From rumpole at roadrunner.com Mon Jun 3 22:50:22 2013 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2013 18:50:22 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Cell phone litigation Message-ID: Has anyone on the list heard of any cases on cell phone accessibility? I'm looking for authority, perhaps through Title III on access to services, that sort of case, aimed at cell phone production or service providers. I am aware of the FCC regulatory route, but that does not seem to have much by way of impact. Thanks. Ross From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Tue Jun 4 21:36:04 2013 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2013 16:36:04 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] U.S. Dep. of Education Accepting Applications for Fall Internships, ED.Gov Blog, June 4 2013 Message-ID: Blindlaw listers: The below post refers to internship opportunities with the U.S. Department of Education in its office of general counsel. Noel Link: http://www.ed.gov/blog/2013/06/ed-now-accepting-applications-for-fall-internships/ Text: ED Now Accepting Applications for Fall Internships Posted on June 4, 2013 by Guest Blogger The Department of Education (ED) is the place where you can explore your interests in education policy research and analysis, or intergovernmental relations and public affairs, or even work with social media while learning about the role Federal Government plays in education. If the above appeals to you, then an internship at ED may be right for you. Not only will an internship at ED provide an opportunity to learn first-hand about federal education policy while developing a variety of other skills, including writing, researching, communication and time-management skills, but interns also participate in group intern events, such as brownbag lunches with ED officials, movie nights and local tours. One of the many advantages to an ED internship is the proximity to some of the most historic and celebrated sites in our nation's capital, all accessible by walking or taking the metro. ED is accepting applications for Fall 2013, starting June 1st through July 15th. If you are interested in interning for the upcoming fall term, there are three materials you must send before being considered for an interview: A. A cover letter summarizing why you wish to work at ED and stating your previous experiences in the line of education, if any. Include here what particular offices interest you, keeping in mind that due to the volume of applications received, you may not be awarded with your first-choice office upon acceptance. B. An updated resume. C. A completed copy of the Intern Application. Once these three documents are finalized, prospective interns should send them in one email to StudentInterns at ed.gov with the subject line formatted as follows: Last Name, First Name: Fall Intern Application. (Note: For candidates also interested in applying specifically to the Office of General Counsel (OGC), please see application requirements here) An internship at ED is one of the best ways a student can learn about education policy and working in the civil service, but it is not limited to this. Your internship at ED is where you will develop crucial workplace skills that will help you in whatever career path you choose, and it is also where you will meet fellow students like yourself, who share your passions for education, learning, and engagement. Click here for more information or to get started on your application today. De'Rell Bonner works in ED's Office of Communications and Outreach From sy.hoekstra at gmail.com Wed Jun 5 00:20:16 2013 From: sy.hoekstra at gmail.com (Sy Hoekstra) Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2013 20:20:16 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] NY Times - Device from Israeli Start-Up gives Visually Impaired a Way to Read Message-ID: <00e401ce6182$752dc660$5f895320$@gmail.com> While the headline makes the story seem not particularly news-worthy, a new company in Israel has come up with what seems like a pretty cool new device to help visually impaired people read and recognize a whole range of stuff with a tiny camera clipped to glasses as opposed to a smart phone or some other device. The article is pasted below, and the link has a demo video. This could be cool, especially if they work out the kinks and the price drops. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/04/science/israeli-start-up-gives-visually-im paired-a-way-to-read.html?emc=eta1&_r=0 Device From Israeli Start-Up Gives the Visually Impaired a Way to Read JERUSALEM - Liat Negrin, an Israeli who has been visually impaired since childhood, walked into a grocery store here recently, picked up a can of vegetables and easily read its label using a simple and unobtrusive camera attached to her glasses Ms. Negrin, who has coloboma, a birth defect that perforates a structure of the eye and afflicts about 1 in 10,000 people, is an employee at OrCam, an Israeli start-up that has developed a camera-based system intended to give the visually impaired the ability to both "read" easily and move freely. Until now reading aids for the visually impaired and the blind have been cumbersome devices that recognize text in restricted environments, or, more recently, have been software applications on smartphones that have limited capabilities. In contrast, the OrCam device is a small camera worn in the style of Google Glass, connected by a thin cable to a portable computer designed to fit in the wearer's pocket. The system clips on to the wearer's glasses with a small magnet and uses a bone-conduction speaker to offer clear speech as it reads aloud the words or object pointed to by the user. The system is designed to both recognize and speak "text in the wild," a term used to describe newspaper articles as well as bus numbers, and objects as diverse as landmarks, traffic lights and the faces of friends. It currently recognizes English-language text and beginning this week will be sold through the company's Web site for $2,500, about the cost of a midrange hearing aid. It is the only product, so far, of the privately held company, which is part of the high-tech boom in Israel. The device is quite different from other technology that has been developed to give some vision to people who are blind, like the artificial retina system called Argus II, made by Second Sight Medical Products. That system, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in February, allows visual signals to bypass a damaged retina and be transmitted to the brain. The OrCam device is also drastically different from Google Glass, which also offers the wearer a camera but is designed for people with normal vision and has limited visual recognition and local computing power. OrCam was founded several years ago by Amnon Shashua, a well-known researcher who is a computer science professor at Hebrew University here. It is based on computer vision algorithms that he has pioneered with another faculty member, Shai Shalev-Shwartz, and one of his former graduate students, Yonatan Wexler. "What is remarkable is that the device learns from the user to recognize a new product," said Tomaso Poggio, a computer scientist at M.I.T. who is a computer vision expert and with whom Dr. Shashua studied as a graduate student. "This is more complex than it appears, and, as an expert, I find it really impressive." The advance is the result of both rapidly improving computing processing power that can now be carried comfortably in a wearer's pocket and the computer vision algorithm developed by the scientists. On a broader technology level, the OrCam system is representative of a wide range of rapid improvements being made in the field of artificial intelligence, in particular with vision systems for manufacturing as well as fields like autonomous motor vehicles. (Dr. Shashua previously founded Mobileye, a corporation that supplies camera technology to the automobile industry that can recognize objects like pedestrians and bicyclists and can keep a car in a lane on a freeway.) Speech recognition is now routinely used by tens of millions of people on both iPhones and Android smartphones. Moreover, natural language processing is making it possible for computer systems to "read" documents, which is having a significant impact in the legal field, among others. There are now at least six competing approaches in the field of computer vision. For example, researchers at Google and elsewhere have begun using what are known as "deep learning" techniques that attempt to mimic biological vision systems. However, they require vast computing resources for accurate recognition. In contrast, the OrCam technique, which was described in a technical paper in 2011 by the Hebrew University researchers, offers a reasonable trade-off between recognition accuracy and speed. The technique, known as Shareboost, is distinguished by the fact that as the number of objects it needs to recognize grows, the system minimizes the amount of additional computer power required. "The challenges are huge," said Dr. Wexler, a co-author of the paper and vice president of research and development at OrCam. "People who have low vision will continue to have low vision, but we want to harness computer science to help them." Additionally the OrCam system is designed to have a minimal control system, or user interface. To recognize an object or text, the wearer simply points at it with his or her finger, and the device then interprets the scene. The system recognizes a pre-stored set of objects and allows the user to add to its library - for example, text on a label or billboard, or a stop light or street sign - by simply waving his or her hand, or the object, in the camera's field of view. One of the key challenges, Dr. Shashua said, was allowing quick optical character recognition in a variety of lighting conditions as well as on flexible surfaces. "The professional optical character readers today will work very well when the image is good, but we have additional challenges - we must read text on flexible surfaces like a hand-held newspaper," he said. Although the system is usable by the blind, OrCam is initially planning to sell the device to people in the United States who are visually impaired, which means that their vision cannot be adequately corrected with glasses. In the United States, 21.2 million people over the age of 18 have some kind of visual impairment, including age-related conditions, diseases and birth defects, according to the 2011 National Health Survey by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. OrCam said that worldwide there were 342 million adults with significant visual impairment, and that 52 million of them had middle-class incomes From Gary.Norman at cms.hhs.gov Wed Jun 5 13:10:21 2013 From: Gary.Norman at cms.hhs.gov (Norman, Gary C. (CMS/OSORA)) Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2013 13:10:21 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] Tonight -- Bridging the Gap Fundraiser for CLREP Message-ID: <2DD3498A837A9347A4E5E536B3FF482D1F3A3F42@pl-emsmb12> Greetings: As some of you may know, I serve on the "executive committee" to the Citizen Law Related Education Program, a DBA of an educational and youth leadership development oriented non-profit associated with the state bar association. The board and staff are holding tonight our annual fundraiser to benefit programs of the organization, which do great work in either building up remarkable young people on the wright path, or when necessary, help at-risk youth through a court diversion program called Teen Court. Personal Invitation As such, this is to encourage your attendance at an informal reception from 6 to 8 P.M. in the Canton neighborhood of Baltimore City. The weather is supposed to be suitable this evening, even far bella tempo, as my wife and I now say in our Italian class. Donations For those businesses, who donated items to me for the baskets, I am sincerely appreciative. My friends Sarah, Susan, Lesslie, and Debbie, are real "salt of the Earth" types. For more information, do consult the website of CLREP, clrep.org, or me at (410) 241-6745. Sincerely, Gary C. Norman, Esq. L.L.M. From gpc at browngold.com Wed Jun 5 13:45:22 2013 From: gpc at browngold.com (Greg Care) Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2013 13:45:22 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] Cell phone litigation Message-ID: <3375A9A7C5718A47940F1EEA3EEADEEA025E62@BALT-X1-EXCH2K8.BGL.root> Ross, I'm not familiar with any litigation concerning the accessibility of cell phones. I think part of the problem with an ADA Title III claim would be that the law covers services, not products. So, if what you are after is an accessible product, I don't think the ADA is the best vehicle for that. I know that the NFB entered into an agreement with Motorola on this topic, but I believe that agreement expired last year. Greg Care Gregory P. Care Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of blindlaw-request at nfbnet.org Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2013 8:00 AM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: blindlaw Digest, Vol 109, Issue 1 Send blindlaw mailing list submissions to blindlaw at nfbnet.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to blindlaw-request at nfbnet.org You can reach the person managing the list at blindlaw-owner at nfbnet.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of blindlaw digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Cell phone litigation (Ross Doerr) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2013 18:50:22 -0400 From: "Ross Doerr" To: "'Blind Law Mailing List'" Subject: [blindlaw] Cell phone litigation Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Has anyone on the list heard of any cases on cell phone accessibility? I'm looking for authority, perhaps through Title III on access to services, that sort of case, aimed at cell phone production or service providers. I am aware of the FCC regulatory route, but that does not seem to have much by way of impact. Thanks. Ross ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org ------------------------------ End of blindlaw Digest, Vol 109, Issue 1 **************************************** From Gary.Norman at cms.hhs.gov Wed Jun 5 14:27:47 2013 From: Gary.Norman at cms.hhs.gov (Norman, Gary C. (CMS/OSORA)) Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2013 14:27:47 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] FW: Saturday Technology Training Session, June 15th, 2013, Adaptive Sports, Recreation, and Health In-Reply-To: <1C.73.26483.A1A4FA15@smtp02.rcn.cmh.synacor.com> References: <1C.73.26483.A1A4FA15@smtp02.rcn.cmh.synacor.com> Message-ID: <2DD3498A837A9347A4E5E536B3FF482D1F3A4231@pl-emsmb12> >-----Original Message----- >From: Charles Crawford [mailto:ccrawford at RCN.com] >Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2013 10:24 AM >Subject: Fwd: Saturday Technology Training Session, June 15th, 2013, >Adaptive Sports, Recreation, and Health > > >>Hi NCAC members and friends, > > > Here is an interesting opportunity to check out some new things at the >MLK library. My thanks to Patrick Timony for sharing this. > >-- Charlie Crawford > >Original message... > >>If you need American Sign Language or any other accomodation please >>contact us at 202-727-2142. Our Accomodation Statement is here: >>http://www.dclibrary.org/node/2095 >> >>Saturday Technology Training Session >>June 15th, 2013 >>1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. >>Room 215 Adaptive Services >>Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library >>901 G Street NW, 20001 >> >>The Saturday Technology Training Session on June 15th will focus on >>Adaptive Sports and Recreation and Health Care for Older Adults and >>People with Disabilities. We will be discussing topics like the Out of >>Sight Dragons, a group of visually impaired adults who race Dragon >>Boats on the Potomac, and Temporary Emergency Residential Resource >>Institute for Families In Crisis, Inc., a group that meets the needs of >>Families in Crisis by finding access to clean affordable housing and >>complimentary support services like HIV awareness programs. There will >>be no official presentations but rather the opportunity for members of >>the community to share information and experiences. >> >>Agenda: >>1:00pm -- Introductions and announcements 1:30pm -- Serving Older >>Adults and People with Disabilities through Clean Affordable Housing >>and Complimentary Support Services 2:15pm -- Adaptive Sports and >>Recreation and the Out of Sight Dragons Dragon Boating Team 3:00pm -- >>Refreshments and Networking >> >>The session will be available by conference call, dial-in (209) >>647-1600, code: 951481# (all regular charges apply) or via video at >>http://www.ustream.tv/channel/seasonagos-show and when ASL >>interpretation is available via >>www.ustream.tv/channel/adaptive-technology- >demonstrations>tream.tv/channel/adaptive-technology-demonstrations> >> >>Find out more about the Saturday Technology Training Sessions >>http://www.dclibrary.org/node/29711 >>Archived recordings are available: >>http://www.dclibrary.org/node/29073 and: >>http://www.ustream.tv/channel/seasonagos-show >> >>Saturday Technology Training Sessions are an opportunity for members of >>the Adaptive Technology user community to get together and share >>information in an open environment. Adaptive Technologies are broadly >>defined to include assistive software, hardware and systems (like >>screen readers, speech-to-text and video-relay-services that help >>people with disabilities get access to the library's programs and >>services), but also any procedure for success, like a job search >>strategy or any methodical approach to achieving a goal that important >>to participants. >> >>Some examples of demonstrations and presentations from past sessions >>have included iPhone and iPad accessibility, captioned telephone, >>Deaf-Blind communications and technology, Job Search strategies, >>meditation, and laughter yoga. >> >>The meetings take place on the first and third Saturdays of each month >>with a few exceptions for holidays. They are held from 1 p.m. >>to 4 p.m. in the Adaptive Services Division, DC Public Library, Room >>215, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St. N.W. >>Washington, DC 20001. We are located between Gallery Place Chinatown >>and Metro Center on the Red Line. There is no public parking at the MLK >>Library. >> >>Call in to the Saturday Technology Training Session via Conference >>Call, today from 1pm to 3pm. Please remember, all regular charges >>apply so be careful of your cell phone minutes: >>Conference dial-in number: (209) 647-1600 Participant access code: >>951481# Press *6 to mute and unmute your phone Please keep phone on >>mute while presentations are going on. >> >>James Patrick Timony >>Librarian, Adaptive Technology >>DC Public Library >>202-727-1335 >> >>moveDC is a citywide initiative to develop a bold, new vision for the >>District's transportation future and increase transportation choices >>for all. >>Visit www.wemovedc.org for more information. From rumpole at roadrunner.com Wed Jun 5 17:35:21 2013 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2013 13:35:21 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Cell phone litigation In-Reply-To: <3375A9A7C5718A47940F1EEA3EEADEEA025E62@BALT-X1-EXCH2K8.BGL.root> References: <3375A9A7C5718A47940F1EEA3EEADEEA025E62@BALT-X1-EXCH2K8.BGL.root> Message-ID: <39E7436D135F447793A0C2D5631C4AC2@mycomputer> Hi Greg: What I'm after is to see about some enforcement of the FCC regs through some avenue other than the glacial pace of what seems to be a somewhat toothless requirement. The reason I'm looking at some theory of Services for PWD that are substantialy different from what the sighted receives is to use the FCC regs as a bolster to the Title III action for services instead of saying, in the complaint, that an accessible cell phone is the crux of the matter. I'm fairly certain that a claim can be made along these lines in Federal Court. There are, of course other facts to the case that lend a "services" flavor to the action, but I'm reluctant to note them here. But thanks for the reply. Ross -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Greg Care Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2013 9:45 AM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Cell phone litigation Ross, I'm not familiar with any litigation concerning the accessibility of cell phones. I think part of the problem with an ADA Title III claim would be that the law covers services, not products. So, if what you are after is an accessible product, I don't think the ADA is the best vehicle for that. I know that the NFB entered into an agreement with Motorola on this topic, but I believe that agreement expired last year. Greg Care Gregory P. Care Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of blindlaw-request at nfbnet.org Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2013 8:00 AM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: blindlaw Digest, Vol 109, Issue 1 Send blindlaw mailing list submissions to blindlaw at nfbnet.org To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to blindlaw-request at nfbnet.org You can reach the person managing the list at blindlaw-owner at nfbnet.org When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of blindlaw digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Cell phone litigation (Ross Doerr) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Mon, 3 Jun 2013 18:50:22 -0400 From: "Ross Doerr" To: "'Blind Law Mailing List'" Subject: [blindlaw] Cell phone litigation Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Has anyone on the list heard of any cases on cell phone accessibility? I'm looking for authority, perhaps through Title III on access to services, that sort of case, aimed at cell phone production or service providers. I am aware of the FCC regulatory route, but that does not seem to have much by way of impact. Thanks. Ross ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org ------------------------------ End of blindlaw Digest, Vol 109, Issue 1 **************************************** _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrun ner.com ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3184/5883 - Release Date: 06/04/13 From my5thattempt at yahoo.com Thu Jun 6 01:46:29 2013 From: my5thattempt at yahoo.com (M BG) Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2013 18:46:29 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [blindlaw] (no subject) Message-ID: <1370483189.88179.YahooMailNeo@web142603.mail.bf1.yahoo.com> http://elciri.com/at/qvzmzjompaaze.php From mikefry79 at gmail.com Thu Jun 6 15:07:15 2013 From: mikefry79 at gmail.com (Michael Fry) Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2013 08:07:15 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] NY Times - Device from Israeli Start-Up gives Visually Impaired a Way to Read In-Reply-To: <00e401ce6182$752dc660$5f895320$@gmail.com> References: <00e401ce6182$752dc660$5f895320$@gmail.com> Message-ID: Wow!! that is really awesome. If the price comes down, I'm going to buy one. On Tue, Jun 4, 2013 at 5:20 PM, Sy Hoekstra wrote: > While the headline makes the story seem not particularly news-worthy, a new > company in Israel has come up with what seems like a pretty cool new device > to help visually impaired people read and recognize a whole range of stuff > with a tiny camera clipped to glasses as opposed to a smart phone or some > other device. The article is pasted below, and the link has a demo video. > This could be cool, especially if they work out the kinks and the price > drops. > > > > > http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/04/science/israeli-start-up-gives-visually-im > paired-a-way-to-read.html?emc=eta1&_r=0 > > > > Device From Israeli Start-Up Gives the Visually Impaired a Way to Read > > > > JERUSALEM - Liat Negrin, an Israeli who has been visually impaired since > childhood, walked into a grocery store here recently, picked up a can of > vegetables and easily read its label using a simple and unobtrusive camera > attached to her glasses > > > > Ms. Negrin, who has coloboma, a birth defect that perforates a structure of > the eye and afflicts about 1 in 10,000 people, is an employee at OrCam, an > Israeli start-up that has developed a camera-based system intended to give > the visually impaired the ability to both "read" easily and move freely. > > Until now reading aids for the visually impaired and the blind have been > cumbersome devices that recognize text in restricted environments, or, more > recently, have been software applications on smartphones that have limited > capabilities. > > In contrast, the OrCam device is a small camera worn in the style of Google > Glass, connected by a thin cable to a portable computer designed to fit in > the wearer's pocket. The system clips on to the wearer's glasses with a > small magnet and uses a bone-conduction speaker to offer clear speech as it > reads aloud the words or object pointed to by the user. > > The system is designed to both recognize and speak "text in the wild," a > term used to describe newspaper articles as well as bus numbers, and > objects > as diverse as landmarks, traffic lights and the faces of friends. > > It currently recognizes English-language text and beginning this week will > be sold through the company's Web site for > $2,500, > about the cost of a midrange hearing aid. It is the only product, so far, > of > the privately held company, which is part of the high-tech boom in Israel. > > The device is quite different from other technology that has been developed > to give some vision to people who are blind, like the > < > http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/15/health/fda-approves-technology-to-give-li > mited-vision-to-blind-people.html> artificial retina system called Argus > II, > made by Second Sight Medical Products. That system, which was approved by > the Food and Drug Administration in February, allows visual signals to > bypass a damaged retina and be transmitted to the brain. > > > > The OrCam device is also drastically different from Google Glass, which > also > offers the wearer a camera but is designed for people with normal vision > and > has limited visual recognition and local computing power. > > OrCam was founded several years ago by < > http://www.cs.huji.ac.il/~shashua/> > Amnon Shashua, a well-known researcher who is a computer science professor > at Hebrew University here. It is based on computer vision algorithms that > he > has pioneered with another faculty member, > Shai Shalev-Shwartz, and one of his > former graduate students, Yonatan Wexler. > > "What is remarkable is that the device learns from the user to recognize a > new product," said > Tomaso > Poggio, a computer scientist at M.I.T. who is a computer vision expert and > with whom Dr. Shashua studied as a graduate student. "This is more complex > than it appears, and, as an expert, I find it really impressive." > > The advance is the result of both rapidly improving computing processing > power that can now be carried comfortably in a wearer's pocket and the > computer vision algorithm developed by the scientists. > > On a broader technology level, the OrCam system is representative of a wide > range of rapid improvements being made in the field of artificial > intelligence, in particular with vision systems for manufacturing as well > as > fields like autonomous motor vehicles. (Dr. Shashua previously founded > Mobileye, a corporation that supplies > < > http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/28/science/on-the-road-in-mobileyes-self-dri > ving-car.html?pagewanted=all> camera technology to the automobile industry > that can recognize objects like pedestrians and bicyclists and can keep a > car in a lane on a freeway.) > > Speech recognition is now routinely used by tens of millions of people on > both iPhones and Android smartphones. Moreover, natural language processing > is making it possible for computer systems to "read" documents, which is > having a significant impact in the legal field, among others. > > There are now at least six competing approaches in the field of computer > vision. For example, researchers at Google and elsewhere have begun using > what are known as "deep learning" techniques that attempt to mimic > biological vision systems. However, they require vast computing resources > for accurate recognition. > > In contrast, the OrCam technique, which was described in a > technical paper in 2011 by the Hebrew > University researchers, offers a reasonable trade-off between recognition > accuracy and speed. The technique, known as Shareboost, is distinguished by > the fact that as the number of objects it needs to recognize grows, the > system minimizes the amount of additional computer power required. > > "The challenges are huge," said Dr. Wexler, a co-author of the paper and > vice president of research and development at OrCam. "People who have low > vision will continue to have low vision, but we want to harness computer > science to help them." > > Additionally the OrCam system is designed to have a minimal control system, > or user interface. To recognize an object or text, the wearer simply points > at it with his or her finger, and the device then interprets the scene. > > The system recognizes a pre-stored set of objects and allows the user to > add > to its library - for example, text on a label or billboard, or a stop light > or street sign - by simply waving his or her hand, or the object, in the > camera's field of view. > > One of the key challenges, Dr. Shashua said, was allowing quick optical > character recognition in a variety of lighting conditions as well as on > flexible surfaces. > > "The professional optical character readers today will work very well when > the image is good, but we have additional challenges - we must read text on > flexible surfaces like a hand-held newspaper," he said. > > Although the system is usable by the blind, OrCam is initially planning to > sell the device to people in the United States who are visually impaired, > which means that their vision cannot be adequately corrected with glasses. > > In the United States, 21.2 million people over the age of 18 have some kind > of visual impairment, including age-related conditions, diseases and birth > defects, according to the 2011 National Health Survey by the U.S. National > Center for Health Statistics. OrCam said that worldwide there were 342 > million adults with significant visual impairment, and that 52 million of > them had middle-class incomes > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mikefry79%40gmail.com > From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Thu Jun 6 21:14:07 2013 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2013 16:14:07 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Supershuttle Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, eNews Park Forest, June 5 2013 In-Reply-To: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341DDFDBA1D9A@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341DDFDBA1D9A@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: Link: http://enewspf.com/latest-news/law-and-order/federal-and-international/43772-justice-department-reaches-settlement-with-supershuttle-under-the-americans-with-disabilities-act.html Text: Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Supershuttle Under the Americans with Disabilities Act Published on Wednesday, 05 June 2013 15:31 Written by Press Release Washington, DC--(ENEWSPF)--June 5, 2013. The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a settlement with SuperShuttle, a shared-ride transportation company based in Arizona, to resolve a complaint that it discriminated against a blind person who uses a service animal. Specifically, the Justice Department determined that SuperShuttle violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by forcing a blind person who uses a service animal and her party to ride in a separate van and charging them a higher rate than other individuals who are allowed to share a van and pay a reduced fare. "Americans with disabilities are entitled to the same opportunities that others have and the Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that people with disabilities are treated equally," said Eve L. Hill, Senior Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "We are pleased that SuperShuttle has committed to taking affirmative steps to remedy this situation throughout its company." Under the terms of the settlement agreement, SuperShuttle will adopt a revised service animal non-discrimination policy; train all employees, franchisees and independent contractors on the requirements of the ADA; and pay $1,000 in damages to the complainant. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities by private transportation providers. Among other things, transportation providers must allow people with disabilities the full and equal enjoyment of their goods, services and facilities. They must also make reasonable modifications of their policies, practices and procedures to permit service animals by people with disabilities. Those interested in learning more about this settlement or an entity's obligations under the ADA may call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TDD 800-514-0383) or access its ADA website at www.ADA.gov . Additionally, ADA complaints may be filed by email to ADA.Complaint at usdoj.gov . Related Material: * Settlement Agreement Source: justice.gov From laura.wolk at gmail.com Sun Jun 9 23:49:01 2013 From: laura.wolk at gmail.com (Laura Wolk) Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2013 19:49:01 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Message-ID: hello, i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and so much has changed since i left school. i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access them? how about from a windows computer? secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be more successful at this? i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. thanks, laura From b.s.spiry at gmail.com Mon Jun 10 00:43:35 2013 From: b.s.spiry at gmail.com (Bill Spiry) Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2013 17:43:35 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <000301ce6573$8ae215c0$a0a64140$@gmail.com> The publishers will provide accessible electronic copies of your text but they do require that you have proof of purchase for each textbook. The publishers also require that you purchase them new, not used. The publishers wouldn't deal with me directly, I had to arrange for the books through our Assistant Dean of student affairs. I purchased most of my texts via Amazon, usually considerabley less expensively than they would have been at the U bookstore. I was able to resell the books in that condition to other students pretty easily for what I paid for them. Bill Spiry Attorney at Law (541) 510-2623 Bill.spiry at gmail.com This electronic mail message contains CONFIDENTIAL information which is (a) ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION, WORK PRODUCT, PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, and (b) intended only for the use of the Addressee(s) named herein. If you are not an Addressee, or the person responsible for delivering this to an Addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, copying, or distributing this message is prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, please reply to the sender and take the steps necessary to delete the message and any attachments completely from your computer system. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laura Wolk Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 4:49 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school hello, i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and so much has changed since i left school. i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access them? how about from a windows computer? secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be more successful at this? i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. thanks, laura _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b.s.spiry%40gmail .com From sy.hoekstra at gmail.com Mon Jun 10 01:07:49 2013 From: sy.hoekstra at gmail.com (Sy Hoekstra) Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2013 21:07:49 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <000301ce6573$8ae215c0$a0a64140$@gmail.com> References: <000301ce6573$8ae215c0$a0a64140$@gmail.com> Message-ID: <001801ce6576$edf44cc0$c9dce640$@gmail.com> Hey Laura, I'm a rising 3L. Both in my current law school, the law school I transferred from, and undergrad, there was a person in the disability office who would contact publishers for me once I got them a receipt saying I had purchased the book. I can always resell them for the price I bought them for. So far, I have found law book publishers to be much more responsive to these requests than publishers generally. But I've never even attempted to do it myself. I only go through the school's office. The iPhone Kindle app is terrible, even with the new supposed accessibility features. I've never tried Nook or iBooks. I get all textbooks in pdf form and read them using Kurzweil on Windows. Sy -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bill Spiry Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 8:44 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school The publishers will provide accessible electronic copies of your text but they do require that you have proof of purchase for each textbook. The publishers also require that you purchase them new, not used. The publishers wouldn't deal with me directly, I had to arrange for the books through our Assistant Dean of student affairs. I purchased most of my texts via Amazon, usually considerabley less expensively than they would have been at the U bookstore. I was able to resell the books in that condition to other students pretty easily for what I paid for them. Bill Spiry Attorney at Law (541) 510-2623 Bill.spiry at gmail.com This electronic mail message contains CONFIDENTIAL information which is (a) ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION, WORK PRODUCT, PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, and (b) intended only for the use of the Addressee(s) named herein. If you are not an Addressee, or the person responsible for delivering this to an Addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, copying, or distributing this message is prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, please reply to the sender and take the steps necessary to delete the message and any attachments completely from your computer system. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laura Wolk Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 4:49 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school hello, i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and so much has changed since i left school. i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access them? how about from a windows computer? secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be more successful at this? i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. thanks, laura _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b.s.spiry%40gmail .com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/sy.hoekstra%40gma il.com From rothmanjd at gmail.com Mon Jun 10 12:14:57 2013 From: rothmanjd at gmail.com (Ronza Othman) Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 08:14:57 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <000901ce65d4$20003640$6000a2c0$@gmail.com> Hi Laura, Technically, you should have access to the books via the Higher Education Textbook Access Act, though it doesn't always run as smoothly as we'd like. You should check with the Dean of Students at the Notre Dame law school and see if they've had someone with a print media access disability before. If not, then you're going to have to work it out yourself. I'd suggest your next step be to talk to the manager of your campus bookstore. I know that Follett has folks in their HQ who know how to navigate the process of getting electronic textbooks, and they'll train their ground staff when the need arises. Not sure about other college bookstore management companies though. I'd also check with your state library for the blind to see if they have a textbook coordinator (Indiana, not where your home state is but where you're attending school...trust me, it'll just be easier that way); they might have a process in place already. If none of that works, reach out to the publisher directly - the only reason I don't suggest you do this first is because sometimes publishers won't even talk to you if you aren't from a state government or the college bookstore. West and Aspen used to be really responsive to direct inquiries though, and I was lucky in that most of my textbooks came from West or Aspen. As for apps, I wouldn't recommend any other than IBooks (which doesn't seem to have a lot of law books). Nook is not very accessible, and though the Kindle app is better, it won't read footnotes. Trust me, you need the footnotes (they're probably at least as important as most of the regular text). I'd also suggest you get Notre Dame or your rehab counselor to purchase subscriptions to Bookshare and Recordings for the Blind and Dislexic. There are also a couple of places in Chicago (just a train ride away) that will read and record books for you if you can't get them electronically (and you can mail them stuff and they'll mail them back). Try Blind Services Administration (though not sure they work with folks outside of Illinois) and Educational Tape Recording for the Blind (which definitely works with folks outside of Illinois). Good luck. Ronza -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laura Wolk Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 7:49 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school hello, i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and so much has changed since i left school. i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access them? how about from a windows computer? secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be more successful at this? i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. thanks, laura _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rothmanjd%40gmail .com From taiablas at gmail.com Mon Jun 10 13:36:09 2013 From: taiablas at gmail.com (Tai Blas) Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 08:36:09 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <003901ce65df$785aebe0$6910c3a0$@gmail.com> Laura and all, A new version of Amazon's Kindle app for iOS was released with full VoiceOver support. All books you purchase can be read using VoiceOver. I have purchased two law textbooks via Kindle. However, although you can read the books continuously, the app leave much to be desired in terms of moving from heading to heading, chapter to chapter, page to page, etc. It is difficult to know what page you would be on in the print version. There is also a Kindle app for PC with similar features and limitations. I have not tried the Nook app. I have not found any law texts in the iBookstore. I would be interested in receiving contact information for publishers from whom others have been successful in obtaining textbooks directly. Currently, my law school's administration and the university's disability office controls this process, but I would prefer to do this myself. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laura Wolk Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 6:49 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school hello, i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and so much has changed since i left school. i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access them? how about from a windows computer? secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be more successful at this? i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. thanks, laura _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/taiablas%40gmail. com From lmendez at twcny.rr.com Mon Jun 10 13:59:22 2013 From: lmendez at twcny.rr.com (Luis Mendez) Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 09:59:22 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> Don't forget, that if all else fails, you still have the option to scan the material you need to read. In some cases that will be your only option.. Therefore it is important that you acquire a high quality ,high capacity, high-speed scanning system. I rely on such a system in my practice. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 9, 2013, at 7:49 PM, Laura Wolk wrote: > hello, > > i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am > wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing > textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and > so much has changed since i left school. > > i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about > getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these > platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, > kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access > them? how about from a windows computer? > > secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the > permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic > copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, > but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing > this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be > more successful at this? > > i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. > > thanks, > laura > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/lmendez%40twcny.rr.com From lmendez at twcny.rr.com Mon Jun 10 13:59:22 2013 From: lmendez at twcny.rr.com (Luis Mendez) Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 09:59:22 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> Don't forget, that if all else fails, you still have the option to scan the material you need to read. In some cases that will be your only option.. Therefore it is important that you acquire a high quality ,high capacity, high-speed scanning system. I rely on such a system in my practice. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 9, 2013, at 7:49 PM, Laura Wolk wrote: > hello, > > i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am > wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing > textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and > so much has changed since i left school. > > i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about > getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these > platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, > kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access > them? how about from a windows computer? > > secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the > permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic > copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, > but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing > this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be > more successful at this? > > i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. > > thanks, > laura > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/lmendez%40twcny.rr.com From taiablas at gmail.com Mon Jun 10 14:43:51 2013 From: taiablas at gmail.com (Tai Blas) Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 09:43:51 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> References: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> Message-ID: <006001ce65e8$ed71cf80$c8556e80$@gmail.com> For this purpose, I recommend Fujitsu scanners with automatic document feeders. Mine has both an automatic document feeder and a flatbed, allowing me to scan a variety of documents at high speeds. Tai -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Luis Mendez Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 8:59 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Don't forget, that if all else fails, you still have the option to scan the material you need to read. In some cases that will be your only option.. Therefore it is important that you acquire a high quality ,high capacity, high-speed scanning system. I rely on such a system in my practice. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 9, 2013, at 7:49 PM, Laura Wolk wrote: > hello, > > i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am > wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing > textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and > so much has changed since i left school. > > i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about > getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these > platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, > kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access > them? how about from a windows computer? > > secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the > permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic > copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, > but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing > this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be > more successful at this? > > i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. > > thanks, > laura > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/lmendez%40t > wcny.rr.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/taiablas%40gmail. com From Susan.Kelly at pima.gov Mon Jun 10 14:57:13 2013 From: Susan.Kelly at pima.gov (Susan Kelly) Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 07:57:13 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <000901ce65d4$20003640$6000a2c0$@gmail.com> References: <000901ce65d4$20003640$6000a2c0$@gmail.com> Message-ID: A lot will depend on the degree of vision loss - if it is total, iBooks on the iPad may be the best option for something portable and easy to use. For me, having a tiny bit of residual vision in one eye and preferring to still be able to see the text at times, both iBooks and Kindle are almost useless - for my use, the Nook app on the iPad is better able to permit manipulation of the font type, size, margins, and contrast. It also works with Zoom, but the extra strokes and screen movement necessary are beyond frustrating. I tend to use the Nook on the iPad (right next to my face, but that's how I've always read) set at a 60 point sans serif font. The Nook app on the computer also allows texts to be drug into the accessible e-pub program we have, for more intensive usage with JAWS. So - I guess for each of us there will be a different answer for now. Best of luck in law school, by the way! -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ronza Othman Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 5:15 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Hi Laura, Technically, you should have access to the books via the Higher Education Textbook Access Act, though it doesn't always run as smoothly as we'd like. You should check with the Dean of Students at the Notre Dame law school and see if they've had someone with a print media access disability before. If not, then you're going to have to work it out yourself. I'd suggest your next step be to talk to the manager of your campus bookstore. I know that Follett has folks in their HQ who know how to navigate the process of getting electronic textbooks, and they'll train their ground staff when the need arises. Not sure about other college bookstore management companies though. I'd also check with your state library for the blind to see if they have a textbook coordinator (Indiana, not where your home state is but where you're attending school...trust me, it'll just be easier that way); they might have a process in place already. If none of that works, reach out to the publisher directly - the only reason I don't suggest you do this first is because sometimes publishers won't even talk to you if you aren't from a state government or the college bookstore. West and Aspen used to be really responsive to direct inquiries though, and I was lucky in that most of my textbooks came from West or Aspen. As for apps, I wouldn't recommend any other than IBooks (which doesn't seem to have a lot of law books). Nook is not very accessible, and though the Kindle app is better, it won't read footnotes. Trust me, you need the footnotes (they're probably at least as important as most of the regular text). I'd also suggest you get Notre Dame or your rehab counselor to purchase subscriptions to Bookshare and Recordings for the Blind and Dislexic. There are also a couple of places in Chicago (just a train ride away) that will read and record books for you if you can't get them electronically (and you can mail them stuff and they'll mail them back). Try Blind Services Administration (though not sure they work with folks outside of Illinois) and Educational Tape Recording for the Blind (which definitely works with folks outside of Illinois). Good luck. Ronza -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laura Wolk Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 7:49 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school hello, i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and so much has changed since i left school. i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access them? how about from a windows computer? secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be more successful at this? i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. thanks, laura _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rothmanjd%40g mail .com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/susan.kelly%4 0pima.gov From johnrsheehan at yahoo.com Mon Jun 10 15:44:32 2013 From: johnrsheehan at yahoo.com (John Sheehan) Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 08:44:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <003901ce65df$785aebe0$6910c3a0$@gmail.com> References: <003901ce65df$785aebe0$6910c3a0$@gmail.com> Message-ID: <1370879072.31990.YahooMailNeo@web163003.mail.bf1.yahoo.com> Does the app have voice for searching and identifying individual books within a list as well? That was one of the weaknesses of the first Kindles Fr. John R. Sheehan, SJ Chairman Xavier Society for the Blind Web Site: www.xaviersocietyfortheblind.org 154 E. 23rd St NYC 10010 212 473-7800, ext 119 Help us raise money for the Xavier Society for the Blind just by searching the Internet or shopping online with GoodSearch - www.goodsearch.com - powered by Yahoo! Free for you - and money for us! Thank you. Residence: 53 E 83rd St New York, NY 10028 Room Phone: 212 606-3423 (Note the new phone #)  Cell: 646 853-1820 Blog: http://www.frjohnsj.blogspot.com/ ________________________________ From: Tai Blas To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 9:36 AM Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Laura and all, A new version of Amazon's Kindle app for iOS was released with full VoiceOver support. All books you purchase can be read using VoiceOver. I have purchased two law textbooks via Kindle. However, although you can read the books continuously, the app leave much to be desired in terms of moving from heading to heading, chapter to chapter, page to page, etc. It is difficult to know what page you would be on in the print version. There is also a Kindle app for PC with similar features and limitations. I have not tried the Nook app. I have not found any law texts in the iBookstore. I would be interested in receiving contact information for publishers from whom others have been successful in obtaining textbooks directly. Currently, my law school's administration and the university's disability office controls this process, but I would prefer to do this myself. