to be >> able to keep track of how many hours you are spending on a task, even >> if you >> are not billing the entire time. >> >> Feel free to contact me off list if you would like to discuss this >> issue in >> a lawfirm setting. >> >> Randy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On >> Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 5:29 PM >> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation >> >> I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are >> working >> for private firms. I have always worked in the public sector. Could >> you >> please tell me your experience of logging billable hours for your >> firms? >> While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to do >> research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a >> half, at >> least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. How have >> your >> firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and >> how--generally--are blind >> lawyers in the private sector calculating their billable hours if >> they take >> longer than sighted colleagues to do specific tasks? >> >> Thanks, >> >> Elizabeth Rene >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.com >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%40gmail.com >> > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40charter.net From rumpole at roadrunner.com Mon Jul 16 18:02:04 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:02:04 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation In-Reply-To: <14bcd0bb.9d22f.13890cbe2f7.Webtop.44@charter.net> References: <14bcd0bb.9d22f.13890cbe2f7.Webtop.44@charter.net> Message-ID: <14102362EFA84C789B539864BAC13528@mycomputer> Hi Josh: I couldn't agree more. When I made the determination of what the case is worth, I always did it from the viewpoint of the client, and billed fairly, or what I thought was fair, from that point on. That almost always involved a decrease in the bill, and the client did not miss seeing that. You can't buy that kind of good will for a practice. Like you, it almost always took me longer to go through things than a sighted attorney would take owing to blindness, but whether you are well-versed in that particular field of law, or are just getting started in it, ethics opinions come down on the side of spending what ever time is necessary to properly represent ;your client. Hence my fallback of billing according to what the case is worth in my area, and what the client's real world means are. A $500 case here would almost certainly be billed out much higher in a place like Boston, Phoenix Los Angeles or San Francisco. Maine rates #50 in recovery from this economic depression, and our population is decreasing as those with good educations flee to areas where jobs are more plentiful and pay rates are higher. What that really means is that the pool of business clients or private clients is getting smaller while the number of attorneys remains the same. The level of employment is just so low that pay and billing must react to stay open. For example, I've been amazed at how many members of the medical profession are closing up their practices here and going down to Texas. The availability of medical care is sufferring for it. I'm sure Texas is a wonderful place, but having seen the heat temperatures down there lately, I think I'll stick to the ice and snow up here for a while yet. Ross -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of joshjsmith at charter.net Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 1:18 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation I do tend to write down my bills. Probably because I don't want to over bill for the area but also because I realize it does take me longer to read through thick files and I don't want to pass that cost on to my clients. I will say that many clients to understand that it takes me longer and I have even had some tell me to bill for whatever time I spend on their case. I still write some time off however. On Sun, Jul 15, 2012 at 2:35 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > as a trainee we are told to account for all the time we work. > Most of that will be written off, not just for me but for everyonE. > This is a good question. > Do you find yourselves working longer hours as blind lawyers? > Ger > > On 7/15/12, Farber, Randy wrote: >> Elizabeth - >> >> When it comes to billables, there are two places that the >> statistics are important. First, they show-up on the invoice to your >> client. I always review the invoices and bill based on what I >> believe is competitive. >> Therefore, I often write off some of the time I bill. Not because I >> am blind, but because I do not believe that the invoice is >> competitive in the market. >> >> The second place where billables are important is in your >> compensation as an associate (as opposed to a partner where it is the >> cash that is important). My recommendation is to write down all the >> hours you work, and let the billing attorney decide what should be >> billed. If you are solo or in a small firm, you may be both the >> working attorney and the billing attorney. In which case, I still >> have the same advise. You will want to be able to keep track of how >> many hours you are spending on a task, even if you are not billing >> the entire time. >> >> Feel free to contact me off list if you would like to discuss this >> issue in a lawfirm setting. >> >> Randy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 5:29 PM >> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation >> >> I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are >> working for private firms. I have always worked in the public >> sector. Could you please tell me your experience of logging billable >> hours for your firms? >> While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to do >> research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a >> half, at least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. >> How have your firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and >> how--generally--are blind lawyers in the private sector calculating >> their billable hours if they take longer than sighted colleagues to >> do specific tasks? >> >> Thanks, >> >> Elizabeth Rene >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.co >> m >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier% >> 40gmail.com >> > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40cha > rter.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5135 - Release Date: 07/16/12 From rthomas at emplmntattorney.com Mon Jul 16 18:01:39 2012 From: rthomas at emplmntattorney.com (Russell J. Thomas) Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2012 11:01:39 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone In-Reply-To: References: <007501cd615f$cc427ff0$64c77fd0$@sbcglobal.net> <49692DBA-F0F6-4F14-B2C8-A76E740D6CCC@att.net> <988FA76E-05F7-4B0B-8FF0-C5DBBE596B79@att.net> <12F6714F45184503AABE83BE8DC74EE3@mycomputer> <000f01cd61fa$5e428b30$1ac7a190$@com> <642F5160-3076-4B09-8DCB-0FA8969808FD@fuse.net> Message-ID: <006001cd637d$0c8ef650$25ace2f0$@com> I realize that the question is answered in large part by personal preference. Remember that the I phone is a Phone, it is not a substitute for a desktop or laptop computer. As a Braille user, I find the touch features very difficult to get used to. Even if I felt proficient on the I phone, which I am not, I cannot imagining using a device of this type to accomplish large amounts of reading and editing, tasks which I must do regularly in my practice. There is a new model of a Nokia phone which uses the Microsoft programs. I am going to check it out to see if it is a suitable substitute for the I phone 4s. If it is usable, its advantage is that it uses Microsoft programs which I have on my office computer and laptop. In other words, copy a file you need at a meeting, update that file during a meeting, and when you return to your office update the file on your office computer. If anyone has had any experience with this type of Nokia phone, please share your thoughts. Regards, RUSSELL J. THOMAS, JR. Principal Attorney Law Office of Russell J. Thomas, Jr. 4121 Westerly Place, Suite 101 Newport Beach, California 92660 T: 949-752-0101 F: 949-257-4756 Follow me on Twitter @EmplmntAttorney -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Timothy J. Meloy Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 9:20 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone No. But some features will only work on some models. Turn by turn only works on the 4s for example. On Jul 16, 2012, at 10:38 AM, "Susan Kelly" wrote: > Probably a dumb question, but will the new IOS require purchase of new > iPhones/ iPads, or will it be something that can be upgraded for > existing models? Still having a small amount of vision, I hate having > to choose between the two functions, but my devices are still fairly > new... > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On Behalf Of Timothy J. Meloy > Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 6:41 PM > To: law at cordovaesq.com; Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Best Cell phone > > I have found the iPhone to be most accessible. It has speech built in > to the operating system and when IOS 6 comes out this fall, you'll be > able to run voice over and zoom at the same time. And with all the > apps from the app store out there, whyou can do with your phone is limitless. > T.J.On Jul 14, 2012, at 3:53 PM, Marina Cordova wrote: > >> Hi, what cell phones have you found to be the most accessible? With >> speech and or large print? I was looking into mobile speak software >> made by code factory for phones, but I don't know what its compatible > with. Their in >> spain and no number on web site. The web site suggests symbian or > windows >> mobile operating system. But I cant find anyone selling a >> symbian/nokia phone any more. Yes, I've heard of the knfb reader, >> but > >> I don't need all of that, and its expensive. Unless you think it's >> the > >> only best option. Please share your suggestions. Thank you! >> >> Sincerely, >> Marina A. Cordova >> Attorney at Law >> 551 W. Cordova Road, # 234 >> Santa Fe, NM 87505 >> Office (505) 467-8395 >> Fax (505) 467-8746 >> PLEASE NOTE MY CHANGE OF EMAIL ADDRESS TO: law at cordovaesq.com >> >> "Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need . . . Happy are >> the > ones >> faultless in [their] way, the ones walking in the law of Jehovah. > Uncover >> my eyes, that I may look at the wonderful things out of your law." >> Matthew 5:3; Psalms 119:1,18 >> >> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This email message (including attachments) is >> covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Section >> 2510-2521, and is intended only for the person or entity to which it >> is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. >> Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, dissemination, copying, >> forwarding or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended >> recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all >> copies of the original message. If you are the intended recipient but >> do not wish to receive communications through this medium, please so > advise the sender immediately. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > >> On Behalf Of Ross Doerr >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 10:37 AM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources >> >> Thank you Pat. I checked to see if Maine offers it, and sadly they >> do > not. >> Maine offers CaseMaker to those of us who pay bar dues to be a member >> of the State Bar Association. Maine is not a mandatory Bar. >> I'm always on the look out for any new and accessible legal research >> tolols. >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > >> On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 11:41 AM >> To: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources >> >> It is useable but not free from a desmgop. >> >> Patti S. Gregory-Chang >> NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Jul 14, 2012, at 9:17 AM, "Ross Doerr" > wrote: >> >>> Hello Pat: >>> "Fast Case" is not a resource that I am familiar with. Have you >>> tried > >>> it on your laptop or desktop, or is it truly only for devices like >> I-Phones? >>> Thank you for your input. >>> Ross >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >>> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] >>> On Behalf Of Pattichang at att.net >>> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 9:45 AM >>> To: Blind Law Mailing List >>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] research resources >>> >>> Fast case for I-phones is good >>> >>> Patti S. Gregory-Chang >>> NFB, Scholarship Committee Chair >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Jul 13, 2012, at 8:27 PM, "Daniel McBride" >> wrote: >>> >>>> Is there any internet access to Black's Law Dictionary and/or >>>> Supreme Court opinions for free or that are affordable? >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> blindlaw mailing list >>>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>>> for >>> blindlaw: >>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40 >>>> a >>>> t >>>> t >>>> .net >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>> for >>> blindlaw: >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40road >>> r >>> u >>> nner.c >>> om >>> >>> >>> ----- >>> No virus found in this message. >>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >>> Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5130 - Release Date: >>> 07/13/12 >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>> for >> blindlaw: >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/pattichang%40a >>> t >>> t >>> .net >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadr >> u >> nner.c >> om >> >> >> ----- >> No virus found in this message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5131 - Release Date: >> 07/14/12 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/law%40cordovaes >> q >> .com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.n >> e >> t > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/susan.kelly%40pi > ma > .gov > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.ne > t _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rthomas%40emplmntattor ney.com From rthomas at emplmntattorney.com Mon Jul 16 19:13:29 2012 From: rthomas at emplmntattorney.com (Russell J. Thomas) Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2012 12:13:29 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation In-Reply-To: <14102362EFA84C789B539864BAC13528@mycomputer> References: <14bcd0bb.9d22f.13890cbe2f7.Webtop.44@charter.net> <14102362EFA84C789B539864BAC13528@mycomputer> Message-ID: <002401cd6387$15a1ea40$40e5bec0$@com> What you are doing is what most lawyers did before 1970 -- bill according to value not according to hours spent. In the long run, such a practice is better for clients and represents our profession at its best. You can blame those mindless fools known as accountants for the "bill-by-the-hour system. Accountants, unimaginative as they are, couldn't understand value billing and demanded an "objective" way to measure attorney bills. Thus, the billable hour. So now we have attorneys billing a minimum amount to prepare an Answer, and at the same time billing a nominal amount for answering a question that saved a client thousands of dollars because the attorney knew the answer without any research. The harsh realities of the last recession, or should I say this recession, have forced both attorneys and clients to reexamine the concept of the billable hour and to develop more flexible, and more realistic fee arrangements. That trend can only benefit both clients and attorneys. Regards, RUSSELL J. THOMAS, JR. Principal Attorney Law Office of Russell J. Thomas, Jr. 4121 Westerly Place, Suite 101 Newport Beach, California 92660 T: 949-752-0101 F: 949-257-4756 Follow me on Twitter @EmplmntAttorney -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross Doerr Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 11:02 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation Hi Josh: I couldn't agree more. When I made the determination of what the case is worth, I always did it from the viewpoint of the client, and billed fairly, or what I thought was fair, from that point on. That almost always involved a decrease in the bill, and the client did not miss seeing that. You can't buy that kind of good will for a practice. Like you, it almost always took me longer to go through things than a sighted attorney would take owing to blindness, but whether you are well-versed in that particular field of law, or are just getting started in it, ethics opinions come down on the side of spending what ever time is necessary to properly represent ;your client. Hence my fallback of billing according to what the case is worth in my area, and what the client's real world means are. A $500 case here would almost certainly be billed out much higher in a place like Boston, Phoenix Los Angeles or San Francisco. Maine rates #50 in recovery from this economic depression, and our population is decreasing as those with good educations flee to areas where jobs are more plentiful and pay rates are higher. What that really means is that the pool of business clients or private clients is getting smaller while the number of attorneys remains the same. The level of employment is just so low that pay and billing must react to stay open. For example, I've been amazed at how many members of the medical profession are closing up their practices here and going down to Texas. The availability of medical care is sufferring for it. I'm sure Texas is a wonderful place, but having seen the heat temperatures down there lately, I think I'll stick to the ice and snow up here for a while yet. Ross -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of joshjsmith at charter.net Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 1:18 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation I do tend to write down my bills. Probably because I don't want to over bill for the area but also because I realize it does take me longer to read through thick files and I don't want to pass that cost on to my clients. I will say that many clients to understand that it takes me longer and I have even had some tell me to bill for whatever time I spend on their case. I still write some time off however. On Sun, Jul 15, 2012 at 2:35 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > as a trainee we are told to account for all the time we work. > Most of that will be written off, not just for me but for everyonE. > This is a good question. > Do you find yourselves working longer hours as blind lawyers? > Ger > > On 7/15/12, Farber, Randy wrote: >> Elizabeth - >> >> When it comes to billables, there are two places that the >> statistics are important. First, they show-up on the invoice to your >> client. I always review the invoices and bill based on what I >> believe is competitive. >> Therefore, I often write off some of the time I bill. Not because I >> am blind, but because I do not believe that the invoice is >> competitive in the market. >> >> The second place where billables are important is in your >> compensation as an associate (as opposed to a partner where it is the >> cash that is important). My recommendation is to write down all the >> hours you work, and let the billing attorney decide what should be >> billed. If you are solo or in a small firm, you may be both the >> working attorney and the billing attorney. In which case, I still >> have the same advise. You will want to be able to keep track of how >> many hours you are spending on a task, even if you are not billing >> the entire time. >> >> Feel free to contact me off list if you would like to discuss this >> issue in a lawfirm setting. >> >> Randy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 5:29 PM >> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation >> >> I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are >> working for private firms. I have always worked in the public >> sector. Could you please tell me your experience of logging billable >> hours for your firms? >> While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to do >> research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a >> half, at least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. >> How have your firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and >> how--generally--are blind lawyers in the private sector calculating >> their billable hours if they take longer than sighted colleagues to >> do specific tasks? >> >> Thanks, >> >> Elizabeth Rene >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.co >> m >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier% >> 40gmail.com >> > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40cha > rter.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5135 - Release Date: 07/16/12 _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rthomas%40emplmntattor ney.com From emrene at earthlink.net Tue Jul 17 17:32:28 2012 From: emrene at earthlink.net (Elizabeth Rene) Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:32:28 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] Re Billable Hours Message-ID: <6D2D0CF840CB4146BB3FCCADB6700EFB@elizabethrene> Heartfelt thanks to all of you who have been writing on this issue. Please keep writing. I think that the more informed we all are about how to maximize our value to the client and show that value to hiring partners and colleagues, the better our opportunities will be in the private sector. When I first began practicing in Washington, private sector employment for blind lawyers just wasn't an option, unless one wanted simply to struggle along alone in a solo practice as an alternative to unemployment. That was my impression, anyway, and I rejoiced not to have to go there. Now, I want to work for the public or work in a firm because I want to, not because I have to. Thanks again, and, PS: you all make me proud to be a lawyer. I love your commitment to high ethical principles and service to the client. Atticus Finch lives. Elizabeth From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Wed Jul 18 02:36:30 2012 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:36:30 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation In-Reply-To: <14102362EFA84C789B539864BAC13528@mycomputer> References: <14bcd0bb.9d22f.13890cbe2f7.Webtop.44@charter.net> <14102362EFA84C789B539864BAC13528@mycomputer> Message-ID: <00b701cd648e$240bd020$6c237060$@sbcglobal.net> Ross: Regarding the state of our economy and the number of lawyers flooding the market, I offer the article below. Also, if anyone is paying attention to the European Union and the recent LIBOR scandal, do not look forward to any economic recovery for the next decade, or two. NY Times, Sunday, July 15, 2012 An Existential Crisis For Law Schools July is the cruelest month for recent law school graduates. State bar exams next week are make-or-break affairs, determining how many will be allowed to practice law. Those exams once set a graduate on the path to a lifelong career. Not anymore. A huge number of new graduates, if lucky enough to find work, will not be employed in legal jobs that require passing the bar. Only 55 percent of 43,735 graduates in 2011 had a law-related job nine months after graduation, said William Henderson of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, who analyzed recent data from the American Bar Association. Twenty-eight percent were unemployed or underemployed. And at the 20 law schools with the highest employment, 83 percent of graduates were working as lawyers. At the bottom 20, it was a dismal 31 percent. These numbers are far worse than jobs data going back a generation and should be a deep embarrassment to law schools, which have been churning out more graduates than the economy can employ, indulging themselves in copious revenues that higher tuitions and bigger classes bring in. A growing list of deans acknowledge that legal education is facing an existential crisis, but the transformation to a more sustainable model will be difficult and messy. The number of law office jobs began to decline in 2004, well before the recession. And demand for new lawyers isn't expected to grow much even when the economy recovers. Outsourcing of legal work to places like India and greater efficiencies made possible by smarter software to search documents for evidence, for example, are allowing firms to cut the positions of multitudes of low-end lawyers. In 2009, twice as many people passed bar exams as there were legal openings - a level of oversupply that may hold up for years. There is, of course, tremendous need for lawyers to serve the poor and middle class, but scant dollars to pay them. Law schools have hustled to compensate for these shifts by trying to make it look as if their graduates are more marketable, even hiring them as research assistants to offer temporary employment. But those strategies won't fix legal education, particularly when students are starting to see that a high-priced degree, financed by mountains of loans, may never pay off. The number of people taking law school admissions tests fell 24 percent in the last two years, to the lowest level in a decade. Law schools will be crushed if they don't remake themselves, said Frank Wu, dean of Hastings College of the Law at the University of California in San Francisco. "This is Detroit in the 1970s: change or die." Hastings, for example, is reducing the number of its J.D. students by 20 percent in the next three years. It trimmed staff jobs to cut costs, and it increased the teaching load of each faculty member by 20 percent to reduce the need for adjunct professors, among other reasons. But Mr. Wu says the school has no plans to cut the size of its full-time faculty or its compensation or tuition - and tuition is an unavoidable problem. Brian Tamanaha reports in "Failing Law Schools" that in-state annual tuition at public law schools rose to an average of $18,472 in 2009 from $2,006 in 1985, and tuition at private law schools increased to $35,743 from $7,526. A lot of money went to raising faculty salaries. With salary and summer pay, the average now is likely close to $170,000 - and some law professors make $350,000 or more. As tuition has soared, so has student debt. Nearly 9 out of 10 graduates have sizable debt, with $98,500 the average for the class of 2010, or about $1,200 a month in loan payments over 10 years. Most schools and many students have banked on students' being able to pay back enormous loans with ample salaries, but that flawed model is irretrievably broken. It will be hard for any school to alter its cost structure without making substantial changes to its faculty and pay, though some schools are earnestly considering two-year J.D. programs and beginning to experiment with more virtual learning in selected courses. Course-sharing among law schools in lecture courses is another cost-saving option. But in some ways the crisis of law schools goes well beyond the unsustainable economics. Their missions have become muddled, with a widening gap between their lofty claims about the profession's civic responsibility and their failure to train lawyers for public service or provide them with sufficient preparation for practical work. Some schools are trying to break out of this dead end. Boston's Suffolk University Law School is planning to focus on the justice gap by preparing more students to serve the middle class and poor. At Washington and Lee School of Law in Virginia, the third year is now devoted to practical training. Others have increased courses in negotiation, counseling and other skills. The A.B.A., which accredits law schools, could help by allowing much more experimentation and differentiation among schools - and by being much more skeptical of diploma mills. This crisis makes it easy to forget that the law attracts pragmatic types, able to handle changed circumstances. And in fact, huge law firms, hot areas of practice and outsized salaries at top firms are fairly recent developments. Law schools need to be pragmatic, too, finding ways to ensure that graduates can afford to take jobs where the salary is less important than the impact. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross Doerr Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 1:02 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation Hi Josh: I couldn't agree more. When I made the determination of what the case is worth, I always did it from the viewpoint of the client, and billed fairly, or what I thought was fair, from that point on. That almost always involved a decrease in the bill, and the client did not miss seeing that. You can't buy that kind of good will for a practice. Like you, it almost always took me longer to go through things than a sighted attorney would take owing to blindness, but whether you are well-versed in that particular field of law, or are just getting started in it, ethics opinions come down on the side of spending what ever time is necessary to properly represent ;your client. Hence my fallback of billing according to what the case is worth in my area, and what the client's real world means are. A $500 case here would almost certainly be billed out much higher in a place like Boston, Phoenix Los Angeles or San Francisco. Maine rates #50 in recovery from this economic depression, and our population is decreasing as those with good educations flee to areas where jobs are more plentiful and pay rates are higher. What that really means is that the pool of business clients or private clients is getting smaller while the number of attorneys remains the same. The level of employment is just so low that pay and billing must react to stay open. For example, I've been amazed at how many members of the medical profession are closing up their practices here and going down to Texas. The availability of medical care is sufferring for it. I'm sure Texas is a wonderful place, but having seen the heat temperatures down there lately, I think I'll stick to the ice and snow up here for a while yet. Ross -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of joshjsmith at charter.net Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 1:18 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation I do tend to write down my bills. Probably because I don't want to over bill for the area but also because I realize it does take me longer to read through thick files and I don't want to pass that cost on to my clients. I will say that many clients to understand that it takes me longer and I have even had some tell me to bill for whatever time I spend on their case. I still write some time off however. On Sun, Jul 15, 2012 at 2:35 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > as a trainee we are told to account for all the time we work. > Most of that will be written off, not just for me but for everyonE. > This is a good question. > Do you find yourselves working longer hours as blind lawyers? > Ger > > On 7/15/12, Farber, Randy wrote: >> Elizabeth - >> >> When it comes to billables, there are two places that the >> statistics are important. First, they show-up on the invoice to your >> client. I always review the invoices and bill based on what I >> believe is competitive. >> Therefore, I often write off some of the time I bill. Not because I >> am blind, but because I do not believe that the invoice is >> competitive in the market. >> >> The second place where billables are important is in your >> compensation as an associate (as opposed to a partner where it is the >> cash that is important). My recommendation is to write down all the >> hours you work, and let the billing attorney decide what should be >> billed. If you are solo or in a small firm, you may be both the >> working attorney and the billing attorney. In which case, I still >> have the same advise. You will want to be able to keep track of how >> many hours you are spending on a task, even if you are not billing >> the entire time. >> >> Feel free to contact me off list if you would like to discuss this >> issue in a lawfirm setting. >> >> Randy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 5:29 PM >> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation >> >> I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are >> working for private firms. I have always worked in the public >> sector. Could you please tell me your experience of logging billable >> hours for your firms? >> While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to do >> research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a >> half, at least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. >> How have your firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and >> how--generally--are blind lawyers in the private sector calculating >> their billable hours if they take longer than sighted colleagues to >> do specific tasks? >> >> Thanks, >> >> Elizabeth Rene >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.co >> m >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier% >> 40gmail.com >> > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40cha > rter.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5135 - Release Date: 07/16/12 _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcglobal.net From rumpole at roadrunner.com Wed Jul 18 11:52:33 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2012 07:52:33 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation In-Reply-To: <00b701cd648e$240bd020$6c237060$@sbcglobal.net> References: <14bcd0bb.9d22f.13890cbe2f7.Webtop.44@charter.net><14102362EFA84C789B539864BAC13528@mycomputer> <00b701cd648e$240bd020$6c237060$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <660680EB28FC4403A4376F820D69D946@mycomputer> Yes, Dan, I saw that article. Interesting, isn't it? Maine happens to be losing lawyers or have lawyers who are reverting back to value-based billing. Some lawyers are leaving for "greener pastuers" but I'm not sure where those pastures are. So if our lawyers are leaving the state, who lives in the state where they are moving to? Getting back to the billing issue, when times were "good" I used to have a billing policy of not going to a hearing in District court, that's State District court, not federal district court, for less than $1,500 or $2,000. That was for the misdemeanor or low-time matters. Superior court of anything Federal was more expensive. I did away with that back when the economy slipped, and the policy became irrelevant when I went to work for the P & A up here. That was biling according to grant, not value-based or "what the region will bear". -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2012 10:37 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation Ross: Regarding the state of our economy and the number of lawyers flooding the market, I offer the article below. Also, if anyone is paying attention to the European Union and the recent LIBOR scandal, do not look forward to any economic recovery for the next decade, or two. NY Times, Sunday, July 15, 2012 An Existential Crisis For Law Schools July is the cruelest month for recent law school graduates. State bar exams next week are make-or-break affairs, determining how many will be allowed to practice law. Those exams once set a graduate on the path to a lifelong career. Not anymore. A huge number of new graduates, if lucky enough to find work, will not be employed in legal jobs that require passing the bar. Only 55 percent of 43,735 graduates in 2011 had a law-related job nine months after graduation, said William Henderson of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, who analyzed recent data from the American Bar Association. Twenty-eight percent were unemployed or underemployed. And at the 20 law schools with the highest employment, 83 percent of graduates were working as lawyers. At the bottom 20, it was a dismal 31 percent. These numbers are far worse than jobs data going back a generation and should be a deep embarrassment to law schools, which have been churning out more graduates than the economy can employ, indulging themselves in copious revenues that higher tuitions and bigger classes bring in. A growing list of deans acknowledge that legal education is facing an existential crisis, but the transformation to a more sustainable model will be difficult and messy. The number of law office jobs began to decline in 2004, well before the recession. And demand for new lawyers isn't expected to grow much even when the economy recovers. Outsourcing of legal work to places like India and greater efficiencies made possible by smarter software to search documents for evidence, for example, are allowing firms to cut the positions of multitudes of low-end lawyers. In 2009, twice as many people passed bar exams as there were legal openings - a level of oversupply that may hold up for years. There is, of course, tremendous need for lawyers to serve the poor and middle class, but scant dollars to pay them. Law schools have hustled to compensate for these shifts by trying to make it look as if their graduates are more marketable, even hiring them as research assistants to offer temporary employment. But those strategies won't fix legal education, particularly when students are starting to see that a high-priced degree, financed by mountains of loans, may never pay off. The number of people taking law school admissions tests fell 24 percent in the last two years, to the lowest level in a decade. Law schools will be crushed if they don't remake themselves, said Frank Wu, dean of Hastings College of the Law at the University of California in San Francisco. "This is Detroit in the 1970s: change or die." Hastings, for example, is reducing the number of its J.D. students by 20 percent in the next three years. It trimmed staff jobs to cut costs, and it increased the teaching load of each faculty member by 20 percent to reduce the need for adjunct professors, among other reasons. But Mr. Wu says the school has no plans to cut the size of its full-time faculty or its compensation or tuition - and tuition is an unavoidable problem. Brian Tamanaha reports in "Failing Law Schools" that in-state annual tuition at public law schools rose to an average of $18,472 in 2009 from $2,006 in 1985, and tuition at private law schools increased to $35,743 from $7,526. A lot of money went to raising faculty salaries. With salary and summer pay, the average now is likely close to $170,000 - and some law professors make $350,000 or more. As tuition has soared, so has student debt. Nearly 9 out of 10 graduates have sizable debt, with $98,500 the average for the class of 2010, or about $1,200 a month in loan payments over 10 years. Most schools and many students have banked on students' being able to pay back enormous loans with ample salaries, but that flawed model is irretrievably broken. It will be hard for any school to alter its cost structure without making substantial changes to its faculty and pay, though some schools are earnestly considering two-year J.D. programs and beginning to experiment with more virtual learning in selected courses. Course-sharing among law schools in lecture courses is another cost-saving option. But in some ways the crisis of law schools goes well beyond the unsustainable economics. Their missions have become muddled, with a widening gap between their lofty claims about the profession's civic responsibility and their failure to train lawyers for public service or provide them with sufficient preparation for practical work. Some schools are trying to break out of this dead end. Boston's Suffolk University Law School is planning to focus on the justice gap by preparing more students to serve the middle class and poor. At Washington and Lee School of Law in Virginia, the third year is now devoted to practical training. Others have increased courses in negotiation, counseling and other skills. The A.B.A., which accredits law schools, could help by allowing much more experimentation and differentiation among schools - and by being much more skeptical of diploma mills. This crisis makes it easy to forget that the law attracts pragmatic types, able to handle changed circumstances. And in fact, huge law firms, hot areas of practice and outsized salaries at top firms are fairly recent developments. Law schools need to be pragmatic, too, finding ways to ensure that graduates can afford to take jobs where the salary is less important than the impact. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross Doerr Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 1:02 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation Hi Josh: I couldn't agree more. When I made the determination of what the case is worth, I always did it from the viewpoint of the client, and billed fairly, or what I thought was fair, from that point on. That almost always involved a decrease in the bill, and the client did not miss seeing that. You can't buy that kind of good will for a practice. Like you, it almost always took me longer to go through things than a sighted attorney would take owing to blindness, but whether you are well-versed in that particular field of law, or are just getting started in it, ethics opinions come down on the side of spending what ever time is necessary to properly represent ;your client. Hence my fallback of billing according to what the case is worth in my area, and what the client's real world means are. A $500 case here would almost certainly be billed out much higher in a place like Boston, Phoenix Los Angeles or San Francisco. Maine rates #50 in recovery from this economic depression, and our population is decreasing as those with good educations flee to areas where jobs are more plentiful and pay rates are higher. What that really means is that the pool of business clients or private clients is getting smaller while the number of attorneys remains the same. The level of employment is just so low that pay and billing must react to stay open. For example, I've been amazed at how many members of the medical profession are closing up their practices here and going down to Texas. The availability of medical care is sufferring for it. I'm sure Texas is a wonderful place, but having seen the heat temperatures down there lately, I think I'll stick to the ice and snow up here for a while yet. Ross -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of joshjsmith at charter.net Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 1:18 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation I do tend to write down my bills. Probably because I don't want to over bill for the area but also because I realize it does take me longer to read through thick files and I don't want to pass that cost on to my clients. I will say that many clients to understand that it takes me longer and I have even had some tell me to bill for whatever time I spend on their case. I still write some time off however. On Sun, Jul 15, 2012 at 2:35 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > as a trainee we are told to account for all the time we work. > Most of that will be written off, not just for me but for everyonE. > This is a good question. > Do you find yourselves working longer hours as blind lawyers? > Ger > > On 7/15/12, Farber, Randy wrote: >> Elizabeth - >> >> When it comes to billables, there are two places that the >> statistics are important. First, they show-up on the invoice to your >> client. I always review the invoices and bill based on what I >> believe is competitive. >> Therefore, I often write off some of the time I bill. Not because I >> am blind, but because I do not believe that the invoice is >> competitive in the market. >> >> The second place where billables are important is in your >> compensation as an associate (as opposed to a partner where it is the >> cash that is important). My recommendation is to write down all the >> hours you work, and let the billing attorney decide what should be >> billed. If you are solo or in a small firm, you may be both the >> working attorney and the billing attorney. In which case, I still >> have the same advise. You will want to be able to keep track of how >> many hours you are spending on a task, even if you are not billing >> the entire time. >> >> Feel free to contact me off list if you would like to discuss this >> issue in a lawfirm setting. >> >> Randy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene >> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 5:29 PM >> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation >> >> I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are >> working for private firms. I have always worked in the public >> sector. Could you please tell me your experience of logging billable >> hours for your firms? >> While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to do >> research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a >> half, at least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. >> How have your firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and >> how--generally--are blind lawyers in the private sector calculating >> their billable hours if they take longer than sighted colleagues to >> do specific tasks? >> >> Thanks, >> >> Elizabeth Rene >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.co >> m >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier% >> 40gmail.com >> > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40cha > rter.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5135 - Release Date: 07/16/12 _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcglobal.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5137 - Release Date: 07/17/12 From taiablas at gmail.com Thu Jul 19 11:19:34 2012 From: taiablas at gmail.com (Tai Blas) Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 06:19:34 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Academic Law Journals Message-ID: Hello all. I have just been accepted as a student writer for the Journal of Gender, Race and Justice at the University of Iowa. Not having participated on a journal before, I am wondering what accommodations I should request from my school this year. I am sure that I will need a reader, but am not sure if I should anticipate other needs. Can those blind lawyers who wrote for student law journals please contact me off list at taiablas at gmail.com ? Thanks. Tai From joshjsmith at charter.net Thu Jul 19 15:41:35 2012 From: joshjsmith at charter.net (joshjsmith at charter.net) Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 11:41:35 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [blindlaw] Academic Law Journals Message-ID: <7cc02979.c9fc6.1389fe6bf66.Webtop.44@charter.net> Sorry but I have no advice. HOwever I do wish you the best of luck. On Thu, Jul 19, 2012 at 7:19 AM, Tai Blas wrote: > Hello all. I have just been accepted as a student writer for the > Journal of Gender, Race and Justice at the University of Iowa. Not > having participated on a journal before, I am wondering what > accommodations I should request from my school this year. I am sure > that I will need a reader, but am not sure if I should anticipate > other needs. Can those blind lawyers who wrote for student law > journals please contact me off list at taiablas at gmail.com ? > > Thanks. > > Tai > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40charter.net From joshjsmith at charter.net Thu Jul 19 16:03:53 2012 From: joshjsmith at charter.net (joshjsmith at charter.net) Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 12:03:53 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation Message-ID: <31f29f43.ca4ef.1389ffb2852.Webtop.44@charter.net> Ross where are you in Maine? My wife and I have talked about traveling up there for a visit. On Mon, Jul 16, 2012 at 2:02 PM, Ross Doerr wrote: > Hi Josh: > I couldn't agree more. When I made the determination of what the case > is > worth, I always did it from the viewpoint of the client, and billed > fairly, > or what I thought was fair, from that point on. That almost always > involved > a decrease in the bill, and the client did not miss seeing that. > You can't buy that kind of good will for a practice. Like you, it > almost always took me longer to go through things than a > sighted attorney would take owing to blindness, but whether you are > well-versed in that particular field of law, or are just getting > started in > it, ethics opinions come down on the side of spending what ever time > is > necessary to properly represent ;your client. Hence my fallback of > billing > according to what the case is worth in my area, and what the client's > real > world means are. A $500 case here would almost certainly be billed out > much > higher in a place like Boston, Phoenix Los Angeles or San Francisco. > Maine > rates #50 in recovery from this economic depression, and our > population is > decreasing as those with good educations flee to areas where jobs are > more > plentiful and pay rates are higher. What that really means is that the > pool > of business clients or private clients is getting smaller while the > number > of attorneys remains the same. The level of employment is just so low > that > pay and billing must react to stay open. For example, I've been > amazed at how many members of the medical profession > are closing up their practices here and going down to Texas. The > availability of medical care is sufferring for it. > I'm sure Texas is a wonderful place, but having seen the heat > temperatures > down there lately, I think I'll stick to the ice and snow up here for > a > while yet. > Ross > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On > Behalf Of joshjsmith at charter.net > Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 1:18 PM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Cc: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation > > I do tend to write down my bills. Probably because I don't want to > over > bill for the area but also because I realize it does take me longer to > read > through thick files and I don't want to pass that cost on to my > clients. I > will say that many clients to understand that it takes me longer and I > have > even had some tell me to bill for whatever time I spend on their case. > I > still write some time off however. > > > On Sun, Jul 15, 2012 at 2:35 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > >> as a trainee we are told to account for all the time we work. >> Most of that will be written off, not just for me but for everyonE. >> This is a good question. >> Do you find yourselves working longer hours as blind lawyers? >> Ger >> >> On 7/15/12, Farber, Randy wrote: >>> Elizabeth - >>> >>> When it comes to billables, there are two places that the >>> statistics are important. First, they show-up on the invoice to >>> your client. I always review the invoices and bill based on what I >>> believe is competitive. >>> Therefore, I often write off some of the time I bill. Not because I >>> am blind, but because I do not believe that the invoice is >>> competitive in the market. >>> >>> The second place where billables are important is in your >>> compensation as an associate (as opposed to a partner where it is >>> the cash that is important). My recommendation is to write down all >>> the hours you work, and let the billing attorney decide what should >>> be billed. If you are solo or in a small firm, you may be both the >>> working attorney and the billing attorney. In which case, I still >>> have the same advise. You will want to be able to keep track of how >>> many hours you are spending on a task, even if you are not billing >>> the entire time. >>> >>> Feel free to contact me off list if you would like to discuss this >>> issue in a lawfirm setting. >>> >>> Randy >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >>> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene >>> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 5:29 PM >>> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation >>> >>> I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are >>> working for private firms. I have always worked in the public >>> sector. Could you please tell me your experience of logging >>> billable hours for your firms? >>> While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to >>> do research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a >>> half, at least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. >>> How have your firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and >>> how--generally--are blind lawyers in the private sector calculating >>> their billable hours if they take longer than sighted colleagues to >>> do specific tasks? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Elizabeth Rene >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>> for >>> blindlaw: >>> >>> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.co >>> m >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>> for >>> blindlaw: >>> >>> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier% >>> 40gmail.com >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40cha >> rter.net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5135 - Release Date: > 07/16/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40charter.net From joshjsmith at charter.net Thu Jul 19 16:03:19 2012 From: joshjsmith at charter.net (joshjsmith at charter.net) Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 12:03:19 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation Message-ID: <55aab177.ca4c7.1389ffaa4e9.Webtop.44@charter.net> Ross we have a similar situation in North Georgia. Many medical professionals are simply packing up and leaving because the cost of doing business is so high given that several insurers will not cover this area and because the carpet industry, which built this part of the state, is virtually gone and no one has a job. I am lucky in that at least for now I have two contracts with the circuit to provide indigent services to families in juvenile court. I think at some point the counties in this circuit will begin to trim their budget and the only thing that may save my contracts is the fact that I have been doing this longer than the other attorneys who have the other contracts the contracts. My judge wants to hang on to my services. I do have one client who has been billed well for a case that just completed litigation after four years. I know I did twice as much work on the case as a billed for but this is a loyal client who came to me from a friend who became ill and closed his practice. The client knows it takes me longer to sift through discovery and he knows I don't bill him for all that time. I did however include all my time in my motion for attorneys fees against the other side. On Mon, Jul 16, 2012 at 2:02 PM, Ross Doerr wrote: > Hi Josh: > I couldn't agree more. When I made the determination of what the case > is > worth, I always did it from the viewpoint of the client, and billed > fairly, > or what I thought was fair, from that point on. That almost always > involved > a decrease in the bill, and the client did not miss seeing that. > You can't buy that kind of good will for a practice. Like you, it > almost always took me longer to go through things than a > sighted attorney would take owing to blindness, but whether you are > well-versed in that particular field of law, or are just getting > started in > it, ethics opinions come down on the side of spending what ever time > is > necessary to properly represent ;your client. Hence my fallback of > billing > according to what the case is worth in my area, and what the client's > real > world means are. A $500 case here would almost certainly be billed out > much > higher in a place like Boston, Phoenix Los Angeles or San Francisco. > Maine > rates #50 in recovery from this economic depression, and our > population is > decreasing as those with good educations flee to areas where jobs are > more > plentiful and pay rates are higher. What that really means is that the > pool > of business clients or private clients is getting smaller while the > number > of attorneys remains the same. The level of employment is just so low > that > pay and billing must react to stay open. For example, I've been > amazed at how many members of the medical profession > are closing up their practices here and going down to Texas. The > availability of medical care is sufferring for it. > I'm sure Texas is a wonderful place, but having seen the heat > temperatures > down there lately, I think I'll stick to the ice and snow up here for > a > while yet. > Ross > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On > Behalf Of joshjsmith at charter.net > Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 1:18 PM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Cc: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation > > I do tend to write down my bills. Probably because I don't want to > over > bill for the area but also because I realize it does take me longer to > read > through thick files and I don't want to pass that cost on to my > clients. I > will say that many clients to understand that it takes me longer and I > have > even had some tell me to bill for whatever time I spend on their case. > I > still write some time off however. > > > On Sun, Jul 15, 2012 at 2:35 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > >> as a trainee we are told to account for all the time we work. >> Most of that will be written off, not just for me but for everyonE. >> This is a good question. >> Do you find yourselves working longer hours as blind lawyers? >> Ger >> >> On 7/15/12, Farber, Randy wrote: >>> Elizabeth - >>> >>> When it comes to billables, there are two places that the >>> statistics are important. First, they show-up on the invoice to >>> your client. I always review the invoices and bill based on what I >>> believe is competitive. >>> Therefore, I often write off some of the time I bill. Not because I >>> am blind, but because I do not believe that the invoice is >>> competitive in the market. >>> >>> The second place where billables are important is in your >>> compensation as an associate (as opposed to a partner where it is >>> the cash that is important). My recommendation is to write down all >>> the hours you work, and let the billing attorney decide what should >>> be billed. If you are solo or in a small firm, you may be both the >>> working attorney and the billing attorney. In which case, I still >>> have the same advise. You will want to be able to keep track of how >>> many hours you are spending on a task, even if you are not billing >>> the entire time. >>> >>> Feel free to contact me off list if you would like to discuss this >>> issue in a lawfirm setting. >>> >>> Randy >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >>> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene >>> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 5:29 PM >>> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation >>> >>> I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are >>> working for private firms. I have always worked in the public >>> sector. Could you please tell me your experience of logging >>> billable hours for your firms? >>> While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to >>> do research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a >>> half, at least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. >>> How have your firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and >>> how--generally--are blind lawyers in the private sector calculating >>> their billable hours if they take longer than sighted colleagues to >>> do specific tasks? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Elizabeth Rene >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>> for >>> blindlaw: >>> >>> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.co >>> m >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>> for >>> blindlaw: >>> >>> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier% >>> 40gmail.com >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40cha >> rter.net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5135 - Release Date: > 07/16/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40charter.net From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Thu Jul 19 16:44:51 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 11:44:51 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Chief, Disability Rights Section, Department of Justice, Offices, Boards and Divisions, Job Announcement Number 12-SES-CRD-002 Message-ID: Closes July 31 2012, it appears Link: http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/319319800 Text: Job Title: Chief, Disability Rights Section Department: Department Of Justice Agency: Offices, Boards and Divisions Job Announcement Number:12-SES-CRD-002 SALARY RANGE: $119,554.00 to $179,700.00 / Per Year OPEN PERIOD: Monday, June 18, 2012 to Tuesday, July 31, 2012 SERIES & GRADE: ES-0905-00 POSITION INFORMATION: Full Time - Senior Executive Service (SES) DUTY LOCATIONS: 01 vacancy - Washington DC Metro Area, DC United States WHO MAY BE CONSIDERED: United States Citizens JOB SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Justice is the principal federal agency charged with enforcing federally protected civil and constitutional rights. The Civil Rights Division's (http://www.justice.gov/crt/index.php) mission consists of (1) vigorous enforcement of the criminal laws prohibiting civil rights abuses, including "color of law" violations by state officers, trafficking in humans, conspiracy to violate federally protected rights, and criminal interference with housing rights; and (2) defending individuals' federal civil rights through a panoply of means including civil litigation, consent orders, settlements, technical assistance, public outreach, and education programs. Division offices are near the Metro transportation system or other public transportation, and are conveniently accessible to restaurants, museums and other Washington, D.C. area attractions. Most jobs in the Division offer alternative work schedules and other family friendly opportunities. Most employees who commute by public transportation are eligible for a transit subsidy benefit. KEY REQUIREMENTS * You must submit your application by 11:59 pm EST on the closing date. * You must be a United States citizen. * You must meet all minimum qualifications for this position. DUTIES: Back to top The selection may be subject to receipt of an exception to the Department-wide hiring freeze. The Division (http://www.justice.gov/crt/index.php) is seeking a managing attorney to lead the Disability Rights Section (Section) (http://www.justice.gov/crt/drs/drshome.php) in its protection of the rights of persons with disabilities under Titles I, II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in over seven million places of public accommodation, including all hotels, restaurants, retail stores, theaters, health care facilities, convention centers, parks, and places of recreation (Title III), in all activities of over 80,000 state and local governments (Title II), and in employment practices of state and local government employers with 15 or more employees (Title I). The ADA also establishes architectural accessibility requirements for new construction and alterations of buildings and facilities covered under Title II and Title III, which generally include all nonresidential buildings and facilities. Title III of the ADA also requires the Department to determine that a State law or local building code that has been submitted to the Department establishes accessibility requirements that meet or exceed the ADA's minimum requirements. This position also serves as the Attorney General's liaison to the U.S. Access Board. In addition, this position is also responsible for implementing the Department's responsibilities under sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the disability provisions of Executive Order 12250, and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. As Chief, the successful candidate will: Supervise, directly and through subordinate supervisors, approximately 45 attorneys and 50 non-attorney professionals and support employees. Manage the development of the Section's enforcement strategy and implementation plan, including appropriate allocation of staff resources and oversight of personnel matters. Plan and direct a nationwide program to enforce the applicable statutory provisions (Titles I, II and III of the ADA, Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, and Executive Order 12250). Initiate, direct and review investigations that arise from complaints regarding violations of the applicable federal statutes. Supervise the preparation of cases, including drafting and filing of complaints, pre-trial discovery, motions practice, and trials. Intervene in significant cases brought by private litigants. Supervise the preparation of amicus briefs and statements of interest. Review and evaluate the work of experts, consultants and court-imposed monitors. Consult and advise the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and other Department of Justice officials regarding Section matters and policy matters affecting the applicable statutory provisions. Play a critical role in a range of policy, regulatory, and outreach issues including engaging in public speaking, as appropriate, to educate the public on the Section's work. Coordinate with other components throughout the federal government to ensure comprehensive and collaborative effort to enforce the applicable statutory provisions. Confer with U.S. Attorneys and oversee the handling of U.S. Attorney cases related to the applicable statutory provisions. Resolve cases through settlement agreements, consent decrees, or litigation. Prepare recommendations for or against appeal, including appeals to the Supreme Court, and review briefs or assist in the preparation of argument for cases being appealed. Develop and maintain regulations implementing Titles II and III of the ADA. Respond to requests from State and local governments to certify that their accessibility codes are equivalent to the ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Provide technical assistance to private sector organizations that develop model access codes and standards. Provide legal and policy guidance or disability rights training to other Federal agencies. Serve as the Department's liaison to the U.S. Access Board and participate in the development of minimum accessibility guidelines and other regulations developed by the Board. Provide technical assistance to the general public, to State and local governments, to private entities covered by Title III, and to persons with disabilities. Develop sub-regulatory guidance explaining the requirements of the ADA. Oversee the operations of the ADA Information Line and the ADA Mediation Program. Maintain and expand the ADA website, providing current information on how to comply with the ADA. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: Back to top Please see "How You Will Be Evaluated" for qualifications information. Read this vacancy announcement in its entirety to ensure proper application procedures are followed. Specialized Education and Licensing: You must be a graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and be a member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar. http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is required by law to review the executive qualifications of each new career appointee to the Senior Executive Service (SES) prior to appointment. To be considered for this position, you must submit a written statement addressing the five (5) Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) listed below. Failure to address both the mandatory technical/professional qualifications and the ECQs will adversely affect your chances for selection. You must submit a separate narrative statement that addresses each of the Technical Qualifications (TQs) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) related to this position; limit your responses to no more than one page for each TQ/MTQ. Unless you are a current Senior Executive Service (SES) career appointee, a former SES member having reinstatement eligibility, or an OPM-certified graduate of an approved SES Candidate Development Program, you must also submit a separate narrative statement (10-page limit) addressing each of the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) related to all positions in the SES. You must address how you have demonstrated progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined in this job announcement. Qualified candidates typically gain experience of this nature at or above the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state or local government, the private sector, or nongovernmental organizations. For examples and guidance on writing effective ECQ narrative statements, you are strongly encouraged to review the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Guide to Senior Executive Service Qualifications: http://www.opm.gov/ses/references/GuidetoSESQuals_2010.pdf. You must use the Challenge- Context- Action- Result (CCAR) model when describing your accomplishments. 1) Technical Qualifications a) A proven record of accomplishment of managing a complex organization and tackling challenging organizational issues. b) Ability to manage a diverse workforce that includes lawyers, non-lawyer professionals, including architects, investigators, technical assistance specialists, and support staff, and federal contractors. c) Ability to establish an organizational vision, develop a strategic plan and implement strategic change, develop and advance policy initiatives, and build coalitions, both within the organization and outside the organization, to effectively enforce the applicable statutory provisions. d) Ability to communicate effectively on complex legal and technical issues, both orally and in writing, including the ability to advocate successfully with diverse stakeholders, external partners and individuals or groups having differing and often conflicting interests, on matters related to the successful execution of a large-scale organization's mission, programs, and projects. e) Demonstrated experience supervising, developing, litigating or resolving issues, and negotiating agreements through effective oral and written communication. 2) Mandatory Technical Qualifications In addition to the specialized education and licensing requirements described above, you must have experience working with one or more of the applicable civil rights statutes. 3) Executive Core Qualifications a) Leading Change: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment. Leadership Competencies for ECQ-1: creativity and innovation, external awareness, flexibility, resilience, strategic thinking, vision. b) Leading People: This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. Leadership Competencies for ECQ-2: conflict management, leveraging diversity, developing others, team building. c) Results Driven: This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. Leadership Competencies for ECQ-3: accountability, customer service, decisiveness, entrepreneurship, problem solving, technical credibility. d) Business Acumen: This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, and information resources strategically. Leadership Competencies for ECQ-4: financial management, human capital management, technology management. e) Building Coalitions: This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations, foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals. Leadership Competencies for ECQ-5: partnering, political savvy, influencing/negotiating. The following fundamental competencies underlie the five ECQs, which should be incorporated into your responses to the ECQs and not as separate statements: a) Interpersonal Skills: Treats others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect. Considers and responds appropriately to the needs and feelings of different people in different situations. b) Oral Communication: Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed. c) Integrity/Honesty: Behaves in an honest, fair, and ethical manner. Shows consistency in words and actions. Models high standards of ethics. d) Written Communication: Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience. e) Continual Learning: Assesses and recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; pursues self-development. f) Public Service Motivation: Shows a commitment to serve the public. Ensures that actions meet public needs; aligns organizational objectives and practices with public interests. BENEFITS: Back to top The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees http://www.usajobs.gov/ResourceCenter/Index/Interactive/Benefits#icc. OTHER INFORMATION: DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non-merit factor. The Department welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. Applicants with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations - such as application materials in an alternate format, a sign language interpreter or assistance attending an interview - should contact the Division's Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator: Susan Crawford at (202) 307-1378; see also Civil Rights Division Process for Requests for Reasonable Accommodations by Individuals with Disabilities, dated May 28, 2010 http://www.justice.gov/crt/legalinfo/ra_policy_june2010.pdf . An initial SES career appointee is subject to a one-year SES probationary period. If the Division does not receive the requested application materials, applicants will be evaluated solely on the information available and may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. The application materials will not be returned. The Civil Rights Division participates in the E-Verify Program. The Civil Rights Division will not authorize relocation expenses. The position requires extended hours and a significant amount of travel. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test (if not a current employee of the Offices, Board, or Divisions of the U.S. Department of Justice), which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. HOW TO APPLY: Back to top You must submit the following information by 11:59 pm EST on the closing date of the job announcement: (1) a resume, (2) your narrative statement addressing each of the TQs and MTQs (limit to one page per TQ/MTQ), (3) your narrative statement addressing each of the ECQs (10-page limit), and (4) a current performance appraisal (if none exists, a statement to that effect). In addition, current career SES members and former SES members who have reinstatement eligibility to the career SES should submit an SF-50 showing career SES status; OPM-certified SES Candidate Development Program graduates should submit a copy of their Qualifications Review Board (QRB) certificate. Completed applications must be submitted by fax (202-514-6603) or e-mail (crd.attyvacancies at usdoj.gov). Please do not mail applications for employment. You must include the job announcement number in the subject line of your email or on the cover page of your fax. Questions may be directed to Delicia Taylor at 202-514-3934 or Delicia.Taylor at usdoj.gov. Relocation expenses are not authorized. Position is not eligible for the Compressed Work Schedule. Selective Service: As a condition of employment, all male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must have registered for the selective service. If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959 and are selected for this position, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See http://www.sss.gov/default.htm. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: (1) a resume, (2) your narrative statement addressing each of the TQs and MTQs (limit to one page per TQ/MTQ), (3) your narrative statement addressing each of the ECQs (10-page limit), and (4) a current performance appraisal (if none exists, a statement to that effect). AGENCY CONTACT INFO: Human Resources Office Team One Phone: (202)514-3934 Fax: (202)514-6603 Email: CRD.ATTYVACANCIES at USDOJ. GOV Agency Information: U S Department of Justice Civil Rights Division PLEASE DO NOT MAIL APPLICATIONS PLEASE SEE HOW TO APPLY SECTION WASHINGTON, DC 20530Fax: (202)514-6603 WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT: An Executive Resources Board (ERB) will evaluate you based on your responses to the TQs, MTQs and ECQs, as well as the quality and extent to which your application shows that you possess the knowledge, experience and skills required for this position, as defined above. After conducting the initial round of interviews of high-qualified individuals, the ERB will refer the top applicants to the selecting official for consideration. If selected for this position, you must be certified by an OPM independent Qualifications Review Board (QRB) as a prerequisite for final selection, unless you are a current SES career executive, are eligible for reinstatement based on prior career service in the SES, or have successfully participated in and graduated from an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.png Type: image/png Size: 241 bytes Desc: image002.png URL: From rumpole at roadrunner.com Thu Jul 19 21:25:58 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:25:58 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation In-Reply-To: <55aab177.ca4c7.1389ffaa4e9.Webtop.44@charter.net> References: <55aab177.ca4c7.1389ffaa4e9.Webtop.44@charter.net> Message-ID: <8711F19E530F4BC58AAF29796F5FB1E0@mycomputer> Hello Josh: I hear you loud and clear. The quality of health care is sufferring up here because the darn medical profession is moving out. I spoke with several doctors and medical people who said, in very plain language, that they can't make ends meet here, and part of the reason is that health insurance companies and Medicaid reimbursement rates are so bad, they're just going to leave. My own personal family doctor complains that he can't get anyone new to join up with him because of just that reason, new doctors are every bit as laden with student loans as new lawyers are, and the pay is so bad that they can't afford to live up here. So, yes, I hear you, on the medical as well as legal fronts. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of joshjsmith at charter.net Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2012 12:03 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation Ross we have a similar situation in North Georgia. Many medical professionals are simply packing up and leaving because the cost of doing business is so high given that several insurers will not cover this area and because the carpet industry, which built this part of the state, is virtually gone and no one has a job. I am lucky in that at least for now I have two contracts with the circuit to provide indigent services to families in juvenile court. I think at some point the counties in this circuit will begin to trim their budget and the only thing that may save my contracts is the fact that I have been doing this longer than the other attorneys who have the other contracts the contracts. My judge wants to hang on to my services. I do have one client who has been billed well for a case that just completed litigation after four years. I know I did twice as much work on the case as a billed for but this is a loyal client who came to me from a friend who became ill and closed his practice. The client knows it takes me longer to sift through discovery and he knows I don't bill him for all that time. I did however include all my time in my motion for attorneys fees against the other side. On Mon, Jul 16, 2012 at 2:02 PM, Ross Doerr wrote: > Hi Josh: > I couldn't agree more. When I made the determination of what the case > is worth, I always did it from the viewpoint of the client, and billed > fairly, or what I thought was fair, from that point on. That almost > always involved a decrease in the bill, and the client did not miss > seeing that. > You can't buy that kind of good will for a practice. Like you, it > almost always took me longer to go through things than a sighted > attorney would take owing to blindness, but whether you are > well-versed in that particular field of law, or are just getting > started in it, ethics opinions come down on the side of spending what > ever time is necessary to properly represent ;your client. Hence my > fallback of billing according to what the case is worth in my area, > and what the client's real world means are. A $500 case here would > almost certainly be billed out much higher in a place like Boston, > Phoenix Los Angeles or San Francisco. > Maine > rates #50 in recovery from this economic depression, and our > population is decreasing as those with good educations flee to areas > where jobs are more plentiful and pay rates are higher. What that > really means is that the pool of business clients or private clients > is getting smaller while the number of attorneys remains the same. The > level of employment is just so low that pay and billing must react to > stay open. For example, I've been amazed at how many members of the > medical profession are closing up their practices here and going down > to Texas. The availability of medical care is sufferring for it. > I'm sure Texas is a wonderful place, but having seen the heat > temperatures down there lately, I think I'll stick to the ice and snow > up here for a while yet. > Ross > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] > On > Behalf Of joshjsmith at charter.net > Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 1:18 PM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Cc: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation > > I do tend to write down my bills. Probably because I don't want to > over bill for the area but also because I realize it does take me > longer to read through thick files and I don't want to pass that cost > on to my clients. I will say that many clients to understand that it > takes me longer and I have even had some tell me to bill for whatever > time I spend on their case. > I > still write some time off however. > > > On Sun, Jul 15, 2012 at 2:35 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > >> as a trainee we are told to account for all the time we work. >> Most of that will be written off, not just for me but for everyonE. >> This is a good question. >> Do you find yourselves working longer hours as blind lawyers? >> Ger >> >> On 7/15/12, Farber, Randy wrote: >>> Elizabeth - >>> >>> When it comes to billables, there are two places that the >>> statistics are important. First, they show-up on the invoice to >>> your client. I always review the invoices and bill based on what I >>> believe is competitive. >>> Therefore, I often write off some of the time I bill. Not because I >>> am blind, but because I do not believe that the invoice is >>> competitive in the market. >>> >>> The second place where billables are important is in your >>> compensation as an associate (as opposed to a partner where it is >>> the cash that is important). My recommendation is to write down all >>> the hours you work, and let the billing attorney decide what should >>> be billed. If you are solo or in a small firm, you may be both the >>> working attorney and the billing attorney. In which case, I still >>> have the same advise. You will want to be able to keep track of how >>> many hours you are spending on a task, even if you are not billing >>> the entire time. >>> >>> Feel free to contact me off list if you would like to discuss this >>> issue in a lawfirm setting. >>> >>> Randy >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org >>> [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Rene >>> Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 5:29 PM >>> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> Subject: [blindlaw] Billable hours and reasonable accommodation >>> >>> I am very impressed to read that several lawyers on this list are >>> working for private firms. I have always worked in the public >>> sector. Could you please tell me your experience of logging >>> billable hours for your firms? >>> While consistently productive, I have always taken a bit longer to >>> do research and write briefs than my sighted colleagues (time and a >>> half, at least(, but maybe some new technology would improve that. >>> How have your firms rated the productivity of blind lawyers, and >>> how--generally--are blind lawyers in the private sector calculating >>> their billable hours if they take longer than sighted colleagues to >>> do specific tasks? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Elizabeth Rene >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>> for >>> blindlaw: >>> >>> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.c >>> o >>> m >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info >>> for >>> blindlaw: >>> >>> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier >>> % >>> 40gmail.com >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40ch >> a >> rter.net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadru > nner.c > om > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5135 - Release Date: > 07/16/12 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/joshjsmith%40cha > rter.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrunner.c om ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2437/5141 - Release Date: 07/19/12 From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Fri Jul 20 22:52:32 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:52:32 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] FW: Dept. of Transportation Recruitment Efforts In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: From: Banjo, Akinyemi - ODEP [mailto:banjo.akinyemi at dol.gov] Sent: Friday, July 20, 2012 2:18 PM Subject: FW: Dept. of Transportation Recruitment Efforts Dear Colleague- The US. Dept. of Transportation is seeking to hire Schedule A applicants and thus seeking your assistance. If you have excellent candidates/resumes, applications should be sent to Susan Schwartz at DOT. See the message below for details and please share with your other agency contacts. Thanks, Akinyemi -----Original Message----- From: Susan.Schwartz at dot.gov [mailto:Susan.Schwartz at dot.gov] Sent: Fri 7/20/2012 3:32 PM To: Banjo, Akinyemi - ODEP Subject: Dept. of Transportation Recruitment Efforts Akinyemi, Will you please send the following announcement to the FDWC group members - We do not have formal announcement listed - we are just looking for excellent Schedule A applicants other Federal agencies may have received/know. The US Dept. of Transportation is seeking to hire Schedule A applicants at the grade level of GS-9/11/12 with full promotion potential to the GS-14 in our Office of Assistant Secretary for Policy and Office of International Affairs. The positions of focus are in the areas of Policy Analyst, Economist, International, Aviation, Grant Management, Negotiations as the broad competencies. In addition, we are seeking to hire a temporary position in the Deputy Secretary of Transportation's Office, at the GS-7 level. The candidate should have good analytical abilities and excellent writing skills. In help you can provide is greatly appreciated. Applications can be sent to me at susan.schwartz at dot.gov. Thank you, Susan B. Schwartz Acting Associate Director, HR Operations Office of the Secretary US Dept. of Transportation 202-366-4886 From b75205 at gmail.com Sun Jul 22 14:24:43 2012 From: b75205 at gmail.com (James Pepper) Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2012 09:24:43 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] US Voter Registration form for Spanish speaks in English a violation of the Voting Rights Act Message-ID: I am still trying to get the US National Voter Registration form to be accessible to the blind, and the government cared so much about the blind that they made the form for people who speak Spanish, speak in English when you use the form. I made this YouTube video to show the problem: http://youtu.be/Chhx36oNoc8 The form in Spanish speaks in English and I have been having a lot of problems with government officials because the screen reader speaks with a Spanish accent but it is speaking English, not Spanish. They think it is Spanish. It speaks out the letters and numbers in Spanish and for some strange reason it speaks State as Estado. That is enough to fool people. Government officials think that it you speak English with a Spanish accent that you are speaking in Spanish. I guess these people are fooled by accents but this type of racism is interesting, people really think that if you speak English with a Spanish accent you are speaking Spanish. I guess I should use my Maurice Chevalier impression when I go to Washington and see how many people think I am speaking French when I am speaking English! Diplomacy would be a lot easier if everyone spoke English with an accent! The English language form has serious problems, the most notable is that most of it is not accessible, they didn't even bother to fix it. It requires the use of JAWS, the full version too, so you have to pay for the software to register to vote and that is a Poll Tax. The form requires the blind to draw a map of where they live which is a Literacy Test, a direct violation of the Voting Rights Act. You must locate a cross that designates a street intersection, and then you must label each street with the nearest cross streets to your home and then place an X on the form in relation to those cross streets. Then you put in dots to designate buildings and you must label them in relation to everything else. I have an email from the Elections Officer of the State of Arkansas where they insist that the blind draw the map. When I talked to them over the phone they said that they never had any complaints about their form not being accessible to the blind but of course if you cannot open it, how can you complain? Most states were downright angry and the State of Washington responded by stating that they were not required to make voter registration forms accessible to the blind, That is an official statement by their Voting Officer in the Secretary of States Office and I have the email. The form was designed specifically to be filled out with an older version of JAWS and that is a poll tax on the blind; there can be no cost with this form. My current forms can be filled out with Narrator on a PC or Voiceover on a Mac, no need for screen readers. But it is better with NVDA and you can use JAWS, Window Eyes and everything else to fill it out, all by yourselves without assistance no matter your income bracket. I made several social security forms with this new format a few years ago and had them tested at the Jernigan Institute. Four years ago I made the form accessible where the blind could fill it out using free screen readers and this was before I found out about NVDA! The AFB tested it and sent a copy to the State of West Virginia. The form was presented to the Elections Assistance Commission (E A C) by Jim Dickson, the Vice President of the American Association of People with Disabilities. I have an email where the EAC responded to my presentation of my forms where the person wrote that their web services company was responsible for making the forms and website accessible to the blind dated August 28, 2008 but the Director in a letter to Congress a year later wrote that the agency made the form and tested it with JAWS with volunteers and he said that Jim Dickson was on his staff so it was made correctly. I have all of the correspondence, it is clear that the Director's letter to Congress is not true. He claims that Jim Dickson was on is staff in the letter, so if they made the form accessible why did he present my forms to the EAC to make the form accessible, Jim Presented the forms and he told me about it in early October so there is no excuse the Director of the EAC lied to Congress. If they tested it with JAWS then they made it inaccessible on purpose. The agency was created by Congress to make voter registration and voting accessible to the blind in 2002 under the Help America Vote Act, why did they have their webmasters make the form on September 15, 2008, 20 days after I had submitted my forms to them? Why did they wait until the election was almost over to do the job? Why did they wait until this year to come out with their form to Spanish speaking people speak in English which is a direct violation of Executive Order 13166 on making documents in each language as well as the Civil Rights Act and accessibility laws. Of course why does the EAC require people to state their race on the South Carolina Voter Registration form where if they do not do so the form will not be processed. This requirement to state your race is a direct violation of the Voting Rights Act. The idea is to gather information on race to enforce the law but that is always voluntary and not required except on the South Carolina Voter Registration form. The requirement codifies the racism that the law was made to prevent. The EAC is a rogue agency. Can you do something about this? I have the forms, they are accessible to the simplest of screen readers so the blind and visually impaired are out not expense and everything is accessible. They refuse to use them. I can make the forms speak in all of the languages used by NVDA and I was able to make forms speak in Hindi, four years ago before I found out about NVDA. All I need is a SAPI 5 or better screen reader and we can do this for any language and all of the information is accessible to free screen readers and it can be encrypted and remain accessible to free screen readers. The Elections Assistance Commission is responsible for the Accessible voting Machines and they make the Voter Registration forms. Isn't it interesting that if the blind and visually impaired showed up on election day in real numbers, that there would not be enough voting machines to handle the demand. It is so much simpler to deny people the right to Vote. James Pepper From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Mon Jul 23 15:18:37 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2012 10:18:37 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] DOJ Civil Rights Division, Special Litigation Section, TRIAL ATTORNEY, GS-905-14/15, ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 12-ATT-014 In-Reply-To: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CAE7B83@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CAE7B83@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: Link: http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/jobs/12-att-014.htm Text: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, SPECIAL LITIGATION SECTION TRIAL ATTORNEY, GS-905-14/15 ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 12-ATT-014 About the Office: The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division is seeking 2 experienced attorneys for the position of Trial Attorney in the Special Litigation Section (Section) in Washington, D.C. The attorneys selected for these positions will be dedicated to the Section's work pursuant to the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control ("HCFAC") Program, with an emphasis on the Section's matters that seek to enforce compliance with the integration mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999). More specifically, most of the incumbents' work will be devoted to investigating and litigating matters involving the unnecessary segregation or the risk of unnecessary segregation of individuals in institutions. The attorneys selected for these positions will not work on any of the Section's other civil rights enforcement activities. Who May Apply: Applications are being accepted from all qualified candidates. Number of Opportunities: 2 Application Period: Applications are being accepted from July 20, 2012 through 11:59 PM, EST August 10, 2012. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The incumbents will be responsible for duties such as, but not limited to: 1) conducting investigations, litigation, and negotiations regarding the Section's HCFAC docket, with an emphasis on its active Olmstead enforcement program; 2) working with managers to develop and establish strategies and priorities for HCFAC and Olmstead enforcement; 3) working with team members to coordinate with other federal agencies to develop strategies for effective and efficient information sharing and case referrals; and 4) conducting outreach. These investigations can result in significant litigation, including extensive discovery, pretrial motions practice, preliminary injunction hearings, trials, and post judgment enforcement and contempt proceedings. The incumbents will be responsible for screening and developing new matters, conducting comprehensive investigations involving in-person visits, witness interviews, and work with experts, analyzing data, drafting written recommendations including legal analyses, litigating all aspects of the Section's enforcement duties and negotiating, monitoring, and enforcing settlement agreements. Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), and have a minimum of three years of post-JD experience. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and written communication skills (including strong advocacy skills), possess excellent academic and professional credentials, and outstanding professional references. Applicants must also demonstrate exceptional interpersonal skills and professional judgment, and be able to excel in a highly demanding environment. Preferred Qualifications: Given the nature and volume of this work, the Section generally seeks candidates with significant litigation experience and a demonstrated commitment to public service and/or civil rights. Applicants with one or more of the following qualifications are preferred: (1) civil or criminal trial experience; (2) federal civil or criminal litigation experience; (3) experience with complex investigations; (4) demonstrated commitment to public service through employment or volunteering; (5) demonstrated commitment to civil rights and/or human rights issues; (6) substantive knowledge of Olmstead and other applicable law; or (7) judicial clerkship experience. How You Will Be Evaluated: Applicants will be evaluated relative to the qualifications set forth above. Salary Information: Years of specialized experience will determine the appropriate salary level within the GS-14/15 range ($105,211 to $155,500 per annum). Final selection for this position will be subject to budgetary funding constraints. Location: Washington, D.C. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are not authorized. Travel: The position requires extended hours and a significant amount of travel. Submission Process and Deadline Date: To apply, please submit a resume, cover letter, and writing sample (a brief or comparable legal document that is your work product) by one of the two following means. Diane Turner Email: crd.attyvacancies at usdoj.gov or Fax: 202-514-6603 Please include the announcement number in the subject line of your email or on the cover page of your fax. No telephone calls please. Other Information: If the Division does not receive the requested application materials, applicants will be evaluated solely on the information available and may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. The application materials will not be returned. The Civil Rights Division participates in the E-Verify Program. Benefits: The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, telework, life insurance, health benefits, and, participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to eligible federal employees: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits. Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html. For more information about the Civil Rights Division, visit the Civil Rights Division's web page. Department Policies: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting documents). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). * * * The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination are not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information. From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Mon Jul 23 19:04:43 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:04:43 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Attorney positions in Spokane Washington Message-ID: From: Jennifer Carter [mailto:jenniferc at wsba.org] Sent: Monday, July 23, 2012 10:45 AM To: president at abaw.org; jeff at jefflianglaw.com; asb at bmatlaw.com; aaron at glblaw.com; castillo.mimi at ymail.com; asachs at wrenngroup.com; zanabugaighis at DWT.com; boksulee at yahoo.com; dko at kellerrohrback.com; DavisJK at LanePowell.com; nicole at gaineslawoffice.com; info at melegal.org; rblack at susmangodfrey.com; efry at sisna.com; dclarks at co.pierce.wa.us; slavicbar at gmail.com; KMDas at perkinscoie.com; DINHS at FOSTER.COM; MLe at perkinscoie.com; stuarpix at microsoft.com; Nightingale, Noel; alison.bettles at nordstrom.com; Jeanne Marie Clavere; milliek at nwjustice.org Subject: Job Opportunity FYI! Jennifer Carter| Diversity and Public Service Coordinator Washington State Bar Association |* 206.239.2116 | F 206.727.8319 | * jenniferc at wsba.org 1325 Fourth Avenue, Suite 600 | Seattle, WA 98101 | www.wsba.org The Northwest Justice Project (NJP) is a not-for-profit statewide law firm that pursues its mission through legal representation, community partnerships, and education to combat injustice and promote the long-term well-being of low-income individuals, families, and communities throughout Washington. NJP seeks applications from qualified attorneys committed to supporting our mission through the work of our Spokane regional office. For information about living in the Spokane area see http://www.visitspokane.com/learn-about-the-spokane-region/ Successful applicants for this position will have significant experience in all aspects of civil litigation, with particular experience in one or more areas of law that particularly impact low income persons in Washington. Applicants should be culturally competent and have demonstrated experience working with low-income client communities. Washington State Bar Association membership in good standing or the ability to acquire membership through reciprocity is desirable or willingness to take the next Washington bar exam. A minimum of 8 years of civil litigation experience is preferred. See http://nwjustice.org/employment-opportunities/staff-attorney-position-njp-spokane-office For full description. From rumpole at roadrunner.com Mon Jul 23 22:57:34 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:57:34 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Posting for N.C. U.S. Attorney #1 Message-ID: <7D915F7971494123AF9F3DF02AB4011E@mycomputer> U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY CRIMINAL DIVISION UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WESTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA 12-WDNC-AUSA-05 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina covers 32 western counties in North Carolina. The principal office is located in Charlotte, with a staffed branch office in Asheville. The office currently employs 76 individuals, including 38 attorneys and 38 support personnel, divided into three divisions, Criminal, Civil, and Administrative. The office seeks to maintain the highest standard of excellence in the enforcement of federal laws and the representation of the United States. An appointment with the United States Attorney's Office offers a unique and challenging experience for the highly a motivated attorney; an opportunity to obtain litigation and trial experience. You will receive substantial training in investigation and prosecuting federal crimes. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina is seeking applications from attorneys to serve as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the Criminal Division prosecuting general crimes. The successful applicant will serves as an AUSA with responsibilities that include researching legal issues, drafting briefs, conducting hearings and trials and attending judicial proceedings. This announcement is to fill one position in the Criminal Division in the Charlotte office. As needed, additional positions may be filled from this vacancy announcement. Qualifications: Required Qualifications: Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen, possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of a bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least three years of post J.D. experience. Preferred Qualifications: Prior jury trial experience is preferred. Applicants must exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff, and law enforcement agencies. . Travel: Occasional travel inside and outside the District may be required. Type of Position: All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on an 14 month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorneys' pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $44,581 to $116,994 plus 14.16% locality pay. Location: This position is located in our main office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized. Application Process and Deadline Date: Interested persons should address a cover letter and resume, both in PDF format, to the attention of United States Attorney, Anne M. Tompkins, and send the cover letter and resume to: usancw.staffing at usdoj.gov . No phone calls please. Applications must be received by August 7, 2012. A writing sample, transcripts, references, and additional information may be requested after the initial review and consideration of the submitted cover letter, and resume. NOTE: please include the vacancy announcement number (12-WDNC-AUSA-05) listed at the top of this announcement on your cover letter, resume and all documents submitted. Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint and credit checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Internet Sites: Information about the office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/ncw/ This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html. Department Policies: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for district-specific information. The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). * * * The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information. From rumpole at roadrunner.com Mon Jul 23 22:59:02 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:59:02 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] U.S. Attorney Posting for N.C. posting #2 Message-ID: <1B4327800E3A405AA0FA3E2F22457AD9@mycomputer> U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY CRIMINAL DIVISION UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WESTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA 12-WDNC-AUSA-04 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina covers 32 western counties in North Carolina. The principal office is located in Charlotte, with a staffed branch office in Asheville. The office currently employs 76 individuals, including 38 attorneys and 38 support personnel, divided into three divisions, Criminal, Civil, and Administrative. The office seeks to maintain the highest standard of excellence in the enforcement of federal laws and the representation of the United States. An appointment with the United States Attorney's Office offers a unique and challenging experience for the highly a motivated attorney; an opportunity to obtain litigation and trial experience. You will receive substantial training in investigation and prosecuting federal crimes. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina is seeking an experienced trial attorney to serve as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division prosecuting general crimes with particular emphasis on violent crimes, and drug trafficking. Prior jury trial experience is preferred. Applicants should possess superior oral and written communication skills, as well as, strong interpersonal skills, exhibit good judgement and function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment. This announcement is to fill one position in the Criminal Division in the Charlotte office. As needed, additional positions may be filled from this vacancy announcement. Qualifications: Required Qualifications: Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen, possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of a bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least one year of post J.D. experience. Preferred Qualifications: Prior litigation experience is preferred. Applicants must demonstrate analytical ability and strong research, writing, and courtroom skills. Applicants must exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff, and law enforcement agencies. Travel: Occasional travel inside and outside the District may be required. Type of Position: All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on an 14 month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorneys' pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $44,581 to $116,994 plus 14.16% locality pay. Location: This position is located in our main office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized. Application Process and Deadline Date: Interested persons should address a cover letter and resume, both in PDF format, to the attention of United States Attorney, Anne M. Tompkins, and send the cover letter and resume to: usancw.staffing at usdoj.gov . No phone calls please. Applications must be received by August 7, 2012. A writing sample, transcripts, references, and additional information may be requested after the initial review and consideration of the submitted cover letter, and resume. NOTE: please include the vacancy announcement number (12-WDNC-AUSA-04) listed at the top of this announcement on your cover letter, resume and all documents submitted. Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint and credit checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Internet Sites: Information about the office is available at: www.usdoj.gov/usao/ncw/ This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html. Department Policies: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for district-specific information. The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). * * * The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information. From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Mon Jul 23 23:27:02 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:27:02 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Assistant General Counsel, John Stanford Center, Seattle Public Schools, Job Announcement In-Reply-To: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CAE7D4F@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CAE7D4F@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: Link: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/seattleschools/default.cfm?action=viewJob&jobID=497009&hit_count=yes&headerFooter=1&promo=0&transfer=0&WDDXJobSearchParams=%3CwddxPacket%20version%3D%271%2E0%27%3E%3Cheader%2F%3E%3Cdata%3E%3Cstruct%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27CATEGORYID%27%3E%3Cstring%3E1%2C130%2C46%2C52%2C15%2C18%2C19%2C20%2C112%2C149%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27PROMOTIONALJOBS%27%3E%3Cstring%3E0%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27TRANSFER%27%3E%3Cstring%3E0%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3Cvar%20name%3D%27FIND%5FKEYWORD%27%3E%3Cstring%3E%3C%2Fstring%3E%3C%2Fvar%3E%3C%2Fstruct%3E%3C%2Fdata%3E%3C%2FwddxPacket%3E Text: Job Title: Assistant General Counsel - 1.0 FTE - John Stanford Center Closing Date/Time: Tue. 07/31/12 5:00 PM Pacific Time Salary: See Position Description Job Type: Full-Time Location: John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence, Washington Required Attachments: Cover letter and Resume, Letters of Reference Description Benefits Supplemental Questions This position's responsibilities are to act as legal counsel and adviser for assigned management and administrators to ensure maximum protection of the district's legal rights. Position reports to: General Counsel Essential Functions: 1. Provides oral and written advice and counsel on general education matters, including professional interpretations and recommendations to assigned management, administrators and their staff in order to prevent and/or respond to complaints and suits, to plan preventive measures, and to serve as a legal resource for decisions affecting policies and procedures; acts as an adviser in meetings, to assist in management decision-making to ensure protection of the district's legal rights. Substantive areas of involvement may include advanced learning, alternative learning, curriculum, English Language Learners and International Education. (10% of the time) 2. Participates in a variety of Special Education matters, including IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and their implementing regulations, federal and state laws governing students with disabilities; advises management on how to protect the rights of the District; leads or conducts investigations; researches issues, incidents, laws, documents and records; prepares and represents the District in litigation, administrative hearings and similar actions, and manages outside counsel. (50% of the time) 3. Participates in a variety of Employment matters, including labor contract rights, employment actions, civil rights, American Disability Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, fair labor practices; advises management on how to protect rights of the District; leads or conducts investigations; researches issues, incidents, laws, documents and records; prepares and represents the District in litigation, administrative hearings and similar actions, and manages outside counsel. (10% of the time) 4. Writes and reviews written policies and procedures; develops and reviews contracts and provisions; writes responses to and verbally responds to requests for legal advice on a wide variety of special education and employment issues; provides interpretation of written policies and district practices to ensure proper application. (10% of the time) 5. Supervises and works as a team with assigned legal office staff and outside contracted staff to respond to legal inquiries and to prepare for legal actions; supervises and evaluates legal secretary or legal assistant(s), as assigned. (5% of the time) 6. Provides on-going training to management and administrators on legal issues, laws and best practices of a wide-range of subjects within area of assignment; identifies areas of concern that need to be shared with a broader audience, which may include acting as a staff development instructor for classes or giving presentations to groups within a department or division. (5% of the time) 7. Serves on committees; attends meetings; makes presentations and conducts training. (5% of the time) 8. Maintains knowledge of current trends in laws, affecting area of assignment and public employers; participates in training to enhance professional skills; coordinates with outside agencies to establish working relationships with other professionals engaged in legal arenas of interest to the area of assignment. (5% of the time) Other Functions: Performs related duties consistent with the scope and intent of the position. Minimum Qualifications: Education: J.D. or L.L.M. Degree Preferred Years of Experience: 2 (two) years. Required Testing: Certificates & Licenses: Member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association; valid Washington State driver's license or evidence of equivalent mobility. Continuing Education/Training: 45 hours of continuing education every three years. Clearances: Criminal Justice Fingerprint Background Clearance REQUIRED DISTRICT-WIDE CORE COMPETENCIES: Collaboration Is seen as a team player who encourages efficient and effective collaborations. Works skillfully in difficult situations with both internal and external groups. Represents his/her own interests while being open-minded to other groups. Builds respectful and productive relationships internally and externally Getting Results (Action Oriented) Demonstrates a strong sense of urgency about solving problems and getting work done. Focuses on achieving the goal even in the face of obstacles. Assumes responsibility for starting and finishing work with minimal supervision. Strives for new levels of performance. Decision Quality & Problem Solving Weighs the consequences of options before making a decision. Applies appropriate criteria to situations for the purpose of making decisions. Displays self-confidence in own judgment. Focuses in the facts and solutions instead of opinions and problems. Integrity Deals with people and situations in an honest and forthright manner. Represents information and data accurately and completely. Represents the confidentiality of information and concerns shared by others. Takes ownership if a mistake is their own and does not blame others. Accountability Takes responsibility and action as if the risks (financial or otherwise) are his or her own. Holds individuals and team accountable for their actions and results. Initiates action even if outcome is uncertain and is willing to accept the consequences of failure. Aligns own activities and priorities to meet broader organizational needs. Demonstrates courage and confidence in his or her own ability. REQUIRED JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES: Litigation/Arbitration: Incumbents are expected to have expertise representing the District in litigation, arbitrations and other adversarial matters, and to manage and direct outside counsel. Manage all aspects of case preparation and presentation for assigned matters. Negotiation Skills: expertise in negotiation and resolution of disputes of all types, to achieve both immediate goals, including financial goals, and long term policy objectives of the District. Team work: As assigned, participate in staff projects for resolution of complex processes, bringing together disparate departments to identify, agree upon, plan, develop processes and implement steps to achieve common goals. Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Knowledge of: school, employment, labor, and contract law; current trends and related laws and regulations that affect Washington public schools, Washington public employers, or similar local government organizations; collaborative problem-solving and teamwork methods; research and investigative methods. Skills in: oral and written communications; team building; problem-solving; time management; risk identification and minimization; research and analysis. Abilities to: facilitate group discussions; advise and counsel management and administrators; supervises staff and work as a team; motivate and influence others and team processes; effectively represent the General Counsel's Office; develop and assist with developing legal strategies in support of District hiring and employment practices and related areas; evaluate legal issues and recommend appropriate courses of action; take individual initiative; accept responsibility and be held accountable; coordinate multiple activities simultaneously; establish and maintain effective working relationships with District management, administrators and staff, students, parents or guardians, outside agencies, union representatives, and the public in a multicultural community. PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS / TASKS: Please check all that apply. Never Seldom 1-10% or 0-1 hour/day Occasional 11-33% or 1-3 hours/day Frequent 34-66% or 3-6 hours/day Constant 67-100% or 7-8 hours/day Sit X Stand / Walk X Keyboard (use a computer) X Twist / Reach X Bend / Stoop X Squat / Kneel X Crawl X Climb (ladder/stairs) X Lift / Push / Carry (10 lbs) X Conditions/Disclaimers: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by those assigned to this position and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills. Employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time as needed. District employees are not authorized to make promises of employment for a particular period of time, or promises of a particular level of compensation or benefits to job applicants for certified or classified positions, and that any such agreement must be in writing and signed by the Superintendent. Any verbal or written statements to that effect by District employees other than the Superintendent are null and void. Additionally, nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. Supplemental Information: Salary range for this position will be Grade 32 to Grade 34. From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Wed Jul 25 15:44:35 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2012 10:44:35 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] [Aheadmembers] Help! LSAT Accommodation Questions In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I thought this exchange by the Ohio State University's ADA coordinator about accommodations in high stakes testing, and specifically the LSAT, might be of interest to some on this list. From: Lissner, Scott [mailto:Lissner.2 at osu.edu] Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2012 3:17 PM To: aheadmembers at listserve.com Cc: PAMELA ROBERTS; Tanya Kunze Subject: RE: [Aheadmembers] Help! LSAT Accommodation Questions Pamela, I believe, as do others, that as AHEAD has the testing industry will have to adopt a new standards for documenting accommodations request based on the changed regulations and amendments to the ADA. AHEAD recognized the changes and developed its guidance to reflect them. The testing industry does not entirely agree with our interpretation they are not obligated by our guidance and are entitled to disagree; ultimately the courts or DOJ will clarify this. In the short run my advice is to be as clear to your students about the evolving state of the law on this issue, what choices you and your institution has made, and what their options are. Within reason and the boundaries of your role support their informed decision making. Recently an alumna from OSU was denied accommodations on the LSAT under very similar circumstances. She did get more documentation and was denied again. Ultimately she went to Ohio Legal Rights who took the case and filed suit in Federal District Court. The complaint was settled last Friday; the student will receive all the accommodations she originally asked for. While a settlement does not create precedent or the common law standard we long for I found it encouraging that the protection and advocacy agency for the state was willing to take a high stakes testing case and I am pleased that that the student will receive her accommodations. Here is information on the settlement and associated pleadings. Below that is my sample appeal letter that I promised to share with a number of folks at conference. I think they may be useful as you consider these issues on campus and advise your students. The Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief 5-25-12 (PDF file) may be the most informative part of the settlement information. Settlement reached in case involving testing modifications for law school applicant http://www.olrs.ohio.gov/news/maani-settlement-july-20-2012 July 20, 2012 The Ohio Legal Rights Service (LRS) reached a settlement with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) on behalf of a prospective law school applicant seeking testing modifications. The agreement requires LSAC to provide testing modifications for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) that will accommodate the applicant's disability and allow her to demonstrate her actual knowledge, aptitude and skill on the LSAT rather than simply the limitations of testing procedures and the discriminatory policies of LSAC. LRS originally filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio Eastern Division seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against the LSAC, the organization that administers the test. The case was set for trial in August. In light of the settlement agreement, LRS filed a Motion to Dismiss the case. Read the settlement agreement: Agreement and Release of Claims (PDF file) For more information about the case: Maani v. Law School Admission Council From: Lissner, Scott To: aheadmembers at listserve.com Subject: Annual Spring Testing Question This time of year I usually receive questions about accommodations for standardized testing. Recently I received the question bellow off line and thought I would share. Scott, I have a question, I have a student who requested her full accommodations from (testing agency), these were based on documentation that we have used so that she can have double time on her exams. The Testing Agency is requiring new comprehensive testing and scores. Is this addressed in the ADAAA? My notes from your talk seem to say so. Thank you for your time with this. Your memory is right. Dialing back the amount of documentation required was a primary theme of the ADA AA. So far all of the new regulations released for the ADA AA focus directly on employment. However there are new rules specifically aimed at Examinations and Courses, particularly high stakes testing that went into effect March 15, 2011. "Any request for documentation, if such documentation is required, is reasonable and limited to the need for the modification, accommodation, or auxiliary aid or service requested (29 C.F.R. § 36.309(b)(1)(iv)). The Dept. of Justice goes on to say " When considering requests for modifications, accommodations, or auxiliary aids or services, the entity gives considerable weight to documentation of past modifications, accommodations, or auxiliary aids or services received in similar testing situations, as well as such modifications, accommodations, or related aids and services provided in response to an Individualized Education Program (IEP) provided under IDEA or a plan describing services provided pursuant to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973" (29 C.F.R. § 36.309(b)(1)(v)) The text of a few more slides are below. So you are right but I am not sure how up to date (Testing Agency) is. I would try an appeal with a letter clarifying the accommodations you provided and the history and information you based them on: 1. This individual has received similar accommodations across a range of testing (essay, a variety of multiple choice formats, an hour or less in length, 2-3 hours in length, on computers, with paper, ...) at (your institution). 