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laura Wolk Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 6:49 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school hello, i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and so much has changed since i left school. i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access them? how about from a windows computer? secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be more successful at this? i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. thanks, laura _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/taiablas%40gmail. com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/johnrsheehan%40yahoo.com From taiablas at gmail.com Mon Jun 10 15:58:19 2013 From: taiablas at gmail.com (Tai Blas) Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:58:19 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <1370879072.31990.YahooMailNeo@web163003.mail.bf1.yahoo.com> References: <003901ce65df$785aebe0$6910c3a0$@gmail.com> <1370879072.31990.YahooMailNeo@web163003.mail.bf1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <00b601ce65f3$54de34b0$fe9a9e10$@gmail.com> The app is fully voiced via VoiceOver. You can read the titles of the books you have on your device but must purchase them from a computer and sync with your device. I'm not sure about searching titles in your library on an iOS device as I haven't tried that feature. Tai -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of John Sheehan Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 10:45 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Does the app have voice for searching and identifying individual books within a list as well? That was one of the weaknesses of the first Kindles Fr. John R. Sheehan, SJ Chairman Xavier Society for the Blind Web Site: www.xaviersocietyfortheblind.org 154 E. 23rd St NYC 10010 212 473-7800, ext 119 Help us raise money for the Xavier Society for the Blind just by searching the Internet or shopping online with GoodSearch - www.goodsearch.com - powered by Yahoo! Free for you - and money for us! Thank you. Residence: 53 E 83rd St New York, NY 10028 Room Phone: 212 606-3423 (Note the new phone #)  Cell: 646 853-1820 Blog: http://www.frjohnsj.blogspot.com/ ________________________________ From: Tai Blas To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 9:36 AM Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Laura and all, A new version of Amazon's Kindle app for iOS was released with full VoiceOver support. All books you purchase can be read using VoiceOver. I have purchased two law textbooks via Kindle. However, although you can read the books continuously, the app leave much to be desired in terms of moving from heading to heading, chapter to chapter, page to page, etc. It is difficult to know what page you would be on in the print version. There is also a Kindle app for PC with similar features and limitations. I have not tried the Nook app. I have not found any law texts in the iBookstore. I would be interested in receiving contact information for publishers from whom others have been successful in obtaining textbooks directly. Currently, my law school's administration and the university's disability office controls this process, but I would prefer to do this myself. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Laura Wolk Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 6:49 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school hello, i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and so much has changed since i left school. i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access them? how about from a windows computer? secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be more successful at this? i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. thanks, laura _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/taiablas%40gmail. com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/johnrsheehan%40ya hoo.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/taiablas%40gmail. com From ukekearuaro at valtdnet.com Mon Jun 10 17:23:18 2013 From: ukekearuaro at valtdnet.com (Olusegun -- Victory Associates LTD, Inc.) Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 11:23:18 -0600 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> References: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> Message-ID: <019901ce65ff$3389ae50$9a9d0af0$@com> Dear All: Sometimes, I get tired of being tethered to a stand-alone flatbed scanner. Just wondering aloud ... Does anyone know if there is a handheld scanner that can be used to scan a book that might work with an OCR package" I am using Abbyy FineReader Professional and I can scan stuff into MS Word and it gives extremely good results with virtually no errors. I do most scanning at home, but if there is a low time, I might be able to do a lot more at the office, but will need a handheld scanner if such technology is available and accessible. Sincerely, Olusegun Denver, Colorado From b.s.spiry at gmail.com Mon Jun 10 17:56:35 2013 From: b.s.spiry at gmail.com (Bill Spiry) Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:56:35 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> References: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> Message-ID: <001b01ce6603$daf86510$90e92f30$@gmail.com> Note that some universities disability services offer a scanning service for converting textbooks for students with disabilities. The U of Oregon does this in association with the main library on campus. Very useful for those few texts I could not get digitally from publishers and for large packets assembled for some courses by professors. I suggest asking your campus office for students with disabilities an/or the campus library if such a service is available. Bill Spiry Attorney at Law (541) 510-2623 Bill.spiry at gmail.com This electronic mail message contains CONFIDENTIAL information which is (a) ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION, WORK PRODUCT, PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, and (b) intended only for the use of the Addressee(s) named herein. If you are not an Addressee, or the person responsible for delivering this to an Addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, copying, or distributing this message is prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, please reply to the sender and take the steps necessary to delete the message and any attachments completely from your computer system. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Luis Mendez Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 6:59 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Don't forget, that if all else fails, you still have the option to scan the material you need to read. In some cases that will be your only option.. Therefore it is important that you acquire a high quality ,high capacity, high-speed scanning system. I rely on such a system in my practice. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 9, 2013, at 7:49 PM, Laura Wolk wrote: > hello, > > i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am > wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing > textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and > so much has changed since i left school. > > i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about > getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these > platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, > kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access > them? how about from a windows computer? > > secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the > permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic > copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, > but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing > this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be > more successful at this? > > i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. > > thanks, > laura > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/lmendez%40t > wcny.rr.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b.s.spiry%40gmail .com From mnowicki4 at icloud.com Tue Jun 11 20:05:50 2013 From: mnowicki4 at icloud.com (Michael Nowicki) Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:05:50 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <001b01ce6603$daf86510$90e92f30$@gmail.com> References: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> <001b01ce6603$daf86510$90e92f30$@gmail.com> Message-ID: <000001ce66df$1432b250$3c9816f0$@com> What about the e-book reader Blio? How does it compare with the others discussed in this conversation, in particular with regards to the availability of law school textbooks? -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bill Spiry Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 12:57 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Note that some universities disability services offer a scanning service for converting textbooks for students with disabilities. The U of Oregon does this in association with the main library on campus. Very useful for those few texts I could not get digitally from publishers and for large packets assembled for some courses by professors. I suggest asking your campus office for students with disabilities an/or the campus library if such a service is available. Bill Spiry Attorney at Law (541) 510-2623 Bill.spiry at gmail.com This electronic mail message contains CONFIDENTIAL information which is (a) ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION, WORK PRODUCT, PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, and (b) intended only for the use of the Addressee(s) named herein. If you are not an Addressee, or the person responsible for delivering this to an Addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, copying, or distributing this message is prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, please reply to the sender and take the steps necessary to delete the message and any attachments completely from your computer system. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Luis Mendez Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 6:59 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Don't forget, that if all else fails, you still have the option to scan the material you need to read. In some cases that will be your only option.. Therefore it is important that you acquire a high quality ,high capacity, high-speed scanning system. I rely on such a system in my practice. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 9, 2013, at 7:49 PM, Laura Wolk wrote: > hello, > > i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am > wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing > textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and > so much has changed since i left school. > > i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about > getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these > platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, > kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access > them? how about from a windows computer? > > secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the > permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic > copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, > but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing > this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be > more successful at this? > > i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. > > thanks, > laura > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/lmendez%40t > wcny.rr.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b.s.spiry%40gmail .com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mnowicki4%40iclou d.com From b.s.spiry at gmail.com Tue Jun 11 20:39:50 2013 From: b.s.spiry at gmail.com (Bill Spiry) Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:39:50 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <000001ce66df$1432b250$3c9816f0$@com> References: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> <001b01ce6603$daf86510$90e92f30$@gmail.com> <000001ce66df$1432b250$3c9816f0$@com> Message-ID: <008d01ce66e3$d2722b70$77568250$@gmail.com> Readers like Kinddel and Nook are well and fine but I found they lack the flexibility I needed with texts for law school. Bottom line is that most of us need to have the capability to make notes and mark up law texts to enable efficient review and reference later. Getting my books to a word format gave me that capability. I can't imagine what a hassle it would have been to have my book in a format with such limited markup. The point is, you'll likely best be served by pushing to get your texts in Word or at least PDF so you can convert them into an editable format for law school. Resources on my mobile devices certainly are useful for me in my practice but they wouldn't have gotten me through LS. pushing Bill Spiry Attorney at Law (541) 510-2623 Bill.spiry at gmail.com This electronic mail message contains CONFIDENTIAL information which is (a) ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION, WORK PRODUCT, PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, and (b) intended only for the use of the Addressee(s) named herein. If you are not an Addressee, or the person responsible for delivering this to an Addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, copying, or distributing this message is prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, please reply to the sender and take the steps necessary to delete the message and any attachments completely from your computer system. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael Nowicki Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 1:06 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school What about the e-book reader Blio? How does it compare with the others discussed in this conversation, in particular with regards to the availability of law school textbooks? -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bill Spiry Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 12:57 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Note that some universities disability services offer a scanning service for converting textbooks for students with disabilities. The U of Oregon does this in association with the main library on campus. Very useful for those few texts I could not get digitally from publishers and for large packets assembled for some courses by professors. I suggest asking your campus office for students with disabilities an/or the campus library if such a service is available. Bill Spiry Attorney at Law (541) 510-2623 Bill.spiry at gmail.com This electronic mail message contains CONFIDENTIAL information which is (a) ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION, WORK PRODUCT, PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, and (b) intended only for the use of the Addressee(s) named herein. If you are not an Addressee, or the person responsible for delivering this to an Addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, copying, or distributing this message is prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, please reply to the sender and take the steps necessary to delete the message and any attachments completely from your computer system. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Luis Mendez Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 6:59 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Don't forget, that if all else fails, you still have the option to scan the material you need to read. In some cases that will be your only option.. Therefore it is important that you acquire a high quality ,high capacity, high-speed scanning system. I rely on such a system in my practice. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 9, 2013, at 7:49 PM, Laura Wolk wrote: > hello, > > i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am > wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing > textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and > so much has changed since i left school. > > i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about > getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these > platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, > kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access > them? how about from a windows computer? > > secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the > permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic > copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, > but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing > this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be > more successful at this? > > i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. > > thanks, > laura > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/lmendez%40t > wcny.rr.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b.s.spiry%40gmail .com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mnowicki4%40iclou d.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b.s.spiry%40gmail .com From rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com Tue Jun 11 21:47:06 2013 From: rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com (Rahul Bajaj) Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 03:17:06 +0530 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <008d01ce66e3$d2722b70$77568250$@gmail.com> References: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> <001b01ce6603$daf86510$90e92f30$@gmail.com> <000001ce66df$1432b250$3c9816f0$@com> <008d01ce66e3$d2722b70$77568250$@gmail.com> Message-ID: Hi all, This is turning out to be an interesting discussion. I generally get my books scanned as it is very difficult here in India to get most books in an accessible format. However, I prefer to hire readers for reading my books. This is primarily because I find it hard to concentrate for long periods of time while reading books on the computer and also because I find it hard to remember things that way. I instead prefer to ask my readers to read the books and then try to recapitulate all the pertinent points in my own words. Best, Rahul On 12/06/2013, Bill Spiry wrote: > Readers like Kinddel and Nook are well and fine but I found they lack the > flexibility I needed with texts for law school. Bottom line is that most of > us need to have the capability to make notes and mark up law texts to > enable > efficient review and reference later. Getting my books to a word format > gave > me that capability. I can't imagine what a hassle it would have been to > have > my book in a format with such limited markup. The point is, you'll likely > best be served by pushing to get your texts in Word or at least PDF so you > can convert them into an editable format for law school. Resources on my > mobile devices certainly are useful for me in my practice but they wouldn't > have gotten me through LS. > > pushing > > > Bill Spiry > Attorney at Law > (541) 510-2623 > Bill.spiry at gmail.com > > This electronic mail message contains CONFIDENTIAL information which is (a) > ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION, WORK PRODUCT, PROPRIETARY IN > NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, and (b) intended > only > for the use of the Addressee(s) named herein. If you are not an Addressee, > or the person responsible for delivering this to an Addressee, you are > hereby notified that reading, copying, or distributing this message is > prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, > please reply to the sender and take the steps necessary to delete the > message and any attachments completely from your computer system. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael > Nowicki > Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 1:06 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school > > What about the e-book reader Blio? How does it compare with the others > discussed in this conversation, in particular with regards to the > availability of law school textbooks? > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bill Spiry > Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 12:57 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school > > Note that some universities disability services offer a scanning service > for > converting textbooks for students with disabilities. The U of Oregon does > this in association with the main library on campus. Very useful for those > few texts I could not get digitally from publishers and for large packets > assembled for some courses by professors. > > I suggest asking your campus office for students with disabilities an/or > the > campus library if such a service is available. > > > Bill Spiry > Attorney at Law > (541) 510-2623 > Bill.spiry at gmail.com > > This electronic mail message contains CONFIDENTIAL information which is (a) > ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION, WORK PRODUCT, PROPRIETARY IN > NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, and (b) intended > only > for the use of the Addressee(s) named herein. If you are not an Addressee, > or the person responsible for delivering this to an Addressee, you are > hereby notified that reading, copying, or distributing this message is > prohibited. If you have received this electronic mail message in error, > please reply to the sender and take the steps necessary to delete the > message and any attachments completely from your computer system. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Luis > Mendez > Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 6:59 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Cc: blindlaw at nfbnet.org > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school > > Don't forget, that if all else fails, you still have the option to scan the > material you need to read. In some cases that will be your only option.. > Therefore it is important that you acquire a high quality ,high capacity, > high-speed scanning system. I rely on such a system in my practice. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jun 9, 2013, at 7:49 PM, Laura Wolk wrote: > >> hello, >> >> i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am >> wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing >> textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years and >> so much has changed since i left school. >> >> i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what about >> getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these >> platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, >> kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access >> them? how about from a windows computer? >> >> secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting the >> permissions departments of publishers to have them provide electronic >> copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to intervene, >> but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had success doing >> this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the trade to be >> more successful at this? >> >> i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. >> >> thanks, >> laura >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/lmendez%40t >> wcny.rr.com > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b.s.spiry%40gmail > .com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mnowicki4%40iclou > d.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b.s.spiry%40gmail > .com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rahul.bajaj1038%40gmail.com > From paulharpur at gmail.com Tue Jun 11 23:33:19 2013 From: paulharpur at gmail.com (Paul Harpur) Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:33:19 +1000 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: References: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> <001b01ce6603$daf86510$90e92f30$@gmail.com> <000001ce66df$1432b250$3c9816f0$@com> <008d01ce66e3$d2722b70$77568250$@gmail.com> Message-ID: <001c01ce66fc$0fd48220$2f7d8660$@gmail.com> I work at a university in Australia and we have of the scanners from the Googlebook project. Not sure why they spent the money to buy it, but for VI it is great. It takes about 10 minutes to scan a book and there is very little editing needed. Since it is in the library they are happy to scan library books ... within reason. I also find hitting up the author can be helpful if they are in your school. Paul. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rahul Bajaj Sent: Wednesday, 12 June 2013 7:47 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Hi all, This is turning out to be an interesting discussion. I generally get my books scanned as it is very difficult here in India to get most books in an accessible format. However, I prefer to hire readers for reading my books. This is primarily because I find it hard to concentrate for long periods of time while reading books on the computer and also because I find it hard to remember things that way. I instead prefer to ask my readers to read the books and then try to recapitulate all the pertinent points in my own words. Best, Rahul On 12/06/2013, Bill Spiry wrote: > Readers like Kinddel and Nook are well and fine but I found they lack > the flexibility I needed with texts for law school. Bottom line is > that most of us need to have the capability to make notes and mark up > law texts to enable efficient review and reference later. Getting my > books to a word format gave me that capability. I can't imagine what a > hassle it would have been to have my book in a format with such > limited markup. The point is, you'll likely best be served by pushing > to get your texts in Word or at least PDF so you can convert them into > an editable format for law school. Resources on my mobile devices > certainly are useful for me in my practice but they wouldn't have > gotten me through LS. > > pushing > > > Bill Spiry > Attorney at Law > (541) 510-2623 > Bill.spiry at gmail.com > > This electronic mail message contains CONFIDENTIAL information which > is (a) ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION, WORK PRODUCT, > PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, > and (b) intended only for the use of the Addressee(s) named herein. If > you are not an Addressee, or the person responsible for delivering > this to an Addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, copying, > or distributing this message is prohibited. If you have received this > electronic mail message in error, please reply to the sender and take > the steps necessary to delete the message and any attachments > completely from your computer system. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of > Michael Nowicki > Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 1:06 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school > > What about the e-book reader Blio? How does it compare with the > others discussed in this conversation, in particular with regards to > the availability of law school textbooks? > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bill > Spiry > Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 12:57 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school > > Note that some universities disability services offer a scanning > service for converting textbooks for students with disabilities. The U > of Oregon does this in association with the main library on campus. > Very useful for those few texts I could not get digitally from > publishers and for large packets assembled for some courses by > professors. > > I suggest asking your campus office for students with disabilities > an/or the campus library if such a service is available. > > > Bill Spiry > Attorney at Law > (541) 510-2623 > Bill.spiry at gmail.com > > This electronic mail message contains CONFIDENTIAL information which > is (a) ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION, WORK PRODUCT, > PROPRIETARY IN NATURE, OR OTHERWISE PROTECTED BY LAW FROM DISCLOSURE, > and (b) intended only for the use of the Addressee(s) named herein. If > you are not an Addressee, or the person responsible for delivering > this to an Addressee, you are hereby notified that reading, copying, > or distributing this message is prohibited. If you have received this > electronic mail message in error, please reply to the sender and take > the steps necessary to delete the message and any attachments > completely from your computer system. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Luis > Mendez > Sent: Monday, June 10, 2013 6:59 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Cc: blindlaw at nfbnet.org > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school > > Don't forget, that if all else fails, you still have the option to > scan the material you need to read. In some cases that will be your only option.. > Therefore it is important that you acquire a high quality ,high > capacity, high-speed scanning system. I rely on such a system in my practice. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jun 9, 2013, at 7:49 PM, Laura Wolk wrote: > >> hello, >> >> i'm sure this question gets asked rather frequently, but i am >> wondering if anyone can provide some guidance about accessing >> textbooks for law school. i have been out of undergrad for 4 years >> and so much has changed since i left school. >> >> i am aware that the nook, kindle, etc are inaccessible, but what >> about getting the nook and kindle apps on my iPhone/iPad? are these >> platforms then accessible? if books are available as nookbooks, >> kindles, or on ibooks, am i able to use my apple devices to access >> them? how about from a windows computer? >> >> secondly, while in undergrad i was mostly successful at contacting >> the permissions departments of publishers to have them provide >> electronic copies for me. sometimes the disabilities office needed to >> intervene, but i got many books this way. i have as of yet not had >> success doing this with law books. can anyone provide any tips of the >> trade to be more successful at this? >> >> i greatly appreciate any advice you might be able to offer. >> >> thanks, >> laura >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/lmendez%40 >> t >> wcny.rr.com > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b.s.spiry%4 > 0gmail > .com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mnowicki4%4 > 0iclou > d.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/b.s.spiry%4 > 0gmail > .com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at host.nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rahul.bajaj > 1038%40gmail.com > _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/paulharpur%40gmai l.com From Gary.Norman at cms.hhs.gov Wed Jun 12 13:50:06 2013 From: Gary.Norman at cms.hhs.gov (Norman, Gary C. (CMS/OSORA)) Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:50:06 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] FYI -- ACS L. Message-ID: <2DD3498A837A9347A4E5E536B3FF482D1F3A64E1@pl-emsmb12> Greetings: Do find the editorial contained below, which ACS Law published. Sincerely, Gary http://www.acslaw.org/acsblog/if-you-were-blind-could-you-read-this From mgmckay1963 at gmail.com Wed Jun 12 17:17:24 2013 From: mgmckay1963 at gmail.com (Michael McKay) Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:17:24 -0300 Subject: [blindlaw] FYI -- ACS L. In-Reply-To: <2DD3498A837A9347A4E5E536B3FF482D1F3A64E1@pl-emsmb12> References: <2DD3498A837A9347A4E5E536B3FF482D1F3A64E1@pl-emsmb12> Message-ID: Could you please put multiple email addresses in the BCC edit field thank you. Michael G. McKay Sent from my iPhone On 2013-06-12, at 10:50, "Norman, Gary C. (CMS/OSORA)" wrote: > Greetings: > > > Do find the editorial contained below, which ACS Law published. > > > Sincerely, > Gary > > > > http://www.acslaw.org/acsblog/if-you-were-blind-could-you-read-this > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mgmckay1963%40gmail.com From rumpole at roadrunner.com Thu Jun 13 19:22:36 2013 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:22:36 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] New Olmstead settlement agreement from ADA.gov Message-ID: <16FE0AEF45C64A60A014FA1112414E71@mycomputer> For those of you who do DD and MI files, you may wish to take note of this and keep a tab on it for future reference. *** skip navigation Olmstead HomeAbout OlmsteadDOJ Olmstead LitigationWhat's NewPress, Speeches & TestimonyFiling an Olmstead Complaint"[T]he isolation of persons with disabilities can breed fear and stereotypes about persons with disabilities, which in turn can generate additional discrimination that spills over into other areas, such as employment, public accommodations, and transportation." DOJ Amicus Brief for Olmstead v. L.C.. Participation by the United States in Olmstead Cases U.S. Party in Litigation U.S. v. Rhode Island and City of Providence (D.R.I. 2013) On June 13, 2013, the United States entered a court-enforceable interim settlement agreement with the State of Rhode Island and the City of Providence which resolved the Civil Rights Division's findings, as part of an ADA Olmstead investigation, that the State and City have unnecessarily segregated individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in a sheltered workshop and segregated day activity service program, and have placed public school students with I/DD at risk of unnecessary segregation in that same program. The first-of-its-kind agreement will provide relief to approximately 200 Rhode Islanders with I/DD who have received services from the segregated sheltered workshop and day activity service provider Training Thru Placement, Inc. (TTP), and the Harold A. Birch Vocational Program (Birch), a special education program which has run a segregated sheltered workshop inside a Providence high school. Pursuant to the Interim Settlement Agreement, the State and City will give TTP and Birch service recipients the opportunity to receive integrated supported employment and integrated daytime services that will enable them to interact with the broader community to the fullest extent possible. The State will no longer provide services or funding for new participants at TTP's sheltered workshop and segregated day program, and the City will no longer provide services or funding to Birch's in-school sheltered workshop, which has served as a pipeline to TTP. Instead, over the next year, the State and City will provide adults at TTP and youth in transition from Birch with robust and person-centered career development planning, transitional services, supported employment placements, and integrated day services. The Interim Settlement Agreement calls for individuals to receive sufficient service to support a normative 40 hour work week, with the expectation that individuals will work, on average, in a supported employment job at competitive wages for at least 20 hours per week. Interim Settlement Agreement (Word) | (PDF) Complaint (Word) | (PDF) Faces of Olmstead - Read one individual's story. Lane v. Kitzhaber, 12-CV-00138, (D. OR 2012) On May 22, 2013, the Court granted the United States’ March 27 Motion to Intervene in a pending class action lawsuit against the State of Oregon. The United States' accompanying Complaint in Intervention alleges violations of Title II of the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act for unnecessarily segregating individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in sheltered workshops when they could be served in integrated employment settings. Prior to requesting intervention the United States filed on April 20, 2012, a Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs Regarding Defendants' Motion to Dismiss. The United States argued that Title II and the integration regulation apply to all services, programs, and activities of a public entity, including segregated, non-residential employment settings such as sheltered workshops. On June 18, 2012, the United States filed a second Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification. In its Statement of Interest, the United States urged the Court to uphold class certification for a plaintiff class of thousands of individuals in, or referred to, Oregon sheltered workshops. United States of America's Motion to Intervene (Word) | (PDF) - filed March 27, 2013 United States of America's Memorandum in Support of Its Motion to Intervene (Word) | (PDF) - filed March 27, 2013 Complaint in Intervention of the United States of America (Word) | (PDF) - filed March 27, 2013 Letter of Findings (Word) | (PDF) - filed June 29, 2012 Statement of Interest of the United States in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification (Word) | (PDF) - filed June 18, 2012 Statement of Interest (Word) | (PDF) - filed April 20, 2012 Steward et. al. v. Perry et. al. 5:10-CV-1025 (W.D. TX 2010) On September 20, 2012, the Court granted the United States' June 2011 request to intervene in a pending lawsuit against the State of Texas alleging violations of Title II of the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act for unnecessarily segregating individuals with developmental disabilities in nursing facilities. Prior to requesting intervention, the United States filed a Statement of Interest on May 17, 2011 opposing the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss. While awaiting permission to intervene, the United States filed a Supplemental Statement of Interest on November 30, 2011 in opposition to the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss the Plaintiffs' Amended Complaint, and on September 10, 2012, filed a Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Amended Motion for Class Certification. In its Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Amended Motion for Class Certification, the United States urged the Court to uphold class certification for a plaintiff class of approximately 4,500 adults with developmental disabilities who are currently confined to nursing facilities and thousands more who are at risk of nursing facility placement. On November 12, 2012, the United States filed a Supplemental Brief in Support of Plaintiffs' Amended Motion for Class Certification, arguing that the court should certify a class of individuals with developmental disabilities where the state has multiple policies that perpetuate unnecessary confinement in nursing facilities and deny those individuals the opportunity to receive services in the community. Supplemental Brief in Support of Plaintiffs' Amended Motion for Class Certification (Word) | (PDF) - filed November 12, 2012 Statement of Interest of the United States of America in Support of Plaintiffs' Amended Motion for Class Certification (Word) | (PDF) - filed September 10, 2012 United States Supplemental Statement of Interest in opposition to Defendants' Partial Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs' Amended Complaint (Word) | (PDF) - filed November 30, 2011 United States' Reply in Support of Motion to Intervene in the Ongoing Lawsuit (Word) | (PDF) - filed August 4, 2011 Partial Consent Motion by the United States of America to Intervene and Memorandum in Support Thereof (Word) | (PDF) - filed June 22, 2011 Proposed U.S. Complaint in Intervention Alleging Violations of the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Word) | (PDF) - filed as an exhibit June 22, 2011 Statement of Interest of the United States Opposing the State's Motion to Dismiss (Word) | (PDF) - filed May 17, 2011 U.S. v. Virginia - 3:12CV059 (E.D. VA 2012) On January 26, 2012, the Division filed in District Court a Complaint and a simultaneous Settlement Agreement resolving its ADA Olmstead investigation into whether persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Virginia are being served in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs. The fundamental goals of the Agreement are to prevent the unnecessary institutionalization of individuals with developmental disabilities who are living in the community, including thousands of individuals on waitlists for community-based services, and ensure that people who are currently in institutions - at the Commonwealth's training centers or in other private but state-funded facilities - have a meaningful opportunity to receive services that meet their needs in the community. Pursuant to the Agreement, the Commonwealth will create a total of approximately 4,200 home and community-based waivers for people who are on waitlists for community services and individuals transitioning from institutional settings over a ten year period. Almost 3,000 of these waivers will be targeted to individuals with intellectual disabilities on the waitlist or youth with intellectual disabilities in private facilities; another 450 waivers will be targeted to individuals with non-intellectual developmental disabilities on the waitlist or youth in private facilities; and another 800 waivers will be targeted to individuals choosing to leave the training centers. An additional 1,000 individuals on waitlists for community services will receive family supports to help provide care in their family home or their own home. Under the Agreement, the Commonwealth will also create a comprehensive community crisis system with a full range of crisis services, including a hotline, mobile crisis teams, and crisis stabilization programs, to divert individuals from unnecessary institutionalization or other out-of-home placements. The Agreement requires the Commonwealth to develop and implement an "Employment First" policy to prioritize and expand meaningful work opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities. In addition, the Agreement will create an $800,000 fund for housing assistance to facilitate opportunities for independent living for people with developmental disabilities. Finally, the Agreement requires the Commonwealth to create a strong and comprehensive quality and risk management system to ensure that community-based services are safe and effective. The Agreement is court enforceable and will be monitored by an independent reviewer with the capacity to hire staff to assist in the implementation and to conduct compliance and incident reviews. After taking public comment and holding a fairness hearing, the Court approved the settlement agreement subject to certain modifications, which were agreed to by the Commonwealth and the United States. The Court entered the settlement agreement as a final order on August 23, 2012. For more information about this case, visit the Special Litigation Section's website. December 6, 2012 report of the independent reviewer Order Approving Consent Decree (HTML) | (PDF) - entered August 23, 2012 Settlement Agreement as Final Order (Word) | (PDF) - entered August 23, 2012 Settlement Agreement (Word) | (PDF) - filed January 26, 2012 Settlement Agreement Fact Sheet (Word) | (PDF) Complaint (Word) | (PDF) - filed January 26, 2012 U.S. v. North Carolina, No. 5:12-cv-557 (E.D.N.C. 2012) On August 23, 2012, the United States entered a comprehensive, eight-year settlement agreement with the State of North Carolina resolving the Civil Rights Division's ADA Olmstead investigation of the State's mental health service system, which currently serves thousands of individuals with mental illness in large adult care homes. The Agreement will expand access to community-based supported housing – integrated housing that promotes inclusion and independence and enables individuals with mental illness to participate fully in community life. Pursuant to the Agreement, the State will provide community-based supported housing to 3,000 individuals who currently reside in, or are at risk of entry into, adult care homes. A person-centered discharge planning process is designed to ensure individuals are able to transition successfully to community-based settings, while a pre-admission screening process will prevent more individuals from being unnecessarily institutionalized. The Agreement will also ensure that thousands of people with mental illness have access to critical community-based mental health services such as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams, and will expand integrated employment opportunities for individuals with mental illness by providing supported employment services to 2,500 individuals. The Agreement also requires development of a crisis service system that offers timely and accessible services and supports in the least restrictive setting, including mobile crisis teams, walk-in crisis clinics, short-term community hospital beds, and 24/7 crisis hotlines. Settlement Agreement (Word) | (PDF) - filed August 23, 2012 Settlement Agreement Fact Sheet (Word) | (PDF) Complaint (Word) | (PDF) - filed August 23, 2012 Amanda D. v. Wood Hassan, 1:12-CV-53-LM (D. N.H. 2012) (formerly Lynn E. v. Lynch) The court recently granted the Justice Department's motion to intervene in Amanda D. v. Wood Hassan, a recently-filed lawsuit alleging that the state of New Hampshire fails to provide mental health services to people with disabilities in community settings in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The suit alleges that as a result of the state's failures, people with mental illness who need state mental health services are forced to go to segregated institutions like the New Hampshire Hospital in Concord, N.H., and the Glencliff Home in Benton, N.H. For more information about this case, visit the Special Litigation Section's website. United States' Reply to Defendants' Opposition to and in Support of Plaintiffs' Renewed motion for Class Certification (Word) | (PDF) filed March 21, 2013 US Memorandum In Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification (Word) | (PDF) - filed April 20, 2012 U.S. Motion to Intervene (Word) | (PDF) - filed March 27, 2011 U.S. Memo in Support of Motion to Intervene (Word) | (PDF) - filed March 27, 2011 U.S. Proposed Order on Intervention (Word) | (PDF) - filed March 27, 2011 U.S.Proposed Complaint (Word) | (PDF) - filed March 27, 2011 DOJ Findings Letter to New Hampshire (2011) (PDF) - filed April 7 , 2011 U.S. v. Delaware - 11-CV-591 On July 6, 2011 the Division filed in District Court a Complaint and a simultaneous Settlement Agreement resolving its ADA Olmstead investigation into whether persons with mental illness in Delaware are being served in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs and its CRIPA investigation into conditions of confinement at Delaware Psychiatric Center. The fundamental goals of the Agreement are: to ensure that people who are unnecessarily institutionalized, at the Delaware Psychiatric Center or other inpatient psychiatric facilities, can receive the treatment they need in the community; to ensure that when individuals go into mental health crisis, sufficient resources are available in the community so that they do not need to go unnecessarily to psychiatric hospitals or jails; and to ensure that people with mental illness who are living in the community are not forced to enter institutions because of the lack of stable housing and intensive treatment options in the community. Pursuant to the Agreement, Delaware will create a comprehensive community crisis system to serve as the front door to the state's mental health system including a crisis hotline, mobile crisis teams able to reach someone anywhere in the state within one hour, 2 walk-in crisis centers, and short term crisis stabilization units. The agreement also commits the state to providing intensive community-based treatment through 11 Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams, 4 intensive case management teams, and 25 targeted case managers. The State will offer at least 650 housing vouchers or subsidies to allow people to obtain stable, integrated housing. Finally, the State will develop evidence-based supported employment services for 1100 people, rehabilitation services including substance abuse and educational services to 1100 people, and family and peer support services to 1000 people. The Agreement requires Delaware to establish a statewide quality management system reflecting qualitative and quantitative measures and provides for an independent monitor with capacity to hire staff to assist in the implementation and to conduct compliance reviews. For more information about this case, visit the Special Litigation Section's website. September 5, 2012 report of the independent reviewer January 30, 2012 report of the independent reviewer Settlement Agreement - filed July 6, 2011 Order Entering Settlement Agreement - filed July 18, 2011 Settlement Agreement Fact Sheet Press Release Letter of Findings - filed November 9, 2010 Disability Advocates, Inc. v. Paterson – 03-CV-3209 – (E.D. NY 2009) Following a trial on the merits, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York ruled that New York State officials and agencies have discriminated against thousands of people with mental illness by administering the State's mental health service system in a manner that segregates them in large, institutional adult homes and denies them the opportunity to receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. The DOJ intervened during the remedy phase of the case, and on November 25, 2009, filed a brief supporting the remedial plan proposed by the Plaintiff. On March 1, 2010, the District Court issued a remedial order adopting most of the proposals of the Plaintiff and DOJ. The order required the State to ensure that (a) within four years, all current and future adult home residents with mental illness are afforded the opportunity to receive services in a community-based housing program, if qualified, and (b) no individual with mental illness who is qualified for the State's community-based housing program is offered placement in an adult home unless, after being fully informed, he or she denies the opportunity to receive services in the community-based housing program. On April 6, 2012, the Second Circuit vacated the remedial order and judgment of the District Court and dismissed the action for lack of jurisdiction. Memorandum of Law in Support of Plaintiffs' Remedial Plan and in Opposition to Defendants' Proposed Remedial Plan (Word) | (PDF) - filed November 24, 2009 U.S. Brief as Appellee (PDF) - filed October 6, 2010 U.S. v. Arkansas – 10-CV-327 – (E.D. AR 2010) The United States filed suit against the State of Arkansas and Arkansas officials on May 6, 2010, alleging that the defendants were violating the ADA by failing to provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs and by failing to provide community service options for the 1400 people on waiting lists at risk of institutionalization. On January 24, 2011, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas dismissed the complaint without prejudice on procedural grounds relating to pre-litigation notice to the State. U.S. Complaint Alleging Violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (PDF) - filed May 6, 2010 U.S. v. Arkansas – 4:09-CV-00033 – (E.D. AR 2009) The United States filed a complaint on January 16, 2009, against the State of Arkansas and Arkansas officials alleging violations of the ADA, the U.S. Constitution, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act at the State's Conway Human Development Center for failing to provide services to facility residents in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs; subjecting them to unconstitutional conditions; and depriving them of a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. On June 8, 2011, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas dismissed the action with prejudice. U.S. Complaint Alleging Violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Constitution, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Word) (PDF) - filed January 16, 2009 U.S. Memorandum in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment (Word) | (PDF) - filed July 1, 2010, denied July 30, 2010) U.S. Post-Trial Brief (PDF) - filed February 10, 2011 Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (PDF) - filed June 8, 2011 U.S. v. Georgia – 10-CV-249 – (N.D. GA 2010) On October 19, 2010, the DOJ entered into a comprehensive Settlement Agreement with the State of Georgia and Georgia officials, resolving the United States' complaint alleging that individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities confined in State hospitals were unnecessarily institutionalized and subjected to unconstitutional harm to their lives, health, and safety in violation of the ADA and the U.S. Constitution. The agreement requires Georgia to expand community services so that individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities can receive supports in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. Specifically, for individuals with developmental disabilities, the agreement provides that Georgia will cease all admissions to the State-operated institutions; transition all individuals to the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs by July 1, 2015; create more than 1100 home and community-based waivers to serve individuals in the community; serve those receiving waivers in their own home or their family's home consistent with the individual's informed choice; and provide family supports, mobile crisis teams, and crisis respite homes. For individuals with mental illness, the agreement provides that Georgia will serve in the community 9,000 individuals with serious and persistent mental illness who are currently served in State Hospitals; frequently readmitted to State Hospitals; frequently seen in emergency rooms; chronically homeless and/or being released from jails or prisons. Services will be provided through a combination of 22 Assertive Community Treatment teams, 8 Community Support teams, 14 Intensive Case Management teams, 45 Case Management service providers, 6 Crisis Services Centers, 3 additional Crisis Stabilization Programs, community-based psychiatric beds, mobile crisis teams, crisis apartments, a crisis hotline, supported housing, supported employment, and peer support services. The agreement also provides for a State-wide quality management system for community services and names Elizabeth Jones as the Independent Reviewer to assess the State's compliance with the agreement. For more information about this case, visit the Special Litigation Section's website. September 20, 2012 report of the independent reviewer October 5, 2011 report of the independent reviewer U.S. v. Georgia Settlement Agreement Fact Sheet (Word) | (PDF) - October 19, 2010 Settlement Agreement (Word) | (PDF) - filed October 19, 2010 Order (Amending and Entering Settlement Agreement) (PDF) - filed October 29, 2010 Findings Letters Following DOJ Investigations DOJ Findings Letter to Florida (September 2012) The United States issued a Findings Letter in September 2012 concluding that Florida is violating the ADA's integration mandate in its provision of services and supports to children with medically complex and medically fragile conditions. After a comprehensive investigation, the Department found that the State of Florida plans, structures, and administers a system of care that has led to the unnecessary institutionalization of children in nursing facilities and places children currently residing in the community at risk of unnecessary institutionalization. Florida has implemented policies and procedures that limit access to medically necessary services and supports that would enable children to transition home to community-based settings. The Department recommended that the State implement certain remedial measures, including the development of sufficient supports to enable children with disabilities unnecessarily segregated, or at risk of unnecessary segregation, in nursing facilities to receive services and supports in integrated settings in the community. Letter of Findings (Word) | (PDF) - issued September 5, 2012 DOJ Findings Letter to Oregon (2012) The United States issued a Findings Letter in June 2012 concluding that Oregon is violating the ADA's integration mandate in its provision of employment and vocational services. After an extensive investigation, the Department found that the State of Oregon plans, structures, and administers its system of providing employment and vocational services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in a manner that delivers such services primarily in segregated sheltered workshops rather than in integrated community employment settings, causing the unnecessary segregation of individuals in sheltered workshops that are capable of, and not opposed to, receiving employment services in the community. The Department recommended that the State implement certain remedial measures, including the development of sufficient supported employment services to enable those individuals unnecessarily segregated, or at risk of unnecessary segregation, in sheltered workshops to receive services in individual integrated employment settings in the community. Letter of Findings (Word) | (PDF) - filed June 29, 2012 DOJ Findings Letter to Mississippi The United States issued a Findings Letter in December 2011 concluding that Mississippi is violating the ADA's integration mandate in its provision of services to people with developmental disabilities and mental illness. After an extensive investigation, the Department found the State of Mississippi has failed to meet its obligations under the ADA by unnecessarily institutionalizing persons with mental illness or DD in public and private facilities and failing to ensure that they are offered a meaningful opportunity to live in integrated community settings consistent with their needs. The Department recommended that the State implement certain remedial measures, including the development of adequate, safe community-based services for people with developmental disabilities or mental illness who are unnecessarily institutionalized, or at risk of unnecessary institutionalization. DOJ seeks to work with the State to negotiate a settlement to resolve the findings. For more information about this case, visit the Special Litigation Section's website. Letter of Findings (Word) | (PDF) - filed December 22, 2011 DOJ Findings Letter to North Carolina The United States issued a Findings Letter in July 2011 concluding that North Carolina is violating the ADA's integration mandate in its provision of mental health services. After an eight month investigation, the Department found that the State's administration of its mental health system causes the unnecessary institutionalization of individuals with mental illness in segregated facilities known as adult care homes. The Department recommended that the State implement certain remedial measures, including the development of scattered site supported housing and the provision of adequate, community-based support services for people with mental illness who are unnecessarily institutionalized, or at risk of unnecessary institutionalization, in adult care homes. DOJ is currently negotiating towards settlement with North Carolina to resolve the findings. Letter of Findings (Word) | (PDF) - filed July 28, 2011 DOJ Findings Letter to Virginia (2011) Finding that Virginia is in violation of the ADA integration mandate in the operation of its developmental disabilities services. The letter concludes that Virginia violates the ADA by unnecessarily institutionalizing more than 1000 individuals with developmental disabilities in large institutions and by placing other individuals at risk of institutionalization, including over 3000 individuals on the "urgent waitlist" for community services. The letter identifies a lack of sufficient community-based services, including waivers, crisis services, housing, and supported employment as a primary cause of the violations. It also cites a flawed and inadequate discharge planning process at the State's large institutions. DOJ is currently negotiating toward settlement with Virginia to resolve the findings. Letter of Findings (Word) | (PDF) - filed February 10, 2011 DOJ Findings Letter to New Hampshire (2011) Finding that the State of New Hampshire fails to provide services to individuals with mental illness in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs in violation of the ADA, which has led to the needless and prolonged institutionalization of individuals with disabilities and has placed individuals with disabilities at risk of unnecessary institutionalization. The letter finds that community capacity in New Hampshire has declined in recent years and that this has led to unnecessary institutionalization, prolonged institutionalization. There is also a greater likelihood that some people will end up in even less desirable settings not designed to provide mental health care such as the State corrections system and the county jails. The letter finds that acute/crisis alternatives to institutional care have diminished dramatically in recent years, and that there is a lack of safe, affordable, and stable community housing for persons with mental illness which can lead to greater levels of impairment, more difficulty in accessing needed services and supports, a loss of stability, and a greater risk of hospitalization and/or institutionalization. The letter highlighted that community alternatives cost significantly less than institutional services. The Department is currently negotiating toward settlement with New Hampshire to resolve the findings. Letter of Findings (PDF) - filed April 7, 2011 DOJ Findings Letter to Delaware (2010) - The United States issued a Findings Letter in November 2010 stating that Delaware is violating the ADA integration mandate in its provision of mental health services. The Letter finds that the State's system results in prolonged institutionalization of people who could be served in the community and leads to unnecessary hospitalization and risk of institutionalization of those currently in the community. Letter of Findings (Word) | (PDF) - filed November 9, 2010 DOJ Findings Letter to Nebraska (2008) On March 7, 2008, the Division issued a CRIPA/ADA findings letter to the State of Nebraska that detailed systemic conditions that violated the constitutional and statutory rights of the residents of the Beatrice State Developmental Center ("BSDC"), the State's largest facility for persons with developmental disabilities. At the time, BSDC housed close to 350 residents. The parties then swiftly concluded negotiations on a judicially enforceable remedial agreement. On July 2, 2008, the Hon. Richard G. Kopf, United States District Court Judge for the District of Nebraska (Lincoln), signed the parties' proposed consent decree as an order of the court. The agreement provides for oversight by a court monitor. Our decree has a strong ADA/Olmstead focus that has prompted the State to greatly expand community resources and to place dozens of BSDC residents into more integrated community settings. The State has funded the creation of new community programs, including specialty residential and day programs to meet the needs of persons with difficult health care and/or behavioral concerns. The census at BSDC has been cut about in half so far, and there are tangible plans to place several dozen more individuals in the community in the near future. The Division has accompanied the Independent Expert on just about all team monitoring visits since the decree took effect. Beatrice State Developmental Center in Beatrice, Nebraska Findings Letter (PDF) - filed March 7, 2008 United States v. State of Nebraska, Beatrice State Developmental Center Settlement Agreement (PDF) - filed July 2, 2008 Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center (LHH) In mid-June 2008, the Division executed a comprehensive Settlement Agreement with the City of San Francisco to address outstanding deficiencies at the LHH nursing home. LHH is owned and operated by the City through the San Francisco Department of Public Health, and is licensed as both a skilled nursing facility and an acute care hospital. At the time of our settlement, LHH was the largest publicly-operated, single-site nursing home in the United States with a capacity of over 1,200 skilled nursing beds. The Division issued CRIPA/ADA findings letters on May 6, 1998, April 1, 2003, and August 3, 2004, that collectively concluded, in part, that the City engages in a pattern or practice of unlawful conduct with respect to placement of qualified LHH residents in the most integrated setting pursuant to the ADA. The Settlement Agreement required the City to address our findings, in part, by developing and implementing appropriate services and supports for residents in integrated community settings. Because of our settlement, the City has reduced the census capacity of LHH by more than one-third and developed a rich network of community homes and programs that now serve hundreds of former LHH residents as well as an unquantifiable number of persons who likely would have been admitted to an institutional setting like LHH but for the newly-established community network. Community residences include scattered-site apartments and other integrated homes throughout the San Francisco metropolitan area that are supported by an effective community system of case management and other clinical professionals. Laguna Honda Hospital (California) (PDF) - May 6, 1998 Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center (California) (PDF) - April 1, 2003 Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center in San Francisco, California (PDF) - August 3, 2004 Settlement Agreement between the United States Department of Justice and City and County of San Francisco Regarding the Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, California (PDF) - June 13, 2008 DOJ Findings Letter to Puerto Rico (1997) Several years ago, the Division issued two CRIPA/ADA findings letters concluding that the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico was violating the constitutional and legal rights of several hundred persons with developmental disabilities who had been living in one or more of the Commonwealth's six residential institutions. Shortly thereafter, the Division reached agreement with the Commonwealth that Puerto Rico would develop and implement a series of measures to drastically transform the nature of its service-delivery system for persons with developmental disabilities. In recent years, the Division has been actively monitoring the Commonwealth's compliance with three CRIPA/ADA consent decrees, as well as several other court orders, all executed to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. The most recent of the consent decrees has a primary ADA/Olmstead focus and is called the "Community-Based Service Plan." It is a comprehensive community plan that has effectively changed the Commonwealth's service-delivery system from an institutional model to an entirely community-based system. Through our efforts, we have been successful in prompting the Commonwealth to close all six of its government-run residential institutions and, in their place, to create a vast network of small homes and other programs in integrated community settings all across the island. The Division has also prompted the Commonwealth to create competitive and supported employment and other meaningful opportunities for many of the former-residents in integrated community settings. We conduct regular onsite compliance visits of the community homes and programs in conjunction with a court monitor, and we participate in regular status hearings and conferences before the Hon. Gustavo A. Gelpi, United States District Court Judge for the District of Puerto Rico. In recent years, at our urging, the court has issued several orders to prevent proposed massive cuts in personnel and to the budget of the Commonwealth's intellectual disabilities program, thus ensuring continued services to the vulnerable participants. The Division is also currently monitoring the adequacy of the delivery of clinical and other professional services to the community participants. Letter of Findings (HTML) - filed December 11, 1997 Center for Integral Services Developmental Disabilities Facility Findings Letter (HTML) - filed June 11, 1997 United States v. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Complaint (HTML) - filed April 21, 1999 United States v. Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Interim Settlement Agreement (PDF) - filed May 4, 1999; see also: Supplemental Interim Settlement Agreement (PDF) - filed July 20, 2000 Community-Based Service Plan (PDF) - filed October 9, 2001 Transition Order (PDF) - filed December 10, 2008 Compliance Order (PDF) - filed August 17, 2009 Amicus Briefs / Statements of Interest ILADD v. DHS – 13-CV-01300 – (E.D. IL 2013) - On April 15, 2013, the United States filed a Statement of Interest in ILADD v. Quinn. Plaintiffs seek a preliminary injunction to stop the planned closure of two state-run centers for people with developmental disabilities. We argue that Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the regulations, and the case law do not support the claim that the ADA gives persons in state-run centers a right to remain in those institutions and to stop the State's efforts to rebalance its service system toward community based care. For more information about this case, visit the Special Litigation Section's website. Statement of Interest (Word) | (PDF) filed April 15, 2013 T.H. et al. v. Dudek et al., 0:12-cv-60460-WJZ (S.D. Fla. 2012) On April 10, 2013, the United States filed a Statement of Interest opposing Florida officials' Motion to Dismiss, and in support of plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification. The plaintiffs' complaint alleges that the State of Florida unnecessarily institutionalizes Medicaid-eligible children who are medically fragile in nursing facilities, or places them at risk of institutionalization, by limiting access to medically necessary services in the community, in violation of the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment ("EPSDT") provisions of the Medicaid Act. The complaint also alleges that Florida has violated the Pre-Admission Screening and Resident Review ("PASRR") provisions of the Nursing Home Reform Amendments to the Medicaid Act by failing to fully evaluate children before admitting them to nursing facilities. The United States previously filed a Statement of Interest opposing a prior motion to dismiss in June 2012. Statement of Interest (Word) | (PDF) filed April 10, 2013 Statement of Interest (Word) | (PDF) filed June 28, 2012 Hunter v. Cook, 1:08-cv-02930-TWT (N.D. Ga. 2013) The United States filed a Statement of Interest in Hunter v. Cook, in opposition to the state of Georgia's argument that serious risk of institutionalization is not a viable claim under Title II of the ADA. The Plaintiffs' suit is a proposed class action under Title II of the ADA, the Medicaid Act, 42 U.S.C.§ 1396a et seq., and the United States Constitution. Plaintiffs allege that the Defendant's administration of the Department of Community Health and the Medicaid program denies, limits, and reduces their nursing services in a manner that puts Plaintiffs at risk of unnecessary confinement or out of home care in violation of the ADA. Statement of Interest of the United States Word | (PDF) - filed March 14, 2013 Georgia Advocacy Office v. Shelp, 1:09-cv-2880-CAP The United States filed a Statement of Interest on June 25, 2010 to address the issue of access to institutions and records granted to Protection and Advocacy systems pursuant to the P&A acts. The United States argued that the P&A Act vests the P&As with broad access to people, facilities, and records to achieve the Acts' purpose of protecting vulnerable individuals from abuse and neglect. Statement of Interest (Word) | (PDF) - filed June 25, 2010 Katie A. v. Douglas– CV-02-05662 AHM (SHX) – (C.D. CA 2011) (Formerly Katie A. v. Bonta) On November 18, 2011, Comments of the United States in Support of Final Approval of the Proposed Settlement Agreement were filed in support of the parties' agreement to the manner in which the State will provide an array of intensive, community-based mental health services to Medi-Cal eligible foster children or children at-risk of entry into the foster-care system. The United States argued that the parties' Settlement Agreement, agreed upon after nine years of litigation, was "fair and reasonable" and advances the important public interest of compliance with title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment ("EPSDT") provisions of the Medicaid Act. Comments of the United States in Support of Final Approval of the Proposed Settlement Agreement (Word) | (PDF) - filed November 18, 2011 Day et al. v. District of Columbia et al., 1:10-cv-02250-ESH (D.D.C. 2010) The United States filed a Statement of Interest on October 3, 2011 opposing the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss or in the Alternative, for Summary Judgment. The pending lawsuit alleges that the District of Columbia violates the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act by unnecessarily segregating individuals with disabilities in nursing facilities. Statement of Interest (Word) | (PDF) - filed October 3, 2011 Darling v. Douglas – 09-CV-3798 – (N.D. CA 2009) (Formerly Cota v. Maxwell-Jolly) The United States filed a Statement of Interest on July 12, 2011 and October 31, 2011 in support of Plaintiffs' challenge to the manner in which the State plans to eliminate the Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) service, which enables elderly individuals and individuals with physical and mental disabilities to live in the community and avoid hospitalization and institutionalization. The United States argued that the State's plan to eliminate ADHC without ensuring sufficient alternative services are available will place thousands of individuals who currently receive ADHC services at serious risk of institutionalization, in violation of the ADA. Approximately 35,000 Californians would be affected by the proposed ADHC elimination. Previously, Plaintiffs successfully obtained two preliminary injunctions preventing the state from (1) reducing the maximum number of days of available ADHC services per week, and (2) implementing more restrictive eligibility criteria for the ADHC service. The State has appealed the second preliminary injunction halting the state's alterations to eligibility criteria, and the United States filed a brief supporting Plaintiffs-Appellees in June 2010. That appeal is currently pending before the Ninth Circuit. On January 10, 2012, The United States filed comments supporting final approval of the parties' proposed Settlement Agreement. On January 24, 2012, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted final approval of the Settlement Agreement. Comments of the United States in Support of Final Approval of the Proposed Settlement Agreement (Word) | (PDF) - filed January 10, 2012 Supplemental Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Word) | (PDF) - filed October 31, 2011 U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Word) | (PDF) - filed July 12, 2011 John B. v. Emkes (formerly, John B. v. Goetz) – 3-98-CV-0168 – (M.D. TN 1998) Following a remand from the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the United States filed a Statement of Interest in support of a Consent Decree remedying alleged failures by Tennessee officials to provide adequate health services and treatment to thousands of Medicaid-eligible children in violation of the early and periodic screening, diagnostic and treatment (EPSDT) provisions of the Medicaid Act. On March 1, 2011, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee entered preliminary findings, concluding that, because the EPSDT provisions of the Medicaid Act at issue in the case are privately enforceable and require States to provide services and treatment to Medicaid-eligible children, the majority of the Consent Decree should remain in effect. U.S. Statement of Interest in Opposition to the Defendant's Motion to Vacate Consent Decree (Word) | (PDF) - filed February 18, 2011 ARC of Virginia, Inc. v. Kaine – 09-CV-686 – (E.D. VA 2009) The United States filed an Amicus Curiae Brief supporting the ARC of Virginia's challenge to the State of Virginia's plan to build a costly, institutional facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities, a plan that Plaintiff alleged would result in seventy-five individuals being moved to unnecessarily segregated facilities. The Court denied the Plaintiff's motion for preliminary injunction and granted the defendants' motion to dismiss in December 2009. U.S. Memorandum of Law as Amicus Curiae in Opposition to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (Word) | (PDF) - filed November 24, 2009 Benjamin v. Dept. Pub. Welfare (M.D. Pa.) In July 2010, the United States filed an amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief in this class action. We supported the arguments made by a class of individuals with developmental disabilities who sought to end their unjustified segregation in Pennsylvania's large, publicly-run congregate care institutions. In January 2011, the Court ruled in favor of the class members, finding that Defendants had violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131-12134, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. § 794, by unnecessarily institutionalizing the class members. Mem. & Order, Benjamin v. Department of Public Welfare, No. 09-cv-1182 (M.D. Pa. Jan. 27, 2011). The Court encouraged the parties to negotiate an agreement to remedy that violation. The parties submitted a settlement agreement for the Court's approval in May 2011. The Court held a fairness hearing to determine whether the agreement was fair, adequate, and reasonable. Following the hearing, in September 2011, the Court approved the agreement. Since that time, representatives of a group of individuals who live in these state institutions and wish to remain there have appealed the Court's order approving the settlement agreement to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. (Benjamin et al. v. Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, et al., Nos. 11-3684, 11-3685 (3d Cir.)). They argue that the relief given to the class members will hurt their ability to stay in the institutions. They also argue that the settlement agreement should not have been approved because it assumes that institutionalized individuals who are unable to express a preference regarding their placements can be moved to community-based services if appropriate. The class members and Pennsylvania defendants together filed a brief opposing those arguments on April 3, 2012. Shortly thereafter, the United States filed an amicus curiae brief supporting the settlement agreement. We argued that the settlement agreement is fair and reasonable. We also explained that because federal law strongly favors the integration of individuals with disabilities into the community over segregation in large institutions, an institutionalized person who can live in the community but cannot express a preference regarding placement and has no guardian or involved family member, should be provided with community-based services. In December 2012, the Third Circuit ruled that the group of individuals who wish to remain in the state's congregate care institutions has an interest in the settlement agreement and that those individuals were not adequately represented by any other party in the lawsuit. The Third Circuit therefore reversed the district court's order approving the settlement and sent the case back to the district court. The Third Circuit ruled that this time, the group of individuals must be permitted to participate in the remaining stages of the lawsuit. The case is now back before the district court. For more information about this case, visit the Special Litigation Section's website. Brief for the United States as Amicus Curiae in Support of Appellees and Urging Affirmance (Word) | (PDF) - filed April 5, 2012 U.S. Statement in Support of the Settlement Agreement (PDF) - filed August 2, 2011 U.S. Brief as Amicus Curiae in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment (PDF) - filed July 7, 2010 Cota v. Maxwell-Jolly - 10-15635 -- (9th Cir.) In 2009, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California stopped the State of California from reducing the maximum weekly number of days of Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) services, which enable elderly individuals and individuals with physical and mental disabilities to live in the community and avoid hospitalization and institutionalization. (656 F.Supp. 2d 1161). The Court held that the State had failed to put in place measures to ensure that recipients of ADHC impacted by the reductions would not be placed at risk of institutionalization, in violation of the ADA. In 2010, the Court prevented the State from implementing more restrictive eligibility criteria, reasoning that the State's plan to alter eligibility criteria, without more action by the State to improve the process for community placements, would again place recipients at risk of institutionalization. (688 F. Supp. 2d 980) The State appealed the Court's 2010 decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where the United States filed an Amicus Curiae Brief supporting the plaintiffs' argument that the State's planned alterations to eligibility criteria would place individuals with disabilities at risk of institutionalization. That case is currently pending before the Ninth Circuit. Brief of the United States as Amicus Curiae Supporting Plaintiffs-Appellees (PDF) - filed June 28, 2010 Disability Rights New Jersey, Inc. v. Velez – 05-CV-4723 – (D. NJ 2005) Hundreds of persons with developmental disabilities residing in several large State-owned-and–operated institutions in New Jersey brought this suit, alleging that the State fails to provide them with services and supports in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. In May 2010, the parties filed cross-motions for Summary Judgment. The United States filed an Amicus Curiae Brief supporting the plaintiffs and arguing that unnecessary segregation of individuals with disabilities in institutions is a form of discrimination prohibited by the ADA. The United States also asserted that New Jersey is failing to serve individuals with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs and that continued unjustified institutionalization violates their rights. On September 24, 2010, the Court denied both parties' Summary Judgment motions and set the proceeding for trial. (2010 WL 3862536). The case is currently pending. U.S. Brief as Amicus Curiae in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment (PDF) - filed June 21, 2010 Boyd v. Mullins -- 2:10-CV-688 – (M.D. AL 2010) Jonathon Paul Boyd, a 34-year-old with quadriplegia who is currently living in a nursing home but desires and is able to receive services in a more integrated setting, alleges that the State of Alabama violates Title II of the ADA by administering its Medicaid program in a manner that causes Mr. Boyd to be unnecessarily institutionalized in a nursing facility. The United States filed a Statement of Interest supporting Mr. Boyd's motion for preliminary injunctive relief, which the Court denied on November 12, 2010. (753 F. Supp. 2d 1163) The case is ongoing. U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiff's Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Word) | (PDF) - filed October 12, 2010 Clinton L., et al. v. Cansler, et al. – 10-CV-00123 – (M.D. NC 2010) Individuals with developmental disabilities and mental illness challenged the State's proposed reductions in reimbursement rates for in-home services that will have the effect of eliminating providers that offer medically necessary services that enable individuals to successfully reside in the community and will place them at risk of institutionalization. On February 16, 2010, the United States filed a Statement of Interest in support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction. The Court denied the Motion, but ordered the State to provide appropriate community based services during the pendency of the lawsuit. U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Word) | (PDF) - filed February 16, 2010 Connecticut Office of Protection and Advocacy v. State of Connecticut – 3:06-CV-179 – (D. CT 2006) The Plaintiffs in this lawsuit challenge the State of Connecticut's reliance on privately-run, segregated nursing facilities to serve the needs of individuals with mental illness who would be more appropriately served in community-based settings. The United States filed an Amicus Curiae Brief opposing the State's Motion to Dismiss. The Court denied the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss and granted in part Plaintiffs' motion for class certification on March 31, 2010. (706 F. Supp. 2d 266) The case is ongoing. U.S. Memorandum as Amicus Curiae in Support of Plaintiffs' Opposition to Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (Word) | (PDF) - filed November 25, 2009 Cruz v. Dudek – 1:10-CV-23048 – (S.D. FL 2010) Luis Cruz and Nigel de la Torre successfully sought a preliminary injunction enjoining the State of Florida from denying them the home and community-based services available under its Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury Medicaid Waiver. The United States had filed a Statement of Interest in support of Cruz and de la Torre's motion for preliminary injunctive relief. On April 19, 2011, the Court granted the parties' joint motion to dismiss with prejudice. Luis Cruz and Nigel de la Torre continue to receive home and community-based services under the State's Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury Medicaid Waiver. U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Word) | (PDF) - filed September 13, 2010 Haddad v. Arnold – 3:10-CV-414 – (M.D. FL 2010) Michelle Haddad successfully sought a preliminary injunction enjoining the State of Florida from denying her the home and community-based services available under its Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury Medicaid Waiver. The United States had filed a Statement of Interest in Support of Haddad's Motion for Preliminary Injunctive Relief. On April 19, 2011, the Court granted the parties' joint motion to dismiss with prejudice. Michelle Haddad continues to receive home and community-based services under the State's Traumatic Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury Medicaid Waiver. U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiff's Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Word) | (PDF) - filed May 24, 2010 Hampe v. Hamos – 10-CV-3121 – (N.D. IL 2010) In July 2010, the United States filed a Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification, urging the Court to permit young adults to collectively challenge a State policy that places medically fragile individuals with disabilities at risk of institutionalization after turning 21. The Court granted Plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification on November 22, 2010. The case is currently pending. U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification (Word) | (PDF) - filed July 16, 2010) Hiltibran v. Levy – 10-CV-4185 – (W.D. MO 2010) In a suit brought by individuals who need incontinence supplies to live in the community, the court issued an order on June 24, 2011 requiring the State of Missouri to provide Medicaid-funded incontinence supplies to individuals who need those supplies to prevent their placement in nursing facilities. The United States filed a Statement of Interest supporting Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction and Motion for Summary Judgment arguing that Missouri's policy not to provide the necessary supplies placed individuals at risk of institutionalization in violation of the ADA. Court Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment (Word) | (PDF) – filed April 4, 2011 U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment (Word) | (PDF) – filed April 4, 2011 U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Word) | (PDF) - filed October 15, 2010 Jones v. Arnold – 09-CV-1170 – (M.D. FL 2010) Plaintiffs challenge the State's failure to fund appropriate Medicaid community services for individuals with spinal cord injury, which places Plaintiffs at risk of institutionalization in violation of Olmstead. The United States moved to intervene in August 2010. The case was voluntarily dismissed January 3, 2011. U.S. Motion to Intervene (Word) | (PDF) - filed September 10, 2010 Knipp v. Perdue – 10-CV-2850 – (N.D. GA 2010) In October 2010, the United States filed a brief in support of Plaintiffs' challenge to the State's plan to eliminate services for individuals with mental illness without offering sufficient alternative support services that are necessary to prevent Plaintiffs' hospitalization and institutionalization. The Court granted Plaintiffs' motion on October 7, 2010. The case is currently pending. U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Word) | (PDF) - filed October 6, 2010 Lee v. Dudek – 4:08-CV-26 – (N.D. FL 2008) This class of plaintiffs—consisting of all Medicaid-eligible adults with disabilities who currently, or at any time during the litigation, are unnecessarily confined to a nursing facility and desire to and are capable of residing in the community—claims that the State of Florida's refusal to provide services in the community to these individuals violates the ADA's integration mandate. The United States filed a Statement of Interest in opposition to the Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment in December 2010. The Court denied the parties' motions for Summary Judgment on January 20, 2011, and the case proceeded to trial in Feburary 2011. The parties await the Court's ruling. U.S. Statement of Interest in connection with the Parties' Cross Motions for Summary Judgment (Word) | (PDF) - filed December 20, 2010 Long v. Benson – 08-16261 – (11th Cir. 2010) (related to Lee v. Dudek) Clayton Griffin—a member of the class in Lee v. Dudek and who is partially paralyzed—successfully sought a preliminary injunction requiring the State of Florida to provide him with community-based services through the State's Medicaid program, instead of requiring him to remain in a nursing home in order to receive needed services. The State of Florida appealed the ruling to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States filed an Amicus Curiae Brief noting that ADA regulations are enforceable through a private lawsuit. The United States also noted that the ADA regulation stating that entities are not required to provide "personal devices and services" to individuals with disabilities does not exempt entities from complying with the integration regulation when they choose to operate a program that does provide personal services and devices to individuals with disabilities. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the District Court's grant of Mr. Griffin's request for preliminary injunctive relief. (383 F. App'x 930) Brief for the United States as Amicus Curiae in Support of Appellee (PDF) - filed April 2, 2009 Ligas v. Maram – 05-CV-04331 – (N.D. IL 2005) In January 2010, the United States filed a Statement of Interest urging the Court to grant preliminary approval of the Plaintiffs' and Defendants' jointly submitted Consent Decree in a case regarding large, private facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities. Intervenors, primarily family members of residents, strongly opposed the agreement. The Court referred all the parties to settlement negotiations and the United States participated in those discussions. All parties, including the intervenors, reached a revised agreement that requires the State to move at least 3,000 individuals with developmental disabilities into community-based settings within the next six years. The Court approved the revised Settlement Agreement in June 2011. U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of the Parties' Proposed Consent Decree (Word) | (PDF) - filed January 26, 2010 Marlo M. v. Cansler – 09-CV-535 – (E.D. N.C. 2009) In a case brought by two individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities who faced institutionalization because of the State's decision to reduce their community-based services, the United States filed an Amicus Brief in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction in December 2009, requesting that the Court stop the State from reducing the services. The Court granted Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction on January 17, 2010. (679 F.Supp. 2d 635). U.S. Memorandum as Amicus Curiae in Support of Plaintiff's Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Word) | (PDF) - filed December 23, 2010 M.R. v. Drefyus – 10-CV-2052 – (W.D. WA 2011) In a suit brought on behalf of approximately 45,000 individuals with disabilities who receive personal care services through Washington State's Medicaid program, the United States filed a Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction in January 2011, which the District Court denied in February 2011. On December 16, 2011, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the judgment of the district court and granted injunctive relief with respect to the named plaintiffs, finding that plaintiffs had demonstrated that the State's cuts placed them at serious risk of institutionalization in violation of the ADA. The court relied, in part, upon DOJ's previously filed Statement of Interest. Letter from DOJ AAG Perez and HHS OCR Director Rodriguez to Governor Gregoire (Word) | (PDF) - October 22, 2012 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Order Granting Injunctive Relief as to Named Plaintiffs | (PDF) - filed December 16, 2011 U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Word) | (PDF) - filed January 26, 2011 Napper v. County of Sacramento – 10-CV-01119 – (E.D. CA 2010) Individuals with mental illness brought suit against the County of Sacramento for failing to provide adequate community-based services, which placed them at risk of institutionalization. In July 2010, the United States filed a Statement of Interest in support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction, requesting that the Court stop the County from moving forward with its plans to drastically change the mental health service system. The Court granted Plaintiffs' motion on July 27, 2010. U.S. Statement of Interest in Support of Plaintiffs' Motion for Preliminary Injunction (Word) | (PDF) - filed July 19, 2010 Pitts v. Greenstein – 10-CV-635 – (M.D. LA 2010) In September 2010, a group of four individuals with disabilities who receive and depend on Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS) in order to remain in the community and to prevent hospitalization and institutionalization filed suit to prevent the State of Louisiana from reducing the maximum number of PCS hours available each week. If the State moved forward with the reduction in services, the Plaintiffs argued, they and other individuals with disabilities would be placed at risk of institutionalization. In April 2011, the United States filed a brief supporting the Plaintiffs' argument that the cuts would place individuals with disabilities at risk of institutionalization and urging the Court to deny the State's Motion for Summary Judgment. In May 2011, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana denied the State's Motion for Summary Judgment. In June 2011, the Court granted the Plaintiffs' Motion to Certify a Statewide Class of Individuals affected by the reduction in PCS services. At the urging of the Department of Justice, a Federal court denies the State of Louisiana's request to dismiss a lawsuit brought by individuals with disabilities affected by the State's reduction in personal care services. U.S. Statement of Interest in Opposition to the Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment (Word) (PDF) - filed April 7, 2011 Order Denying Motion for Summary Judgment (Word) | (PDF) Troupe v. Barbour – 10-CV-00153 – (S.D. MS 2010) The United States filed a Statement of Interest opposing Mississippi officials' Motion to Dismiss the complaint of Medicaid-eligible children with significant behavioral disorders who allege that the State of Mississippi fails to ensure that medically necessary services are provided to Medicaid-eligible children in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs in violation of the ADA and the EPSDT provisions of the Medicaid Act. The motion to dismiss is pending. U.S. Statement of Interest in Opposition to the Defendants' Motion to Dismiss (Word) | (PDF) - filed April 8, 2011 Oster v. Lightbourne – 09-CV-4668 – (N.D. CA 2009) (Formerly Oster v. Wagner) The United States filed a Statement of Interest on January 9, 2012 regarding Plaintiffs' challenge to a twenty percent reduction in personal care services provided through the State's In-Home Support Services (IHSS) program. IHSS is designed to enable elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities to avoid hospitalization and institutionalization. On January 19, 2012, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted Plaintiffs' motion for preliminary injunction. Previously, the Court preliminarily enjoined the State's planned implementation of more restrictive eligibility criteria for the IHSS program that would reduce or terminate IHSS services. The State has appealed the preliminary injunction, and the United States filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals supporting Plaintiffs-Appellees on March 2, 2010. That appeal is currently pending. Statement of Interest (Word) | (PDF) - filed January 9, 2012 Brief of the United States as Amicus Curiae Supporting Plaintiffs-Appellees (Word) | (PDF) - filed March 2, 2010 Williams v. Quinn – 05-CV-4673 – (N.D. IL 2005) On May 24, 2010, the Department filed comments in Williams v. Quinn, supporting a Settlement Agreement that would provide hundreds of individuals with mental illness the opportunity to move from institutions to community-based settings. On September 29, 2010, the Court gave final approval of the Settlement Agreement. (748 F. Supp.2d 892) Comments by the United States in Support of Final Approval of the Parties' Proposed Consent Decree (Word) | (PDF) - filed September 10, 2010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- ADA.gov | Civil Rights Division last updated June 13, 2013 From wickps at gmail.com Sat Jun 15 20:36:29 2013 From: wickps at gmail.com (Paul Wick) Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:36:29 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, I have a question concerning access to restricted judicial records by blind people, (I am a blind attorney, but this is for my own research not for a client.) I have been granted access to view a restricted document in a rural courthouse, but I was wondering what list members think would be a more reasonable accomodation of my disability either to (1) execute a power of attorney and have someone else view it, and allow that person to take notes, or (2) alternatively, if my presence is required, that my assistant be allowed to accompany me to wherever the restricted documents are stored and that they be allowed to take notes. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time. Paul From rdittman at stmarytx.edu Sat Jun 15 22:47:33 2013 From: rdittman at stmarytx.edu (Dittman, Robert) Date: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 22:47:33 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <57A51F5E-A0A4-4AF4-A6A3-237AC8F31D02@stmarytx.edu> Hello Paul, please excuse any typos or spelling errors as I am dictating this message to you using my iPhone. I am a criminal defense attorney and I frequently use the discovery system from the District Attorney's Office. The problem with this system, is that it utilizes scanned images as PDF documents. Such documents are not text PDFs, but are rather scanned images that my screen reader will not read. I see absolutely no problem with your Your assistant reading the document to you, or, in the alternative, you printing the text based PDF or image-based PDFs and scanning it using an OCR program such as open book I would speak with the custodian of the documents to see what reasonable accommodation they may have in place. The basic prime directive, is that if you have been granted access to the document then you must be able to move heaven and earth to gain access to that document using what ever modification that is necessary in order for you to access the information of that document. I hope that this helps if you wish to speak with me over the telephone or via email in trying to put some of this into action please feel free to contact me. Robert Dittman, Esq. Atty. and Counselor at Law (210) 389 – 3388 Rdittman at me.com Sent from my iPhone On Jun 15, 2013, at 15:37, "Paul Wick" wrote: > Dear Colleagues, > > I have a question concerning access to restricted judicial records by > blind people, (I am a blind attorney, but this is for my own research > not for a client.) > > I have been granted access to view a restricted document in a rural > courthouse, but I was wondering what list members think would be a > more reasonable accomodation of my disability either to (1) execute a > power of attorney and have someone else view it, and allow that person > to take notes, or (2) alternatively, if my presence is required, that > my assistant be allowed to accompany me to wherever the restricted > documents are stored and that they be allowed to take notes. > > Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. > > Thanks for your time. > > Paul > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rdittman%40stmarytx.edu From mr.nicholas.parsons at gmail.com Sun Jun 16 11:01:42 2013 From: mr.nicholas.parsons at gmail.com (Nicholas Parsons) Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:01:42 +1000 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <001c01ce66fc$0fd48220$2f7d8660$@gmail.com> References: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> <001b01ce6603$daf86510$90e92f30$@gmail.com> <000001ce66df$1432b250$3c9816f0$@com> <008d01ce66e3$d2722b70$77568250$@gmail.com> <001c01ce66fc$0fd48220$2f7d8660$@gmail.com> Message-ID: The Kindle app for iPHone, iPad and iPod Touch is brilliant and completely accessible. You can read your books, take notes, look up words in its dictionary, and check what print page number you're on. Whether or not you can easily navigate by chapter and sub-section via the table of contents depends on how the publisher has formatted the book. But most new law books are properly formatted with hyperlinked tables of contents. The Kindle Store also has plenty of great law books. The one downside is that you can't read footnotes and as someone else mentioned these can be really important for law books. iBooks is another highly accessible option but the iBooks Store does not have many law books. It does, however, read DRM free PDFs. I often get PDFs of law textbooks from publishers and then read them with iBooks. The footnotes just appear at the bottom of the page like ordinary text. I would, however, suggest you ask the publishers to provide properly formatted, hyperlinked tables of contents though if you do this. The other downside with iBooks is that it doesn't necessarily tell you which print page number you're on, unless it is written in the text of the page. However, Adobe Reader on Windows with JAWS will give you this information if it has been formatted properly. From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Sun Jun 16 11:06:40 2013 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:06:40 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: References: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> <001b01ce6603$daf86510$90e92f30$@gmail.com> <000001ce66df$1432b250$3c9816f0$@com> <008d01ce66e3$d2722b70$77568250$@gmail.com> <001c01ce66fc$0fd48220$2f7d8660$@gmail.com> Message-ID: Does Kindle have many of the standard textbooks? Nicholas, as I understand that you're based in Australia, I'd be particularly interested in your comments as I'm based in Ireland where English and Australian texts would be more used than US works, in ordinary practice. Thanks Ger On 6/16/13, Nicholas Parsons wrote: > The Kindle app for iPHone, iPad and iPod Touch is brilliant and completely > accessible. You can read your books, take notes, look up words in its > dictionary, and check what print page number you're on. Whether or not you > can easily navigate by chapter and sub-section via the table of contents > depends on how the publisher has formatted the book. But most new law books > are properly formatted with hyperlinked tables of contents. The Kindle Store > also has plenty of great law books. The one downside is that you can't read > footnotes and as someone else mentioned these can be really important for > law books. > > iBooks is another highly accessible option but the iBooks Store does not > have many law books. It does, however, read DRM free PDFs. I often get PDFs > of law textbooks from publishers and then read them with iBooks. The > footnotes just appear at the bottom of the page like ordinary text. I would, > however, suggest you ask the publishers to provide properly formatted, > hyperlinked tables of contents though if you do this. The other downside > with iBooks is that it doesn't necessarily tell you which print page number > you're on, unless it is written in the text of the page. However, Adobe > Reader on Windows with JAWS will give you this information if it has been > formatted properly. > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%40gmail.com > From dbeitz at wiennergould.com Sun Jun 16 15:33:52 2013 From: dbeitz at wiennergould.com (Daniel K. Beitz) Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:33:52 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents In-Reply-To: <57A51F5E-A0A4-4AF4-A6A3-237AC8F31D02@stmarytx.edu> References: <57A51F5E-A0A4-4AF4-A6A3-237AC8F31D02@stmarytx.edu> Message-ID: <005801ce6aa6$e94658a0$bbd309e0$@wiennergould.com> If you can get the PDF, you can use omnipage to OCR it. Omnipage installs an item in your context menue. After the OCR is done, it creates a word document with the same name as the PDF. It is great. No need to scan. I assume that the OCR software is more updated than open book. ------------------------------------------- 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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dittman, Robert Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2013 6:48 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents Hello Paul, please excuse any typos or spelling errors as I am dictating this message to you using my iPhone. I am a criminal defense attorney and I frequently use the discovery system from the District Attorney's Office. The problem with this system, is that it utilizes scanned images as PDF documents. Such documents are not text PDFs, but are rather scanned images that my screen reader will not read. I see absolutely no problem with your Your assistant reading the document to you, or, in the alternative, you printing the text based PDF or image-based PDFs and scanning it using an OCR program such as open book I would speak with the custodian of the documents to see what reasonable accommodation they may have in place. The basic prime directive, is that if you have been granted access to the document then you must be able to move heaven and earth to gain access to that document using what ever modification that is necessary in order for you to access the information of that document. I hope that this helps if you wish to speak with me over the telephone or via email in trying to put some of this into action please feel free to contact me. Robert Dittman, Esq. Atty. and Counselor at Law (210) 389 - 3388 Rdittman at me.com Sent from my iPhone On Jun 15, 2013, at 15:37, "Paul Wick" wrote: > Dear Colleagues, > > I have a question concerning access to restricted judicial records by > blind people, (I am a blind attorney, but this is for my own research > not for a client.) > > I have been granted access to view a restricted document in a rural > courthouse, but I was wondering what list members think would be a > more reasonable accomodation of my disability either to (1) execute a > power of attorney and have someone else view it, and allow that person > to take notes, or (2) alternatively, if my presence is required, that > my assistant be allowed to accompany me to wherever the restricted > documents are stored and that they be allowed to take notes. > > Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. > > Thanks for your time. > > Paul > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rdittman%40 > stmarytx.edu _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Sun Jun 16 15:56:50 2013 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 10:56:50 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents In-Reply-To: <005801ce6aa6$e94658a0$bbd309e0$@wiennergould.com> References: <57A51F5E-A0A4-4AF4-A6A3-237AC8F31D02@stmarytx.edu> <005801ce6aa6$e94658a0$bbd309e0$@wiennergould.com> Message-ID: <005c01ce6aaa$1d46d910$57d48b30$@sbcglobal.net> Daniel: I assume Omnipage is an OCR software program that one can purchase at their local office supply. How much is the program? Daniel McBride Fort Worth, Texas -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. Beitz Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013 10:34 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents If you can get the PDF, you can use omnipage to OCR it. Omnipage installs an item in your context menue. After the OCR is done, it creates a word document with the same name as the PDF. It is great. No need to scan. I assume that the OCR software is more updated than open book. ------------------------------------------- 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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dittman, Robert Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2013 6:48 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents Hello Paul, please excuse any typos or spelling errors as I am dictating this message to you using my iPhone. I am a criminal defense attorney and I frequently use the discovery system from the District Attorney's Office. The problem with this system, is that it utilizes scanned images as PDF documents. Such documents are not text PDFs, but are rather scanned images that my screen reader will not read. I see absolutely no problem with your Your assistant reading the document to you, or, in the alternative, you printing the text based PDF or image-based PDFs and scanning it using an OCR program such as open book I would speak with the custodian of the documents to see what reasonable accommodation they may have in place. The basic prime directive, is that if you have been granted access to the document then you must be able to move heaven and earth to gain access to that document using what ever modification that is necessary in order for you to access the information of that document. I hope that this helps if you