2. Our decision to accommodate was based on an educational history demonstrating the use of the same (or similar) testing accommodations at (list the settings and the types of tests including State gate/ graduation tests, college admission tests and various formats of classroom testing). 3. I also reviewed evaluations that were made by (name the sources - school system, diagnostician, ...) in 19xx) that support this history and the current request. 4. I would conclude your with something like "In my judgment this history and material demonstrates the ongoing presence of a disability that warrants the accommodations (name of your institution) has provided in assessment contexts similar to(Test Name). Below are some excerpts from a presentation of mine that form the basis for the four points above. Good Luck Scott On March 15, 2011, the U.S. Dep't of Justice regulations and guidance regarding the ADA and examinations and coursed (including but not limited to standardized tests) became effective. (42 U.S.C. 12189). Section 309 of the ADA is intended to . . . ensure that individuals with disabilities are not excluded from educational, professional, or trade opportunities because examinations or courses are offered in a place or manner that is not accessible. See Applicable to Titles II & III (42 U.S.C. § 12189) "Any person that offers examinations or courses related to applications, licensing, certification, or credentialing for secondary or post-secondary education, professional, or trade purposes shall offer such examinations or courses in a place and manner accessible to persons with disabilities or offer alternative accessible arrangements for such individuals." 29 C.F.R. § 36.309(b)(1)(iv) Any request for documentation, if such documentation is required, must be reasonable and limited to the need for the modification, accommodation, or auxiliary aid or service requested. 36.309(b)(1)(v) - [new section effective March 15, 2011]: When considering requests for modifications, accommodations, or auxiliary aids or services, the entity gives considerable weight to documentation of past modifications, accommodations, or auxiliary aids or services received in similar testing situations, as well as such modifications, accommodations, or related aids and services provided in response to an Individualized Education Program (IEP) provided under IDEA or a plan describing services provided pursuant to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973... No one piece of evidence may be dispositive in make a testing accommodation determination. The significance of a letter or other communication from a doctor or other qualified professional would depend on the professional's relationship with the candidate and the specific content of the communication, as well as how the letter fits in with the totality of the other factors used to determine testing accommodations under this rule. Similarly, an applicant's failure to provide results from a specific test or evaluation instrument should not of itself preclude approval of requests for modifications, accommodations, or aids if the documentation provided by the applicant, in its entirety, is sufficient to demonstrate that the individual has a disability and requires a requested modification, accommodation, or aid on the relevant examination L. Scott Lissner, Ohio State University ADA Coordinator, Office Of Diversity And Inclusion Associate, John Glenn School of Public Affairs Lecturer, Knowlton School of Architecture, Moritz College of Law & Disability Studies President Elect, Association on Higher Education And Disability Chair, ADA-OHIO Appointed, Ohio Governor's Council For People With Disabilities, State HAVA Committee & Columbus Advisory Council on Disability Issues L. Scott Lissner, University ADA Coordinator Office Of Diversity and Inclusion 281 W. Lane Ave Columbus, OH 43210-1266 (614) 292-6207(v); (614) 688-8605(tty) (614) 688-3665(fax); Http://ada.osu.edu From: PAMELA ROBERTS [mailto:pamelaroberts at depauw.edu] Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2012 5:00 PM To: aheadmembers at listserve.com Subject: [Aheadmembers] Help! LSAT Accommodation Questions Hello Colleagues, I just had the most interesting phone call about 15 minutes ago, and I need your feedback and help. The call was from a student who is registering to take the LSAT this fall. He is in the process of applying for accommodations, and of course needs a statement from my office. He was told, during this process, that in addition he would have to have a new neuropsych. evaluation done, which of course is going to be very expensive ( he lives in New York, and the price is around $2,000 to $4,000). He was evaluated in 2007, and has a comprehensive evaluation on file and can provide that to the LSAT Board. They, however, told him that since the evaluation was done prior to his 21st birthday, and more than 3 years old, he would need a new one....... this student is severely dyslexic, has a history of accommodations from the time he was in elementary school, has been very consistent in his need for accommodations here at DePauw, and I cannot understand why they would insist that he pay for an additional evaluation, when the information he has from his last evaluation, and the accommodations he has used here as well throughout his school career are basically the same..... did I misunderstand at the AHEAD conference that those high stakes exams such as the MCAT, GRE and LSAT were going to update requirements for accommodation to reflect the AHEAD's guidelines for accommodation?? Any suggestion or feedback would be appreciated...or clarification, as I was totally floored when he told me this. I actually had him call the coordinator he was working with for clarification, thinking they would tell him the paperwork he was looking at was outdated.... obviously not...... -- Pamela Roberts Coordinator for Academic Success; Student Disability Services and ADA Compliance 101 E. Seminary St. DePauw University Greencastle,IN 46135 PAMELAROBERTS at DEPAUW.EDU 765-658-6267(office) 765-658-4021(fax) From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Wed Jul 25 16:17:48 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2012 11:17:48 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] FW: GAO's Online Recruitment Process In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: From: The Disability Discussion Docket (3D) - Official e-mail list of the Commission on Disability Right [mailto:3D at MAIL.AMERICANBAR.ORG] On Behalf Of Moore-Rhodes, Brandon Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2012 12:40 PM To: 3D at MAIL.AMERICANBAR.ORG Subject: [ABA-3D] GAO's Online Recruitment Process The United States Government Accountability Office's Legal Career page has been updated with information about the online recruitment process (http://www.gao.gov/careers/attorneys.html). Feel free to share this info with anyone interested. Thank you in advance for helping GAO expand its pool of qualified applicants. From rumpole at roadrunner.com Wed Jul 25 18:53:43 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:53:43 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Posting in full Message-ID: <3384B9031CEE43E2A4397526652965CC@mycomputer> UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, DISABILITY RIGHTS SECTION TRIAL ATTORNEY, GS-905-14/15 ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 12-ATT-015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division is seeking 2 experienced attorneys for the position of Trial Attorney in the Disability Rights Section in Washington, D.C. The attorneys selected for these positions will be dedicated to the Section's work pursuant to the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control ("HCFAC") Program, with an emphasis on the Section's matters that seek to enforce compliance with the integration mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999). More specifically, most of the incumbents' work will be devoted to investigating and litigating matters involving the unnecessary segregation or the risk of unnecessary segregation of individuals. The attorneys selected for these positions will not work on any of the Section's other civil rights enforcement activities. Who May Apply: Applications are being accepted from all qualified candidates. Number of Opportunities: 2 Application Period: Applications are being accepted from July 23, 2012 through 11:59 PM EST, August 13, 2012. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The incumbents will be responsible for duties such as, but not limited to: 1) conducting investigations, litigation, and negotiations regarding the Section's HCFAC docket, with an emphasis on its active Olmstead enforcement program; 2) working with managers to develop and establish strategies and priorities for HCFAC and Olmstead enforcement; 3) working with team members to coordinate with other federal agencies to develop strategies for effective and efficient information sharing and case referrals; and 4) conducting outreach. These investigations can result in significant litigation, including extensive discovery, pretrial motions practice, preliminary injunction hearings, trials, and post judgment enforcement and contempt proceedings. The incumbents will be responsible for screening and developing new matters, conducting comprehensive investigations involving in-person visits, witness interviews, and work with experts, analyzing data, drafting written recommendations including legal analyses, litigating all aspects of the Section's enforcement duties and negotiating, monitoring, and enforcing settlement agreements. Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), and have a minimum of five years of post-JD experience. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and written communication skills (including strong advocacy skills), possess excellent academic and professional credentials, and outstanding professional references. Applicants must also demonstrate exceptional interpersonal skills and professional judgment, and be able to excel in a highly demanding environment. Preferred Qualifications: Given the nature and volume of this work, the Section generally seeks candidates with significant litigation experience and a demonstrated commitment to public service and/or civil rights. Applicants with one or more of the following qualifications are preferred: (1) extensive civil or criminal trial experience; (2) extensive federal civil or criminal litigation experience; (3) experience with complex investigations; (4) demonstrated commitment to public service through employment or volunteering; (5) demonstrated commitment to civil rights and/or human rights issues; (6) substantive knowledge of Olmstead and other applicable law; or (7) judicial clerkship experience. How You Will Be Evaluated: Applicants will be evaluated relative to the qualifications set forth above. Salary Information: Years of specialized experience will determine the appropriate salary level within the GS-14/15 range ($105,211 to $155,500 per annum). Final selection for this position will be subject to budgetary funding constraints. Location: Washington, D.C. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are not authorized. Travel: The position requires extended hours and may require some travel. Submission Process and Deadline Date: To apply, please submit a resume, cover letter, and writing sample (a brief or comparable legal document that is your work product) by one of the two following means. Diane Turner Email: crd.attyvacancies at usdoj.gov or Fax: 202-514-6603 Please include the announcement number in the subject line of your email or on the cover page of your fax. No telephone calls please. Other Information: If the Division does not receive the requested application materials, applicants will be evaluated solely on the information available and may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. The application materials will not be returned. The Civil Rights Division participates in the E-Verify Program. Benefits: The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, telework, life insurance, health benefits, and, participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to eligible federal employees: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits. Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html. For more information about the Civil Rights Division, visit the Civil Rights Division's web page. Department Policies: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting documents). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). * * * From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Wed Jul 25 19:29:34 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:29:34 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] DOJ Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section, TRIAL ATTORNEY, GS-905-14/15, ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 12-ATT-015 In-Reply-To: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CAE8126@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CAE8126@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: Link: http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/jobs/12-att-015.htm Text: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION, DISABILITY RIGHTS SECTION TRIAL ATTORNEY, GS-905-14/15 ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 12-ATT-015 ________________________________ About the Office: The U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division is seeking 2 experienced attorneys for the position of Trial Attorney in the Disability Rights Section in Washington, D.C. The attorneys selected for these positions will be dedicated to the Section's work pursuant to the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control ("HCFAC") Program, with an emphasis on the Section's matters that seek to enforce compliance with the integration mandate of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as interpreted by the Supreme Court in Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999). More specifically, most of the incumbents' work will be devoted to investigating and litigating matters involving the unnecessary segregation or the risk of unnecessary segregation of individuals. The attorneys selected for these positions will not work on any of the Section's other civil rights enforcement activities. Who May Apply: Applications are being accepted from all qualified candidates. Number of Opportunities: 2 Application Period: Applications are being accepted from July 23, 2012 through 11:59 PM EST, August 13, 2012. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The incumbents will be responsible for duties such as, but not limited to: 1) conducting investigations, litigation, and negotiations regarding the Section's HCFAC docket, with an emphasis on its active Olmstead enforcement program; 2) working with managers to develop and establish strategies and priorities for HCFAC and Olmstead enforcement; 3) working with team members to coordinate with other federal agencies to develop strategies for effective and efficient information sharing and case referrals; and 4) conducting outreach. These investigations can result in significant litigation, including extensive discovery, pretrial motions practice, preliminary injunction hearings, trials, and post judgment enforcement and contempt proceedings. The incumbents will be responsible for screening and developing new matters, conducting comprehensive investigations involving in-person visits, witness interviews, and work with experts, analyzing data, drafting written recommendations including legal analyses, litigating all aspects of the Section's enforcement duties and negotiating, monitoring, and enforcing settlement agreements. Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar in good standing (any jurisdiction), and have a minimum of five years of post-JD experience. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and written communication skills (including strong advocacy skills), possess excellent academic and professional credentials, and outstanding professional references. Applicants must also demonstrate exceptional interpersonal skills and professional judgment, and be able to excel in a highly demanding environment. Preferred Qualifications: Given the nature and volume of this work, the Section generally seeks candidates with significant litigation experience and a demonstrated commitment to public service and/or civil rights. Applicants with one or more of the following qualifications are preferred: (1) extensive civil or criminal trial experience; (2) extensive federal civil or criminal litigation experience; (3) experience with complex investigations; (4) demonstrated commitment to public service through employment or volunteering; (5) demonstrated commitment to civil rights and/or human rights issues; (6) substantive knowledge of Olmstead and other applicable law; or (7) judicial clerkship experience. How You Will Be Evaluated: Applicants will be evaluated relative to the qualifications set forth above. Salary Information: Years of specialized experience will determine the appropriate salary level within the GS-14/15 range ($105,211 to $155,500 per annum). Final selection for this position will be subject to budgetary funding constraints. Location: Washington, D.C. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are not authorized. Travel: The position requires extended hours and may require some travel. Submission Process and Deadline Date: To apply, please submit a resume, cover letter, and writing sample (a brief or comparable legal document that is your work product) by one of the two following means. Diane Turner Email: crd.attyvacancies at usdoj.gov or Fax: 202-514-6603 Please include the announcement number in the subject line of your email or on the cover page of your fax. No telephone calls please. Other Information: If the Division does not receive the requested application materials, applicants will be evaluated solely on the information available and may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. The application materials will not be returned. The Civil Rights Division participates in the E-Verify Program. Benefits: The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, telework, life insurance, health benefits, and, participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to eligible federal employees: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits. Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html. For more information about the Civil Rights Division, visit the Civil Rights Division's web page. Department Policies: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting documents). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). * * * The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination are not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information. From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Thu Jul 26 17:00:54 2012 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:00:54 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] signatures, witnessing documents and closings Message-ID: hi all, I have a few questions on which i would really value your advice! 1. Signatures Am i right in thinking that the best way of signing is to learn to do this using the little signature card with the whole for the signature? Has anyone found a particular method of doing this especially useful. Has anyones signature been in issue in a contentious situation? If so how did it end? Any pointers regarding this? Or authority on the point? Sorry this is probably a very personal question to ask on a list like this but i am trying to cover every eventuality in advance. 