wish to speak with me over the telephone or via email in trying to put some of this into action please feel free to contact me. Robert Dittman, Esq. Atty. and Counselor at Law (210) 389 - 3388 Rdittman at me.com Sent from my iPhone On Jun 15, 2013, at 15:37, "Paul Wick" wrote: > Dear Colleagues, > > I have a question concerning access to restricted judicial records by > blind people, (I am a blind attorney, but this is for my own research > not for a client.) > > I have been granted access to view a restricted document in a rural > courthouse, but I was wondering what list members think would be a > more reasonable accomodation of my disability either to (1) execute a > power of attorney and have someone else view it, and allow that person > to take notes, or (2) alternatively, if my presence is required, that > my assistant be allowed to accompany me to wherever the restricted > documents are stored and that they be allowed to take notes. > > Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. > > Thanks for your time. > > Paul > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rdittman%40 > stmarytx.edu _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net From dbeitz at wiennergould.com Sun Jun 16 16:03:26 2013 From: dbeitz at wiennergould.com (Daniel K. Beitz) Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:03:26 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents In-Reply-To: <005c01ce6aaa$1d46d910$57d48b30$@sbcglobal.net> References: <57A51F5E-A0A4-4AF4-A6A3-237AC8F31D02@stmarytx.edu> <005801ce6aa6$e94658a0$bbd309e0$@wiennergould.com> <005c01ce6aaa$1d46d910$57d48b30$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <000001ce6aab$09e641c0$1db2c540$@wiennergould.com> Actually, the best place to get it is to download it from Nuance.com. I think the basic omnipage is $99. You don't need the professional version or paper port or anything like that. Just Omnipage will do it. It is very accessible with screen readers, and the context menu item in windows explorer works great. ------------------------------------------- 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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013 11:57 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents Daniel: I assume Omnipage is an OCR software program that one can purchase at their local office supply. How much is the program? Daniel McBride Fort Worth, Texas -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. Beitz Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013 10:34 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents If you can get the PDF, you can use omnipage to OCR it. Omnipage installs an item in your context menue. After the OCR is done, it creates a word document with the same name as the PDF. It is great. No need to scan. I assume that the OCR software is more updated than open book. ------------------------------------------- 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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dittman, Robert Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2013 6:48 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Cc: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents Hello Paul, please excuse any typos or spelling errors as I am dictating this message to you using my iPhone. I am a criminal defense attorney and I frequently use the discovery system from the District Attorney's Office. The problem with this system, is that it utilizes scanned images as PDF documents. Such documents are not text PDFs, but are rather scanned images that my screen reader will not read. I see absolutely no problem with your Your assistant reading the document to you, or, in the alternative, you printing the text based PDF or image-based PDFs and scanning it using an OCR program such as open book I would speak with the custodian of the documents to see what reasonable accommodation they may have in place. The basic prime directive, is that if you have been granted access to the document then you must be able to move heaven and earth to gain access to that document using what ever modification that is necessary in order for you to access the information of that document. I hope that this helps if you wish to speak with me over the telephone or via email in trying to put some of this into action please feel free to contact me. Robert Dittman, Esq. Atty. and Counselor at Law (210) 389 - 3388 Rdittman at me.com Sent from my iPhone On Jun 15, 2013, at 15:37, "Paul Wick" wrote: > Dear Colleagues, > > I have a question concerning access to restricted judicial records by > blind people, (I am a blind attorney, but this is for my own research > not for a client.) > > I have been granted access to view a restricted document in a rural > courthouse, but I was wondering what list members think would be a > more reasonable accomodation of my disability either to (1) execute a > power of attorney and have someone else view it, and allow that person > to take notes, or (2) alternatively, if my presence is required, that > my assistant be allowed to accompany me to wherever the restricted > documents are stored and that they be allowed to take notes. > > Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. > > Thanks for your time. > > Paul > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rdittman%40 > stmarytx.edu _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com From cathrynisfinally at verizon.net Sun Jun 16 22:21:23 2013 From: cathrynisfinally at verizon.net (Cathryn) Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:21:23 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Estate Law Question Message-ID: <001501ce6adf$d626a070$8273e150$@verizon.net> Good evening colleagues, I am a totally blind attorney who recently passed the bar for the first time, and passed in DC. I reside in VA. I do not currently have a Westlaw or Lexus membership as they are expensive and not required for the work I am doing now. I have been asked by a blind acquaintance in VA to prepare a will. Does anyone know whether I am required to formally associate with a VA attorney to do this? I am currently working at an entry level in immigration law- as of last week- and will ask that group if needed. Interested in your thoughts or any insight you may be able to provide. Thanks. Best Cathryn Bonnette ESQ C: 202-744-4800 E: cathrynisfinally at verizon.net From tmeloy at fuse.net Sun Jun 16 23:50:14 2013 From: tmeloy at fuse.net (Timothy J. Meloy) Date: Sun, 16 Jun 2013 19:50:14 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Estate Law Question In-Reply-To: <001501ce6adf$d626a070$8273e150$@verizon.net> References: <001501ce6adf$d626a070$8273e150$@verizon.net> Message-ID: <47D5FF7F-D967-42AC-A983-B79AC8DD904C@fuse.net> I believe DC and VA are separate jurisdictions for licensing purposes. So you would need to associate with a VA lawyer. The attorney licensed in Virginia would be better able to answer this question. TJ On Jun 16, 2013, at 6:21 PM, "Cathryn" wrote: > Good evening colleagues, > > > > I am a totally blind attorney who recently passed the bar for the first > time, and passed in DC. I reside in VA. I do not currently have a Westlaw > or Lexus membership as they are expensive and not required for the work I am > doing now. I have been asked by a blind acquaintance in VA to prepare a > will. Does anyone know whether I am required to formally associate with a > VA attorney to do this? I am currently working at an entry level in > immigration law- as of last week- and will ask that group if needed. > Interested in your thoughts or any insight you may be able to provide. > > Thanks. > > > > Best > > > > Cathryn Bonnette ESQ > > C: 202-744-4800 > > E: cathrynisfinally at verizon.net > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.net From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Sun Jun 16 23:53:23 2013 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:53:23 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] Estate Law Question In-Reply-To: <47D5FF7F-D967-42AC-A983-B79AC8DD904C@fuse.net> References: <001501ce6adf$d626a070$8273e150$@verizon.net> <47D5FF7F-D967-42AC-A983-B79AC8DD904C@fuse.net> Message-ID: Does that depend on whether you're billing for the service? On 6/17/13, Timothy J. Meloy wrote: > I believe DC and VA are separate jurisdictions for licensing purposes. So > you would need to associate with a VA lawyer. The attorney licensed in > Virginia would be better able to answer this question. > TJ > > On Jun 16, 2013, at 6:21 PM, "Cathryn" > wrote: > >> Good evening colleagues, >> >> >> >> I am a totally blind attorney who recently passed the bar for the first >> time, and passed in DC. I reside in VA. I do not currently have a >> Westlaw >> or Lexus membership as they are expensive and not required for the work I >> am >> doing now. I have been asked by a blind acquaintance in VA to prepare a >> will. Does anyone know whether I am required to formally associate with >> a >> VA attorney to do this? I am currently working at an entry level in >> immigration law- as of last week- and will ask that group if needed. >> Interested in your thoughts or any insight you may be able to provide. >> >> Thanks. >> >> >> >> Best >> >> >> >> Cathryn Bonnette ESQ >> >> C: 202-744-4800 >> >> E: cathrynisfinally at verizon.net >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/tmeloy%40fuse.net > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%40gmail.com > From ukekearuaro at valtdnet.com Mon Jun 17 06:13:41 2013 From: ukekearuaro at valtdnet.com (Olusegun -- Victory Associates LTD, Inc.) Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:13:41 -0600 Subject: [blindlaw] Accessing restricted court documents In-Reply-To: <005801ce6aa6$e94658a0$bbd309e0$@wiennergould.com> References: <57A51F5E-A0A4-4AF4-A6A3-237AC8F31D02@stmarytx.edu> <005801ce6aa6$e94658a0$bbd309e0$@wiennergould.com> Message-ID: <00fe01ce6b21$d12bbb40$738331c0$@com> Abbyy FineReader will do the same. The Professional Edition may be needed though. Sincerely, Olusegun Denver, Colorado From rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com Mon Jun 17 11:37:43 2013 From: rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com (Rahul Bajaj) Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:07:43 +0530 Subject: [blindlaw] Drafting research papers on the Mac Message-ID: Hello all, I hope this message finds you well. I have a query - which application should I use for preparing research papers on the Mac? I believe Textedit is not so good because you can't add footnotes, etc. Nisus Writer Pro is good, but it is ridiculously expensive for a word processor. So, how do you all prepare research papers with your Mac? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Best, Rahul From aelia at mac.com Mon Jun 17 12:38:51 2013 From: aelia at mac.com (ALBERT ELIA) Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:38:51 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Drafting research papers on the Mac Message-ID: <13E3474E-E89D-4C93-B69C-F982165DC046@mac.com> Hello Rahul, I get the best results using LaTeX. Are you familiar with it? Basically, it's a typesetting system where you write source content with some markup, and build a PDF from it. When I began law school, I wrote a LaTeX style package for legal citation. It's basic, and not as omniscient as I'd like, but it lets you switch back and forth between no citations (which I like for reviewing my writing for flow and clarity), footnote citations for law review articles, and inline citations for memoranda and other documents where that format is preferred. You can get LaTeX for Mac for free from the MacTeX site: http://tug.org/mactex/ While MacTeX comes bundled with a highly voiceover compatible editor called TeXShop, you might also wish to consider TaxPad, which is available from the Mac and iOS app stores, and has some nice features for managing complex documents, but if you're new to TeX, you probably want to start with TeXShop. Finally, if you're looking to publish on the web, you could use MultiMarkdown with either ByWord or MultiMarkdown Composer. Both are available on the Mac app store (Byword is also an iOS app). MMD won't create pretty printed footnotes, but it will create numbered footnote links to a set of endnotes, which is convenient for web publishing. Of course, there is always Pages as well. I have not used it much, but I know a few blind people who have done so, and my impression is that footnoting is available using voiceover. I can't speak from experience, though. Hope this helps. --Al From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Mon Jun 17 20:42:47 2013 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:42:47 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] FW: NCD Job Opportunity: Legislative Affairs Specialist In-Reply-To: <8669197540866051.WA.asommersncd.gov@list.ncd.gov> References: <8669197540866051.WA.asommersncd.gov@list.ncd.gov> Message-ID: -----Original Message----- From: Anne Sommers [mailto:asommers at NCD.GOV] Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 1:39 PM To: NCD-NEWS-L at LIST.NCD.GOV Subject: NCD Job Opportunity: Legislative Affairs Specialist NCD is hiring! NCD is looking to fill a vacancy in the Legislative Affairs and Outreach Directorate with a Legislative Affairs Specialist. Details follow below. The following job announcement has been posted on the USAJobs.gov website, and can be accessed directly by going to the link at the bottom of this message. Please forward to any qualified individuals who might be interested in working for NCD in a challenging yet rewarding position, and please advise everyone to follow the directions in the job announcement when applying for this vacancy. Applications must be submitted by Friday, June 28, 2013. Job Title: Legislative Affairs Specialist Agency: National Council on Disability Job Announcement Number: PH-CF-13-906507 SALARY RANGE: $89,033.00 to $136,771.00 / Per Year OPEN PERIOD: Friday, June 14, 2013 to Friday, June 28, 2013 SERIES & GRADE: GS-0301-13/14 POSITION INFORMATION: Full Time - Permanent PROMOTION POTENTIAL: 14 DUTY LOCATIONS: 1 vacancy in the following location: Washington DC, United States WHO MAY APPLY: United States Citizens JOB SUMMARY: The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress to enhance the quality of life for all Americans with disabilities and their families. NCD staff supports the work of the Council, which is comprised of 15 members appointed by the President. The incumbent of this position serves as a Legislative Affairs Specialist, subject to the provisions of Title 5 U.S.C. as established by the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by PL-98-221, dated February 22, 1984. NCD is committed to actively recruiting and retaining qualified people with disabilities and encourages people with disabilities to apply for this vacancy. KEY REQUIREMENTS 1. You must be a U.S. Citizen or National. 2. Resume and supporting documents (See How to Apply section). 3. One or more positions may be filled using this vacancy. 4. Some travel required. 5. Incumbent will be required to undergo a Background Investigation. DUTIES: - Serves as key liaison with Members of Congress and their staffs, representing NCD when necessary, by articulating NCD's viewpoints and positions with respect to legislation and other policies. - Tracks and/or drafts legislation and drafts legislative issue briefs. - Monitors congressional hearings, and coordinates and offers congressional staff briefings. - Performs analyses of bills, laws, programs and policies relevant to the disability community and recommends areas in which the National Council on Disability should consider legislative or regulatory positions or initiatives. - Provides or arranges testimony and responses to Congressional inquiries. - Serves as a liaison to federal, state, tribal, and local government organizations and other National Council on Disability stakeholders. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS GS-13 I have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the federal government that has equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Legislative Affairs Specialist. My knowledge, skills, and abilities and experience include knowledge of the federal legislative process and a broad variety of agencies, organizations, and programs that serve people with all types of disabilities; knowledge of disability laws, including but not limited to the Americans with Disabilities Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act, Rehabilitation Act, Fair Housing Act, Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, Air Carrier Access Act, Social Security Act, and other relevant disability laws and regulations; experience serving as a liaison with members of Congress and their staffs (or employment as legislative staff at the state and/or federal levels); utilization of background information to assess strengths and weaknesses of competing legislative proposals; establishment and maintenance of positive interpersonal relationships; planning, coordination, and implementation of projects in collaboration with other team members and demonstrated prioritization of work to meet deadlines; research and tracking of legislation; effective communication of legislative matters and policy positions. OR MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS GS-14 I have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the federal government that has equipped me with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Legislative Affairs Specialist. My knowledge, skills and abilities and experience include an extensive knowledge of the federal legislative process and a broad variety of agencies, organizations, and programs that serve people with all types of disabilities; extensive knowledge of disability laws, including but not limited to the Americans with Disabilities Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act, Rehabilitation Act, Fair Housing Act, Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, Air Carrier Access Act, Social Security Act, and other relevant disability laws and regulations, and provision of authoritative testimony and responses to congressional inquiries on those laws and regulations; experience serving as a key or senior liaison with members of Congress and their staffs (or employment as legislative staff at the state and/or federal levels); in-depth tracking, research, and analyses of laws, programs, and policies relevant to the disability community, and recommending specific areas in which organizational positions or initiatives are warranted; establishment and maintenance of positive interpersonal relationships; effective communication of legislative matters and policy positions to a variety of audiences. Only experience obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered. HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED: For Noncompetitive Applicants - All qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring agency. People with Disabilities/Schedule A: In addition to applying through competitive procedures, certain applicants with disabilities may be considered noncompetitively under a Schedule A hiring authority. To qualify for employment under Schedule A, an applicant must provide proof of disability. As proof of disability, applicants may provide records, statements, or other appropriate information issued from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional duly certified by a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., State or private); or a Federal agency, State agency, or an agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. Proof of disability must be included in the application package. For more information on proof required, see http://www.opm.gov/disability/PeopleWithDisabilities.asp. For Competitive Applicants/All US Citizens: If you meet the qualifications, you will be rated and ranked under Category Rating procedures. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Candidates will be ranked into 3 categories: Best-Qualified; Well-Qualified; and Qualified. The Category Rating Process does not add veterans’ preference points or apply the “rule of three”, but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 per cent must be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-9 level or higher). Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The category assignment is a measure of the degree in which your background matches the competencies required for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. All applicants' qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): 1. TECHNICAL COMPETENCE - LEGISLATIVE/LAW AND POLICY ANALYSES; AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE PROCESS 2. PLANNING AND EVALUATING 3. INTERPERSONAL/LIAISON SKILLS 4. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION BENEFITS: The National Council on Disability (NCD) offers a comprehensive benefits package including paid vacation and sick leave, federal holidays, health and life insurance, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), including the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The NCD is a great place to work. Other incentives such as Telecommuting and Alternative Work Schedules may also be available to you. OTHER INFORMATION: Conditions of Employment: 1. Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. 2. DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing. 3. All male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must have registered for the selective service (see http://www.sss.gov/ ). If selected for this position, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law. Other Information: - REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS -- The National Council on Disability provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and/or hiring process, please notify OPM Philadelphia Services Branch at 215-861-3074. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. - Veterans' Preference: If you are a veteran claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4) or an official statement (including Character of Service) from your command if currently on active duty. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, in addition to the DD-214, you must also submit a Standard Form 15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference) and the required supporting documents listed on that form. For more information on veterans' preference see http://www.fedshirevets.gov/ . - Career Transition Assistance Programs: This program applies to Federal workers whose positions have been deemed 'surplus' or no longer needed, or an employee has been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must be rated 'well-qualified'. For information on how to apply and what documents to submit as an CTAP/ICTAP eligible, go to: http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap. Candidates must meet or exceed the Well-Qualified category (85) to be considered as an ICTAP eligible. - The National Council on Disability is an Equal Opportunity 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, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism. - The National Council on Disability welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities and 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 agency. HOW TO APPLY: You must submit a complete Application Package by 11:59 PM (EST) on Friday, June 28, 2013. * To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. * Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. * It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. * To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. * To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete. Faxing Applications or Supporting Documents: - You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. - NOTE: If you applied online and your application is complete, do not fax the paper application (1203FX) as this will override your prior online responses and may result in you being found ineligible. - If you completed the occupational questionnaire online and are unable to upload supporting document(s): - To fax your documents, you must use the following cover page http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usacover.pdf and provide the required information. The Vacancy ID is 906507. Fax your documents to 1-478-757-3144. - If you cannot complete the Application Package online, you may fax all of your materials. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Friday, June 28, 2013 to receive consideration. Keep a copy of your fax confirmation in the event verification is needed. - If you cannot apply online: 1. Click the following link to view and print the assessment questionnaire Online Questionnaire (https://applicationmanager.gov/Login.aspx?VacancyID=906507) to Full Questionnaire, View Occupational Questionnaire (https://applicationmanager.gov/Questionnaire.aspx?ID=4724851&PreviewType=Questionnaire) and 2. Print this 1203FX form, follow the instructions and provide your responses to the assessment questionnaire items http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdfimage/opm1203fx.pdf. 3. Fax the completed 1203FX form along with any supporting documents to 1-478-757-3144. Your 1203FX will serve as a cover page for your fax transmission. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: 1. Your Résumé 2. A complete Assessment Questionnaire 3. Veterans' Preference documentation (if applicable): Copy of DD-214 provided must show type of discharge/character of service, and VA Letter and SF-15, if applicable. 4. Other supporting documents: - Eligibility documents, required below Other Supporting Documents (Submit if applicable to you): - Peace Corps Volunteers/Personnel Eligibles: Applying as a non-competitive candidate, MUST submit documentation of no less than 36 months of continuous service without a break in service of 3 days or more and separated within the last 3 years. For more information see http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-authorities/competitive-hiring/#url=MiscellaneousAuthoritiesRegulated. - Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities Appointment Eligibles: Applying as a non-competitive candidate, MUST submit a copy of your Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u). For more information and proof required see http://www.opm.gov/disability/PeopleWithDisabilities.asp. - CTAP/ICTAP eligibles: If you are an eligible Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant, you may apply for special selection over other applicants for this position. Individuals who have special priority selection rights under CTAP or ICTAP must be well qualified for the position. To be well qualified, applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria, not including veterans’ preference points, if applicable. Proof of eligibility include the following: Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; AND most recent performance evaluation; AND SF-50 demonstrating your separation or the position you will be separated from. Worker's Compensation Separation: Agency certification of inability to place employee AND Notification of Separation OR Separation SF-50. Disability Annuity Termination: Notification from OPM of disability annuity termination AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held. Military Reserve or National Guard Technician Special Disability Retirement Annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456: Certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard Bureau AND Separation SF-50 of the last position held (http://www.opm.gov/rif/employee_guides/career_transition.asp#ictap) To fax supporting documents you are unable to upload, complete this cover page http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf using the following 906507. Fax your documents to 1-478-757-3144. If you cannot apply online: 1. Click the following link to view and print the assessment questionnaire View Occupational Questionnaire, and 2. Print this 1203FX form to provide your response to the assessment questionnaire http://www.opm.gov./forms/pdf_fill/OPM1203fx.pdf and 3. Fax the completed 1203FX form along with any supporting documents to 1-478-757-3144. Your 1203FX will serve as a cover page for your fax transmission. AGENCY CONTACT INFO: Philadelphia Services Branch Phone: (215)861-3074 Email: PHILADELPHIA at OPM.GOV Agency Information: Philadelphia Services Branch US Office of Personnel Management 600 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 USA WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT: Once the online questionnaire is received you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. Based upon your score, you may be referred to the hiring official. If your name is referred to the hiring official, you may be contacted directly by that office for a possible interview. You will receive notice via email or by mail, if no email address was provided by you during the application process, once this process is completed (generally 4-6 weeks). Control Number: 345412700 To view this vacancy announcement on USAJobs.gov, go to: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/345412700 ######################################################################## To unsubscribe from the NCD-NEWS-L list, click the following link: http://list.ncd.gov/scripts/wa-DEVIS.exe?SUBED1=NCD-NEWS-L&A=1 From mnowicki4 at icloud.com Mon Jun 17 23:19:52 2013 From: mnowicki4 at icloud.com (Michael Nowicki) Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:19:52 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: References: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> <001b01ce6603$daf86510$90e92f30$@gmail.com> <000001ce66df$1432b250$3c9816f0$@com> <008d01ce66e3$d2722b70$77568250$@gmail.com> <001c01ce66fc$0fd48220$2f7d8660$@gmail.com> Message-ID: <000001ce6bb1$2cbfe500$863faf00$@com> Hi all, I am still finishing my undergraduate degree and I will be applying to law schools next year, but I thought I would share one useful strategy I sometimes rely on when I am unable to obtain textbooks in electronic format, which no one brought up thus far. Because the disability office at my school scans textbooks for students who qualify for this service and because the office does not require proof of purchase in order to do so, I am able to check out any textbooks that are available through the university library, which I subsequently drop off at the office, and when they are converted, I simply return them. Consequently, I don't have to worry about buying books and then reselling them if I can get my hands on a print copy for free. I hope this helps. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerard Sadlier Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013 6:07 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school Does Kindle have many of the standard textbooks? Nicholas, as I understand that you're based in Australia, I'd be particularly interested in your comments as I'm based in Ireland where English and Australian texts would be more used than US works, in ordinary practice. Thanks Ger On 6/16/13, Nicholas Parsons wrote: > The Kindle app for iPHone, iPad and iPod Touch is brilliant and > completely accessible. You can read your books, take notes, look up > words in its dictionary, and check what print page number you're on. > Whether or not you can easily navigate by chapter and sub-section via > the table of contents depends on how the publisher has formatted the > book. But most new law books are properly formatted with hyperlinked > tables of contents. The Kindle Store also has plenty of great law > books. The one downside is that you can't read footnotes and as > someone else mentioned these can be really important for law books. > > iBooks is another highly accessible option but the iBooks Store does > not have many law books. It does, however, read DRM free PDFs. I often > get PDFs of law textbooks from publishers and then read them with > iBooks. The footnotes just appear at the bottom of the page like > ordinary text. I would, however, suggest you ask the publishers to > provide properly formatted, hyperlinked tables of contents though if > you do this. The other downside with iBooks is that it doesn't > necessarily tell you which print page number you're on, unless it is > written in the text of the page. However, Adobe Reader on Windows with > JAWS will give you this information if it has been formatted properly. > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadl > ier%40gmail.com > _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mnowicki4%40iclou d.com From michael.capelle at charter.net Mon Jun 17 23:46:56 2013 From: michael.capelle at charter.net (Michael Capelle) Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:46:56 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] intro to law. Message-ID: <72B3813111A54327851F90C5F9691F21@MikePC> Hello all. I am considering going into the law field, and thought this list would be a benefit to me. I live in Wisconsin, and I would like to go for procecuting attorney. I was wondering, now that I have an open case with VR, where sshould I start? What classes should I take? ETC. thanks. From laura.wolk at gmail.com Tue Jun 18 00:01:31 2013 From: laura.wolk at gmail.com (Laura Wolk) Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:01:31 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school In-Reply-To: <000001ce6bb1$2cbfe500$863faf00$@com> References: <7A1F787D-8CEB-4F89-B24D-49FEF6C378C5@twcny.rr.com> <001b01ce6603$daf86510$90e92f30$@gmail.com> <000001ce66df$1432b250$3c9816f0$@com> <008d01ce66e3$d2722b70$77568250$@gmail.com> <001c01ce66fc$0fd48220$2f7d8660$@gmail.com> <000001ce6bb1$2cbfe500$863faf00$@com> Message-ID: michael, i used this strategy myself during undergrad [though i did all of my own scanning]. in this fashion i spent $0 on textbooks throughout my undergrad career. unfortunately, that ship has sailed... just ask my bank account. :) On 6/17/13, Michael Nowicki wrote: > Hi all, > > I am still finishing my undergraduate degree and I will be applying to law > schools next year, but I thought I would share one useful strategy I > sometimes rely on when I am unable to obtain textbooks in electronic > format, > which no one brought up thus far. Because the disability office at my > school scans textbooks for students who qualify for this service and > because > the office does not require proof of purchase in order to do so, I am able > to check out any textbooks that are available through the university > library, which I subsequently drop off at the office, and when they are > converted, I simply return them. Consequently, I don't have to worry about > buying books and then reselling them if I can get my hands on a print copy > for free. I hope this helps. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerard > Sadlier > Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013 6:07 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] accessing textbooks while in law school > > Does Kindle have many of the standard textbooks? > > Nicholas, as I understand that you're based in Australia, I'd be > particularly interested in your comments as I'm based in Ireland where > English and Australian texts would be more used than US works, in ordinary > practice. > > Thanks > > Ger > > > On 6/16/13, Nicholas Parsons wrote: >> The Kindle app for iPHone, iPad and iPod Touch is brilliant and >> completely accessible. You can read your books, take notes, look up >> words in its dictionary, and check what print page number you're on. >> Whether or not you can easily navigate by chapter and sub-section via >> the table of contents depends on how the publisher has formatted the >> book. But most new law books are properly formatted with hyperlinked >> tables of contents. The Kindle Store also has plenty of great law >> books. The one downside is that you can't read footnotes and as >> someone else mentioned these can be really important for law books. >> >> iBooks is another highly accessible option but the iBooks Store does >> not have many law books. It does, however, read DRM free PDFs. I often >> get PDFs of law textbooks from publishers and then read them with >> iBooks. The footnotes just appear at the bottom of the page like >> ordinary text. I would, however, suggest you ask the publishers to >> provide properly formatted, hyperlinked tables of contents though if >> you do this. The other downside with iBooks is that it doesn't >> necessarily tell you which print page number you're on, unless it is >> written in the text of the page. However, Adobe Reader on Windows with >> JAWS will give you this information if it has been formatted properly. >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadl >> ier%40gmail.com >> > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mnowicki4%40iclou > d.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/laura.wolk%40gmail.com > From wickps at gmail.com Tue Jun 18 02:23:58 2013 From: wickps at gmail.com (Paul Wick) Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:23:58 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] intro to law. In-Reply-To: <72B3813111A54327851F90C5F9691F21@MikePC> References: <72B3813111A54327851F90C5F9691F21@MikePC> Message-ID: Dear Michael, My advice is that unless you are entrepreneurial by nature, do not go to law school at this time. There are simply too many graduates for too few jobs, and being a successful sole practitioner takes much more than a grasp of the law. Best, Paul On 6/17/13, Michael Capelle wrote: > Hello all. > I am considering going into the law field, and thought this list would be a > > benefit to me. > I live in Wisconsin, and I would like to go for procecuting attorney. I was > > wondering, now that I have an open case with VR, where sshould I start? > What classes should I take? ETC. > thanks. > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/wickps%40gmail.com > From chrisgriggs0 at gmail.com Tue Jun 18 03:07:44 2013 From: chrisgriggs0 at gmail.com (Chris Griggs) Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:07:44 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] intro to law. In-Reply-To: <72B3813111A54327851F90C5F9691F21@MikePC> References: <72B3813111A54327851F90C5F9691F21@MikePC> Message-ID: Hi Michael, I have just taken my LSAT, so I am not even a law student yet. I have been told that your bachelors degree is not critical to your law degree, so anything goes. I am assuming you are going to need a BA first since you have just opened a V.R. account. So, along that line of thinking, I would agree with Paul. Get a degree in what interests you, and then as you approach graduation determine if you want to pursue a JD. The most important things for getting into a law school are your GPA, and early prep for the LSAT. Along the way, you might try to get involved with some mock trials through your attorney generals office. I would also recommend getting involved politically, I have made several beneficial acquaintances through my local political structure. It gives a more realistic idea of what the legal world is like than you see on TV. In fairness, I became a Political Science major and moved to the idea of law school from that. I wish you the best of luck. On Mon, Jun 17, 2013 at 6:46 PM, Michael Capelle < michael.capelle at charter.net> wrote: > Hello all. > I am considering going into the law field, and thought this list would be > a benefit to me. > I live in Wisconsin, and I would like to go for procecuting attorney. I > was wondering, now that I have an open case with VR, where sshould I start? > What classes should I take? ETC. > thanks. > > ______________________________**_________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/**mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_**nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/**mailman/options/blindlaw_** > nfbnet.org/chrisgriggs0%**40gmail.com > -- Chris Griggs From dravant at ameritech.net Tue Jun 18 16:24:59 2013 From: dravant at ameritech.net (denise avant) Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:24:59 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Fwd: Indianapolis Bar Association's Diversity Job Fair seeking Students w/Disabilities References: <754CD11606D64746A911DFADB3D18CD5545641@EXCH-MB-02.aba.ad.abanet.org> Message-ID: <64F41043-4423-4652-9302-AD6E0C6B4D99@ameritech.net> Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: > From: "Rita, Sherri" > Date: June 18, 2013, 9:35:19 AM CDT > To: 3D at MAIL.AMERICANBAR.ORG > Subject: Indianapolis Bar Association's Diversity Job Fair seeking Students w/Disabilities > Reply-To: "The Disability Discussion Docket (3D) - Official e-mail list of the Commission on Disability Right" <3D at MAIL.AMERICANBAR.ORG>, "Rita, Sherri" > > The sixth annual IndyBar Diversity Job Fair seeks fall 2013 full-time 2L diverse students (graduating May 2015) or part-time 2L and 3L (graduating Dec. 2015/May 2016) diverse students who are looking for summer internships and clerkships. The Job Fair will be held on August 7-8, 2013. For more information, visit www.ibadiversityjobfair.com. > > > From: Caren Chopp [mailto:cchopp at indybar.org] > Sent: Monday, June 17, 2013 12:26 PM > To: Caren Chopp > Subject: A Message Regarding the Indianapolis Bar Association's Diversity Job Fair > > Good afternoon, > > My name is Shelley Jackson, and I serve as chair of the Indianapolis Bar Association’s 2013 Diversity Job Fair. I am writing to ask for your assistance in sharing information directly with your campus associations and advocating for their members’ participation in this event. Student registration is down this year, which makes us particularly concerned with ensuring that diverse students are aware of this unique opportunity to network and interview for summer employment in Indianapolis. Our past success with call back interviews and offers of employment prove that the investment made to travel to Indy, is well worth the time spent. > > In addition to emailing your collegiate campus contacts directly about the IndyBar Diversity Job Fair, if you have student communication tools or web pages, I ask that you post it on prominently, as the deadline for registering is approaching quickly. > > This year we have 28 participating employers, ranging from the largest firms in town, to mid-size specialty firms, to non-profit and government organizations. With this dynamic set of participating employers, we are confident that your students will find employers to fit their interests. > > A full list of participating employers is available here: http://www.ibadiversityjobfair.org/participating-employers.htm Students can obtain information and register here: http://www.ibadiversityjobfair.org/student-information.htm Registration is open until July 7. Bidding will begin on July 8 and will close on July 11. > > In addition to interviews, we offer a welcome reception, a panel discussion on what employers want to learn in a 20 minute interview, and a keynote luncheon featuring Indianapolis’s own Dennis Bland (http://www.ipshof.com/bio_08_Bland.asp) as opportunities to network with employers. Please take some time to reach out personally to rising 2L students whom you believe might be interested in this opportunity. > > Thank you very much for your ongoing support, and please do not hesitate to reach out to Caren Chopp, at cchopp at indybar.org, or me at sjackson at psrb.com with any questions or concerns. We look forward to introducing your students to the very best our city has to offer! > > Kindest regards, > > Shelley Jackson, Chair > Indianapolis Bar Association’s Diversity Job Fair > > > > > > Caren Chopp > Pro Bono and Legal Services Coordinator > > > Indianapolis Bar Association > Work: 317.269.2000 > 135 N. Pennsylvania St., Suite 1500 > Fax: 317.269.1915 > Indianapolis, IN 46204 > www.indybar.org > > E-mail: cchopp at indybar.org > > > > From billreif at ameritech.net Wed Jun 19 01:18:53 2013 From: billreif at ameritech.net (Bill Reif) Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:18:53 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] a test post - Please Ignore Message-ID: <51C106FD.4070309@ameritech.net> I have not received any list emails between the server switch on May 24 and about 7:00 this evening, when I received several messages from the nfb-members list. I am testing to determine whether I can now receive other nfbnet list messages and/or bounces indicating I have been unsubscribed from various lists. If you are an AT&T-related user and you receive this, you may want to test access to lists to which you are subscribed to verify your subscription(s) are still good. Cordially, Bill From billreif at ameritech.net Wed Jun 19 04:21:51 2013 From: billreif at ameritech.net (Bill Reif) Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:21:51 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] test from AT&T user - please ignore Message-ID: <51C131DF.8020109@ameritech.net> I've received my il-talk messages, which come almost instantly through the new server. I will soon know whether other lists are up as well. Bill From billreif at ameritech.net Wed Jun 19 04:43:44 2013 From: billreif at ameritech.net (Bill Reif) Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:43:44 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] final test - please ignore Message-ID: <51C13700.6060007@ameritech.net> I'm testing to make sure I have re enabled delivery for all lists. Cordially, Bill From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Wed Jun 19 22:48:52 2013 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:48:52 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] FW: GS-13-260 senior EEO specialist In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: From: Banjo, Akinyemi - ODEP [mailto:banjo.akinyemi at dol.gov] Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 12:28 PM Subject: FW: GS-13-260 senior EEO specialist The IRS Disability Office is seeking Schedule A applicants for a GS-13-260 senior EEO specialist? The announcement for internal applicants is at: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/345290700?share=email Applicants who wish to be considered under Schedule A can send their application directly to Louanne Cheadle at louanne.e.cheadle at irs.gov. Please contact Louanne Cheadle at louanne.e.cheadle at irs.gov if you have questions. From joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com Thu Jun 20 02:10:00 2013 From: joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com (RJ Sandefur) Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 22:10:00 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Question Message-ID: <000601ce6d5b$45dcc1b0$0302a8c0@hometwxakonvzn> I have a friend who feels she is being harrested via the internet. What could my friend do? RJ From slabarre at labarrelaw.com Thu Jun 20 06:02:48 2013 From: slabarre at labarrelaw.com (Scott C. LaBarre) Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:02:48 -0600 Subject: [blindlaw] Question In-Reply-To: <000601ce6d5b$45dcc1b0$0302a8c0@hometwxakonvzn> References: <000601ce6d5b$45dcc1b0$0302a8c0@hometwxakonvzn> Message-ID: <030a01ce6d7b$cb601600$62204200$@labarrelaw.com> Harassment on the internet and in person essentially are the same in terms of who can do anything about it. You would need to go to the police or FBI. The good thing about internet harassment is that there would be a roecord of it. Your friend should strongly warn the other person that the authorities will be contacted if the conduct doesn't stop. Best, Scott -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of RJ Sandefur Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 8:10 PM To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] Question I have a friend who feels she is being harrested via the internet. What could my friend do? RJ _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/slabarre%40labarr elaw.com From paulharpur at gmail.com Thu Jun 20 06:06:26 2013 From: paulharpur at gmail.com (Paul Harpur) Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2013 16:06:26 +1000 Subject: [blindlaw] Question In-Reply-To: <030a01ce6d7b$cb601600$62204200$@labarrelaw.com> References: <000601ce6d5b$45dcc1b0$0302a8c0@hometwxakonvzn> <030a01ce6d7b$cb601600$62204200$@labarrelaw.com> Message-ID: <000901ce6d7c$4efd79d0$ecf86d70$@gmail.com> If the alleged harasser and your friend are in a club together, are at the same educationa institution, work for the same employer etc then they could make a complaint to that body. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Scott C. LaBarre Sent: Thursday, 20 June 2013 4:03 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Question Harassment on the internet and in person essentially are the same in terms of who can do anything about it. You would need to go to the police or FBI. The good thing about internet harassment is that there would be a roecord of it. Your friend should strongly warn the other person that the authorities will be contacted if the conduct doesn't stop. Best, Scott -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of RJ Sandefur Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 8:10 PM To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] Question I have a friend who feels she is being harrested via the internet. What could my friend do? RJ _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/slabarre%40labarr elaw.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/paulharpur%40gmai l.com From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Fri Jun 21 21:23:51 2013 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 16:23:51 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual, ABA Journal, June 18 2013 References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341DDFDD2FB01@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: Link: http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/if_you_cant_dry_clean_it_dont_wear_it_partner_offers_business-casual_advice/?utm_source=maestro&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_email Text: 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual Posted June 18, 2013 By Debra Cassens Weiss Harrumph! After receiving several complaints, the office managing partner of a national law firm has decided the firm's poorly dressed male lawyers need some business-casual guidelines. No. 1 on the list: "If you cannot dry clean it, don't wear it." Above the Law published the entire memo from the unnamed partner who set out to help the "fashionably challenged." The advice includes: * Socks are required in a business environment no matter what Esquire says. * Polo-type shirts which look like they have been crumpled in the back corner floor of your closet do not count as acceptable business casual. This is true even when you attempt to smooth them out for 15 seconds before you put them on in the morning. * Slacks should be pressed and have a crease. * Shoes need polish ... like weekly. Ask your father if you are so lucky to have him living what civilized people used to say you could tell about a fella based on his shoes. * Shirts with ties that don't have button downs or collar stays make you look like the guy in the Three Stooges (or worse). * Most days you should wear a sport coat with the rest of what constitutes your "casual dress." This is still a law office and coats are generally a part of the kind of casual business dress we allow/tolerate/reluctantly permit. * There are actually unofficial rules about appropriate combinations of brown/black shoes, brown/black socks belts, and brown/black belts based on the color of your clothes and the color of the belt/sock/shoe you are wearing. Typically, they should be the same color. This is a little complicated for some. If in doubt, wear the same color. Or, ask your spouse/significant other or purchase a book. Above the Law sees some "low grade sexism" in the guidelines. They contemplate "a time when men were men and somebody else did their laundry," the blog says. But it judges the rules "pretty standard." From rdittman at stmarytx.edu Fri Jun 21 21:48:27 2013 From: rdittman at stmarytx.edu (Dittman, Robert) Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 21:48:27 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual, ABA Journal, June 18 2013 In-Reply-To: References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341DDFDD2FB01@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: <94276FFA-C37B-4573-B8C9-300B9A0048E8@stmarytx.edu> I completely agree. There seems to be, In my personal impressions and observations, a degradation of dress, manner, and throughout society in general. It goes back to people not knowing how to dress, act, conduct themselves... There is always time to change. Robert D. Dittman, ESQ Attorney and Counselor at Law On Jun 21, 2013, at 4:23 PM, "Nightingale, Noel" wrote: > > Link: > http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/if_you_cant_dry_clean_it_dont_wear_it_partner_offers_business-casual_advice/?utm_source=maestro&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_email > > Text: > 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual > Posted June 18, 2013 > By Debra Cassens Weiss > > Harrumph! After receiving several complaints, the office managing partner of a national law firm has decided the firm's poorly dressed male lawyers need some business-casual guidelines. > > No. 1 on the list: "If you cannot dry clean it, don't wear it." Above the Law published the entire memo from the unnamed partner who set out to help the "fashionably challenged." The advice includes: > > * Socks are required in a business environment no matter what Esquire says. > > * Polo-type shirts which look like they have been crumpled in the back corner floor of your closet do not count as acceptable business casual. This is true even when you attempt to smooth them out for 15 seconds before you put them on in the morning. > > * Slacks should be pressed and have a crease. > > * Shoes need polish ... like weekly. Ask your father if you are so lucky to have him living what civilized people used to say you could tell about a fella based on his shoes. > > * Shirts with ties that don't have button downs or collar stays make you look like the guy in the Three Stooges (or worse). > > * Most days you should wear a sport coat with the rest of what constitutes your "casual dress." This is still a law office and coats are generally a part of the kind of casual business dress we allow/tolerate/reluctantly permit. > > * There are actually unofficial rules about appropriate combinations of brown/black shoes, brown/black socks belts, and brown/black belts based on the color of your clothes and the color of the belt/sock/shoe you are wearing. Typically, they should be the same color. This is a little complicated for some. If in doubt, wear the same color. Or, ask your spouse/significant other or purchase a book. > > Above the Law sees some "low grade sexism" in the guidelines. They contemplate "a time when men were men and somebody else did their laundry," the blog says. But it judges the rules "pretty standard." > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rdittman%40stmarytx.edu From rumpole at roadrunner.com Fri Jun 21 21:57:37 2013 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 17:57:37 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual, ABA Journal, June 18 2013 In-Reply-To: References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341DDFDD2FB01@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: Excellent Post Noel. The last law office I worked in took me to the side and told me that I was the only man in the office who was wearing a shirt and tie to work every day. Everyone one else was in jeans and sneakers. Being an old school gentleman of the South, I lowered my standards to being tieless in button down shirts, dress slacks and shined shoes, and I never, ever left the house until my wife, who is sighted, inspected me for wrinkles, holes or stains. I could relate more, but this article is as accurate, according to my sighted wife, as it is needed. Ross A. Doerr Esq. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Nightingale, Noel Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 5:24 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual, ABA Journal, June 18 2013 Link: http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/if_you_cant_dry_clean_it_dont_wear_it _partner_offers_business-casual_advice/?utm_source=maestro&utm_medium=email& utm_campaign=weekly_email Text: 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual Posted June 18, 2013 By Debra Cassens Weiss Harrumph! After receiving several complaints, the office managing partner of a national law firm has decided the firm's poorly dressed male lawyers need some business-casual guidelines. No. 1 on the list: "If you cannot dry clean it, don't wear it." Above the Law published the entire memo from the unnamed partner who set out to help the "fashionably challenged." The advice includes: * Socks are required in a business environment no matter what Esquire says. * Polo-type shirts which look like they have been crumpled in the back corner floor of your closet do not count as acceptable business casual. This is true even when you attempt to smooth them out for 15 seconds before you put them on in the morning. * Slacks should be pressed and have a crease. * Shoes need polish ... like weekly. Ask your father if you are so lucky to have him living what civilized people used to say you could tell about a fella based on his shoes. * Shirts with ties that don't have button downs or collar stays make you look like the guy in the Three Stooges (or worse). * Most days you should wear a sport coat with the rest of what constitutes your "casual dress." This is still a law office and coats are generally a part of the kind of casual business dress we allow/tolerate/reluctantly permit. * There are actually unofficial rules about appropriate combinations of brown/black shoes, brown/black socks belts, and brown/black belts based on the color of your clothes and the color of the belt/sock/shoe you are wearing. Typically, they should be the same color. This is a little complicated for some. If in doubt, wear the same color. Or, ask your spouse/significant other or purchase a book. Above the Law sees some "low grade sexism" in the guidelines. They contemplate "a time when men were men and somebody else did their laundry," the blog says. But it judges the rules "pretty standard." _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrun ner.com ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3199/5929 - Release Date: 06/21/13 From rthomas at emplmntattorney.com Fri Jun 21 22:36:06 2013 From: rthomas at emplmntattorney.com (Russell J. Thomas) Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 15:36:06 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual, ABA Journal, June 18 2013 In-Reply-To: <94276FFA-C37B-4573-B8C9-300B9A0048E8@stmarytx.edu> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341DDFDD2FB01@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> <94276FFA-C37B-4573-B8C9-300B9A0048E8@stmarytx.edu> Message-ID: <01ae01ce6ecf$b87e8cb0$297ba610$@com> Psychologically, casual dress may equal casual work. Somehow certain rules about dress and behavior in the office will convey a message of seriousness of purpose while people are at work in the office. 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 The information contained in this e-mail message is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the recipient(s) named above.  This message may be an attorney-client communication and/or work product and as such is privileged and confidential.  If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document in error and that any review, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail, and delete the original message. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dittman, Robert Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 2:48 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual, ABA Journal, June 18 2013 I completely agree. There seems to be, In my personal impressions and observations, a degradation of dress, manner, and throughout society in general. It goes back to people not knowing how to dress, act, conduct themselves... There is always time to change. Robert D. Dittman, ESQ Attorney and Counselor at Law On Jun 21, 2013, at 4:23 PM, "Nightingale, Noel" wrote: > > Link: > http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/if_you_cant_dry_clean_it_dont_w > ear_it_partner_offers_business-casual_advice/?utm_source=maestro&utm_m > edium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_email > > Text: > 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male > lawyers on business casual Posted June 18, 2013 By Debra Cassens Weiss > > Harrumph! After receiving several complaints, the office managing partner of a national law firm has decided the firm's poorly dressed male lawyers need some business-casual guidelines. > > No. 1 on the list: "If you cannot dry clean it, don't wear it." Above the Law published the entire memo from the unnamed partner who set out to help the "fashionably challenged." The advice includes: > > * Socks are required in a business environment no matter what Esquire says. > > * Polo-type shirts which look like they have been crumpled in the back corner floor of your closet do not count as acceptable business casual. This is true even when you attempt to smooth them out for 15 seconds before you put them on in the morning. > > * Slacks should be pressed and have a crease. > > * Shoes need polish ... like weekly. Ask your father if you are so lucky to have him living what civilized people used to say you could tell about a fella based on his shoes. > > * Shirts with ties that don't have button downs or collar stays make you look like the guy in the Three Stooges (or worse). > > * Most days you should wear a sport coat with the rest of what constitutes your "casual dress." This is still a law office and coats are generally a part of the kind of casual business dress we allow/tolerate/reluctantly permit. > > * There are actually unofficial rules about appropriate combinations of brown/black shoes, brown/black socks belts, and brown/black belts based on the color of your clothes and the color of the belt/sock/shoe you are wearing. Typically, they should be the same color. This is a little complicated for some. If in doubt, wear the same color. Or, ask your spouse/significant other or purchase a book. > > Above the Law sees some "low grade sexism" in the guidelines. They contemplate "a time when men were men and somebody else did their laundry," the blog says. But it judges the rules "pretty standard." > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rdittman%40 > stmarytx.edu _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rthomas%40emplmnt attorney.com From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Sat Jun 22 02:31:07 2013 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 03:31:07 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual, ABA Journal, June 18 2013 In-Reply-To: <01ae01ce6ecf$b87e8cb0$297ba610$@com> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341DDFDD2FB01@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> <94276FFA-C37B-4573-B8C9-300B9A0048E8@stmarytx.edu> <01ae01ce6ecf$b87e8cb0$297ba610$@com> Message-ID: Is casual dress (or some variant of it) generally permissible in US law firms? On 6/21/13, Russell J. Thomas wrote: > Psychologically, casual dress may equal casual work. Somehow certain rules > about dress and behavior in the office will convey a message of seriousness > of purpose while people are at work in the office. > > > 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 > > The information contained in this e-mail message is intended only for the > personal and confidential use of the recipient(s) named above.  This > message > may be an attorney-client communication and/or work product and as such is > privileged and confidential.  If the reader of this message is not the > intended recipient or agent responsible for delivering it to the intended > recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document in > error and that any review, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this > message is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communication in > error, please notify us immediately by e-mail, and delete the original > message. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dittman, > Robert > Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 2:48 PM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner > advises male lawyers on business casual, ABA Journal, June 18 2013 > > I completely agree. There seems to be, In my personal impressions and > observations, a degradation of dress, manner, and throughout society in > general. > > It goes back to people not knowing how to dress, act, conduct themselves... > There is always time to change. > > Robert D. Dittman, ESQ > Attorney and Counselor at Law > On Jun 21, 2013, at 4:23 PM, "Nightingale, Noel" > wrote: > >> >> Link: >> http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/if_you_cant_dry_clean_it_dont_w >> ear_it_partner_offers_business-casual_advice/?utm_source=maestro&utm_m >> edium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_email >> >> Text: >> 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male >> lawyers on business casual Posted June 18, 2013 By Debra Cassens Weiss >> >> Harrumph! After receiving several complaints, the office managing partner > of a national law firm has decided the firm's poorly dressed male lawyers > need some business-casual guidelines. >> >> No. 1 on the list: "If you cannot dry clean it, don't wear it." Above the > Law published the entire memo from the unnamed partner who set out to help > the "fashionably challenged." The advice includes: >> >> * Socks are required in a business environment no matter what Esquire > says. >> >> * Polo-type shirts which look like they have been crumpled in the back > corner floor of your closet do not count as acceptable business casual. > This > is true even when you attempt to smooth them out for 15 seconds before you > put them on in the morning. >> >> * Slacks should be pressed and have a crease. >> >> * Shoes need polish ... like weekly. Ask your father if you are so lucky > to have him living what civilized people used to say you could tell about a > fella based on his shoes. >> >> * Shirts with ties that don't have button downs or collar stays make you > look like the guy in the Three Stooges (or worse). >> >> * Most days you should wear a sport coat with the rest of what >> constitutes > your "casual dress." This is still a law office and coats are generally a > part of the kind of casual business dress we allow/tolerate/reluctantly > permit. >> >> * There are actually unofficial rules about appropriate combinations of > brown/black shoes, brown/black socks belts, and brown/black belts based on > the color of your clothes and the color of the belt/sock/shoe you are > wearing. Typically, they should be the same color. This is a little > complicated for some. If in doubt, wear the same color. Or, ask your > spouse/significant other or purchase a book. >> >> Above the Law sees some "low grade sexism" in the guidelines. They > contemplate "a time when men were men and somebody else did their laundry," > the blog says. But it judges the rules "pretty standard." >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rdittman%40 >> stmarytx.edu > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rthomas%40emplmnt > attorney.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%40gmail.com > From ukekearuaro at valtdnet.com Tue Jun 25 16:30:06 2013 From: ukekearuaro at valtdnet.com (Olusegun -- Victory Associates LTD, Inc.) Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 10:30:06 -0600 Subject: [blindlaw] 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual, ABA Journal, June18 2013 References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341DDFDD2FB01@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: <7963DEB9B347466E87F943975DC822D3@victory2> You wrote in part: "and I never, ever left the house until my wife, who is sighted, inspected me for wrinkles, holes or stains." Hmm, what's a guy who does not have a sighted wife or a woman who does not have a sighted husband or, in today's parlance, "significant other" to do? Blind as a bat, no inspectors, but I've never left home without being properly dressed and people still wonder how I manage to keep my clothes matched with no help. No, this was not a LEARNED HABIT; it is a practice that I developed growing up and fending for myself since I was seven years old! Sincerely, Olusegun Denver, Colorado From rumpole at roadrunner.com Tue Jun 25 16:50:43 2013 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 12:50:43 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it'; partner advises male lawyers on business casual, ABA Journal,June18 2013 In-Reply-To: <7963DEB9B347466E87F943975DC822D3@victory2> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341DDFDD2FB01@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> <7963DEB9B347466E87F943975DC822D3@victory2> Message-ID: <4B9B43C792F7491C919B1BA6650250FC@mycomputer> Good for you. I keep my clothes identified for matching as I did for 30 years before I got married. Yes, it works, but sometimes, if there is a stain, or a hole that you don't know about, or is worn... See what I mean? -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Olusegun -- Victory Associates LTD, Inc. Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 12:30 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 'If you can't dry clean it, don't wear it';partner advises male lawyers on business casual, ABA Journal,June18 2013 You wrote in part: "and I never, ever left the house until my wife, who is sighted, inspected me for wrinkles, holes or stains." Hmm, what's a guy who does not have a sighted wife or a woman who does not have a sighted husband or, in today's parlance, "significant other" to do? Blind as a bat, no inspectors, but I've never left home without being properly dressed and people still wonder how I manage to keep my clothes matched with no help. No, this was not a LEARNED HABIT; it is a practice that I developed growing up and fending for myself since I was seven years old! Sincerely, Olusegun Denver, Colorado _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrun ner.com ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3199/5939 - Release Date: 06/25/13 From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Tue Jun 25 17:04:06 2013 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 12:04:06 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] FW: [Jobs] FW: Please forward/post: ACLU Corporate Paralegal and Compliance Associate [EXEC-11] In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: From: Jobs [mailto:jobs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Maurer, Patricia Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 8:58 AM To: jobs at nfbnet.org Subject: [Jobs] FW: Please forward/post: ACLU Corporate Paralegal and Compliance Associate [EXEC-11] From: hrintern [mailto:hrintern at aclu.org] Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 11:18 AM To: Maurer, Patricia Subject: Please forward/post: ACLU Corporate Paralegal and Compliance Associate [EXEC-11] Please forward or post this to any relevant sources. We thank you for your assistance in this matter. June 24, 2013 Career Opportunity CORPORATE PARALEGAL & COMPLIANCE ASSOCIATE [EXEC-11] AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION In-House Counsel Office, NY For more than 92 years, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (ACLU) has been at the forefront of virtually every major battle for civil liberties and equal justice in this country. Principled and nonpartisan, the ACLU has offices in all 50 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico, and brings together the country's largest team of public interest lawyers, lobbyists, communication strategists, members and activists in the advancement of equality, fairness, and freedom, especially for the most vulnerable in our society. The In House Counsel's Office of the ACLU's National Office in New York City invites applications for the full-time position of Corporate Paralegal & Compliance Associate. OVERVIEW The In-House Corporate Counsel Office is responsible for internal legal matters affecting the ACLU's national offices, which include over 300 employees, primarily in New York and the District of Columbia. The Office handles a broad range of matters including tax-exempt organization law issues, lobbying rules, corporate and regulatory filings; intellectual property and licensing issues, trademark protection, film and other media production; negotiating and drafting contracts; grant agreements; ethical and procedural rules impacting or relevant to the legal representation of clients; governance and compliance policies; and real estate matters. The Corporate Paralegal and Compliance Associate will support the organization's in-house lawyers in all of these areas and will report to the ACLU's General Counsel. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Responsibilities include but are not limited to: * Managing the organization's periodic required filings, including state corporate registrations, charitable solicitation registrations and trade sanction reports. * Assisting in the preparation and execution of vendor contracts. * Assisting with licenses and releases for use of intellectual property, including photographs, video, text and music. * Monitoring third party use of the organization's trademarks. * Managing the department's filing and record-keeping processes, including contracts and regulatory materials. * Managing the department's invoice payment processes and tracking its expense budget. * Conducting factual research regarding vendors, regulatory filings and procedures, and training resources. * Communicating with staff regarding compliance matters. * Assisting in the planning and presentation of trainings for staff. * Other special projects as assigned. EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS * Bachelor's degree in a related field required. * Minimum of three years of relevant work experience. Combination of experience in the following areas is strongly preferred: regulatory filings and compliance, contract management and intellectual property licensing and releases. * Superior organizational, communication and interpersonal skills. * Experience working in a large organization of comparable complexity is preferred. * Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point and other Windows applications. * Ability to work independently and collegially in a small group. * Demonstrated initiative and creativity. * Ability to maintain strict confidentiality in organizational matters. * Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines under pressure. * Commitment to the ACLU mission to defend civil liberties. COMPENSATION The ACLU offers a generous and comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and within the parameters of the ACLU compensation scale. HOW TO APPLY Please send a cover letter (with salary requirements), resume and writing sample, such as a research memo by email to hrjobs at aclu.org. Reference [EXEC-11/INCL] in the subject line. Alternatively, applications can be mailed to: Human Resources Re: [EXEC-11/INCL] American Civil Liberties Union 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor New York, NY 10004 Please indicate in your cover letter where you learned of this career opportunity. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU reserves the right to change the description and/or posting at any time without advance notice. The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, and veteran status. We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in the application process to contact: HRJobsINCLReq at aclu.org. Correspondence sent to this address that is not related to requests for accommodations will not be reviewed. Applicants should follow the instructions above regarding how to apply. The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name "ACLU." -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ Jobs mailing list Jobs at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/jobs_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Jobs: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/jobs_nfbnet.org/noel.nightingale%40ed.gov From rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com Tue Jun 25 20:41:39 2013 From: rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com (Rahul Bajaj) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 02:11:39 +0530 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Message-ID: Hi all, I hope you all are doing well. I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert in the coming days. I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an impediment during my internships and in my career in general. So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work more efficiently. Your help would be greatly valued. Best, Rahul From rfarber at jw.com Tue Jun 25 20:53:51 2013 From: rfarber at jw.com (Farber, Randy) Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 15:53:51 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> Rahul - 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on discussions and other matters, while you are typing. 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other systems you will be using. These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. Randy -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rahul Bajaj Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Hi all, I hope you all are doing well. I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert in the coming days. I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an impediment during my internships and in my career in general. So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work more efficiently. Your help would be greatly valued. Best, Rahul _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.com From amatney at hf-law.com Tue Jun 25 21:04:35 2013 From: amatney at hf-law.com (Angela Matney) Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 21:04:35 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> Message-ID: <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular screen reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard shortcuts for Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or "shift-x" to move to the next or previous checkbox, respectively. These keystrokes will be invaluable when you are required to access legal databases online. Even transactional lawyers must conduct research, and being able to efficiently navigate webpages is essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of the excellent general advice Randy gave you. Best of luck, Angie ----------------------------- Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. ----------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Farber, Randy Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Rahul - 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on discussions and other matters, while you are typing. 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other systems you will be using. These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. Randy -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rahul Bajaj Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Hi all, I hope you all are doing well. I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert in the coming days. I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an impediment during my internships and in my career in general. So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work more efficiently. Your help would be greatly valued. Best, Rahul _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law.com From awebb2168 at gmail.com Tue Jun 25 21:18:08 2013 From: awebb2168 at gmail.com (Andrew Webb) Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 16:18:08 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> Message-ID: <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> Two points come to mind for me: 1. I don't know if this is common practice where you are, but in US law offices it is very common for attorneys to submit drafts of briefs and memos for other attorneys to review, edit, and submit comments and suggestions. For documents created in MS Word at least, redlining and track changes are the usual techniques. These can be a bit cumbersome via a screen reader, but they can still be used, and you will want to be sure you know how if this is a technique that your office colleagues rely on. 2. If you haven't already, develop a technique that works for you in order to mark and quickly reference important blocks of text as you review literature, statutes, case law, etc. It can make all the difference in keeping you organized and efficient. I know that you can use JAWS and Kurzweil in order to create and organize bookmarks within text, though others on the list may have found other measures that work even better. Good luck. Regards, Andrew Webb -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Angela Matney Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:05 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular screen reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard shortcuts for Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or "shift-x" to move to the next or previous checkbox, respectively. These keystrokes will be invaluable when you are required to access legal databases online. Even transactional lawyers must conduct research, and being able to efficiently navigate webpages is essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of the excellent general advice Randy gave you. Best of luck, Angie ----------------------------- Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. ----------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Farber, Randy Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Rahul - 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on discussions and other matters, while you are typing. 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other systems you will be using. These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. Randy -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rahul Bajaj Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Hi all, I hope you all are doing well. I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert in the coming days. I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an impediment during my internships and in my career in general. So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work more efficiently. Your help would be greatly valued. Best, Rahul _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/awebb2168%40gmail .com From amarjain at amarjain.com Wed Jun 26 01:48:07 2013 From: amarjain at amarjain.com (Amar Jain) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 07:18:07 +0530 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> Message-ID: <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> Certainly, the practice of using track changes and red lining documents is being extensively used by transactional lawyers over here in India too. And in good firms, you have a specific person assigned who takes care of shaping the document in the firm's standard style (which is decided by the knowledge management), before it is being sent outside the firm. By and large, most of the legal databases are usable with screen readers, so also are the internal solutions used by firms. As others said, comfort in using any kind of web application, including the ones which are designed in Java, should help you in using the databases efficiently. Familiarize yourself with screen reader specific commands, such as in Jaws, you have the option of skim reading, flexible web, and few others depending the way you like to use your screen reader, which can save a lot of time and effort. Most of the documents come in PDF, and a large portion of which comes with text, so there is no problem as far as reading of documents is concerned. At times, you may have a little complexed designed documents (ignoring the accessibility standards), which may make text reading difficult, but that depends on the kind of document, and whether you can make those small changes to the document, which may get out of that situation. Highlighting and commenting in PDF is also important to learn. Last but not least, a fair use of powerpoint and basic use of excel graphs is important, although that depends on your practice area. But in general if it anyhow relates to finance, then at times you may need to use graphs. Powerpoint is surely used for presentations and stuff. And oh yeah, don't forget to learn Microsoft outlook properly, as that is another application extensively used by us not only for emails, but also for callender, appointments, etc. Regards, Amar Jain. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Andrew Webb Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:48 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Two points come to mind for me: 1. I don't know if this is common practice where you are, but in US law offices it is very common for attorneys to submit drafts of briefs and memos for other attorneys to review, edit, and submit comments and suggestions. For documents created in MS Word at least, redlining and track changes are the usual techniques. These can be a bit cumbersome via a screen reader, but they can still be used, and you will want to be sure you know how if this is a technique that your office colleagues rely on. 2. If you haven't already, develop a technique that works for you in order to mark and quickly reference important blocks of text as you review literature, statutes, case law, etc. It can make all the difference in keeping you organized and efficient. I know that you can use JAWS and Kurzweil in order to create and organize bookmarks within text, though others on the list may have found other measures that work even better. Good luck. Regards, Andrew Webb -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Angela Matney Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:05 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular screen reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard shortcuts for Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or "shift-x" to move to the next or previous checkbox, respectively. These keystrokes will be invaluable when you are required to access legal databases online. Even transactional lawyers must conduct research, and being able to efficiently navigate webpages is essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of the excellent general advice Randy gave you. Best of luck, Angie ----------------------------- Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. ----------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Farber, Randy Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Rahul - 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on discussions and other matters, while you are typing. 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other systems you will be using. These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. Randy -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rahul Bajaj Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Hi all, I hope you all are doing well. I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert in the coming days. I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an impediment during my internships and in my career in general. So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work more efficiently. Your help would be greatly valued. Best, Rahul _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/awebb2168%40gmail .com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amarjain%40amarja in.com From rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com Wed Jun 26 05:24:11 2013 From: rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com (Rahul Bajaj) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 10:54:11 +0530 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> Message-ID: <0988FD6F-34D0-4D5A-936E-7AEACFE63FAA@gmail.com> Hi all, Thank you so much for your wonderful responses.. I will definitely try to improve my efficiency in all these areas.. I use VoiceOver on my Mac. So I do know how to use apple Mail and Calendar which, I believe, essentially are used to perform the same tasks as Outlook.. I will, however, have to focus on effectively using track changes and red lining documents... I can use Powerpoint and Excel to some extent, but I will still try to learn techniques for using them more efficaciously... I have another different, but related, question: Do law firms allow you to use any screen reader of your choice, or are you required to use a specific screen reader?. If so, which screen reader would that generally be?. I just don't want to end up spending all my time and energy in learning how to use a screen reader effectively only to learn later that I won't be able to use that screen reader in the office. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 26, 2013, at 7:18 AM, "Amar Jain" wrote: > Certainly, the practice of using track changes and red lining documents is > being extensively used by transactional lawyers over here in India too. And > in good firms, you have a specific person assigned who takes care of shaping > the document in the firm's standard style (which is decided by the knowledge > management), before it is being sent outside the firm. > > By and large, most of the legal databases are usable with screen readers, so > also are the internal solutions used by firms. As others said, comfort in > using any kind of web application, including the ones which are designed in > Java, should help you in using the databases efficiently. Familiarize > yourself with screen reader specific commands, such as in Jaws, you have the > option of skim reading, flexible web, and few others depending the way you > like to use your screen reader, which can save a lot of time and effort. > > Most of the documents come in PDF, and a large portion of which comes with > text, so there is no problem as far as reading of documents is concerned. At > times, you may have a little complexed designed documents (ignoring the > accessibility standards), which may make text reading difficult, but that > depends on the kind of document, and whether you can make those small > changes to the document, which may get out of that situation. Highlighting > and commenting in PDF is also important to learn. > > Last but not least, a fair use of powerpoint and basic use of excel graphs > is important, although that depends on your practice area. But in general if > it anyhow relates to finance, then at times you may need to use graphs. > Powerpoint is surely used for presentations and stuff. And oh yeah, don't > forget to learn Microsoft outlook properly, as that is another application > extensively used by us not only for emails, but also for callender, > appointments, etc. > > Regards, > Amar Jain. > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Andrew Webb > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:48 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Two points come to mind for me: > > 1. I don't know if this is common practice where you are, but in US law > offices it is very common for attorneys to submit drafts of briefs and memos > for other attorneys to review, edit, and submit comments and suggestions. > For documents created in MS Word at least, redlining and track changes are > the usual techniques. These can be a bit cumbersome via a screen reader, > but they can still be used, and you will want to be sure you know how if > this is a technique that your office colleagues rely on. > > 2. If you haven't already, develop a technique that works for you in order > to mark and quickly reference important blocks of text as you review > literature, statutes, case law, etc. It can make all the difference in > keeping you organized and efficient. I know that you can use JAWS and > Kurzweil in order to create and organize bookmarks within text, though > others on the list may have found other measures that work even better. > > Good luck. > > Regards, > Andrew Webb > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Angela > Matney > Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:05 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular screen > reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard shortcuts for > Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or "shift-x" to move to the > next or previous checkbox, respectively. These keystrokes will be invaluable > when you are required to access legal databases online. Even transactional > lawyers must conduct research, and being able to efficiently navigate > webpages is essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of > the excellent general advice Randy gave you. > > Best of luck, > > Angie > > > > > > ----------------------------- > > Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: > This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by > legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any > disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is > prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us > immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your > system. Thank you for your cooperation. > > Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant > to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this > communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be > used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the > Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, > market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the > subject of this communication and any attachments. > > ----------------------------- > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Farber, > Randy > Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Rahul - > > 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on > discussions and other matters, while you are typing. > > 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other systems > you will be using. > > These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them are > ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. > > Randy > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rahul Bajaj > Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM > To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org > Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Hi all, > > I hope you all are doing well. > I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert in the > coming days. > I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like using the > internet, reading books, etc on my computer. > I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. > So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? > I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an impediment > during my internships and in my career in general. > So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work more > efficiently. > Your help would be greatly valued. > > Best, > Rahul > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40jw.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. > com > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/awebb2168%40gmail > .com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amarjain%40amarja > in.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rahul.bajaj1038%40gmail.com From slabarre at labarrelaw.com Wed Jun 26 10:23:57 2013 From: slabarre at labarrelaw.com (Scott C. LaBarre) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 04:23:57 -0600 Subject: [blindlaw] FW: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] FW: [tvi-discuss] IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed In-Reply-To: <01cd01ce724e$c24217d0$46c64770$@labarrelaw.com> References: <01cd01ce724e$c24217d0$46c64770$@labarrelaw.com> Message-ID: <01fb01ce7257$46105600$d2310200$@labarrelaw.com> Greetings friends, the below story captures the great joy of last evening when the delegates to WIPO adopted the text to this treaty. The Federation was part of the original group that drafted the initial treaty proposal in 2008 which was put before WIPO in 2009. I have been involved in this process since April of 2009 and most of the time, I wondered if we would ever get this across the finish line. This accomplishment reflects the fact that we really are changing the world. It is the first time ever that an international instrument focuses exclusively on the needs and issues of the blind. Fred Schroeder and I will speak more about all of this at convention, but thanks to all of you and your support and action to get this adopted. Cheers! Scott From: tvi-discuss [mailto:tvi-discuss-bounces at lists.keionline.org] On Behalf Of Krista L. Cox Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 8:57 PM To: TVI-Discuss Subject: [tvi-discuss] IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: “Historic” Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed http://www.ip-watch.org/2013/06/26/miracle-in-marrakesh-historic-treaty-for- visually-impaired-agreed/ IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: “Historic” Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed By Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Marrakesh, Morocco – The mood was one of celebration at the Marrakesh Palais des Congrès to greet the success of World Intellectual Property Organization negotiators in their attempt to produce a draft treaty text showing consensus. After a difficult start to the week, delegates achieved success and the corridors of the conference centre echoed with laughter and congratulations. Tears of joy were shed as most celebrated this as an historic agreement. Visually impaired people and civil society supporting them were ecstatic, some said overwhelmed. The final informal consolidation draft text [pdf] was issued late at night, and all articles were adopted by a full room of delegates. The text is now off to the drafting committee which will ensure that all different language versions are consistent and compatible. For the visually impaired community, this is seen as nothing short of a miracle. After 10 days of hard negotiations, Dan Pescod, who leads the World Blind Union’s European campaign for the treaty, confessing exhaustion, told Intellectual Property Watch before the text was available “part of me wants to see the text in front of me and part of me feels this is an historic day many years in the making.” Maryanne Diamond, immediate past president of the World Blind Union told Intellectual Property Watch that all issues that mattered for blind people had been addressed. “We are still in shock,” she said, adding “this is the beginning of changing the world for blind people.” Pablo Lecuona from the Latin American Blind Union said that for the past five years the blind community had been pushing for recognition of the problem of access to books for visually impaired people. “Now we have a treaty,” he told Intellectual Property Watch, but said they have further work, which is the ratification and the implementation of this treaty so that it is an effective tool so that blind people can access more books. “I am overwhelmed. It was so hard and it should not have been so hard,” said Jamie Love, a strong supporter of the treaty. “It took five years of hard work when it could have been much quicker but people really changed their mind when they met blind people, you could see a change in attitude in delegates,” he said. “The European Union and the United States delegates found a way to push back on industry lobbying,” he told Intellectual Property Watch and even within industry, he added, there was a change of attitude, with some lobbyists pushing back hardliners. Jim Fruchterman, who heads Benetech, which runs Bookshare, a digital platform providing special format books for visually impaired people, said, “We are extremely excited about the treaty. We have the technology and we have the content, now we have a legal regime to make it possible for every person with print disabilities on the planet to get access to the books they need for education, employment, and social inclusion.” Delegates Displaying Glee The level of enthusiasm was the same among delegates, whether from developed countries, developing or least-developed countries. Justin Hughes, a US delegate told Intellectual Property Watch “It was a pleasure to work with Brazil, and the European Union, and Mexico in the early days to try to get the first collaborative text together. Obviously it feels wonderful to see that text come to fruition.” Another representative of Group B developed countries said that the text was balanced, as a European Union delegate said “everybody is very happy, very satisfied.” A delegate of the African Group said, “It is a miracle.” In a rare occurrence, all delegations, as well as civil society, celebrated in unison a treaty characterised as serving human rights. The enthusiasm was not as marked on the side of publishers. A source from the publishing industry told Intellectual Property Watch that the text was “pretty balanced” and that “there was something in it for everyone.” Visibly the text is not to their full satisfaction, but most interviewed said they were happy for visually impaired people. WIPO Director General Francis Gurry told observers that the treaty had been driven by nongovernmental organisations and it was not only a treaty, but a good treaty. He extended “his profound thanks” for what he describes as “a truly historic result.” “It is a great thing for WIPO, for intellectual property, for the multilateral system, but above all, for visually impaired persons,” Gurry said. He was greeted by sustained applause. Participants widely praised the work of the WIPO secretariat. After a difficult beginning of the week when progress was very limited on issues on which delegations stood firm, relief first came last Saturday when agreement was reached on the three-step test and the Berne Gap (IPW, WIPO, 24 June 2013). Agreement on Tough Issues Since then, there was mounting pressure to find agreement and the visually impaired representatives grew worried about the nature of the treaty. Among the issues remaining to be resolved as recently as yesterday were commercial availability, right of distribution to individuals, and right of translation. The issue of commercial availability, long-standing and pugnacious, was solved yesterday. Visually impaired people and developing countries wanted it out of the treaty, publishers and developed countries wanted it in. Finally, commercial availability still stands under Article 4 (National Law Limitations and Exceptions on Accessible Format Copies), but has disappeared from Article 5 (cross-border exchange of accessible format copies). The issue of the right of distribution to individuals was settled after “some additional safeguards and some additional information sharing mechanisms” were added to the text, according to Hughes. The text will come back to plenary to be reviewed and adopted, after having been through the drafting committee, on Thursday morning, said the WIPO secretariat, and countries will give their comments on the treaty at this time.Welcome to EditPad.org - your online plain text editor. Enter or paste your text here. To download and save it, click on the button below. -- Krista L. Cox Staff Attorney Knowledge Ecology International www.keionline.org (202) 332-2670 -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ tvi-discuss mailing list tvi-discuss at lists.keionline.org http://lists.keionline.org/mailman/listinfo/tvi-discuss_lists.keionline.org -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ State-affiliate-leadership-list mailing list State-affiliate-leadership-list at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/state-affiliate-leadership-list_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for State-affiliate-leadership-list: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/state-affiliate-leadership-list_nfbnet.org/slabarre%40labarrelaw.com From rumpole at roadrunner.com Wed Jun 26 11:59:58 2013 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 07:59:58 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters Message-ID: <680F2EF783684FE6BCAEDA3214709FCB@mycomputer> Attention Law Students - This article appeared today on LinkedIn, and was originally published on June 3. So, if you are a law student, read on. I cannot say how much of this would be specific to blind students, but any idea that helps should be welcome. I still say to network, network and then network some more. *** Top 10 Tips from Legal Recruiters: How to Land an Interview Mon, 06/03/2013 - 11:37am -- Hillary Mantis Guest Commentary By Hillary Mantis Summer may have just begun, but fall on-campus interviews are right around the corner. You will probably start hearing about summer resume deadlines from your career center, if you haven't already. If you are trying for a Big Law position, how can you present yourself in the best light? I recently heard an excellent panel of top law firm recruiting professionals speak to a standing room only crowd at a program at The Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Inside the Hiring Committee: Inside Tips from Recruiters on How to get Hired. Here are some of their tips: . Research each firm carefully. Let the employer know why you are specifically interested in their firm, and why you would be a good fit for them. Know each firm, their specialties, and their individual offices well. They can tell if you're prepared. . Be enthusiastic. Firms often keep candidates on "hold" for a little while if they are not sure whether to make an offer. If you would definitely accept an offer from them, let them know they are your first choice, and keep in touch with them to reiterate your interest. . Make sure your resume, cover letter and thank you notes are absolutely perfect - it's their first representation of you. If you make any typos, you will lose credibility, and possibly the opportunity to interview. . Any time you can get make additional connections through networking, to find someone to forward your resume to a law firm, such as an alumni of your law school, do so. It may help your resume get noticed. . Be ready during the interview to give specific examples of how you have solved problems, showed initiative, and acted as a "team player." Behavioral interview questions are sometimes used during interviews to elicit these types of examples. . Cast a wide net. In this economy, don't just rely on who is coming to interview your campus. Apply on your own firms in other cities, and apply to smaller firms and government agencies. . Know the different times of the year when large firms, small firms, and government agencies hire, and in general, stick to those times. Larger firms tend to hire much more in advance than smaller firms, who may not be able to predict their needs as far ahead of time. . Become a student member of your local bar association, and volunteer for committees, where you may meet practicing lawyers. If possible, volunteer to write an article with them. . Network with other lawyers throughout your years in law school, not just when you are going through on-campus interviews. Make contacts to leverage for the long haul, not just for the immediate future. Keep in touch with your connections throughout law school - they will be more likely to remember you when they do hear of a job. . Emphasize leadership roles you have held on campus, or even as an undergrad - firms are looking for people who can one day be an "ambassador" for the firm. Hillary Mantis advises law students, lawyers, and pre-law students. She is the Director of the Pre-Law Program at Fordham University, and author of Alternative Careers for Lawyers. You can write to Hillary at altcareer at aol.com From Bennett.Prows at HHS.GOV Wed Jun 26 14:17:43 2013 From: Bennett.Prows at HHS.GOV (Prows, Bennett (HHS/OCR)) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 14:17:43 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] FW: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] FW: [tvi-discuss] IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed In-Reply-To: <01fb01ce7257$46105600$d2310200$@labarrelaw.com> References: <01cd01ce724e$c24217d0$46c64770$@labarrelaw.com> <01fb01ce7257$46105600$d2310200$@labarrelaw.com> Message-ID: Scott, I am really excited and moved by the success. You and Fred deserve a lot of credit for the hard work and tireless activity to get this done. Congratulations, and I look forward to next weeks presentation. See you in Orlando. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Scott C. LaBarre Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 3:24 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Cc: 'NFB of Colorado Discussion List' Subject: [blindlaw] FW: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] FW: [tvi-discuss] IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed Greetings friends, the below story captures the great joy of last evening when the delegates to WIPO adopted the text to this treaty. The Federation was part of the original group that drafted the initial treaty proposal in 2008 which was put before WIPO in 2009. I have been involved in this process since April of 2009 and most of the time, I wondered if we would ever get this across the finish line. This accomplishment reflects the fact that we really are changing the world. It is the first time ever that an international instrument focuses exclusively on the needs and issues of the blind. Fred Schroeder and I will speak more about all of this at convention, but thanks to all of you and your support and action to get this adopted. Cheers! Scott From: tvi-discuss [mailto:tvi-discuss-bounces at lists.keionline.org] On Behalf Of Krista L. Cox Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 8:57 PM To: TVI-Discuss Subject: [tvi-discuss] IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed http://www.ip-watch.org/2013/06/26/miracle-in-marrakesh-historic-treaty-for- visually-impaired-agreed/ IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed By Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Marrakesh, Morocco - The mood was one of celebration at the Marrakesh Palais des Congrès to greet the success of World Intellectual Property Organization negotiators in their attempt to produce a draft treaty text showing consensus. After a difficult start to the week, delegates achieved success and the corridors of the conference centre echoed with laughter and congratulations. Tears of joy were shed as most celebrated this as an historic agreement. Visually impaired people and civil society supporting them were ecstatic, some said overwhelmed. The final informal consolidation draft text [pdf] was issued late at night, and all articles were adopted by a full room of delegates. The text is now off to the drafting committee which will ensure that all different language versions are consistent and compatible. For the visually impaired community, this is seen as nothing short of a miracle. After 10 days of hard negotiations, Dan Pescod, who leads the World Blind Union's European campaign for the treaty, confessing exhaustion, told Intellectual Property Watch before the text was available "part of me wants to see the text in front of me and part of me feels this is an historic day many years in the making." Maryanne Diamond, immediate past president of the World Blind Union told Intellectual Property Watch that all issues that mattered for blind people had been addressed. "We are still in shock," she said, adding "this is the beginning of changing the world for blind people." Pablo Lecuona from the Latin American Blind Union said that for the past five years the blind community had been pushing for recognition of the problem of access to books for visually impaired people. "Now we have a treaty," he told Intellectual Property Watch, but said they have further work, which is the ratification and the implementation of this treaty so that it is an effective tool so that blind people can access more books. "I am overwhelmed. It was so hard and it should not have been so hard," said Jamie Love, a strong supporter of the treaty. "It took five years of hard work when it could have been much quicker but people really changed their mind when they met blind people, you could see a change in attitude in delegates," he said. "The European Union and the United States delegates found a way to push back on industry lobbying," he told Intellectual Property Watch and even within industry, he added, there was a change of attitude, with some lobbyists pushing back hardliners. Jim Fruchterman, who heads Benetech, which runs Bookshare, a digital platform providing special format books for visually impaired people, said, "We are extremely excited about the treaty. We have the technology and we have the content, now we have a legal regime to make it possible for every person with print disabilities on the planet to get access to the books they need for education, employment, and social inclusion." Delegates Displaying Glee The level of enthusiasm was the same among delegates, whether from developed countries, developing or least-developed countries. Justin Hughes, a US delegate told Intellectual Property Watch "It was a pleasure to work with Brazil, and the European Union, and Mexico in the early days to try to get the first collaborative text together. Obviously it feels wonderful to see that text come to fruition." Another representative of Group B developed countries said that the text was balanced, as a European Union delegate said "everybody is very happy, very satisfied." A delegate of the African Group said, "It is a miracle." In a rare occurrence, all delegations, as well as civil society, celebrated in unison a treaty characterised as serving human rights. The enthusiasm was not as marked on the side of publishers. A source from the publishing industry told Intellectual Property Watch that the text was "pretty balanced" and that "there was something in it for everyone." Visibly the text is not to their full satisfaction, but most interviewed said they were happy for visually impaired people. WIPO Director General Francis Gurry told observers that the treaty had been driven by nongovernmental organisations and it was not only a treaty, but a good treaty. He extended "his profound thanks" for what he describes as "a truly historic result." "It is a great thing for WIPO, for intellectual property, for the multilateral system, but above all, for visually impaired persons," Gurry said. He was greeted by sustained applause. Participants widely praised the work of the WIPO secretariat. After a difficult beginning of the week when progress was very limited on issues on which delegations stood firm, relief first came last Saturday when agreement was reached on the three-step test and the Berne Gap (IPW, WIPO, 24 June 2013). Agreement on Tough Issues Since then, there was mounting pressure to find agreement and the visually impaired representatives grew worried about the nature of the treaty. Among the issues remaining to be resolved as recently as yesterday were commercial availability, right of distribution to individuals, and right of translation. The issue of commercial availability, long-standing and pugnacious, was solved yesterday. Visually impaired people and developing countries wanted it out of the treaty, publishers and developed countries wanted it in. Finally, commercial availability still stands under Article 4 (National Law Limitations and Exceptions on Accessible Format Copies), but has disappeared from Article 5 (cross-border exchange of accessible format copies). The issue of the right of distribution to individuals was settled after "some additional safeguards and some additional information sharing mechanisms" were added to the text, according to Hughes. The text will come back to plenary to be reviewed and adopted, after having been through the drafting committee, on Thursday morning, said the WIPO secretariat, and countries will give their comments on the treaty at this time.Welcome to EditPad.org - your online plain text editor. Enter or paste your text here. To download and save it, click on the button below. -- Krista L. Cox Staff Attorney Knowledge Ecology International www.keionline.org (202) 332-2670 From deannaljones at comcast.net Wed Jun 26 14:58:57 2013 From: deannaljones at comcast.net (Deanna Jones) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 10:58:57 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] FW: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] FW: [tvi-discuss] IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed In-Reply-To: References: <01cd01ce724e$c24217d0$46c64770$@labarrelaw.com> <01fb01ce7257$46105600$d2310200$@labarrelaw.com> Message-ID: <001d01ce727d$af514360$0df3ca20$@net> Scott, you and Fred have really brightened the future for all blind people around the world! Nice work! See you in Orlando! Dee Jones -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Prows, Bennett (HHS/OCR) Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 10:18 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] FW: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] FW: [tvi-discuss] IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed Scott, I am really excited and moved by the success. You and Fred deserve a lot of credit for the hard work and tireless activity to get this done. Congratulations, and I look forward to next weeks presentation. See you in Orlando. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Scott C. LaBarre Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 3:24 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Cc: 'NFB of Colorado Discussion List' Subject: [blindlaw] FW: [State-affiliate-leadership-list] FW: [tvi-discuss] IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed Greetings friends, the below story captures the great joy of last evening when the delegates to WIPO adopted the text to this treaty. The Federation was part of the original group that drafted the initial treaty proposal in 2008 which was put before WIPO in 2009. I have been involved in this process since April of 2009 and most of the time, I wondered if we would ever get this across the finish line. This accomplishment reflects the fact that we really are changing the world. It is the first time ever that an international instrument focuses exclusively on the needs and issues of the blind. Fred Schroeder and I will speak more about all of this at convention, but thanks to all of you and your support and action to get this adopted. Cheers! Scott From: tvi-discuss [mailto:tvi-discuss-bounces at lists.keionline.org] On Behalf Of Krista L. Cox Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 8:57 PM To: TVI-Discuss Subject: [tvi-discuss] IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed http://www.ip-watch.org/2013/06/26/miracle-in-marrakesh-historic-treaty-for- visually-impaired-agreed/ IP Watch: Miracle In Marrakesh: "Historic" Treaty For Visually Impaired Agreed By Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Marrakesh, Morocco - The mood was one of celebration at the Marrakesh Palais des Congrès to greet the success of World Intellectual Property Organization negotiators in their attempt to produce a draft treaty text showing consensus. After a difficult start to the week, delegates achieved success and the corridors of the conference centre echoed with laughter and congratulations. Tears of joy were shed as most celebrated this as an historic agreement. Visually impaired people and civil society supporting them were ecstatic, some said overwhelmed. The final informal consolidation draft text [pdf] was issued late at night, and all articles were adopted by a full room of delegates. The text is now off to the drafting committee which will ensure that all different language versions are consistent and compatible. For the visually impaired community, this is seen as nothing short of a miracle. After 10 days of hard negotiations, Dan Pescod, who leads the World Blind Union's European campaign for the treaty, confessing exhaustion, told Intellectual Property Watch before the text was available "part of me wants to see the text in front of me and part of me feels this is an historic day many years in the making." Maryanne Diamond, immediate past president of the World Blind Union told Intellectual Property Watch that all issues that mattered for blind people had been addressed. "We are still in shock," she said, adding "this is the beginning of changing the world for blind people." Pablo Lecuona from the Latin American Blind Union said that for the past five years the blind community had been pushing for recognition of the problem of access to books for visually impaired people. "Now we have a treaty," he told Intellectual Property Watch, but said they have further work, which is the ratification and the implementation of this treaty so that it is an effective tool so that blind people can access more books. "I am overwhelmed. It was so hard and it should not have been so hard," said Jamie Love, a strong supporter of the treaty. "It took five years of hard work when it could have been much quicker but people really changed their mind when they met blind people, you could see a change in attitude in delegates," he said. "The European Union and the United States delegates found a way to push back on industry lobbying," he told Intellectual Property Watch and even within industry, he added, there was a change of attitude, with some lobbyists pushing back hardliners. Jim Fruchterman, who heads Benetech, which runs Bookshare, a digital platform providing special format books for visually impaired people, said, "We are extremely excited about the treaty. We have the technology and we have the content, now we have a legal regime to make it possible for every person with print disabilities on the planet to get access to the books they need for education, employment, and social inclusion." Delegates Displaying Glee The level of enthusiasm was the same among delegates, whether from developed countries, developing or least-developed countries. Justin Hughes, a US delegate told Intellectual Property Watch "It was a pleasure to work with Brazil, and the European Union, and Mexico in the early days to try to get the first collaborative text together. Obviously it feels wonderful to see that text come to fruition." Another representative of Group B developed countries said that the text was balanced, as a European Union delegate said "everybody is very happy, very satisfied." A delegate of the African Group said, "It is a miracle." In a rare occurrence, all delegations, as well as civil society, celebrated in unison a treaty characterised as serving human rights. The enthusiasm was not as marked on the side of publishers. A source from the publishing industry told Intellectual Property Watch that the text was "pretty balanced" and that "there was something in it for everyone." Visibly the text is not to their full satisfaction, but most interviewed said they were happy for visually impaired people. WIPO Director General Francis Gurry told observers that the treaty had been driven by nongovernmental organisations and it was not only a treaty, but a good treaty. He extended "his profound thanks" for what he describes as "a truly historic result." "It is a great thing for WIPO, for intellectual property, for the multilateral system, but above all, for visually impaired persons," Gurry said. He was greeted by sustained applause. Participants widely praised the work of the WIPO secretariat. After a difficult beginning of the week when progress was very limited on issues on which delegations stood firm, relief first came last Saturday when agreement was reached on the three-step test and the Berne Gap (IPW, WIPO, 24 June 2013). Agreement on Tough Issues Since then, there was mounting pressure to find agreement and the visually impaired representatives grew worried about the nature of the treaty. Among the issues remaining to be resolved as recently as yesterday were commercial availability, right of distribution to individuals, and right of translation. The issue of commercial availability, long-standing and pugnacious, was solved yesterday. Visually impaired people and developing countries wanted it out of the treaty, publishers and developed countries wanted it in. Finally, commercial availability still stands under Article 4 (National Law Limitations and Exceptions on Accessible Format Copies), but has disappeared from Article 5 (cross-border exchange of accessible format copies). The issue of the right of distribution to individuals was settled after "some additional safeguards and some additional information sharing mechanisms" were added to the text, according to Hughes. The text will come back to plenary to be reviewed and adopted, after having been through the drafting committee, on Thursday morning, said the WIPO secretariat, and countries will give their comments on the treaty at this time.Welcome to EditPad.org - your online plain text editor. Enter or paste your text here. To download and save it, click on the button below. -- Krista L. Cox Staff Attorney Knowledge Ecology International www.keionline.org (202) 332-2670 _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/deannaljones%40co mcast.net ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2013.0.3345 / Virus Database: 3204/6442 - Release Date: 06/26/13 From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Wed Jun 26 15:28:39 2013 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 10:28:39 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters In-Reply-To: <680F2EF783684FE6BCAEDA3214709FCB@mycomputer> References: <680F2EF783684FE6BCAEDA3214709FCB@mycomputer> Message-ID: <008601ce7281$d5fcdf70$81f69e50$@sbcglobal.net> Ross: In her brief article, Ms. Mantis states, "I recently heard an excellent panel of top law firm recruiting professionals..." Ms. Mantis left out the #1 essential for having any chance with these firms, whether blind or sighted. And that is to be a graduate of a very highly rated law school and be in the top 5% of your graduating class. Otherwise, forget it. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross Doerr Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 7:00 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters Attention Law Students - This article appeared today on LinkedIn, and was originally published on June 3. So, if you are a law student, read on. I cannot say how much of this would be specific to blind students, but any idea that helps should be welcome. I still say to network, network and then network some more. *** Top 10 Tips from Legal Recruiters: How to Land an Interview Mon, 06/03/2013 - 11:37am -- Hillary Mantis Guest Commentary By Hillary Mantis Summer may have just begun, but fall on-campus interviews are right around the corner. You will probably start hearing about summer resume deadlines from your career center, if you haven't already. If you are trying for a Big Law position, how can you present yourself in the best light? I recently heard an excellent panel of top law firm recruiting professionals speak to a standing room only crowd at a program at The Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Inside the Hiring Committee: Inside Tips from Recruiters on How to get Hired. Here are some of their tips: . Research each firm carefully. Let the employer know why you are specifically interested in their firm, and why you would be a good fit for them. Know each firm, their specialties, and their individual offices well. They can tell if you're prepared. . Be enthusiastic. Firms often keep candidates on "hold" for a little while if they are not sure whether to make an offer. If you would definitely accept an offer from them, let them know they are your first choice, and keep in touch with them to reiterate your interest. . Make sure your resume, cover letter and thank you notes are absolutely perfect - it's their first representation of you. If you make any typos, you will lose credibility, and possibly the opportunity to interview. . Any time you can get make additional connections through networking, to find someone to forward your resume to a law firm, such as an alumni of your law school, do so. It may help your resume get noticed. . Be ready during the interview to give specific examples of how you have solved problems, showed initiative, and acted as a "team player." Behavioral interview questions are sometimes used during interviews to elicit these types of examples. . Cast a wide net. In this economy, don't just rely on who is coming to interview your campus. Apply on your own firms in other cities, and apply to smaller firms and government agencies. . Know the different times of the year when large firms, small firms, and government agencies hire, and in general, stick to those times. Larger firms tend to hire much more in advance than smaller firms, who may not be able to predict their needs as far ahead of time. . Become a student member of your local bar association, and volunteer for committees, where you may meet practicing lawyers. If possible, volunteer to write an article with them. . Network with other lawyers throughout your years in law school, not just when you are going through on-campus interviews. Make contacts to leverage for the long haul, not just for the immediate future. Keep in touch with your connections throughout law school - they will be more likely to remember you when they do hear of a job. . Emphasize leadership roles you have held on campus, or even as an undergrad - firms are looking for people who can one day be an "ambassador" for the firm. Hillary Mantis advises law students, lawyers, and pre-law students. She is the Director of the Pre-Law Program at Fordham University, and author of Alternative Careers for Lawyers. You can write to Hillary at altcareer at aol.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net From rumpole at roadrunner.com Wed Jun 26 15:36:18 2013 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 11:36:18 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters In-Reply-To: <008601ce7281$d5fcdf70$81f69e50$@sbcglobal.net> References: <680F2EF783684FE6BCAEDA3214709FCB@mycomputer> <008601ce7281$d5fcdf70$81f69e50$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <12A09AC0AAAF46D9A494FCBD04BD10A6@mycomputer> Excellent point Dan. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 11:29 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters Ross: In her brief article, Ms. Mantis states, "I recently heard an excellent panel of top law firm recruiting professionals..." Ms. Mantis left out the #1 essential for having any chance with these firms, whether blind or sighted. And that is to be a graduate of a very highly rated law school and be in the top 5% of your graduating class. Otherwise, forget it. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross Doerr Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 7:00 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters Attention Law Students - This article appeared today on LinkedIn, and was originally published on June 3. So, if you are a law student, read on. I cannot say how much of this would be specific to blind students, but any idea that helps should be welcome. I still say to network, network and then network some more. *** Top 10 Tips from Legal Recruiters: How to Land an Interview Mon, 06/03/2013 - 11:37am -- Hillary Mantis Guest Commentary By Hillary Mantis Summer may have just begun, but fall on-campus interviews are right around the corner. You will probably start hearing about summer resume deadlines from your career center, if you haven't already. If you are trying for a Big Law position, how can you present yourself in the best light? I recently heard an excellent panel of top law firm recruiting professionals speak to a standing room only crowd at a program at The Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Inside the Hiring Committee: Inside Tips from Recruiters on How to get Hired. Here are some of their tips: . Research each firm carefully. Let the employer know why you are specifically interested in their firm, and why you would be a good fit for them. Know each firm, their specialties, and their individual offices well. They can tell if you're prepared. . Be enthusiastic. Firms often keep candidates on "hold" for a little while if they are not sure whether to make an offer. If you would definitely accept an offer from them, let them know they are your first choice, and keep in touch with them to reiterate your interest. . Make sure your resume, cover letter and thank you notes are absolutely perfect - it's their first representation of you. If you make any typos, you will lose credibility, and possibly the opportunity to interview. . Any time you can get make additional connections through networking, to find someone to forward your resume to a law firm, such as an alumni of your law school, do so. It may help your resume get noticed. . Be ready during the interview to give specific examples of how you have solved problems, showed initiative, and acted as a "team player." Behavioral interview questions are sometimes used during interviews to elicit these types of examples. . Cast a wide net. In this economy, don't just rely on who is coming to interview your campus. Apply on your own firms in other cities, and apply to smaller firms and government agencies. . Know the different times of the year when large firms, small firms, and government agencies hire, and in general, stick to those times. Larger firms tend to hire much more in advance than smaller firms, who may not be able to predict their needs as far ahead of time. . Become a student member of your local bar association, and volunteer for committees, where you may meet practicing lawyers. If possible, volunteer to write an article with them. . Network with other lawyers throughout your years in law school, not just when you are going through on-campus interviews. Make contacts to leverage for the long haul, not just for the immediate future. Keep in touch with your connections throughout law school - they will be more likely to remember you when they do hear of a job. . Emphasize leadership roles you have held on campus, or even as an undergrad - firms are looking for people who can one day be an "ambassador" for the firm. Hillary Mantis advises law students, lawyers, and pre-law students. She is the Director of the Pre-Law Program at Fordham University, and author of Alternative Careers for Lawyers. You can write to Hillary at altcareer at aol.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrun ner.com ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3204/5942 - Release Date: 06/26/13 From mikefry79 at gmail.com Wed Jun 26 15:44:39 2013 From: mikefry79 at gmail.com (Mike) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 11:44:39 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters In-Reply-To: <12A09AC0AAAF46D9A494FCBD04BD10A6@mycomputer> References: <680F2EF783684FE6BCAEDA3214709FCB@mycomputer> <008601ce7281$d5fcdf70$81f69e50$@sbcglobal.net> <12A09AC0AAAF46D9A494FCBD04BD10A6@mycomputer> Message-ID: <35B9902E-4414-4D57-B56E-620F2FD8EC45@gmail.com> So true. Either top rated school,or, top 5%. Sent from Mike Fry On Jun 26, 2013, at 11:36 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > Excellent point Dan. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel > McBride > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 11:29 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters > > Ross: > > In her brief article, Ms. Mantis states, "I recently heard an excellent > panel of top law firm recruiting professionals..." Ms. Mantis left out the > #1 essential for having any chance with these firms, whether blind or > sighted. > > And that is to be a graduate of a very highly rated law school and be in the > top 5% of your graduating class. Otherwise, forget it. > > Dan McBride > Fort Worth, Texas > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross Doerr > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 7:00 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters > > Attention Law Students - This article appeared today on LinkedIn, and was > originally published on June 3. > So, if you are a law student, read on. > I cannot say how much of this would be specific to blind students, but any > idea that helps should be welcome. I still say to network, network and then > network some more. > *** > Top 10 Tips from Legal Recruiters: How to Land an Interview Mon, 06/03/2013 > - 11:37am -- Hillary Mantis Guest Commentary By Hillary Mantis Summer may > have just begun, but fall on-campus interviews are right around the corner. > You will probably start hearing about summer resume deadlines from your > career center, if you haven't already. If you are trying for a Big Law > position, how can you present yourself in the best light? > I recently heard an excellent panel of top law firm recruiting professionals > speak to a standing room only crowd at a program at The Association of the > Bar of the City of New York, Inside the Hiring Committee: Inside Tips from > Recruiters on How to get Hired. > Here are some of their tips: > > . Research each firm carefully. Let the employer know why you are > specifically interested in their firm, and why you would be a good fit for > them. Know each firm, their specialties, and their individual offices well. > They can tell if you're prepared. > . Be enthusiastic. Firms often keep candidates on "hold" for a little while > if they are not sure whether to make an offer. If you would definitely > accept an offer from them, let them know they are your first choice, and > keep in touch with them to reiterate your interest. > . Make sure your resume, cover letter and thank you notes are absolutely > perfect - it's their first representation of you. If you make any typos, you > will lose credibility, and possibly the opportunity to interview. > . Any time you can get make additional connections through networking, to > find someone to forward your resume to a law firm, such as an alumni of your > law school, do so. It may help your resume get noticed. > . Be ready during the interview to give specific examples of how you have > solved problems, showed initiative, and acted as a "team player." Behavioral > interview questions are sometimes used during interviews to elicit these > types of examples. > . Cast a wide net. In this economy, don't just rely on who is coming to > interview your campus. Apply on your own firms in other cities, and apply to > smaller firms and government agencies. > . Know the different times of the year when large firms, small firms, and > government agencies hire, and in general, stick to those times. Larger firms > tend to hire much more in advance than smaller firms, who may not be able to > predict their needs as far ahead of time. > . Become a student member of your local bar association, and volunteer for > committees, where you may meet practicing lawyers. If possible, volunteer to > write an article with them. > . Network with other lawyers throughout your years in law school, not just > when you are going through on-campus interviews. Make contacts to leverage > for the long haul, not just for the immediate future. Keep in touch with > your connections throughout law school - they will be more likely to > remember you when they do hear of a job. > . Emphasize leadership roles you have held on campus, or even as an > undergrad - firms are looking for people who can one day be an "ambassador" > for the firm. > > Hillary Mantis advises law students, lawyers, and pre-law students. She is > the Director of the Pre-Law Program at Fordham University, and author of > Alternative Careers for Lawyers. You can write to Hillary at > altcareer at aol.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba > l.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrun > ner.com > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3204/5942 - Release Date: 06/26/13 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mikefry79%40gmail.com From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Wed Jun 26 15:57:17 2013 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 10:57:17 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters In-Reply-To: <35B9902E-4414-4D57-B56E-620F2FD8EC45@gmail.com> References: <680F2EF783684FE6BCAEDA3214709FCB@mycomputer> <008601ce7281$d5fcdf70$81f69e50$@sbcglobal.net> <12A09AC0AAAF46D9A494FCBD04BD10A6@mycomputer> <35B9902E-4414-4D57-B56E-620F2FD8EC45@gmail.com> Message-ID: <008f01ce7285$d63cf8e0$82b6eaa0$@sbcglobal.net> Mike: When I was a freshman in law school, I had a job as a 'runner' with Lock, Lord & Bissell, one of the most powerful law firms in this nation. During the year I was there, I observed, first hand, their recruiting and hiring practices. First, you do not go looking for them, they come looking for you. And all candidates had to be both from a top law school and top 5% to be considered. One or the other would not get you there. Dan McBride Fort Worth Texas -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 10:45 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters So true. Either top rated school,or, top 5%. Sent from Mike Fry On Jun 26, 2013, at 11:36 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > Excellent point Dan. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of > Daniel McBride > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 11:29 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal > recruiters > > Ross: > > In her brief article, Ms. Mantis states, "I recently heard an > excellent panel of top law firm recruiting professionals..." Ms. > Mantis left out the > #1 essential for having any chance with these firms, whether blind or > sighted. > > And that is to be a graduate of a very highly rated law school and be > in the top 5% of your graduating class. Otherwise, forget it. > > Dan McBride > Fort Worth, Texas > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross > Doerr > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 7:00 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters > > Attention Law Students - This article appeared today on LinkedIn, and > was originally published on June 3. > So, if you are a law student, read on. > I cannot say how much of this would be specific to blind students, but > any idea that helps should be welcome. I still say to network, network > and then network some more. > *** > Top 10 Tips from Legal Recruiters: How to Land an Interview Mon, > 06/03/2013 > - 11:37am -- Hillary Mantis Guest Commentary By Hillary Mantis Summer > may have just begun, but fall on-campus interviews are right around the corner. > You will probably start hearing about summer resume deadlines from > your career center, if you haven't already. If you are trying for a > Big Law position, how can you present yourself in the best light? > I recently heard an excellent panel of top law firm recruiting > professionals speak to a standing room only crowd at a program at The > Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Inside the Hiring > Committee: Inside Tips from Recruiters on How to get Hired. > Here are some of their tips: > > . Research each firm carefully. Let the employer know why you are > specifically interested in their firm, and why you would be a good fit > for them. Know each firm, their specialties, and their individual offices well. > They can tell if you're prepared. > . Be enthusiastic. Firms often keep candidates on "hold" for a little > while if they are not sure whether to make an offer. If you would > definitely accept an offer from them, let them know they are your > first choice, and keep in touch with them to reiterate your interest. > . Make sure your resume, cover letter and thank you notes are > absolutely perfect - it's their first representation of you. If you > make any typos, you will lose credibility, and possibly the opportunity to interview. > . Any time you can get make additional connections through networking, > to find someone to forward your resume to a law firm, such as an > alumni of your law school, do so. It may help your resume get noticed. > . Be ready during the interview to give specific examples of how you > have solved problems, showed initiative, and acted as a "team player." > Behavioral interview questions are sometimes used during interviews to > elicit these types of examples. > . Cast a wide net. In this economy, don't just rely on who is coming > to interview your campus. Apply on your own firms in other cities, and > apply to smaller firms and government agencies. > . Know the different times of the year when large firms, small firms, > and government agencies hire, and in general, stick to those times. > Larger firms tend to hire much more in advance than smaller firms, who > may not be able to predict their needs as far ahead of time. > . Become a student member of your local bar association, and volunteer > for committees, where you may meet practicing lawyers. If possible, > volunteer to write an article with them. > . Network with other lawyers throughout your years in law school, not > just when you are going through on-campus interviews. Make contacts to > leverage for the long haul, not just for the immediate future. Keep in > touch with your connections throughout law school - they will be more > likely to remember you when they do hear of a job. > . Emphasize leadership roles you have held on campus, or even as an > undergrad - firms are looking for people who can one day be an "ambassador" > for the firm. > > Hillary Mantis advises law students, lawyers, and pre-law students. > She is the Director of the Pre-Law Program at Fordham University, and > author of Alternative Careers for Lawyers. You can write to Hillary at > altcareer at aol.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sb > cgloba > l.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40r > oadrun > ner.com > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3204/5942 - Release Date: > 06/26/13 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mikefry79%4 > 0gmail.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net From amatney at hf-law.com Wed Jun 26 16:00:28 2013 From: amatney at hf-law.com (Angela Matney) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 16:00:28 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters In-Reply-To: <008f01ce7285$d63cf8e0$82b6eaa0$@sbcglobal.net> References: <680F2EF783684FE6BCAEDA3214709FCB@mycomputer> <008601ce7281$d5fcdf70$81f69e50$@sbcglobal.net> <12A09AC0AAAF46D9A494FCBD04BD10A6@mycomputer> <35B9902E-4414-4D57-B56E-620F2FD8EC45@gmail.com> <008f01ce7285$d63cf8e0$82b6eaa0$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE4CE@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> I did attend a top school, and I think it's safe to say that some people who were not in the top 5% of our class secured jobs at top firms. Of course, you're certainly in a better position if both apply to you. Angie Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 11:57 AM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters Mike: When I was a freshman in law school, I had a job as a 'runner' with Lock, Lord & Bissell, one of the most powerful law firms in this nation. During the year I was there, I observed, first hand, their recruiting and hiring practices. First, you do not go looking for them, they come looking for you. And all candidates had to be both from a top law school and top 5% to be considered. One or the other would not get you there. Dan McBride Fort Worth Texas -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 10:45 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters So true. Either top rated school,or, top 5%. Sent from Mike Fry On Jun 26, 2013, at 11:36 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > Excellent point Dan. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of > Daniel McBride > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 11:29 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal > recruiters > > Ross: > > In her brief article, Ms. Mantis states, "I recently heard an > excellent panel of top law firm recruiting professionals..." Ms. > Mantis left out the > #1 essential for having any chance with these firms, whether blind or > sighted. > > And that is to be a graduate of a very highly rated law school and be > in the top 5% of your graduating class. Otherwise, forget it. > > Dan McBride > Fort Worth, Texas > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross > Doerr > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 7:00 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters > > Attention Law Students - This article appeared today on LinkedIn, and > was originally published on June 3. > So, if you are a law student, read on. > I cannot say how much of this would be specific to blind students, but > any idea that helps should be welcome. I still say to network, network > and then network some more. > *** > Top 10 Tips from Legal Recruiters: How to Land an Interview Mon, > 06/03/2013 > - 11:37am -- Hillary Mantis Guest Commentary By Hillary Mantis Summer > may have just begun, but fall on-campus interviews are right around > the corner. > You will probably start hearing about summer resume deadlines from > your career center, if you haven't already. If you are trying for a > Big Law position, how can you present yourself in the best light? > I recently heard an excellent panel of top law firm recruiting > professionals speak to a standing room only crowd at a program at The > Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Inside the Hiring > Committee: Inside Tips from Recruiters on How to get Hired. > Here are some of their tips: > > . Research each firm carefully. Let the employer know why you are > specifically interested in their firm, and why you would be a good fit > for them. Know each firm, their specialties, and their individual > offices well. > They can tell if you're prepared. > . Be enthusiastic. Firms often keep candidates on "hold" for a little > while if they are not sure whether to make an offer. If you would > definitely accept an offer from them, let them know they are your > first choice, and keep in touch with them to reiterate your interest. > . Make sure your resume, cover letter and thank you notes are > absolutely perfect - it's their first representation of you. If you > make any typos, you will lose credibility, and possibly the > opportunity to interview. > . Any time you can get make additional connections through networking, > to find someone to forward your resume to a law firm, such as an > alumni of your law school, do so. It may help your resume get noticed. > . Be ready during the interview to give specific examples of how you > have solved problems, showed initiative, and acted as a "team player." > Behavioral interview questions are sometimes used during interviews to > elicit these types of examples. > . Cast a wide net. In this economy, don't just rely on who is coming > to interview your campus. Apply on your own firms in other cities, and > apply to smaller firms and government agencies. > . Know the different times of the year when large firms, small firms, > and government agencies hire, and in general, stick to those times. > Larger firms tend to hire much more in advance than smaller firms, who > may not be able to predict their needs as far ahead of time. > . Become a student member of your local bar association, and volunteer > for committees, where you may meet practicing lawyers. If possible, > volunteer to write an article with them. > . Network with other lawyers throughout your years in law school, not > just when you are going through on-campus interviews. Make contacts to > leverage for the long haul, not just for the immediate future. Keep in > touch with your connections throughout law school - they will be more > likely to remember you when they do hear of a job. > . Emphasize leadership roles you have held on campus, or even as an > undergrad - firms are looking for people who can one day be an "ambassador" > for the firm. > > Hillary Mantis advises law students, lawyers, and pre-law students. > She is the Director of the Pre-Law Program at Fordham University, and > author of Alternative Careers for Lawyers. You can write to Hillary at > altcareer at aol.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sb > cgloba > l.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40r > oadrun > ner.com > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3204/5942 - Release Date: > 06/26/13 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mikefry79%4 > 0gmail.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law.com From mikefry79 at gmail.com Wed Jun 26 16:03:09 2013 From: mikefry79 at gmail.com (Michael Fry) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 12:03:09 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters In-Reply-To: <008f01ce7285$d63cf8e0$82b6eaa0$@sbcglobal.net> References: <680F2EF783684FE6BCAEDA3214709FCB@mycomputer> <008601ce7281$d5fcdf70$81f69e50$@sbcglobal.net> <12A09AC0AAAF46D9A494FCBD04BD10A6@mycomputer> <35B9902E-4414-4D57-B56E-620F2FD8EC45@gmail.com> <008f01ce7285$d63cf8e0$82b6eaa0$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: Wow. I didn't know that. I thought students from the very top law schools didn't even have to disclose their grades. That's good to know, Daniel. Thanks. On Wednesday, June 26, 2013, Daniel McBride wrote: > Mike: > > When I was a freshman in law school, I had a job as a 'runner' with Lock, > Lord & Bissell, one of the most powerful law firms in this nation. During > the year I was there, I observed, first hand, their recruiting and hiring > practices. > > First, you do not go looking for them, they come looking for you. And all > candidates had to be both from a top law school and top 5% to be > considered. > One or the other would not get you there. > > Dan McBride > Fort Worth Texas > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 10:45 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters > > So true. Either top rated school,or, top 5%. > > Sent from Mike Fry > > On Jun 26, 2013, at 11:36 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > > > Excellent point Dan. > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of > > Daniel McBride > > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 11:29 AM > > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal > > recruiters > > > > Ross: > > > > In her brief article, Ms. Mantis states, "I recently heard an > > excellent panel of top law firm recruiting professionals..." Ms. > > Mantis left out the > > #1 essential for having any chance with these firms, whether blind or > > sighted. > > > > And that is to be a graduate of a very highly rated law school and be > > in the top 5% of your graduating class. Otherwise, forget it. > > > > Dan McBride > > Fort Worth, Texas > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross > > Doerr > > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 7:00 AM > > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > > Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters > > > > Attention Law Students - This article appeared today on LinkedIn, and > > was originally published on June 3. > > So, if you are a law student, read on. > > I cannot say how much of this would be specific to blind students, but > > any idea that helps should be welcome. I still say to network, network > > and then network some more. > > *** > > Top 10 Tips from Legal Recruiters: How to Land an Interview Mon, > > 06/03/2013 > > - 11:37am -- Hillary Mantis Guest Commentary By Hillary Mantis Summer > > may have just begun, but fall on-campus interviews are right around the > corner. > > You will probably start hearing about summer resume deadlines from > > your career center, if you haven't already. If you are trying for a > > Big Law position, how can you present yourself in the best light? > > I recently heard an excellent panel of top law firm recruiting > > professionals speak to a standing room only crowd at a program at The > > Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Inside the Hiring > > Committee: Inside Tips from Recruiters on How to get Hired. > > Here are some of their tips: > > > > . Research each firm carefully. Let the employer know why you are > > specifically interested in their firm, and why you would be a good fit > > for them. Know each firm, their specialties, and their individual > offices > well. > > They can tell if you're prepared. > > . Be enthusiastic. Firms often keep candidates on "hold" for a little > > while if they are not sure whether to make an offer. If you would > > definitely accept an offer from them, let them know they are your > > first choice, and keep in touch with them to reiterate your interest. > > . Make sure your resume, cover letter and thank you notes are > > absolutely perfect - it's their first representation of you. If you > > make any typos, you will lose credibility, and possibly the opportunity > to > interview. > > . Any time you can get make additional connections through networking, > > to find someone to forward your resume to a law firm, such as an > > alumni of your law school, do so. It may help your resume get noticed. > > . Be ready during the interview to give specific examples of how you > > have solved problems, showed initiative, and acted as a "team player." > > Behavioral interview questions are sometimes used during interviews to > > elicit these types of examples. > > . Cast a wide net. In this economy, don't just rely on who is coming > > to interview your campus. Apply on your own firms in other cities, and > > apply to smaller firms and government agencies. > > . Know the different times of the year when large firms, small firms, > > and government agencies hire, and > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mikefry79%40gmail.com > From rumpole at roadrunner.com Wed Jun 26 16:03:49 2013 From: rumpole at roadrunner.com (Ross Doerr) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 12:03:49 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters In-Reply-To: <35B9902E-4414-4D57-B56E-620F2FD8EC45@gmail.com> References: <680F2EF783684FE6BCAEDA3214709FCB@mycomputer><008601ce7281$d5fcdf70$81f69e50$@sbcglobal.net><12A09AC0AAAF46D9A494FCBD04BD10A6@mycomputer> <35B9902E-4414-4D57-B56E-620F2FD8EC45@gmail.com> Message-ID: <5C48CCCDA5D843C392C961C2820538DD@mycomputer> I agree with both of you - I'd also experienced hiring partners checking the latest Gourhman report to determine a school's rating. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 11:45 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters So true. Either top rated school,or, top 5%. Sent from Mike Fry On Jun 26, 2013, at 11:36 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > Excellent point Dan. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of > Daniel McBride > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 11:29 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal > recruiters > > Ross: > > In her brief article, Ms. Mantis states, "I recently heard an > excellent panel of top law firm recruiting professionals..." Ms. > Mantis left out the > #1 essential for having any chance with these firms, whether blind or > sighted. > > And that is to be a graduate of a very highly rated law school and be > in the top 5% of your graduating class. Otherwise, forget it. > > Dan McBride > Fort Worth, Texas > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross > Doerr > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 7:00 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters > > Attention Law Students - This article appeared today on LinkedIn, and > was originally published on June 3. > So, if you are a law student, read on. > I cannot say how much of this would be specific to blind students, but > any idea that helps should be welcome. I still say to network, network > and then network some more. > *** > Top 10 Tips from Legal Recruiters: How to Land an Interview Mon, > 06/03/2013 > - 11:37am -- Hillary Mantis Guest Commentary By Hillary Mantis Summer > may have just begun, but fall on-campus interviews are right around the corner. > You will probably start hearing about summer resume deadlines from > your career center, if you haven't already. If you are trying for a > Big Law position, how can you present yourself in the best light? > I recently heard an excellent panel of top law firm recruiting > professionals speak to a standing room only crowd at a program at The > Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Inside the Hiring > Committee: Inside Tips from Recruiters on How to get Hired. > Here are some of their tips: > > . Research each firm carefully. Let the employer know why you are > specifically interested in their firm, and why you would be a good fit > for them. Know each firm, their specialties, and their individual offices well. > They can tell if you're prepared. > . Be enthusiastic. Firms often keep candidates on "hold" for a little > while if they are not sure whether to make an offer. If you would > definitely accept an offer from them, let them know they are your > first choice, and keep in touch with them to reiterate your interest. > . Make sure your resume, cover letter and thank you notes are > absolutely perfect - it's their first representation of you. If you > make any typos, you will lose credibility, and possibly the opportunity to interview. > . Any time you can get make additional connections through networking, > to find someone to forward your resume to a law firm, such as an > alumni of your law school, do so. It may help your resume get noticed. > . Be ready during the interview to give specific examples of how you > have solved problems, showed initiative, and acted as a "team player." > Behavioral interview questions are sometimes used during interviews to > elicit these types of examples. > . Cast a wide net. In this economy, don't just rely on who is coming > to interview your campus. Apply on your own firms in other cities, and > apply to smaller firms and government agencies. > . Know the different times of the year when large firms, small firms, > and government agencies hire, and in general, stick to those times. > Larger firms tend to hire much more in advance than smaller firms, who > may not be able to predict their needs as far ahead of time. > . Become a student member of your local bar association, and volunteer > for committees, where you may meet practicing lawyers. If possible, > volunteer to write an article with them. > . Network with other lawyers throughout your years in law school, not > just when you are going through on-campus interviews. Make contacts to > leverage for the long haul, not just for the immediate future. Keep in > touch with your connections throughout law school - they will be more > likely to remember you when they do hear of a job. > . Emphasize leadership roles you have held on campus, or even as an > undergrad - firms are looking for people who can one day be an "ambassador" > for the firm. > > Hillary Mantis advises law students, lawyers, and pre-law students. > She is the Director of the Pre-Law Program at Fordham University, and > author of Alternative Careers for Lawyers. You can write to Hillary at > altcareer at aol.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sb > cgloba > l.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40r > oadrun > ner.com > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3204/5942 - Release Date: > 06/26/13 > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mikefry79%4 > 0gmail.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40roadrun ner.com ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3204/5942 - Release Date: 06/26/13 From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Wed Jun 26 16:12:18 2013 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 17:12:18 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters In-Reply-To: <008f01ce7285$d63cf8e0$82b6eaa0$@sbcglobal.net> References: <680F2EF783684FE6BCAEDA3214709FCB@mycomputer> <008601ce7281$d5fcdf70$81f69e50$@sbcglobal.net> <12A09AC0AAAF46D9A494FCBD04BD10A6@mycomputer> <35B9902E-4414-4D57-B56E-620F2FD8EC45@gmail.com> <008f01ce7285$d63cf8e0$82b6eaa0$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: how did you find working there daniel? On 6/26/13, Daniel McBride wrote: > Mike: > > When I was a freshman in law school, I had a job as a 'runner' with Lock, > Lord & Bissell, one of the most powerful law firms in this nation. During > the year I was there, I observed, first hand, their recruiting and hiring > practices. > > First, you do not go looking for them, they come looking for you. And all > candidates had to be both from a top law school and top 5% to be > considered. > One or the other would not get you there. > > Dan McBride > Fort Worth Texas > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 10:45 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters > > So true. Either top rated school,or, top 5%. > > Sent from Mike Fry > > On Jun 26, 2013, at 11:36 AM, "Ross Doerr" wrote: > >> Excellent point Dan. >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Daniel McBride >> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 11:29 AM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal >> recruiters >> >> Ross: >> >> In her brief article, Ms. Mantis states, "I recently heard an >> excellent panel of top law firm recruiting professionals..." Ms. >> Mantis left out the >> #1 essential for having any chance with these firms, whether blind or >> sighted. >> >> And that is to be a graduate of a very highly rated law school and be >> in the top 5% of your graduating class. Otherwise, forget it. >> >> Dan McBride >> Fort Worth, Texas >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross >> Doerr >> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 7:00 AM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips on how to get noticed by legal recruiters >> >> Attention Law Students - This article appeared today on LinkedIn, and >> was originally published on June 3. >> So, if you are a law student, read on. >> I cannot say how much of this would be specific to blind students, but >> any idea that helps should be welcome. I still say to network, network >> and then network some more. >> *** >> Top 10 Tips from Legal Recruiters: How to Land an Interview Mon, >> 06/03/2013 >> - 11:37am -- Hillary Mantis Guest Commentary By Hillary Mantis Summer >> may have just begun, but fall on-campus interviews are right around the > corner. >> You will probably start hearing about summer resume deadlines from >> your career center, if you haven't already. If you are trying for a >> Big Law position, how can you present yourself in the best light? >> I recently heard an excellent panel of top law firm recruiting >> professionals speak to a standing room only crowd at a program at The >> Association of the Bar of the City of New York, Inside the Hiring >> Committee: Inside Tips from Recruiters on How to get Hired. >> Here are some of their tips: >> >> . Research each firm carefully. Let the employer know why you are >> specifically interested in their firm, and why you would be a good fit >> for them. Know each firm, their specialties, and their individual >> offices > well. >> They can tell if you're prepared. >> . Be enthusiastic. Firms often keep candidates on "hold" for a little >> while if they are not sure whether to make an offer. If you would >> definitely accept an offer from them, let them know they are your >> first choice, and keep in touch with them to reiterate your interest. >> . Make sure your resume, cover letter and thank you notes are >> absolutely perfect - it's their first representation of you. If you >> make any typos, you will lose credibility, and possibly the opportunity >> to > interview. >> . Any time you can get make additional connections through networking, >> to find someone to forward your resume to a law firm, such as an >> alumni of your law school, do so. It may help your resume get noticed. >> . Be ready during the interview to give specific examples of how you >> have solved problems, showed initiative, and acted as a "team player." >> Behavioral interview questions are sometimes used during interviews to >> elicit these types of examples. >> . Cast a wide net. In this economy, don't just rely on who is coming >> to interview your campus. Apply on your own firms in other cities, and >> apply to smaller firms and government agencies. >> . Know the different times of the year when large firms, small firms, >> and government agencies hire, and in general, stick to those times. >> Larger firms tend to hire much more in advance than smaller firms, who >> may not be able to predict their needs as far ahead of time. >> . Become a student member of your local bar association, and volunteer >> for committees, where you may meet practicing lawyers. If possible, >> volunteer to write an article with them. >> . Network with other lawyers throughout your years in law school, not >> just when you are going through on-campus interviews. Make contacts to >> leverage for the long haul, not just for the immediate future. Keep in >> touch with your connections throughout law school - they will be more >> likely to remember you when they do hear of a job. >> . Emphasize leadership roles you have held on campus, or even as an >> undergrad - firms are looking for people who can one day be an > "ambassador" >> for the firm. >> >> Hillary Mantis advises law students, lawyers, and pre-law students. >> She is the Director of the Pre-Law Program at Fordham University, and >> author of Alternative Careers for Lawyers. You can write to Hillary at >> altcareer at aol.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sb >> cgloba >> l.net >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rumpole%40r >> oadrun >> ner.com >> >> >> ----- >> No virus found in this message. >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com >> Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3204/5942 - Release Date: >> 06/26/13 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mikefry79%4 >> 0gmail.com > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba > l.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%40gmail.com > From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Wed Jun 26 18:11:32 2013 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 13:11:32 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Message-ID: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas From amatney at hf-law.com Wed Jun 26 18:19:47 2013 From: amatney at hf-law.com (Angela Matney) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 18:19:47 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE567@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> Hi Dan: I don't know Virginia's rank now, but when I was there, it was in the top 10. Certainly, some firms have more stringent requirements than others, but the article referred to "Big Law" (note the capitalization). Many of my classmates who were not in the top 5% got Big Law jobs. My point was that not all "Big Law" jobs are foreclosed to people who did not graduate in the top 5% of a top-10 law school (and I know this because I attended such a school). Best, Angie ----------------------------- Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. ----------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law.com From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Wed Jun 26 18:27:38 2013 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 13:27:38 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] correction for Angie Message-ID: <012c01ce729a$d6d0a0d0$8471e270$@sbcglobal.net> Angie: With sincerest apology, I looked after I leaped, and the Gourman report, mentioned earlier by Ross Doerr, has your alma mater ranked at 15. Credit to Virginia where credit is due. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas From dbeitz at wiennergould.com Wed Jun 26 18:26:47 2013 From: dbeitz at wiennergould.com (Daniel K. Beitz) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 14:26:47 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <008c01ce729a$b7cbf450$2763dcf0$@wiennergould.com> I graduated from Michigan, and it took me 100 interviews to get a job at a firm of 130 attorneys in the Detroit area, and it wasn't really one of those bigshot firms. ------------------------------------------- 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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com From amatney at hf-law.com Wed Jun 26 18:30:32 2013 From: amatney at hf-law.com (Angela Matney) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 18:30:32 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] correction for Angie In-Reply-To: <012c01ce729a$d6d0a0d0$8471e270$@sbcglobal.net> References: <012c01ce729a$d6d0a0d0$8471e270$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE5C5@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> Thanks. I was referring to U.S. News rankings when I mentioned the top 10. I also did not mean to imply that everything you said about top law firms was false; I should have referred to "Big Law" instead of "top firms." Angie Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:28 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] correction for Angie Angie: With sincerest apology, I looked after I leaped, and the Gourman report, mentioned earlier by Ross Doerr, has your alma mater ranked at 15. Credit to Virginia where credit is due. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law.com From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Wed Jun 26 18:48:42 2013 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 13:48:42 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <008c01ce729a$b7cbf450$2763dcf0$@wiennergould.com> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <008c01ce729a$b7cbf450$2763dcf0$@wiennergould.com> Message-ID: <014601ce729d$c824cd10$586e6730$@sbcglobal.net> Daniel: >From my experience at Liddell, Sapp, I can tell you Michigan was near the top of their list. However, only those graduating Magna/Summa cum Laude were considered. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. Beitz Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:27 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters I graduated from Michigan, and it took me 100 interviews to get a job at a firm of 130 attorneys in the Detroit area, and it wasn't really one of those bigshot firms. ------------------------------------------- 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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net From dbeitz at wiennergould.com Wed Jun 26 19:25:31 2013 From: dbeitz at wiennergould.com (Daniel K. Beitz) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 15:25:31 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <014601ce729d$c824cd10$586e6730$@sbcglobal.net> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <008c01ce729a$b7cbf450$2763dcf0$@wiennergould.com> <014601ce729d$c824cd10$586e6730$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <009701ce72a2$ee98e8f0$cbcabad0$@wiennergould.com> Not me! I was very immature. Nowhere near that good. 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 www.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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:49 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Daniel: >From my experience at Liddell, Sapp, I can tell you Michigan was near >the top of their list. However, only those graduating Magna/Summa cum Laude were considered. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. Beitz Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:27 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters I graduated from Michigan, and it took me 100 interviews to get a job at a firm of 130 attorneys in the Detroit area, and it wasn't really one of those bigshot firms. ------------------------------------------- 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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com From tim at timeldermusic.com Wed Jun 26 21:29:10 2013 From: tim at timeldermusic.com (Tim Elder) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 17:29:10 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: <0988FD6F-34D0-4D5A-936E-7AEACFE63FAA@gmail.com> References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> <0988FD6F-34D0-4D5A-936E-7AEACFE63FAA@gmail.com> Message-ID: <00a801ce72b4$33e6b340$9bb419c0$@timeldermusic.com> My personal opinion as someone who has worked at a big law AM 100 firm, a small nonprofit firm and a small 25-attorney private firm is that JAWS is still the best screen reader of choice. Voiceover is a great screen reader, but unfortunately OSX is not the operating system you will be using for at least the next 5 years. -----Original Message----- From: Rahul Bajaj [mailto:rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:24 AM To: amarjain at amarjain.com; Blind Law Mailing List Cc: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Hi all, Thank you so much for your wonderful responses.. I will definitely try to improve my efficiency in all these areas.. I use VoiceOver on my Mac. So I do know how to use apple Mail and Calendar which, I believe, essentially are used to perform the same tasks as Outlook.. I will, however, have to focus on effectively using track changes and red lining documents... I can use Powerpoint and Excel to some extent, but I will still try to learn techniques for using them more efficaciously... I have another different, but related, question: Do law firms allow you to use any screen reader of your choice, or are you required to use a specific screen reader?. If so, which screen reader would that generally be?. I just don't want to end up spending all my time and energy in learning how to use a screen reader effectively only to learn later that I won't be able to use that screen reader in the office. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 26, 2013, at 7:18 AM, "Amar Jain" wrote: > Certainly, the practice of using track changes and red lining > documents is being extensively used by transactional lawyers over here > in India too. And in good firms, you have a specific person assigned > who takes care of shaping the document in the firm's standard style > (which is decided by the knowledge management), before it is being sent outside the firm. > > By and large, most of the legal databases are usable with screen > readers, so also are the internal solutions used by firms. As others > said, comfort in using any kind of web application, including the ones > which are designed in Java, should help you in using the databases > efficiently. Familiarize yourself with screen reader specific > commands, such as in Jaws, you have the option of skim reading, > flexible web, and few others depending the way you like to use your screen reader, which can save a lot of time and effort. > > Most of the documents come in PDF, and a large portion of which comes > with text, so there is no problem as far as reading of documents is > concerned. At times, you may have a little complexed designed > documents (ignoring the accessibility standards), which may make text > reading difficult, but that depends on the kind of document, and > whether you can make those small changes to the document, which may > get out of that situation. Highlighting and commenting in PDF is also important to learn. > > Last but not least, a fair use of powerpoint and basic use of excel > graphs is important, although that depends on your practice area. But > in general if it anyhow relates to finance, then at times you may need to use graphs. > Powerpoint is surely used for presentations and stuff. And oh yeah, > don't forget to learn Microsoft outlook properly, as that is another > application extensively used by us not only for emails, but also for > callender, appointments, etc. > > Regards, > Amar Jain. > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of > Andrew Webb > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:48 AM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Two points come to mind for me: > > 1. I don't know if this is common practice where you are, but in US > law offices it is very common for attorneys to submit drafts of briefs > and memos for other attorneys to review, edit, and submit comments and suggestions. > For documents created in MS Word at least, redlining and track changes > are the usual techniques. These can be a bit cumbersome via a screen > reader, but they can still be used, and you will want to be sure you > know how if this is a technique that your office colleagues rely on. > > 2. If you haven't already, develop a technique that works for you in > order to mark and quickly reference important blocks of text as you > review literature, statutes, case law, etc. It can make all the > difference in keeping you organized and efficient. I know that you > can use JAWS and Kurzweil in order to create and organize bookmarks > within text, though others on the list may have found other measures that work even better. > > Good luck. > > Regards, > Andrew Webb > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of > Angela Matney > Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:05 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular > screen reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard > shortcuts for Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or > "shift-x" to move to the next or previous checkbox, respectively. > These keystrokes will be invaluable when you are required to access > legal databases online. Even transactional lawyers must conduct > research, and being able to efficiently navigate webpages is > essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of the excellent general advice Randy gave you. > > Best of luck, > > Angie > > > > > > ----------------------------- > > Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: > This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected > by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware > that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or > any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in > error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and > delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. > > Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant > to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this > communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and > cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be > imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice > be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction > or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. > > ----------------------------- > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of > Farber, Randy > Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Rahul - > > 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on > discussions and other matters, while you are typing. > > 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other systems > you will be using. > > These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them > are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. > > Randy > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rahul > Bajaj > Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM > To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org > Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Hi all, > > I hope you all are doing well. > I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert > in the coming days. > I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like > using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. > I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. > So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? > I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an > impediment during my internships and in my career in general. > So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work > more efficiently. > Your help would be greatly valued. > > Best, > Rahul > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40j > w.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. > com > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/awebb2168%4 > 0gmail > .com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amarjain%40 > amarja > in.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rahul.bajaj > 1038%40gmail.com From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Wed Jun 26 21:35:46 2013 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 16:35:46 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] correction for myself Message-ID: <01fb01ce72b5$1f1cc7f0$5d5657d0$@sbcglobal.net> Angie: Having leaped before I looked earlier, I stated that I didn't believe my alma mater would even make the Gourman list. Knock my socks off; it came in at #162! (lol) Dan McBride From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Wed Jun 26 21:40:33 2013 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 16:40:33 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <009701ce72a2$ee98e8f0$cbcabad0$@wiennergould.com> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <008c01ce729a$b7cbf450$2763dcf0$@wiennergould.com> <014601ce729d$c824cd10$586e6730$@sbcglobal.net> <009701ce72a2$ee98e8f0$cbcabad0$@wiennergould.com> Message-ID: <020701ce72b5$c9fe8230$5dfb8690$@sbcglobal.net> No matter Daniel. Your J.D. sheepskin is prestigiously embossed with the words 'University Of Michigan School Of Law'. Enough said. I refer to my sheep skin as my Little Bo Peep diploma. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. Beitz Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:26 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Not me! I was very immature. Nowhere near that good. 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 www.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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:49 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Daniel: >From my experience at Liddell, Sapp, I can tell you Michigan was near >the top of their list. However, only those graduating Magna/Summa cum Laude were considered. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. Beitz Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:27 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters I graduated from Michigan, and it took me 100 interviews to get a job at a firm of 130 attorneys in the Detroit area, and it wasn't really one of those bigshot firms. ------------------------------------------- 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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net From dbeitz at wiennergould.com Thu Jun 27 13:47:06 2013 From: dbeitz at wiennergould.com (Daniel K. Beitz) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 09:47:06 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <020701ce72b5$c9fe8230$5dfb8690$@sbcglobal.net> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <008c01ce729a$b7cbf450$2763dcf0$@wiennergould.com> <014601ce729d$c824cd10$586e6730$@sbcglobal.net> <009701ce72a2$ee98e8f0$cbcabad0$@wiennergould.com> <020701ce72b5$c9fe8230$5dfb8690$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <003f01ce733c$d03b43e0$70b1cba0$@wiennergould.com> I've been gainfully employed for 21 years, so it has worked out alright. What really helps is to find someone who believes in you and will give you a chance. 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 www.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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 5:41 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters No matter Daniel. Your J.D. sheepskin is prestigiously embossed with the words 'University Of Michigan School Of Law'. Enough said. I refer to my sheep skin as my Little Bo Peep diploma. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. Beitz Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:26 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Not me! I was very immature. Nowhere near that good. 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 www.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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:49 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Daniel: >From my experience at Liddell, Sapp, I can tell you Michigan was near >the top of their list. However, only those graduating Magna/Summa cum Laude were considered. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. Beitz Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:27 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters I graduated from Michigan, and it took me 100 interviews to get a job at a firm of 130 attorneys in the Detroit area, and it wasn't really one of those bigshot firms. ------------------------------------------- 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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Thu Jun 27 16:34:41 2013 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 17:34:41 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: <00a801ce72b4$33e6b340$9bb419c0$@timeldermusic.com> References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> <0988FD6F-34D0-4D5A-936E-7AEACFE63FAA@gmail.com> <00a801ce72b4$33e6b340$9bb419c0$@timeldermusic.com> Message-ID: I agree. You need to focus on advanced features of word, like tables - something I still have trouble with. Bare in mind that you will not always be able to dictate the fomrate of documents which you need to work on. Transactional lawyers are very focused on the appearance of their docs, as well as content, so this is important too. On 6/26/13, Tim Elder wrote: > My personal opinion as someone who has worked at a big law AM 100 firm, a > small nonprofit firm and a small 25-attorney private firm is that JAWS is > still the best screen reader of choice. Voiceover is a great screen > reader, > but unfortunately OSX is not the operating system you will be using for at > least the next 5 years. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Rahul Bajaj [mailto:rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com] > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:24 AM > To: amarjain at amarjain.com; Blind Law Mailing List > Cc: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Hi all, > > Thank you so much for your wonderful responses.. > I will definitely try to improve my efficiency in all these areas.. > I use VoiceOver on my Mac. So I do know how to use apple Mail and Calendar > which, I believe, essentially are used to perform the same tasks as > Outlook.. > I will, however, have to focus on effectively using track changes and red > lining documents... > I can use Powerpoint and Excel to some extent, but I will still try to > learn > techniques for using them more efficaciously... > I have another different, but related, question: Do law firms allow you > to use any screen reader of your choice, or are you required to use a > specific screen reader?. > If so, which screen reader would that generally be?. > I just don't want to end up spending all my time and energy in learning > how > to use a screen reader effectively only to learn later that I won't be able > to use that screen reader in the office. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jun 26, 2013, at 7:18 AM, "Amar Jain" wrote: > >> Certainly, the practice of using track changes and red lining >> documents is being extensively used by transactional lawyers over here >> in India too. And in good firms, you have a specific person assigned >> who takes care of shaping the document in the firm's standard style >> (which is decided by the knowledge management), before it is being sent > outside the firm. >> >> By and large, most of the legal databases are usable with screen >> readers, so also are the internal solutions used by firms. As others >> said, comfort in using any kind of web application, including the ones >> which are designed in Java, should help you in using the databases >> efficiently. Familiarize yourself with screen reader specific >> commands, such as in Jaws, you have the option of skim reading, >> flexible web, and few others depending the way you like to use your >> screen > reader, which can save a lot of time and effort. >> >> Most of the documents come in PDF, and a large portion of which comes >> with text, so there is no problem as far as reading of documents is >> concerned. At times, you may have a little complexed designed >> documents (ignoring the accessibility standards), which may make text >> reading difficult, but that depends on the kind of document, and >> whether you can make those small changes to the document, which may >> get out of that situation. Highlighting and commenting in PDF is also > important to learn. >> >> Last but not least, a fair use of powerpoint and basic use of excel >> graphs is important, although that depends on your practice area. But >> in general if it anyhow relates to finance, then at times you may need to > use graphs. >> Powerpoint is surely used for presentations and stuff. And oh yeah, >> don't forget to learn Microsoft outlook properly, as that is another >> application extensively used by us not only for emails, but also for >> callender, appointments, etc. >> >> Regards, >> Amar Jain. >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Andrew Webb >> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:48 AM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Two points come to mind for me: >> >> 1. I don't know if this is common practice where you are, but in US >> law offices it is very common for attorneys to submit drafts of briefs >> and memos for other attorneys to review, edit, and submit comments and > suggestions. >> For documents created in MS Word at least, redlining and track changes >> are the usual techniques. These can be a bit cumbersome via a screen >> reader, but they can still be used, and you will want to be sure you >> know how if this is a technique that your office colleagues rely on. >> >> 2. If you haven't already, develop a technique that works for you in >> order to mark and quickly reference important blocks of text as you >> review literature, statutes, case law, etc. It can make all the >> difference in keeping you organized and efficient. I know that you >> can use JAWS and Kurzweil in order to create and organize bookmarks >> within text, though others on the list may have found other measures that > work even better. >> >> Good luck. >> >> Regards, >> Andrew Webb >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Angela Matney >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:05 PM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular >> screen reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard >> shortcuts for Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or >> "shift-x" to move to the next or previous checkbox, respectively. >> These keystrokes will be invaluable when you are required to access >> legal databases online. Even transactional lawyers must conduct >> research, and being able to efficiently navigate webpages is >> essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of the > excellent general advice Randy gave you. >> >> Best of luck, >> >> Angie >> >> >> >> >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: >> This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected >> by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware >> that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or >> any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in >> error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and >> delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. >> >> Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant >> to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this >> communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and >> cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be >> imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice >> be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction >> or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Farber, Randy >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM >> To: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Rahul - >> >> 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on >> discussions and other matters, while you are typing. >> >> 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other > systems >> you will be using. >> >> These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them >> are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. >> >> Randy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rahul >> Bajaj >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM >> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Hi all, >> >> I hope you all are doing well. >> I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert >> in the coming days. >> I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like >> using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. >> I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. >> So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? >> I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an >> impediment during my internships and in my career in general. >> So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work >> more efficiently. >> Your help would be greatly valued. >> >> Best, >> Rahul >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40j >> w.com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. >> com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/awebb2168%4 >> 0gmail >> .com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amarjain%40 >> amarja >> in.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rahul.bajaj >> 1038%40gmail.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%40gmail.com > From dbeitz at wiennergould.com Thu Jun 27 16:58:38 2013 From: dbeitz at wiennergould.com (Daniel K. Beitz) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 12:58:38 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> <0988FD6F-34D0-4D5A-936E-7AEACFE63FAA@gmail.com> <00a801ce72b4$33e6b340$9bb419c0$@timeldermusic.com> Message-ID: <008601ce7357$91d5a5d0$b580f170$@wiennergould.com> I agree. The Mac won't cut it in a firm. Although windoweyes has some advantages, Jaws is more reliable right now for most things. 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 www.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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerard Sadlier Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 12:35 PM To: tim at timeldermusic.com; Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills I agree. You need to focus on advanced features of word, like tables - something I still have trouble with. Bare in mind that you will not always be able to dictate the fomrate of documents which you need to work on. Transactional lawyers are very focused on the appearance of their docs, as well as content, so this is important too. On 6/26/13, Tim Elder wrote: > My personal opinion as someone who has worked at a big law AM 100 > firm, a small nonprofit firm and a small 25-attorney private firm is > that JAWS is still the best screen reader of choice. Voiceover is a > great screen reader, but unfortunately OSX is not the operating system > you will be using for at least the next 5 years. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Rahul Bajaj [mailto:rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com] > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:24 AM > To: amarjain at amarjain.com; Blind Law Mailing List > Cc: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Hi all, > > Thank you so much for your wonderful responses.. > I will definitely try to improve my efficiency in all these areas.. > I use VoiceOver on my Mac. So I do know how to use apple Mail and > Calendar which, I believe, essentially are used to perform the same > tasks as Outlook.. > I will, however, have to focus on effectively using track changes and > red lining documents... > I can use Powerpoint and Excel to some extent, but I will still try to > learn techniques for using them more efficaciously... > I have another different, but related, question: Do law firms allow you > to use any screen reader of your choice, or are you required to use a > specific screen reader?. > If so, which screen reader would that generally be?. > I just don't want to end up spending all my time and energy in > learning how to use a screen reader effectively only to learn later > that I won't be able to use that screen reader in the office. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jun 26, 2013, at 7:18 AM, "Amar Jain" wrote: > >> Certainly, the practice of using track changes and red lining >> documents is being extensively used by transactional lawyers over >> here in India too. And in good firms, you have a specific person >> assigned who takes care of shaping the document in the firm's >> standard style (which is decided by the knowledge management), before >> it is being sent > outside the firm. >> >> By and large, most of the legal databases are usable with screen >> readers, so also are the internal solutions used by firms. As others >> said, comfort in using any kind of web application, including the >> ones which are designed in Java, should help you in using the >> databases efficiently. Familiarize yourself with screen reader >> specific commands, such as in Jaws, you have the option of skim >> reading, flexible web, and few others depending the way you like to >> use your screen > reader, which can save a lot of time and effort. >> >> Most of the documents come in PDF, and a large portion of which comes >> with text, so there is no problem as far as reading of documents is >> concerned. At times, you may have a little complexed designed >> documents (ignoring the accessibility standards), which may make text >> reading difficult, but that depends on the kind of document, and >> whether you can make those small changes to the document, which may >> get out of that situation. Highlighting and commenting in PDF is also > important to learn. >> >> Last but not least, a fair use of powerpoint and basic use of excel >> graphs is important, although that depends on your practice area. But >> in general if it anyhow relates to finance, then at times you may >> need to > use graphs. >> Powerpoint is surely used for presentations and stuff. And oh yeah, >> don't forget to learn Microsoft outlook properly, as that is another >> application extensively used by us not only for emails, but also for >> callender, appointments, etc. >> >> Regards, >> Amar Jain. >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Andrew Webb >> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:48 AM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Two points come to mind for me: >> >> 1. I don't know if this is common practice where you are, but in US >> law offices it is very common for attorneys to submit drafts of >> briefs and memos for other attorneys to review, edit, and submit >> comments and > suggestions. >> For documents created in MS Word at least, redlining and track >> changes are the usual techniques. These can be a bit cumbersome via >> a screen reader, but they can still be used, and you will want to be >> sure you know how if this is a technique that your office colleagues rely on. >> >> 2. If you haven't already, develop a technique that works for you in >> order to mark and quickly reference important blocks of text as you >> review literature, statutes, case law, etc. It can make all the >> difference in keeping you organized and efficient. I know that you >> can use JAWS and Kurzweil in order to create and organize bookmarks >> within text, though others on the list may have found other measures >> that > work even better. >> >> Good luck. >> >> Regards, >> Andrew Webb >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Angela Matney >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:05 PM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular >> screen reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard >> shortcuts for Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or >> "shift-x" to move to the next or previous checkbox, respectively. >> These keystrokes will be invaluable when you are required to access >> legal databases online. Even transactional lawyers must conduct >> research, and being able to efficiently navigate webpages is >> essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of the > excellent general advice Randy gave you. >> >> Best of luck, >> >> Angie >> >> >> >> >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: >> This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected >> by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware >> that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or >> any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in >> error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and >> delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. >> >> Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant >> to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this >> communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and >> cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be >> imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice >> be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction >> or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Farber, Randy >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM >> To: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Rahul - >> >> 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on >> discussions and other matters, while you are typing. >> >> 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other > systems >> you will be using. >> >> These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them >> are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. >> >> Randy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Rahul Bajaj >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM >> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Hi all, >> >> I hope you all are doing well. >> I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert >> in the coming days. >> I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like >> using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. >> I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. >> So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? >> I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an >> impediment during my internships and in my career in general. >> So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work >> more efficiently. >> Your help would be greatly valued. >> >> Best, >> Rahul >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40 >> j >> w.com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. >> com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/awebb2168% >> 4 >> 0gmail >> .com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amarjain%4 >> 0 >> amarja >> in.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rahul.baja >> j >> 1038%40gmail.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadl > ier%40gmail.com > _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Thu Jun 27 17:04:34 2013 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 18:04:34 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] Has Anyone Got Tax Experience? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi all, I'm not quite sure of the equivalent professional body in the US but in Ireland, there are exams one can do to become a tax consultant. I wondered if anyo of you have done something similar? If so, how did you find it? I should say that I haven't found the limited amount of accounting I've done so far especially easy - which may have been due to the visual way it was thought or my own aptitude. Your thoughts are welcome Ger From wickps at gmail.com Thu Jun 27 17:22:02 2013 From: wickps at gmail.com (Paul Wick) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 10:22:02 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <003f01ce733c$d03b43e0$70b1cba0$@wiennergould.com> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <008c01ce729a$b7cbf450$2763dcf0$@wiennergould.com> <014601ce729d$c824cd10$586e6730$@sbcglobal.net> <009701ce72a2$ee98e8f0$cbcabad0$@wiennergould.com> <020701ce72b5$c9fe8230$5dfb8690$@sbcglobal.net> <003f01ce733c$d03b43e0$70b1cba0$@wiennergould.com> Message-ID: All, I want to second what Mr. Beitz said, though I would add that unlike most other professional degrees the J.D. is more like buying a lottery ticket as far as you being able to find legal employment. Three years after graduation only about half my class ever found a permanent job in law (based on their linkedin profiles anyway) I was one of the lucky ones who found someone willing to give me a shot. Best, Paul On 6/27/13, Daniel K. Beitz wrote: > I've been gainfully employed for 21 years, so it has worked out alright. > What really helps is to find someone who believes in you and will give you > a > chance. > > > > 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 > > www.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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel > McBride > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 5:41 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters > > No matter Daniel. Your J.D. sheepskin is prestigiously embossed with the > words 'University Of Michigan School Of Law'. Enough said. I refer to my > sheep skin as my Little Bo Peep diploma. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. > Beitz > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:26 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters > > Not me! I was very immature. Nowhere near that good. > > 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 > > www.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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel > McBride > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:49 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters > > Daniel: > > >From my experience at Liddell, Sapp, I can tell you Michigan was near >>the > top of their list. However, only those graduating Magna/Summa cum Laude > were considered. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. > Beitz > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:27 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters > > I graduated from Michigan, and it took me 100 interviews to get a job at a > firm of 130 attorneys in the Detroit area, and it wasn't really one of > those > bigshot firms. > > ------------------------------------------- > 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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel > McBride > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters > > When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law > school, > the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright > & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, > with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & > Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and > Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, > with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. > > > > Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. > Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The > firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in > America, London and Hong Kong. > > > > While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the > recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. > I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy > League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas > Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. > > > > And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be > considered. > > > > I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law > firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious > schools who are at the top of their class. > > > > Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have > any > idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the > top > 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my > alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a > South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on > what > is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & > Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, > you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum > Laude. > > > > Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, > graduate > Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a > Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general > rule. > > > > And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. > That's just my 2 cents worth. > > > > Dan McBride > > Fort Worth, Texas > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg > ould.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba > l.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg > ould.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba > l.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg > ould.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/wickps%40gmail.com > From Susan.Kelly at pima.gov Thu Jun 27 17:32:20 2013 From: Susan.Kelly at pima.gov (Susan Kelly) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 17:32:20 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> <0988FD6F-34D0-4D5A-936E-7AEACFE63FAA@gmail.com> <00a801ce72b4$33e6b340$9bb419c0$@timeldermusic.com> Message-ID: Another consideration will be if your firm / practice decides to use one of the electronic file management systems that seem to be the current fad. The one that my office (a governmental agency, so no wiggle room on using a different program on any level) is not accessible with JAWS or any other screen narrator, and the degree of screen magnification that I need to physically view things that are not accessible to JAWS is such that it is also not an option for using the system. The compromise that we have worked out is that my files are mirrored in the Word file system that I created for myself long before. My assistant and my secretary scan documents to the Word file for each client, and my assistant reads and makes audio files for all documents and disclosure that cannot be easily read (either sensibly or at all) by JAWS, such as handwritten police reports and court reports that are strangely formatted. This has worked for me, although it does take extra time. The Word file that I set up for each client mimics what I would have traditionally done with a physical file, including subfolders for organization. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerard Sadlier Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 9:35 AM To: tim at timeldermusic.com; Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills I agree. You need to focus on advanced features of word, like tables - something I still have trouble with. Bare in mind that you will not always be able to dictate the fomrate of documents which you need to work on. Transactional lawyers are very focused on the appearance of their docs, as well as content, so this is important too. On 6/26/13, Tim Elder wrote: > My personal opinion as someone who has worked at a big law AM 100 > firm, a small nonprofit firm and a small 25-attorney private firm is > that JAWS is still the best screen reader of choice. Voiceover is a > great screen reader, but unfortunately OSX is not the operating system > you will be using for at least the next 5 years. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Rahul Bajaj [mailto:rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com] > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:24 AM > To: amarjain at amarjain.com; Blind Law Mailing List > Cc: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Hi all, > > Thank you so much for your wonderful responses.. > I will definitely try to improve my efficiency in all these areas.. > I use VoiceOver on my Mac. So I do know how to use apple Mail and > Calendar which, I believe, essentially are used to perform the same > tasks as Outlook.. > I will, however, have to focus on effectively using track changes and > red lining documents... > I can use Powerpoint and Excel to some extent, but I will still try to > learn techniques for using them more efficaciously... > I have another different, but related, question: Do law firms allow you > to use any screen reader of your choice, or are you required to use a > specific screen reader?. > If so, which screen reader would that generally be?. > I just don't want to end up spending all my time and energy in > learning how to use a screen reader effectively only to learn later > that I won't be able to use that screen reader in the office. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jun 26, 2013, at 7:18 AM, "Amar Jain" wrote: > >> Certainly, the practice of using track changes and red lining >> documents is being extensively used by transactional lawyers over >> here in India too. And in good firms, you have a specific person >> assigned who takes care of shaping the document in the firm's >> standard style (which is decided by the knowledge management), before >> it is being sent > outside the firm. >> >> By and large, most of the legal databases are usable with screen >> readers, so also are the internal solutions used by firms. As others >> said, comfort in using any kind of web application, including the >> ones which are designed in Java, should help you in using the >> databases efficiently. Familiarize yourself with screen reader >> specific commands, such as in Jaws, you have the option of skim >> reading, flexible web, and few others depending the way you like to >> use your screen > reader, which can save a lot of time and effort. >> >> Most of the documents come in PDF, and a large portion of which comes >> with text, so there is no problem as far as reading of documents is >> concerned. At times, you may have a little complexed designed >> documents (ignoring the accessibility standards), which may make text >> reading difficult, but that depends on the kind of document, and >> whether you can make those small changes to the document, which may >> get out of that situation. Highlighting and commenting in PDF is also > important to learn. >> >> Last but not least, a fair use of powerpoint and basic use of excel >> graphs is important, although that depends on your practice area. But >> in general if it anyhow relates to finance, then at times you may >> need to > use graphs. >> Powerpoint is surely used for presentations and stuff. And oh yeah, >> don't forget to learn Microsoft outlook properly, as that is another >> application extensively used by us not only for emails, but also for >> callender, appointments, etc. >> >> Regards, >> Amar Jain. >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Andrew Webb >> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:48 AM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Two points come to mind for me: >> >> 1. I don't know if this is common practice where you are, but in US >> law offices it is very common for attorneys to submit drafts of >> briefs and memos for other attorneys to review, edit, and submit >> comments and > suggestions. >> For documents created in MS Word at least, redlining and track >> changes are the usual techniques. These can be a bit cumbersome via >> a screen reader, but they can still be used, and you will want to be >> sure you know how if this is a technique that your office colleagues rely on. >> >> 2. If you haven't already, develop a technique that works for you in >> order to mark and quickly reference important blocks of text as you >> review literature, statutes, case law, etc. It can make all the >> difference in keeping you organized and efficient. I know that you >> can use JAWS and Kurzweil in order to create and organize bookmarks >> within text, though others on the list may have found other measures >> that > work even better. >> >> Good luck. >> >> Regards, >> Andrew Webb >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Angela Matney >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:05 PM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular >> screen reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard >> shortcuts for Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or >> "shift-x" to move to the next or previous checkbox, respectively. >> These keystrokes will be invaluable when you are required to access >> legal databases online. Even transactional lawyers must conduct >> research, and being able to efficiently navigate webpages is >> essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of the > excellent general advice Randy gave you. >> >> Best of luck, >> >> Angie >> >> >> >> >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: >> This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected >> by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware >> that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or >> any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in >> error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and >> delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. >> >> Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant >> to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this >> communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and >> cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be >> imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice >> be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction >> or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Farber, Randy >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM >> To: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Rahul - >> >> 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on >> discussions and other matters, while you are typing. >> >> 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other > systems >> you will be using. >> >> These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them >> are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. >> >> Randy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Rahul Bajaj >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM >> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Hi all, >> >> I hope you all are doing well. >> I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert >> in the coming days. >> I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like >> using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. >> I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. >> So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? >> I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an >> impediment during my internships and in my career in general. >> So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work >> more efficiently. >> Your help would be greatly valued. >> >> Best, >> Rahul >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40 >> j >> w.com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. >> com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/awebb2168% >> 4 >> 0gmail >> .com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amarjain%4 >> 0 >> amarja >> in.