2. Witnessing sealings or signatures Have those of you who have practiced done this? Again any issues arising from the fact that you didnt see the signature or sealinG? (i am completely blind) 3. Closings At closings we usually turn the pages of the execution versions of documents with the other side to ensure that everything is correct with the hard copy version which the client will sign. I am a little concerned that this would pose problems for me, since i wont be able to read the hard copy - what is the best solution? Scan the doc? advice on these points really would be appreciated Ger From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Thu Jul 26 23:35:34 2012 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:35:34 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] EEOC unveils changes to discrimination complaint process, Government Executive, July 24 2012 In-Reply-To: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CB502FF@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341D16CB502FF@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: Link: http://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/2012/07/eeoc-unveils-changes-discrimination-complaint-process/56981/ Text: EEOC unveils changes to discrimination complaint process By Kellie Lunney July 24, 2012 The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Tuesday unveiled final rules designed to improve agencies' compliance with the federal discrimination complaint process and also provide them with greater flexibility. The new rules aim to expedite how claims are filed, processed and decided, although it's unclear whether the changes have real teeth. For example, one of the revisions simply reaffirms the existing statutory requirement that agencies comply with EEOC regulations and other directives. Other changes include tweaking language in the existing regulations regarding allegations of retaliation from federal workers with proposed personnel actions against them, as well as strengthening the authority of administrative law judges in class complaint cases. According to EEOC, agencies should continue to dismiss complaints alleging a proposed personnel action, such as removal, as discriminatory unless the complaint specifies the proposal is in retaliation for prior EEO activity. "A number of commenters, such as the National Treasury Employees Union, point out that it is possible that a supervisor might place an employee on a performance improvement plan or propose an adverse action against an employee with the intent of deterring that employee from filing or proceeding with an EEO complaint," stated the final rules, which will be published in Wednesday's Federal Register. "Knowing this, an unscrupulous manager who has been accused of employment discrimination could initiate a trumped-up proposed removal in order to cause the employee to drop the complaint and avoid termination." NTEU President Colleen Kelley said she was "pleased to see several important improvements in the final rule revising the EEOC complaint process for federal employees," including providing feds "with the same protections against retaliation as their private sector counterparts." The union had raised concerns that the alternative language in EEOC's proposed rule would subject federal employees to an unfairly high legal standard for retaliation claims. In addition, the EEOC revisions would make the decisions of administrative judges in class complaint cases final instead of recommended. Currently, after administrative judges render decisions in such cases, agencies can accept, reject or modify the findings in their final decisions. The new regulations would allow agencies only to accept or appeal administrative judges' decisions in class complaint cases, as is now the case with individual cases. Those changes make sense, said Gabrielle Martin, president of the National Council of EEOC Locals No. 216, part of the American Federation of Government Employees. Martin also praised another modification that requires agencies to inform complainants in writing if an investigation isn't wrapped up within the 180-day time limit and notify them of their rights to immediately file for a hearing and civil action. But another new rule that allows agencies to seek approval from EEOC to experiment with almost any part of the complaint process could prove more problematic for complainants and agencies, Martin noted. "My concern is, what are they piloting?" said Martin, who noted the complexity of the current complaint process under the law and the temporary nature of a pilot program could create a quagmire for complainants and agencies. Under the final rules, the pilot programs would expire after two years, a change from the proposed 12 months. In an email, Justine Lisser, EEOC's senior attorney-adviser in the Office of Communications and Legislative Affairs, noted complainants' participation in pilot programs is "voluntary and optional." Kelley said the union has heard from federal employees over the years concerned about the lengthy EEO process and potential for conflicts of interest when agencies investigate internal complaints. "In giving agencies the authority to create pilot processes, we hope that the agencies will work closely with their workplace representatives to address these issues," she said. The EEO process begins when a federal employee or job applicant contacts an EEO counselor and alleges discrimination. If counseling is unsuccessful, complainants can file a formal EEO complaint with the agency, which then investigates. At the end of the investigation, complainants can request a hearing before an EEOC administrative judge, or a final decision by the agency. Complainants can appeal the decision to EEOC and can sue the agency in federal district court if they are unsatisfied with the outcome. The final regulations also direct agencies to submit appeals and complaint files in a digital format unless they can offer a good reason for not doing so. Complainants are encouraged but not required to file documentation digitally, according to the revision. In response to a question from Government Executive, EEOC's Lisser said the final rule does not make the federal sector EEO complaint process harder or easier for either agencies or complainants. "The option to conduct pilot projects will benefit the process and all parties who use it," she said. "Similarly, receiving the notice once the time period for completing an investigation has passed will focus agencies on the time limits and help complainants make good decisions on what option to pursue when investigations are not completed on time." The final regulations take effect 60 days from July 25; EEOC published the proposed rules in December 2009. From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Sat Jul 28 21:11:52 2012 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Sat, 28 Jul 2012 22:11:52 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] Witnessing Documents as a Blind Lawyer Message-ID: Hi all I wondered what the advice is regarding witnessing documents as a blind lawyer? What about affidavits? Ger From emrene at earthlink.net Sun Jul 29 22:02:02 2012 From: emrene at earthlink.net (Elizabeth Rene) Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2012 15:02:02 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer Message-ID: <2227792FE93E4265A5111EF4D7EFE60A@elizabethrene> I think one should first look carefully at one's state statutes regarding documents that must be witnessed: Wills, deeds, etc., to see what makes them valid or invalid. It might be that one doesn't need even to see the document signed, but only to have, e.g. the testator, grantor, etc. say in your presence that the signature is his or hers. And there's always a little theatre in lawyering, I think. If you're worried about how it will look to your client to have a blind person witnessing a document, why not have a notary public there, with all her seals and affidavits, to acknowledge the signature, with you and whomever else to sign off as witnesses? It might not be legally required to make your document valid, but could put the client's and your own mind at rest. And there's nothing to being made a notary, so your secretary could serve that function, with no extra cost to your client. This is with the caveat that my words aren't legal advice, and, as Bill Handle always says on his radio show, "worth every cent you paid for it!" Elizabeth From ckrugman at sbcglobal.net Mon Jul 30 02:07:20 2012 From: ckrugman at sbcglobal.net (ckrugman at sbcglobal.net) Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2012 19:07:20 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer In-Reply-To: <2227792FE93E4265A5111EF4D7EFE60A@elizabethrene> References: <2227792FE93E4265A5111EF4D7EFE60A@elizabethrene> Message-ID: <627BAD8789EB49C0BA7002781599B21A@Spike> As a blind paralegal and formerly as a clinical social workerand advocate I always had a sighted witness such as clerical staff or notary witness documents as I would have no knowledge of how the document was signed or what was written as the signature. It is for this person that a blind person cannot be a notary. Chuck Krugman, MSW Paralegal 1237 P Street Fresno ca93721 559-266-9237 http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chuck-krugman/b/357/722 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Elizabeth Rene" To: Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 3:02 PM Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer >I think one should first look carefully at one's state statutes regarding >documents that must be witnessed: Wills, deeds, etc., to see what makes >them valid or invalid. It might be that one doesn't need even to see the >document signed, but only to have, e.g. the testator, grantor, etc. say in >your presence that the signature is his or hers. > > And there's always a little theatre in lawyering, I think. If you're > worried about how it will look to your client to have a blind person > witnessing a document, why not have a notary public there, with all her > seals and affidavits, to acknowledge the signature, with you and whomever > else to sign off as witnesses? It might not be legally required to make > your document valid, but could put the client's and your own mind at rest. > And there's nothing to being made a notary, so your secretary could serve > that function, with no extra cost to your client. This is with the caveat > that my words aren't legal advice, and, as Bill Handle always says on his > radio show, "worth every cent you paid for it!" > > Elizabeth > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.net From langlois2 at verizon.net Mon Jul 30 02:25:13 2012 From: langlois2 at verizon.net (Brian Langlois) Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2012 22:25:13 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer References: <2227792FE93E4265A5111EF4D7EFE60A@elizabethrene> <627BAD8789EB49C0BA7002781599B21A@Spike> Message-ID: <4300E4CD10C34931B8E731964A89002A@barney03> O-oh, I'm a notary and I'm totally blind. Should I give it up? Brian Langlois, Massachusetts ----- Original Message ----- From: To: "Blind Law Mailing List" Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 10:07 PM Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > As a blind paralegal and formerly as a clinical social workerand advocate > I always had a sighted witness such as clerical staff or notary witness > documents as I would have no knowledge of how the document was signed or > what was written as the signature. It is for this person that a blind > person cannot be a notary. > Chuck Krugman, MSW Paralegal > 1237 P Street > Fresno ca93721 > 559-266-9237 > http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chuck-krugman/b/357/722 > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Elizabeth Rene" > To: > Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 3:02 PM > Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > > >>I think one should first look carefully at one's state statutes regarding >>documents that must be witnessed: Wills, deeds, etc., to see what makes >>them valid or invalid. It might be that one doesn't need even to see the >>document signed, but only to have, e.g. the testator, grantor, etc. say in >>your presence that the signature is his or hers. >> >> And there's always a little theatre in lawyering, I think. If you're >> worried about how it will look to your client to have a blind person >> witnessing a document, why not have a notary public there, with all her >> seals and affidavits, to acknowledge the signature, with you and whomever >> else to sign off as witnesses? It might not be legally required to make >> your document valid, but could put the client's and your own mind at >> rest. And there's nothing to being made a notary, so your secretary could >> serve that function, with no extra cost to your client. This is with the >> caveat that my words aren't legal advice, and, as Bill Handle always says >> on his radio show, "worth every cent you paid for it!" >> >> Elizabeth >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/langlois2%40verizon.net From souljourner at sbcglobal.net Mon Jul 30 02:51:40 2012 From: souljourner at sbcglobal.net (Susan Tabor) Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2012 21:51:40 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer In-Reply-To: <4300E4CD10C34931B8E731964A89002A@barney03> References: <2227792FE93E4265A5111EF4D7EFE60A@elizabethrene> <627BAD8789EB49C0BA7002781599B21A@Spike> <4300E4CD10C34931B8E731964A89002A@barney03> Message-ID: <004601cd6dfe$3f7e8770$be7b9650$@sbcglobal.net> I've known other blind notaries as well. It seems as if having someone to help witness a signature would be a reasonable accommodation here. Witnessing signatures isn't all that notaries do. Susan Tabor -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Brian Langlois Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 9:25 PM To: ckrugman at sbcglobal.net; Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer O-oh, I'm a notary and I'm totally blind. Should I give it up? Brian Langlois, Massachusetts ----- Original Message ----- From: To: "Blind Law Mailing List" Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 10:07 PM Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > As a blind paralegal and formerly as a clinical social workerand advocate > I always had a sighted witness such as clerical staff or notary witness > documents as I would have no knowledge of how the document was signed or > what was written as the signature. It is for this person that a blind > person cannot be a notary. > Chuck Krugman, MSW Paralegal > 1237 P Street > Fresno ca93721 > 559-266-9237 > http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chuck-krugman/b/357/722 > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Elizabeth Rene" > To: > Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 3:02 PM > Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > > >>I think one should first look carefully at one's state statutes regarding >>documents that must be witnessed: Wills, deeds, etc., to see what makes >>them valid or invalid. It might be that one doesn't need even to see the >>document signed, but only to have, e.g. the testator, grantor, etc. say in >>your presence that the signature is his or hers. >> >> And there's always a little theatre in lawyering, I think. If you're >> worried about how it will look to your client to have a blind person >> witnessing a document, why not have a notary public there, with all her >> seals and affidavits, to acknowledge the signature, with you and whomever >> else to sign off as witnesses? It might not be legally required to make >> your document valid, but could put the client's and your own mind at >> rest. And there's nothing to being made a notary, so your secretary could >> serve that function, with no extra cost to your client. This is with the >> caveat that my words aren't legal advice, and, as Bill Handle always says >> on his radio show, "worth every cent you paid for it!" >> >> Elizabeth >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.n et > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/langlois2%40verizon.ne t _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/souljourner%40sbcgloba l.net From rumpole at roadrunner.com Mon Jul 30 15:55:53 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 11:55:53 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] U.S. Attorney posting, Kentucky: uncompensated Message-ID: <4AB41A10806445819D93BC75DD756905@mycomputer> Has anyone on this list ever applied to one of the "uncompensated" postings? I'm curious about them. SPECIAL ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY (Serves Without Compensation) UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE Western District of Kentucky Vacancy Announcement Number 12-WDKY-02 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The Western District of Kentucky covers 53 western counties in Kentucky. The main office is in Louisville, Kentucky, with a staffed office in Paducah and unstaffed offices in Bowling Green and Owensboro, the sites of federal courthouses. The office presently has 35 attorneys and 42 support staff. The office seeks to maintain the highest standards of excellence in the enforcement of federal laws and the representation of the United States. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky is seeking applications from attorneys who are willing to accept an unpaid temporary position as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) in the Louisville office. The successful applicant will serve as a SAUSA with responsibilities that include researching legal issues, drafting briefs, taking and defending depositions, producing discovery, attending judicial proceedings, and conducting hearings and trials. Assignments may include both civil and criminal cases, as office needs dictate. One or more positions may be filled from this vacancy announcement. The term of the SAUSA appointment is 12 months, with a potential for an additional 12- month extension. At the conclusion of the term of appointment, the SAUSA will not be hired by this office as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA). However, the SAUSA may apply for AUSA positions in the office during or after completing service as a SAUSA. Only applicants with outstanding academic records and superior legal research and writing skills will be considered. Any applicant invited for an interview will be required to submit a writing sample. Recent law school graduates should include a copy of their law school transcript with their application. Qualifications: Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction). If not a member of the Kentucky Bar, an applicant is encouraged to become a member of the Kentucky Bar within a reasonable period of time. Preferred Qualifications: At least one year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience is preferred. Outstanding academic record, litigation experience, including experience in preparation and trial of complex cases; strong legal research and writing ability; strong courtroom skills; superior organizational skills; and computer literacy skills. Applicant should have excellent oral and written advocacy skills. The applicant will be expected to do their own legal research and writing and shall be substantially self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings. United States citizenship is required. Travel: The SAUSA may be required to travel throughout the Western District of Kentucky to attend court proceedings, conduct depositions, interview witnesses, and attend meetings. Travel is also required for training at the Department of Justice's National Advocacy Center, Columbia, South Carolina. Infrequent travel to other domestic destinations, including but not limited to Cincinnati, Ohio, for appearance at the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, is possible. Type of Position: This position is temporary, not to exceed 24 months. It may be extended without further competition. Salary Information: This is an appointment without compensation. Note: Employees of the Department of Justice, including uncompensated Special Assistant United States Attorneys, may not engage in the compensated practice of law outside of the office. Attorneys are not eligible to serve as Special Assistant United States Attorneys if they have had an employment offer deferred by a law firm and received a payment for the period of their deferral with the expectation of future employment with the law firm, or if they will receive any payment from a law firm during their unpaid employment with the Department of Justice. In addition, contractors, including employees of contractors who do business with the Department of Justice, and who also are attorneys, are not eligible to serve as uncompensated Special Assistant United States Attorneys. Location: Louisville, Kentucky Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be paid. Application Process and Deadline Date: To receive consideration for this vacancy, resumes must be received by August 13, 2012. No telephone calls, please. Please reference Vacancy Announcement Number 12-WDKY-02 on your resume. Please send a cover letter and resume to: Sandy Focken Human Resources Officer 717 West Broadway Louisville, Kentucky 40202 Internet Sites: Western District of Kentucky: http://www.justice.gov/usao/kyw/. This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html Department Policies: A Special Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed. See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for district-specific information. The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys’ Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Mon Jul 30 19:52:37 2012 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 14:52:37 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer In-Reply-To: <4300E4CD10C34931B8E731964A89002A@barney03> References: <2227792FE93E4265A5111EF4D7EFE60A@elizabethrene> <627BAD8789EB49C0BA7002781599B21A@Spike> <4300E4CD10C34931B8E731964A89002A@barney03> Message-ID: <005901cd6e8c$df289cf0$9d79d6d0$@sbcglobal.net> Mr. Langlois: I would not give up being a Notary, especially if same provides a source of income. However, as a blind attorney, I would challenge the authenticity of any legal document that I knew to be notarized by a blind person. Dan McBride -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Brian Langlois Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 9:25 PM To: ckrugman at sbcglobal.net; Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer O-oh, I'm a notary and I'm totally blind. Should I give it up? Brian Langlois, Massachusetts ----- Original Message ----- From: To: "Blind Law Mailing List" Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 10:07 PM Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > As a blind paralegal and formerly as a clinical social workerand advocate > I always had a sighted witness such as clerical staff or notary witness > documents as I would have no knowledge of how the document was signed or > what was written as the signature. It is for this person that a blind > person cannot be a notary. > Chuck Krugman, MSW Paralegal > 1237 P Street > Fresno ca93721 > 559-266-9237 > http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chuck-krugman/b/357/722 > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Elizabeth Rene" > To: > Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 3:02 PM > Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > > >>I think one should first look carefully at one's state statutes regarding >>documents that must be witnessed: Wills, deeds, etc., to see what makes >>them valid or invalid. It might be that one doesn't need even to see the >>document signed, but only to have, e.g. the testator, grantor, etc. say in >>your presence that the signature is his or hers. >> >> And there's always a little theatre in lawyering, I think. If you're >> worried about how it will look to your client to have a blind person >> witnessing a document, why not have a notary public there, with all her >> seals and affidavits, to acknowledge the signature, with you and whomever >> else to sign off as witnesses? It might not be legally required to make >> your document valid, but could put the client's and your own mind at >> rest. And there's nothing to being made a notary, so your secretary could >> serve that function, with no extra cost to your client. This is with the >> caveat that my words aren't legal advice, and, as Bill Handle always says >> on his radio show, "worth every cent you paid for it!" >> >> Elizabeth >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.n et > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/langlois2%40verizon.ne t _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcglobal.net From kgborah at att.net Mon Jul 30 20:11:01 2012 From: kgborah at att.net (Kyle Borah) Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:11:01 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer In-Reply-To: <005901cd6e8c$df289cf0$9d79d6d0$@sbcglobal.net> References: <2227792FE93E4265A5111EF4D7EFE60A@elizabethrene> <627BAD8789EB49C0BA7002781599B21A@Spike> <4300E4CD10C34931B8E731964A89002A@barney03> <005901cd6e8c$df289cf0$9d79d6d0$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <5ED8588B-3534-4F3B-A290-57855AFB671F@att.net> I'm not trying to challenge your philosophies or ways of doing things, but isn't that kind of hypocritical? What I mean is, you're blind and you're not even going to trust another blind person that the document was signed correctly. Blessings, Kyle Borah At-large board member of the Missouri Association of Blind Students and proud graduate of Oakville Senior high school class of 2012. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17 On Jul 30, 2012, at 2:52 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: Mr. Langlois: I would not give up being a Notary, especially if same provides a source of income. However, as a blind attorney, I would challenge the authenticity of any legal document that I knew to be notarized by a blind person. Dan McBride -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Brian Langlois Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 9:25 PM To: ckrugman at sbcglobal.net; Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer O-oh, I'm a notary and I'm totally blind. Should I give it up? Brian Langlois, Massachusetts ----- Original Message ----- From: To: "Blind Law Mailing List" Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 10:07 PM Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > As a blind paralegal and formerly as a clinical social workerand advocate > I always had a sighted witness such as clerical staff or notary witness > documents as I would have no knowledge of how the document was signed or > what was written as the signature. It is for this person that a blind > person cannot be a notary. > Chuck Krugman, MSW Paralegal > 1237 P Street > Fresno ca93721 > 559-266-9237 > http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chuck-krugman/b/357/722 > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Elizabeth Rene" > To: > Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 3:02 PM > Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > > >> I think one should first look carefully at one's state statutes regarding >> documents that must be witnessed: Wills, deeds, etc., to see what makes >> them valid or invalid. It might be that one doesn't need even to see the >> document signed, but only to have, e.g. the testator, grantor, etc. say in >> your presence that the signature is his or hers. >> >> And there's always a little theatre in lawyering, I think. If you're >> worried about how it will look to your client to have a blind person >> witnessing a document, why not have a notary public there, with all her >> seals and affidavits, to acknowledge the signature, with you and whomever >> else to sign off as witnesses? It might not be legally required to make >> your document valid, but could put the client's and your own mind at >> rest. And there's nothing to being made a notary, so your secretary could >> serve that function, with no extra cost to your client. This is with the >> caveat that my words aren't legal advice, and, as Bill Handle always says >> on his radio show, "worth every cent you paid for it!" >> >> Elizabeth >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.n et > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/langlois2%40verizon.ne t _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcglobal.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/kgborah%40att.net From vacotton at gmail.com Mon Jul 30 21:24:16 2012 From: vacotton at gmail.com (Vencer Cotton) Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:24:16 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] LSAT prep material in Braille or electronic form. Message-ID: Would someone please send or refer me to a location where I can access LSAT prep material in Braille or in electronic format? Thanks all. Vencer Cotton Sr. Phone: (478) 731-4479 From withat at msn.com Mon Jul 30 21:37:34 2012 From: withat at msn.com (Johnston) Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 14:37:34 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] LSAT prep material in Braille or electronic form. References: Message-ID: I had good luck with Kaplan. Their lectures are in Flash, so not very helpful, but I had no problem getting their prep materials in electronic format. Jay in Portland ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vencer Cotton" To: Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 2:24 PM Subject: [blindlaw] LSAT prep material in Braille or electronic form. > Would someone please send or refer me to a location where I can access > LSAT prep material in Braille or in electronic format? Thanks all. > > > Vencer Cotton Sr. > > Phone: (478) 731-4479 > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/withat%40msn.com > From ckrugman at sbcglobal.net Mon Jul 30 22:36:18 2012 From: ckrugman at sbcglobal.net (ckrugman at sbcglobal.net) Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:36:18 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer In-Reply-To: <5ED8588B-3534-4F3B-A290-57855AFB671F@att.net> References: <2227792FE93E4265A5111EF4D7EFE60A@elizabethrene><627BAD8789EB49C0BA7002781599B21A@Spike><4300E4CD10C34931B8E731964A89002A@barney03><005901cd6e8c$df289cf0$9d79d6d0$@sbcglobal.net> <5ED8588B-3534-4F3B-A290-57855AFB671F@att.net> Message-ID: Its not a question of trusting another blind person or not. The issue is that there are certain standards that must be followed to by a notary. These include being able to attest to the validity of a document, the knowledge of who is signing the document, the ability to review the contents of the document independently and to be able to attest to its validity and to the knowledge that the person who has signed the document in the presence of the notary who they say they are. Whether we as blind legal professionals like it or not there are people who would perpetrate fraud by misrepresenting falsities to a blind notary who could not recognize such deception. A notary is liable for what they sign if they don't use due diligence in conducting their job. While being a notary might produce income Is the bit of ncome produced by notarizing documents worth the potential liability. Chuck Krugman, MSW, Paralegal 1237 P Street Fresno ca 93721 559-266-9237 http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chuck-krugman/b/357/722 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kyle Borah" To: "Blind Law Mailing List" Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 1:11 PM Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > I'm not trying to challenge your philosophies or ways of doing things, but > isn't that kind of hypocritical? What I mean is, you're blind and you're > not even going to trust another blind person that the document was signed > correctly. > > Blessings, > Kyle Borah > > At-large board member of the Missouri Association of Blind Students and > proud graduate of Oakville Senior high school class of 2012. > > Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause > of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. > Isaiah 1:17 > > On Jul 30, 2012, at 2:52 PM, "Daniel McBride" > wrote: > > Mr. Langlois: > > I would not give up being a Notary, especially if same provides a source > of > income. However, as a blind attorney, I would challenge the authenticity > of > any legal document that I knew to be notarized by a blind person. > > Dan McBride > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On > Behalf Of Brian Langlois > Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 9:25 PM > To: ckrugman at sbcglobal.net; Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > > O-oh, I'm a notary and I'm totally blind. > Should I give it up? > Brian Langlois, Massachusetts > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: > To: "Blind Law Mailing List" > Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 10:07 PM > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > > >> As a blind paralegal and formerly as a clinical social workerand advocate >> I always had a sighted witness such as clerical staff or notary witness >> documents as I would have no knowledge of how the document was signed or >> what was written as the signature. It is for this person that a blind >> person cannot be a notary. >> Chuck Krugman, MSW Paralegal >> 1237 P Street >> Fresno ca93721 >> 559-266-9237 >> http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chuck-krugman/b/357/722 >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Elizabeth Rene" >> To: >> Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 3:02 PM >> Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer >> >> >>> I think one should first look carefully at one's state statutes >>> regarding >>> documents that must be witnessed: Wills, deeds, etc., to see what makes >>> them valid or invalid. It might be that one doesn't need even to see >>> the >>> document signed, but only to have, e.g. the testator, grantor, etc. say >>> in > >>> your presence that the signature is his or hers. >>> >>> And there's always a little theatre in lawyering, I think. If you're >>> worried about how it will look to your client to have a blind person >>> witnessing a document, why not have a notary public there, with all her >>> seals and affidavits, to acknowledge the signature, with you and >>> whomever > >>> else to sign off as witnesses? It might not be legally required to make >>> your document valid, but could put the client's and your own mind at >>> rest. And there's nothing to being made a notary, so your secretary >>> could > >>> serve that function, with no extra cost to your client. This is with >>> the > >>> caveat that my words aren't legal advice, and, as Bill Handle always >>> says > >>> on his radio show, "worth every cent you paid for it!" >>> >>> Elizabeth >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >>> blindlaw: >>> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.n > et >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/langlois2%40verizon.ne > t > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcglobal.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/kgborah%40att.net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.net From tmeloy at fuse.net Tue Jul 31 03:32:50 2012 From: tmeloy at fuse.net (Timothy J. Meloy) Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 23:32:50 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] LSAT prep material in Braille or electronic form. In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Kaplan is good and well worth the price. On Jul 30, 2012, at 5:37 PM, Johnston wrote: > I had good luck with Kaplan. Their lectures are in Flash, so not very helpful, but I had no problem getting their prep materials in electronic format. > > Jay in Portland > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vencer Cotton" > To: > Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 2:24 PM > Subject: [blindlaw] LSAT prep material in Braille or electronic form. > > >> Would someone please send or refer me to a location where I can access LSAT prep material in Braille or in electronic format? Thanks all. >> >> >> Vencer Cotton Sr. >> >> Phone: (478) 731-4479 >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/withat%40msn.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.net From rumpole at roadrunner.com Tue Jul 31 12:58:58 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 08:58:58 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 3 postings, two in Massachusetts Message-ID: <92FE186044DB45FE971004D98C41A551@mycomputer> To get to all 3 of these postings, go to: http://www.justice.gov/careers/legal/attvacancies.html U.S. Department of Justice Assistant United States Attorney District of Massachusetts Vacancy Announcement No. 12-MA-AUSA-05 Deadline date for this announcement is August 3, 2012. U.S. Department of Justice Assistant United States Attorney District of Massachusetts Vacancy Announcement No. 12-MA-AUSA-04 Deadline date for this announcement is August 3, 2012. Attorney Advisor, GS-905-13/14/15 U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section Washington, D.C. 12-CRM-AFMLS-076 All applications must be received by October 31, 2012. From rumpole at roadrunner.com Tue Jul 31 16:38:10 2012 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:38:10 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] U.S. Attorney Posting - Texas Message-ID: <60CD7392FF15457CAE33BA8E724BD653@mycomputer> Assistant United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas Announcement Number 12-SDTX-19 (HOUSTON – CRIMINAL/FRAUD) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- About the Office: The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas, with approximately 190 Assistant United States Attorneys, is among the largest in the country. The office prosecutes federal crimes and represents the interests of the United States in civil cases. The Southern District of Texas stretches from the Houston area southwest to the Mexican border. The United States Attorney's Office operates staffed offices in Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Houston, Laredo, McAllen, and Victoria. Who May Apply: Due to the Attorney General's hiring freeze, only current permanent employees of a U.S. Attorney's Office and EOUSA may be considered and selected. Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas seeks one experienced attorney to serve in the Criminal Division of its Houston, Texas office. The vacant position is located in the Major Fraud Section. The incumbent will investigate and prosecute violations of federal laws, primarily involving health care fraud, mortgage fraud, securities fraud, program fraud and other significant fraudulent activity. Qualifications: Required qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree from an accredited law school, and must be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any state or territory of the United States or of the District of Columbia. Active bar membership (any jurisdiction) is required. Additionally, applicants must have at least three years of full-time experience as a licensed attorney. Preferred Qualifications: Hiring preferences include first-chair federal criminal trial experience, strong academics, outstanding organizational skills, superior legal writing and research ability, and a demonstrated commitment to professionalism, ethics, civility, and public service. Travel: Occasional travel may be required. Salary Information: Pay for Assistant United States Attorneys is administratively determined, based in part on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The 2012 range of basic pay is $44,581 to $131,534, plus locality pay. Location: Position is located in Houston, Texas. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized. How to apply: Submit required application materials (described below) via E-mail to: attorneys.usatxs at usdoj.gov. Please list the vacancy announcement number in the subject line of your E-mail. PDF format is preferred. Kenneth Magidson United States Attorney United States Attorney's Office 1000 Louisiana, Suite 2300 Houston, Texas 77002 No telephone calls or faxes, please. What to send: Required materials include: (1) a cover letter; (2) a resume; and (3) a writing sample (not more than 10 pages). Incomplete applications will not be considered. When to apply: The position is open until filled. The initial cutoff date for receipt of applications is August 15, 2012. Internet Sites: This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html. Department Policies: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which they are appointed. See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for district-specific information. All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a time-limited (temporary) basis. Temporary appointments may, or may not, be extended or made permanent without further competition. The United States Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, politics, marital status, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdfimage/sf0015.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting documents). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of non-service-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is ten percent or more). From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Tue Jul 31 19:34:30 2012 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:34:30 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer In-Reply-To: <5ED8588B-3534-4F3B-A290-57855AFB671F@att.net> References: <2227792FE93E4265A5111EF4D7EFE60A@elizabethrene> <627BAD8789EB49C0BA7002781599B21A@Spike> <4300E4CD10C34931B8E731964A89002A@barney03> <005901cd6e8c$df289cf0$9d79d6d0$@sbcglobal.net> <5ED8588B-3534-4F3B-A290-57855AFB671F@att.net> Message-ID: <004401cd6f53$81b27f60$85177e20$@sbcglobal.net> Mr. Borah: As an attorney, my obligations lie solely with my client. I must represent my client zealously within the bounds of the law. If an evidentiary issue arises, regarding the authenticity and admissibility of said document, it is my obligation to fully challenge same before its admittance. If this means challenging its authenticity resulting from a blind notary's ability to properly identify said document, then I will do so. As I am representing my client, and not the interests of blind notaries, it is no hypocrisy. Dan McBride -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kyle Borah Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 3:11 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer I'm not trying to challenge your philosophies or ways of doing things, but isn't that kind of hypocritical? What I mean is, you're blind and you're not even going to trust another blind person that the document was signed correctly. Blessings, Kyle Borah At-large board member of the Missouri Association of Blind Students and proud graduate of Oakville Senior high school class of 2012. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17 On Jul 30, 2012, at 2:52 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: Mr. Langlois: I would not give up being a Notary, especially if same provides a source of income. However, as a blind attorney, I would challenge the authenticity of any legal document that I knew to be notarized by a blind person. Dan McBride -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Brian Langlois Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 9:25 PM To: ckrugman at sbcglobal.net; Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer O-oh, I'm a notary and I'm totally blind. Should I give it up? Brian Langlois, Massachusetts ----- Original Message ----- From: To: "Blind Law Mailing List" Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 10:07 PM Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > As a blind paralegal and formerly as a clinical social workerand advocate > I always had a sighted witness such as clerical staff or notary witness > documents as I would have no knowledge of how the document was signed or > what was written as the signature. It is for this person that a blind > person cannot be a notary. > Chuck Krugman, MSW Paralegal > 1237 P Street > Fresno ca93721 > 559-266-9237 > http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chuck-krugman/b/357/722 > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Elizabeth Rene" > To: > Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 3:02 PM > Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > > >> I think one should first look carefully at one's state statutes regarding >> documents that must be witnessed: Wills, deeds, etc., to see what makes >> them valid or invalid. It might be that one doesn't need even to see the >> document signed, but only to have, e.g. the testator, grantor, etc. say in >> your presence that the signature is his or hers. >> >> And there's always a little theatre in lawyering, I think. If you're >> worried about how it will look to your client to have a blind person >> witnessing a document, why not have a notary public there, with all her >> seals and affidavits, to acknowledge the signature, with you and whomever >> else to sign off as witnesses? It might not be legally required to make >> your document valid, but could put the client's and your own mind at >> rest. And there's nothing to being made a notary, so your secretary could >> serve that function, with no extra cost to your client. This is with the >> caveat that my words aren't legal advice, and, as Bill Handle always says >> on his radio show, "worth every cent you paid for it!" >> >> Elizabeth >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.n et > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/langlois2%40verizon.ne t _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcglobal.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/kgborah%40att.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcglobal.net From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Tue Jul 31 20:21:38 2012 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 21:21:38 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer In-Reply-To: <004401cd6f53$81b27f60$85177e20$@sbcglobal.net> References: <2227792FE93E4265A5111EF4D7EFE60A@elizabethrene> <627BAD8789EB49C0BA7002781599B21A@Spike> <4300E4CD10C34931B8E731964A89002A@barney03> <005901cd6e8c$df289cf0$9d79d6d0$@sbcglobal.net> <5ED8588B-3534-4F3B-A290-57855AFB671F@att.net> <004401cd6f53$81b27f60$85177e20$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: What functions does a notary perform in your system? A previous poster suggested that one could become a notary quite easily in her jurisdiction? Is that right? What are the criteria for admission? On 7/31/12, Daniel McBride wrote: > Mr. Borah: > > As an attorney, my obligations lie solely with my client. I must represent > my client zealously within the bounds of the law. If an evidentiary issue > arises, regarding the authenticity and admissibility of said document, it > is > my obligation to fully challenge same before its admittance. > > If this means challenging its authenticity resulting from a blind notary's > ability to properly identify said document, then I will do so. As I am > representing my client, and not the interests of blind notaries, it is no > hypocrisy. > > Dan McBride > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On > Behalf Of Kyle Borah > Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 3:11 PM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > > I'm not trying to challenge your philosophies or ways of doing things, but > isn't that kind of hypocritical? What I mean is, you're blind and you're > not > even going to trust another blind person that the document was signed > correctly. > > Blessings, > Kyle Borah > > At-large board member of the Missouri Association of Blind Students and > proud graduate of Oakville Senior high school class of 2012. > > Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of > the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. > Isaiah 1:17 > > On Jul 30, 2012, at 2:52 PM, "Daniel McBride" wrote: > > Mr. Langlois: > > I would not give up being a Notary, especially if same provides a source of > income. However, as a blind attorney, I would challenge the authenticity > of > any legal document that I knew to be notarized by a blind person. > > Dan McBride > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On > Behalf Of Brian Langlois > Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 9:25 PM > To: ckrugman at sbcglobal.net; Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > > O-oh, I'm a notary and I'm totally blind. > Should I give it up? > Brian Langlois, Massachusetts > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: > To: "Blind Law Mailing List" > Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 10:07 PM > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer > > >> As a blind paralegal and formerly as a clinical social workerand advocate >> >> I always had a sighted witness such as clerical staff or notary witness >> documents as I would have no knowledge of how the document was signed or >> what was written as the signature. It is for this person that a blind >> person cannot be a notary. >> Chuck Krugman, MSW Paralegal >> 1237 P Street >> Fresno ca93721 >> 559-266-9237 >> http://www.linkedin.com/pub/chuck-krugman/b/357/722 >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Elizabeth Rene" >> To: >> Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 3:02 PM >> Subject: [blindlaw] Re Witnessing documents as blind lawyer >> >> >>> I think one should first look carefully at one's state statutes >>> regarding > >>> documents that must be witnessed: Wills, deeds, etc., to see what makes >>> them valid or invalid. It might be that one doesn't need even to see >>> the > >>> document signed, but only to have, e.g. the testator, grantor, etc. say > in > >>> your presence that the signature is his or hers. >>> >>> And there's always a little theatre in lawyering, I think. If you're >>> worried about how it will look to your client to have a blind person >>> witnessing a document, why not have a notary public there, with all her >>> seals and affidavits, to acknowledge the signature, with you and >>> whomever > >>> else to sign off as witnesses? It might not be legally required to make >>> >>> your document valid, but could put the client's and your own mind at >>> rest. And there's nothing to being made a notary, so your secretary >>> could > >>> serve that function, with no extra cost to your client. This is with >>> the > >>> caveat that my words aren't legal advice, and, as Bill Handle always >>> says > >>> on his radio show, "worth every cent you paid for it!" >>> >>> Elizabeth >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >>> blindlaw: >>> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/ckrugman%40sbcglobal.n > et >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/langlois2%40verizon.ne > t > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcglobal.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/kgborah%40att.net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcglobal.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%40gmail.com > From ndevine at irvingroom.com Tue Jul 31 21:42:59 2012 From: ndevine at irvingroom.com (Nora Devine) Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:42:59 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] LSAT prep material in Braille or electronic form. In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Check out the National Association of Law Students with Disabilities' LSAT Accommodation Tip Sheet for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired at http://www.nalswd.org/resources.html There is some info on practice exams on p. 10. I've included it below: a) LSAT Practice Exams Students may be able to request a large print, Braille, or screen reader accessible-practice exam on CDROM, by calling the LSAC at 215-968-1001. The LSAC website also provides a link to one practice exam that appears to be accessible to screen readers. Below is the direct link. http://www.lsac.org/jd/pdfs/SamplePTJune.pdf If the above link does not work, click on the below link and look for the link that says LSAT Printer Friendly Version (PDF). http://www.lsac.org/jd/LSAT/lsat-prep-materials.asp Best of luck!! Nora Devine 2012/7/30, Timothy J. Meloy : > Kaplan is good and well worth the price. > > On Jul 30, 2012, at 5:37 PM, Johnston wrote: > >> I had good luck with Kaplan. Their lectures are in Flash, so not very >> helpful, but I had no problem getting their prep materials in electronic >> format. >> >> Jay in Portland >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vencer Cotton" >> To: >> Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 2:24 PM >> Subject: [blindlaw] LSAT prep material in Braille or electronic form. >> >> >>> Would someone please send or refer me to a location where I can access >>> LSAT prep material in Braille or in electronic format? Thanks all. >>> >>> >>> Vencer Cotton Sr. >>> >>> Phone: (478) 731-4479 >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >>> blindlaw: >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/withat%40msn.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/devinenora%40gmail.com > -- Best Regards, Nora Devine Juris Doctor Candidate 2012 University of San Francisco School of Law Tel: 510-508-4209 devinenora at gmail.com