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rahul.baja >> j >> 1038%40gmail.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadl > ier%40gmail.com > _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/susan.kelly%40pima.gov From rthomas at emplmntattorney.com Thu Jun 27 17:54:27 2013 From: rthomas at emplmntattorney.com (Russell J. Thomas) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 10:54:27 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> <0988FD6F-34D0-4D5A-936E-7AEACFE63FAA@gmail.com> <00a801ce72b4$33e6b340$9bb419c0$@timeldermusic.com> Message-ID: <007301ce735f$5e8f9ac0$1baed040$@com> Two quick points: I have not seen anything on this thread about PDF documents. That is a challenge we all must face, and resolve as best we can. With regard to tables, my solution is to copy and paste the table into excel. I find it much easier to work with JAWS in excel than in a table. Once I finish working with the Excel file, I convert it back to word so that the ddocument goes back into a table format. 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 The information contained in this e-mail message is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the recipient(s) named above.  This message may be an attorney-client communication and/or work product and as such is privileged and confidential.  If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document in error and that any review, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail, and delete the original message. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Susan Kelly Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 10:32 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List; tim at timeldermusic.com Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Another consideration will be if your firm / practice decides to use one of the electronic file management systems that seem to be the current fad. The one that my office (a governmental agency, so no wiggle room on using a different program on any level) is not accessible with JAWS or any other screen narrator, and the degree of screen magnification that I need to physically view things that are not accessible to JAWS is such that it is also not an option for using the system. The compromise that we have worked out is that my files are mirrored in the Word file system that I created for myself long before. My assistant and my secretary scan documents to the Word file for each client, and my assistant reads and makes audio files for all documents and disclosure that cannot be easily read (either sensibly or at all) by JAWS, such as handwritten police reports and court reports that are strangely formatted. This has worked for me, although it does take extra time. The Word file that I set up for each client mimics what I would have traditionally done with a physical file, including subfolders for organization. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerard Sadlier Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 9:35 AM To: tim at timeldermusic.com; Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills I agree. You need to focus on advanced features of word, like tables - something I still have trouble with. Bare in mind that you will not always be able to dictate the fomrate of documents which you need to work on. Transactional lawyers are very focused on the appearance of their docs, as well as content, so this is important too. On 6/26/13, Tim Elder wrote: > My personal opinion as someone who has worked at a big law AM 100 > firm, a small nonprofit firm and a small 25-attorney private firm is > that JAWS is still the best screen reader of choice. Voiceover is a > great screen reader, but unfortunately OSX is not the operating system > you will be using for at least the next 5 years. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Rahul Bajaj [mailto:rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com] > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:24 AM > To: amarjain at amarjain.com; Blind Law Mailing List > Cc: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Hi all, > > Thank you so much for your wonderful responses.. > I will definitely try to improve my efficiency in all these areas.. > I use VoiceOver on my Mac. So I do know how to use apple Mail and > Calendar which, I believe, essentially are used to perform the same > tasks as Outlook.. > I will, however, have to focus on effectively using track changes and > red lining documents... > I can use Powerpoint and Excel to some extent, but I will still try to > learn techniques for using them more efficaciously... > I have another different, but related, question: Do law firms allow you > to use any screen reader of your choice, or are you required to use a > specific screen reader?. > If so, which screen reader would that generally be?. > I just don't want to end up spending all my time and energy in > learning how to use a screen reader effectively only to learn later > that I won't be able to use that screen reader in the office. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jun 26, 2013, at 7:18 AM, "Amar Jain" wrote: > >> Certainly, the practice of using track changes and red lining >> documents is being extensively used by transactional lawyers over >> here in India too. And in good firms, you have a specific person >> assigned who takes care of shaping the document in the firm's >> standard style (which is decided by the knowledge management), before >> it is being sent > outside the firm. >> >> By and large, most of the legal databases are usable with screen >> readers, so also are the internal solutions used by firms. As others >> said, comfort in using any kind of web application, including the >> ones which are designed in Java, should help you in using the >> databases efficiently. Familiarize yourself with screen reader >> specific commands, such as in Jaws, you have the option of skim >> reading, flexible web, and few others depending the way you like to >> use your screen > reader, which can save a lot of time and effort. >> >> Most of the documents come in PDF, and a large portion of which comes >> with text, so there is no problem as far as reading of documents is >> concerned. At times, you may have a little complexed designed >> documents (ignoring the accessibility standards), which may make text >> reading difficult, but that depends on the kind of document, and >> whether you can make those small changes to the document, which may >> get out of that situation. Highlighting and commenting in PDF is also > important to learn. >> >> Last but not least, a fair use of powerpoint and basic use of excel >> graphs is important, although that depends on your practice area. But >> in general if it anyhow relates to finance, then at times you may >> need to > use graphs. >> Powerpoint is surely used for presentations and stuff. And oh yeah, >> don't forget to learn Microsoft outlook properly, as that is another >> application extensively used by us not only for emails, but also for >> callender, appointments, etc. >> >> Regards, >> Amar Jain. >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Andrew Webb >> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:48 AM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Two points come to mind for me: >> >> 1. I don't know if this is common practice where you are, but in US >> law offices it is very common for attorneys to submit drafts of >> briefs and memos for other attorneys to review, edit, and submit >> comments and > suggestions. >> For documents created in MS Word at least, redlining and track >> changes are the usual techniques. These can be a bit cumbersome via >> a screen reader, but they can still be used, and you will want to be >> sure you know how if this is a technique that your office colleagues rely on. >> >> 2. If you haven't already, develop a technique that works for you in >> order to mark and quickly reference important blocks of text as you >> review literature, statutes, case law, etc. It can make all the >> difference in keeping you organized and efficient. I know that you >> can use JAWS and Kurzweil in order to create and organize bookmarks >> within text, though others on the list may have found other measures >> that > work even better. >> >> Good luck. >> >> Regards, >> Andrew Webb >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Angela Matney >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:05 PM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular >> screen reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard >> shortcuts for Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or >> "shift-x" to move to the next or previous checkbox, respectively. >> These keystrokes will be invaluable when you are required to access >> legal databases online. Even transactional lawyers must conduct >> research, and being able to efficiently navigate webpages is >> essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of the > excellent general advice Randy gave you. >> >> Best of luck, >> >> Angie >> >> >> >> >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: >> This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected >> by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware >> that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or >> any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in >> error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and >> delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. >> >> Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant >> to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this >> communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and >> cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be >> imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice >> be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction >> or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Farber, Randy >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM >> To: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Rahul - >> >> 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on >> discussions and other matters, while you are typing. >> >> 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other > systems >> you will be using. >> >> These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them >> are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. >> >> Randy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Rahul Bajaj >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM >> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Hi all, >> >> I hope you all are doing well. >> I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert >> in the coming days. >> I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like >> using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. >> I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. >> So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? >> I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an >> impediment during my internships and in my career in general. >> So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work >> more efficiently. >> Your help would be greatly valued. >> >> Best, >> Rahul >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40 >> j >> w.com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. >> com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/awebb2168% >> 4 >> 0gmail >> .com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amarjain%4 >> 0 >> amarja >> in.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rahul.baja >> j >> 1038%40gmail.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadl > ier%40gmail.com > _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/susan.kelly%40pim a.gov _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rthomas%40emplmnt attorney.com From dbeitz at wiennergould.com Thu Jun 27 18:06:47 2013 From: dbeitz at wiennergould.com (Daniel K. Beitz) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 14:06:47 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: <007301ce735f$5e8f9ac0$1baed040$@com> References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> <0988FD6F-34D0-4D5A-936E-7AEACFE63FAA@gmail.com> <00a801ce72b4$33e6b340$9bb419c0$@timeldermusic.com> <007301ce735f$5e8f9ac0$1baed040$@com> Message-ID: <009001ce7361$16e966e0$44bc34a0$@wiennergould.com> As to PDF documents, I simply convert them to word with Omni page. You simply scroll down to the document in the file folder, find Omni page in the context menu, and then hit enter on the "convert to word" option. It will convert a text PDF, or OCR and then convert an image PDF. When done, Omni page simply places the converted document above the PDF, giving it the same name with a different file extension. 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 www.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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Russell J. Thomas Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 1:54 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Two quick points: I have not seen anything on this thread about PDF documents. That is a challenge we all must face, and resolve as best we can. With regard to tables, my solution is to copy and paste the table into excel. I find it much easier to work with JAWS in excel than in a table. Once I finish working with the Excel file, I convert it back to word so that the ddocument goes back into a table format. 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 The information contained in this e-mail message is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the recipient(s) named above.  This message may be an attorney-client communication and/or work product and as such is privileged and confidential.  If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document in error and that any review, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail, and delete the original message. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Susan Kelly Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 10:32 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List; tim at timeldermusic.com Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Another consideration will be if your firm / practice decides to use one of the electronic file management systems that seem to be the current fad. The one that my office (a governmental agency, so no wiggle room on using a different program on any level) is not accessible with JAWS or any other screen narrator, and the degree of screen magnification that I need to physically view things that are not accessible to JAWS is such that it is also not an option for using the system. The compromise that we have worked out is that my files are mirrored in the Word file system that I created for myself long before. My assistant and my secretary scan documents to the Word file for each client, and my assistant reads and makes audio files for all documents and disclosure that cannot be easily read (either sensibly or at all) by JAWS, such as handwritten police reports and court reports that are strangely formatted. This has worked for me, although it does take extra time. The Word file that I set up for each client mimics what I would have traditionally done with a physical file, including subfolders for organization. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerard Sadlier Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 9:35 AM To: tim at timeldermusic.com; Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills I agree. You need to focus on advanced features of word, like tables - something I still have trouble with. Bare in mind that you will not always be able to dictate the fomrate of documents which you need to work on. Transactional lawyers are very focused on the appearance of their docs, as well as content, so this is important too. On 6/26/13, Tim Elder wrote: > My personal opinion as someone who has worked at a big law AM 100 > firm, a small nonprofit firm and a small 25-attorney private firm is > that JAWS is still the best screen reader of choice. Voiceover is a > great screen reader, but unfortunately OSX is not the operating system > you will be using for at least the next 5 years. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Rahul Bajaj [mailto:rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com] > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:24 AM > To: amarjain at amarjain.com; Blind Law Mailing List > Cc: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Hi all, > > Thank you so much for your wonderful responses.. > I will definitely try to improve my efficiency in all these areas.. > I use VoiceOver on my Mac. So I do know how to use apple Mail and > Calendar which, I believe, essentially are used to perform the same > tasks as Outlook.. > I will, however, have to focus on effectively using track changes and > red lining documents... > I can use Powerpoint and Excel to some extent, but I will still try to > learn techniques for using them more efficaciously... > I have another different, but related, question: Do law firms allow you > to use any screen reader of your choice, or are you required to use a > specific screen reader?. > If so, which screen reader would that generally be?. > I just don't want to end up spending all my time and energy in > learning how to use a screen reader effectively only to learn later > that I won't be able to use that screen reader in the office. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jun 26, 2013, at 7:18 AM, "Amar Jain" wrote: > >> Certainly, the practice of using track changes and red lining >> documents is being extensively used by transactional lawyers over >> here in India too. And in good firms, you have a specific person >> assigned who takes care of shaping the document in the firm's >> standard style (which is decided by the knowledge management), before >> it is being sent > outside the firm. >> >> By and large, most of the legal databases are usable with screen >> readers, so also are the internal solutions used by firms. As others >> said, comfort in using any kind of web application, including the >> ones which are designed in Java, should help you in using the >> databases efficiently. Familiarize yourself with screen reader >> specific commands, such as in Jaws, you have the option of skim >> reading, flexible web, and few others depending the way you like to >> use your screen > reader, which can save a lot of time and effort. >> >> Most of the documents come in PDF, and a large portion of which comes >> with text, so there is no problem as far as reading of documents is >> concerned. At times, you may have a little complexed designed >> documents (ignoring the accessibility standards), which may make text >> reading difficult, but that depends on the kind of document, and >> whether you can make those small changes to the document, which may >> get out of that situation. Highlighting and commenting in PDF is also > important to learn. >> >> Last but not least, a fair use of powerpoint and basic use of excel >> graphs is important, although that depends on your practice area. But >> in general if it anyhow relates to finance, then at times you may >> need to > use graphs. >> Powerpoint is surely used for presentations and stuff. And oh yeah, >> don't forget to learn Microsoft outlook properly, as that is another >> application extensively used by us not only for emails, but also for >> callender, appointments, etc. >> >> Regards, >> Amar Jain. >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Andrew Webb >> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:48 AM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Two points come to mind for me: >> >> 1. I don't know if this is common practice where you are, but in US >> law offices it is very common for attorneys to submit drafts of >> briefs and memos for other attorneys to review, edit, and submit >> comments and > suggestions. >> For documents created in MS Word at least, redlining and track >> changes are the usual techniques. These can be a bit cumbersome via >> a screen reader, but they can still be used, and you will want to be >> sure you know how if this is a technique that your office colleagues >> rely on. >> >> 2. If you haven't already, develop a technique that works for you in >> order to mark and quickly reference important blocks of text as you >> review literature, statutes, case law, etc. It can make all the >> difference in keeping you organized and efficient. I know that you >> can use JAWS and Kurzweil in order to create and organize bookmarks >> within text, though others on the list may have found other measures >> that > work even better. >> >> Good luck. >> >> Regards, >> Andrew Webb >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Angela Matney >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:05 PM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular >> screen reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard >> shortcuts for Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or >> "shift-x" to move to the next or previous checkbox, respectively. >> These keystrokes will be invaluable when you are required to access >> legal databases online. Even transactional lawyers must conduct >> research, and being able to efficiently navigate webpages is >> essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of the > excellent general advice Randy gave you. >> >> Best of luck, >> >> Angie >> >> >> >> >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: >> This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected >> by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware >> that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or >> any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in >> error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and >> delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. >> >> Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant >> to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this >> communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and >> cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be >> imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice >> be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction >> or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Farber, Randy >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM >> To: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Rahul - >> >> 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on >> discussions and other matters, while you are typing. >> >> 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other > systems >> you will be using. >> >> These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them >> are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. >> >> Randy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Rahul Bajaj >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM >> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Hi all, >> >> I hope you all are doing well. >> I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert >> in the coming days. >> I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like >> using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. >> I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. >> So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? >> I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an >> impediment during my internships and in my career in general. >> So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work >> more efficiently. >> Your help would be greatly valued. >> >> Best, >> Rahul >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40 >> j >> w.com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. >> com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/awebb2168% >> 4 >> 0gmail >> .com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amarjain%4 >> 0 >> amarja >> in.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rahul.baja >> j >> 1038%40gmail.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadl > ier%40gmail.com > _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/susan.kelly%40pim a.gov _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rthomas%40emplmnt attorney.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Thu Jun 27 18:12:45 2013 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 19:12:45 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: <009001ce7361$16e966e0$44bc34a0$@wiennergould.com> References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> <0988FD6F-34D0-4D5A-936E-7AEACFE63FAA@gmail.com> <00a801ce72b4$33e6b340$9bb419c0$@timeldermusic.com> <007301ce735f$5e8f9ac0$1baed040$@com> <009001ce7361$16e966e0$44bc34a0$@wiennergould.com> Message-ID: I do the same except that I convert to text. Russell, how does the transfer of the table in and out of excel effect its formatting? On 6/27/13, Daniel K. Beitz wrote: > As to PDF documents, I simply convert them to word with Omni page. You > simply scroll down to the document in the file folder, find Omni page in > the > context menu, and then hit enter on the "convert to word" option. It will > convert a text PDF, or OCR and then convert an image PDF. When done, Omni > page simply places the converted document above the PDF, giving it the same > name with a different file extension. > > > > > 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 > > www.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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Russell J. > Thomas > Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 1:54 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Two quick points: > > I have not seen anything on this thread about PDF documents. That is a > challenge we all must face, and resolve as best we can. > > With regard to tables, my solution is to copy and paste the table into > excel. I find it much easier to work with JAWS in excel than in a table. > Once I finish working with the Excel file, I convert it back to word so > that > the ddocument goes back into a table format. > > > 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 > > The information contained in this e-mail message is intended only for the > personal and confidential use of the recipient(s) named above.  This > message > may be an attorney-client communication and/or work product and as such is > privileged and confidential.  If the reader of this message is not the > intended recipient or agent responsible for delivering it to the intended > recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document in > error and that any review, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this > message is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communication in > error, please notify us immediately by e-mail, and delete the original > message. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Susan > Kelly > Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 10:32 AM > To: Blind Law Mailing List; tim at timeldermusic.com > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Another consideration will be if your firm / practice decides to use one of > the electronic file management systems that seem to be the current fad. > The > one that my office (a governmental agency, so no wiggle room on using a > different program on any level) is not accessible with JAWS or any other > screen narrator, and the degree of screen magnification that I need to > physically view things that are not accessible to JAWS is such that it is > also not an option for using the system. The compromise that we have > worked > out is that my files are mirrored in the Word file system that I created > for > myself long before. My assistant and my secretary scan documents to the > Word file for each client, and my assistant reads and makes audio files for > all documents and disclosure that cannot be easily read (either sensibly or > at all) by JAWS, such as handwritten police reports and court reports that > are strangely formatted. > > This has worked for me, although it does take extra time. The Word file > that I set up for each client mimics what I would have traditionally done > with a physical file, including subfolders for organization. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerard > Sadlier > Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 9:35 AM > To: tim at timeldermusic.com; Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > I agree. > > You need to focus on advanced features of word, like tables - something I > still have trouble with. > > Bare in mind that you will not always be able to dictate the fomrate of > documents which you need to work on. > > Transactional lawyers are very focused on the appearance of their docs, as > well as content, so this is important too. > > On 6/26/13, Tim Elder wrote: >> My personal opinion as someone who has worked at a big law AM 100 >> firm, a small nonprofit firm and a small 25-attorney private firm is >> that JAWS is still the best screen reader of choice. Voiceover is a >> great screen reader, but unfortunately OSX is not the operating system >> you will be using for at least the next 5 years. >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Rahul Bajaj [mailto:rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com] >> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:24 AM >> To: amarjain at amarjain.com; Blind Law Mailing List >> Cc: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Hi all, >> >> Thank you so much for your wonderful responses.. >> I will definitely try to improve my efficiency in all these areas.. >> I use VoiceOver on my Mac. So I do know how to use apple Mail and >> Calendar which, I believe, essentially are used to perform the same >> tasks as Outlook.. >> I will, however, have to focus on effectively using track changes and >> red lining documents... >> I can use Powerpoint and Excel to some extent, but I will still try to >> learn techniques for using them more efficaciously... >> I have another different, but related, question: Do law firms allow >> you >> to use any screen reader of your choice, or are you required to use a >> specific screen reader?. >> If so, which screen reader would that generally be?. >> I just don't want to end up spending all my time and energy in >> learning how to use a screen reader effectively only to learn later >> that I won't be able to use that screen reader in the office. >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Jun 26, 2013, at 7:18 AM, "Amar Jain" wrote: >> >>> Certainly, the practice of using track changes and red lining >>> documents is being extensively used by transactional lawyers over >>> here in India too. And in good firms, you have a specific person >>> assigned who takes care of shaping the document in the firm's >>> standard style (which is decided by the knowledge management), before >>> it is being sent >> outside the firm. >>> >>> By and large, most of the legal databases are usable with screen >>> readers, so also are the internal solutions used by firms. As others >>> said, comfort in using any kind of web application, including the >>> ones which are designed in Java, should help you in using the >>> databases efficiently. Familiarize yourself with screen reader >>> specific commands, such as in Jaws, you have the option of skim >>> reading, flexible web, and few others depending the way you like to >>> use your screen >> reader, which can save a lot of time and effort. >>> >>> Most of the documents come in PDF, and a large portion of which comes >>> with text, so there is no problem as far as reading of documents is >>> concerned. At times, you may have a little complexed designed >>> documents (ignoring the accessibility standards), which may make text >>> reading difficult, but that depends on the kind of document, and >>> whether you can make those small changes to the document, which may >>> get out of that situation. Highlighting and commenting in PDF is also >> important to learn. >>> >>> Last but not least, a fair use of powerpoint and basic use of excel >>> graphs is important, although that depends on your practice area. But >>> in general if it anyhow relates to finance, then at times you may >>> need to >> use graphs. >>> Powerpoint is surely used for presentations and stuff. And oh yeah, >>> don't forget to learn Microsoft outlook properly, as that is another >>> application extensively used by us not only for emails, but also for >>> callender, appointments, etc. >>> >>> Regards, >>> Amar Jain. >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >>> Andrew Webb >>> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:48 AM >>> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >>> >>> Two points come to mind for me: >>> >>> 1. I don't know if this is common practice where you are, but in US >>> law offices it is very common for attorneys to submit drafts of >>> briefs and memos for other attorneys to review, edit, and submit >>> comments and >> suggestions. >>> For documents created in MS Word at least, redlining and track >>> changes are the usual techniques. These can be a bit cumbersome via >>> a screen reader, but they can still be used, and you will want to be >>> sure you know how if this is a technique that your office colleagues >>> rely > on. >>> >>> 2. If you haven't already, develop a technique that works for you in >>> order to mark and quickly reference important blocks of text as you >>> review literature, statutes, case law, etc. It can make all the >>> difference in keeping you organized and efficient. I know that you >>> can use JAWS and Kurzweil in order to create and organize bookmarks >>> within text, though others on the list may have found other measures >>> that >> work even better. >>> >>> Good luck. >>> >>> Regards, >>> Andrew Webb >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >>> Angela Matney >>> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:05 PM >>> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >>> >>> I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular >>> screen reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard >>> shortcuts for Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or >>> "shift-x" to move to the next or previous checkbox, respectively. >>> These keystrokes will be invaluable when you are required to access >>> legal databases online. Even transactional lawyers must conduct >>> research, and being able to efficiently navigate webpages is >>> essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of the >> excellent general advice Randy gave you. >>> >>> Best of luck, >>> >>> Angie >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ----------------------------- >>> >>> Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: >>> This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected >>> by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware >>> that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or >>> any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in >>> error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and >>> delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. >>> >>> Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant >>> to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this >>> communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and >>> cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be >>> imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice >>> be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction >>> or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. >>> >>> ----------------------------- >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >>> Farber, Randy >>> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM >>> To: Blind Law Mailing List >>> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >>> >>> Rahul - >>> >>> 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on >>> discussions and other matters, while you are typing. >>> >>> 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other >> systems >>> you will be using. >>> >>> These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them >>> are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. >>> >>> Randy >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >>> Rahul Bajaj >>> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM >>> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >>> >>> Hi all, >>> >>> I hope you all are doing well. >>> I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert >>> in the coming days. >>> I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like >>> using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. >>> I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. >>> So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? >>> I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an >>> impediment during my internships and in my career in general. >>> So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work >>> more efficiently. >>> Your help would be greatly valued. >>> >>> Best, >>> Rahul >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >>> blindlaw: >>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40 >>> j >>> w.com >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >>> blindlaw: >>> >> > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. >>> com >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >>> blindlaw: >>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/awebb2168% >>> 4 >>> 0gmail >>> .com >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >>> blindlaw: >>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amarjain%4 >>> 0 >>> amarja >>> in.com >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> blindlaw mailing list >>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >>> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rahul.baja >>> j >>> 1038%40gmail.com >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadl >> ier%40gmail.com >> > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/susan.kelly%40pim > a.gov > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rthomas%40emplmnt > attorney.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg > ould.com > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadlier%40gmail.com > From gerard.sadlier at gmail.com Thu Jun 27 18:31:32 2013 From: gerard.sadlier at gmail.com (Gerard Sadlier) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 19:31:32 +0100 Subject: [blindlaw] Thoughts on Sitting the New York Bar Exam Message-ID: Hi all, As you may know I'm based outside the US and haven't studied the US system. I'm considering doing the NY bar exam, more for its international recognition than because I intend to practice in the US. To be honest, this would be a year or 2 down the line. What are your thoughts? How much work would be involved? What is the procedure to secure accessible arrangements to sit this test? Is this worth doing? If it is, what materials are best? Ger From mikefry79 at gmail.com Thu Jun 27 20:10:49 2013 From: mikefry79 at gmail.com (Mike) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 16:10:49 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Thoughts on Sitting the New York Bar Exam In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1AC5B0DD-D5AB-4203-ADE4-840E70CD489A@gmail.com> Go to NY Bar website for detailed info requirements if your coming from an international jurisdiction. Barbri has good review for the exam. Sent from Mike Fry On Jun 27, 2013, at 2:31 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > Hi all, > > As you may know I'm based outside the US and haven't studied the US system. > > I'm considering doing the NY bar exam, more for its international > recognition than because I intend to practice in the US. > > To be honest, this would be a year or 2 down the line. > > What are your thoughts? > > How much work would be involved? > > What is the procedure to secure accessible arrangements to sit this test? > > Is this worth doing? > > If it is, what materials are best? > > Ger > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mikefry79%40gmail.com From mikefry79 at gmail.com Thu Jun 27 20:27:00 2013 From: mikefry79 at gmail.com (Mike) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 16:27:00 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Has Anyone Got Tax Experience? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <4CF22636-3E7C-4241-86AE-5B8190F09A12@gmail.com> I could be wrong, but at the federal level there are only two areas that require special certification. They are 1) admiralty and 2) patent law. At the state level, it depends on the state. So, I don't think special certificate is needed for tax law at the federal level. I don't think it's necessary in Ca or Pa either. Mike Sent from Mike Fry On Jun 27, 2013, at 1:04 PM, Gerard Sadlier wrote: > Hi all, > > I'm not quite sure of the equivalent professional body in the US but > in Ireland, there are exams one can do to become a tax consultant. > > I wondered if anyo of you have done something similar? > > If so, how did you find it? > > I should say that I haven't found the limited amount of accounting > I've done so far especially easy - which may have been due to the > visual way it was thought or my own aptitude. > > Your thoughts are welcome > > Ger > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/mikefry79%40gmail.com From blinddog3 at charter.net Thu Jun 27 23:43:30 2013 From: blinddog3 at charter.net (Steven Johnson) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 18:43:30 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: <009001ce7361$16e966e0$44bc34a0$@wiennergould.com> References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> <0988FD6F-34D0-4D5A-936E-7AEACFE63FAA@gmail.com> <00a801ce72b4$33e6b340$9bb419c0$@timeldermusic.com> <007301ce735f$5e8f9ac0$1baed040$@com> <009001ce7361$16e966e0$44bc34a0$@wiennergould.com> Message-ID: <007901ce7390$20f9f4e0$62eddea0$@charter.net> There is another program I use at my office called Sharp Desk. It can convert an empty document to a doc. Txt or rtf with a fair amount of accuracy. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. Beitz Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 1:07 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills As to PDF documents, I simply convert them to word with Omni page. You simply scroll down to the document in the file folder, find Omni page in the context menu, and then hit enter on the "convert to word" option. It will convert a text PDF, or OCR and then convert an image PDF. When done, Omni page simply places the converted document above the PDF, giving it the same name with a different file extension. 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 www.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 [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Russell J. Thomas Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 1:54 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Two quick points: I have not seen anything on this thread about PDF documents. That is a challenge we all must face, and resolve as best we can. With regard to tables, my solution is to copy and paste the table into excel. I find it much easier to work with JAWS in excel than in a table. Once I finish working with the Excel file, I convert it back to word so that the ddocument goes back into a table format. 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 The information contained in this e-mail message is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the recipient(s) named above.  This message may be an attorney-client communication and/or work product and as such is privileged and confidential.  If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document in error and that any review, dissemination, distribution, or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail, and delete the original message. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Susan Kelly Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 10:32 AM To: Blind Law Mailing List; tim at timeldermusic.com Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills Another consideration will be if your firm / practice decides to use one of the electronic file management systems that seem to be the current fad. The one that my office (a governmental agency, so no wiggle room on using a different program on any level) is not accessible with JAWS or any other screen narrator, and the degree of screen magnification that I need to physically view things that are not accessible to JAWS is such that it is also not an option for using the system. The compromise that we have worked out is that my files are mirrored in the Word file system that I created for myself long before. My assistant and my secretary scan documents to the Word file for each client, and my assistant reads and makes audio files for all documents and disclosure that cannot be easily read (either sensibly or at all) by JAWS, such as handwritten police reports and court reports that are strangely formatted. This has worked for me, although it does take extra time. The Word file that I set up for each client mimics what I would have traditionally done with a physical file, including subfolders for organization. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Gerard Sadlier Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 9:35 AM To: tim at timeldermusic.com; Blind Law Mailing List Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills I agree. You need to focus on advanced features of word, like tables - something I still have trouble with. Bare in mind that you will not always be able to dictate the fomrate of documents which you need to work on. Transactional lawyers are very focused on the appearance of their docs, as well as content, so this is important too. On 6/26/13, Tim Elder wrote: > My personal opinion as someone who has worked at a big law AM 100 > firm, a small nonprofit firm and a small 25-attorney private firm is > that JAWS is still the best screen reader of choice. Voiceover is a > great screen reader, but unfortunately OSX is not the operating system > you will be using for at least the next 5 years. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Rahul Bajaj [mailto:rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com] > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 1:24 AM > To: amarjain at amarjain.com; Blind Law Mailing List > Cc: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > Hi all, > > Thank you so much for your wonderful responses.. > I will definitely try to improve my efficiency in all these areas.. > I use VoiceOver on my Mac. So I do know how to use apple Mail and > Calendar which, I believe, essentially are used to perform the same > tasks as Outlook.. > I will, however, have to focus on effectively using track changes and > red lining documents... > I can use Powerpoint and Excel to some extent, but I will still try to > learn techniques for using them more efficaciously... > I have another different, but related, question: Do law firms allow you > to use any screen reader of your choice, or are you required to use a > specific screen reader?. > If so, which screen reader would that generally be?. > I just don't want to end up spending all my time and energy in > learning how to use a screen reader effectively only to learn later > that I won't be able to use that screen reader in the office. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Jun 26, 2013, at 7:18 AM, "Amar Jain" wrote: > >> Certainly, the practice of using track changes and red lining >> documents is being extensively used by transactional lawyers over >> here in India too. And in good firms, you have a specific person >> assigned who takes care of shaping the document in the firm's >> standard style (which is decided by the knowledge management), before >> it is being sent > outside the firm. >> >> By and large, most of the legal databases are usable with screen >> readers, so also are the internal solutions used by firms. As others >> said, comfort in using any kind of web application, including the >> ones which are designed in Java, should help you in using the >> databases efficiently. Familiarize yourself with screen reader >> specific commands, such as in Jaws, you have the option of skim >> reading, flexible web, and few others depending the way you like to >> use your screen > reader, which can save a lot of time and effort. >> >> Most of the documents come in PDF, and a large portion of which comes >> with text, so there is no problem as far as reading of documents is >> concerned. At times, you may have a little complexed designed >> documents (ignoring the accessibility standards), which may make text >> reading difficult, but that depends on the kind of document, and >> whether you can make those small changes to the document, which may >> get out of that situation. Highlighting and commenting in PDF is also > important to learn. >> >> Last but not least, a fair use of powerpoint and basic use of excel >> graphs is important, although that depends on your practice area. But >> in general if it anyhow relates to finance, then at times you may >> need to > use graphs. >> Powerpoint is surely used for presentations and stuff. And oh yeah, >> don't forget to learn Microsoft outlook properly, as that is another >> application extensively used by us not only for emails, but also for >> callender, appointments, etc. >> >> Regards, >> Amar Jain. >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Andrew Webb >> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:48 AM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Two points come to mind for me: >> >> 1. I don't know if this is common practice where you are, but in US >> law offices it is very common for attorneys to submit drafts of >> briefs and memos for other attorneys to review, edit, and submit >> comments and > suggestions. >> For documents created in MS Word at least, redlining and track >> changes are the usual techniques. These can be a bit cumbersome via >> a screen reader, but they can still be used, and you will want to be >> sure you know how if this is a technique that your office colleagues >> rely on. >> >> 2. If you haven't already, develop a technique that works for you in >> order to mark and quickly reference important blocks of text as you >> review literature, statutes, case law, etc. It can make all the >> difference in keeping you organized and efficient. I know that you >> can use JAWS and Kurzweil in order to create and organize bookmarks >> within text, though others on the list may have found other measures >> that > work even better. >> >> Good luck. >> >> Regards, >> Andrew Webb >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Angela Matney >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:05 PM >> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> I would also focus on maximizing your efficiency with your particular >> screen reader and a web browser. I use JAWS, which has many keyboard >> shortcuts for Internet Explorer. For example, I can press "x" or >> "shift-x" to move to the next or previous checkbox, respectively. >> These keystrokes will be invaluable when you are required to access >> legal databases online. Even transactional lawyers must conduct >> research, and being able to efficiently navigate webpages is >> essential. I suppose this is really one specific application of the > excellent general advice Randy gave you. >> >> Best of luck, >> >> Angie >> >> >> >> >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: >> This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected >> by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware >> that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or >> any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in >> error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and >> delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. >> >> Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant >> to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this >> communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and >> cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be >> imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice >> be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction >> or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. >> >> ----------------------------- >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Farber, Randy >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 4:54 PM >> To: Blind Law Mailing List >> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Rahul - >> >> 1. Work on becoming a touch typist. You will need to focus on >> discussions and other matters, while you are typing. >> >> 2. Learn shortcuts for Windows, Word, Excel and whatever other > systems >> you will be using. >> >> These two tasks will keep you busy for quite a while. Both of them >> are ongoing tasks, but you need to focus on them. >> >> Randy >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of >> Rahul Bajaj >> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3:42 PM >> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills >> >> Hi all, >> >> I hope you all are doing well. >> I am going to have a few sessions with an assistive technology expert >> in the coming days. >> I am a technophobe. I can only perform very basic functions like >> using the internet, reading books, etc on my computer. >> I intend to become a transactional lawyer after completing my education. >> So, what computer-related skills should I focus on? >> I do not want my limited knowledge of computers to act as an >> impediment during my internships and in my career in general. >> So, please give me some specific tips which would help me to work >> more efficiently. >> Your help would be greatly valued. >> >> Best, >> Rahul >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rfarber%40 >> j >> w.com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. >> com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/awebb2168% >> 4 >> 0gmail >> .com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for >> blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amarjain%4 >> 0 >> amarja >> in.com >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> blindlaw mailing list >> blindlaw at nfbnet.org >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: >> http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rahul.baja >> j >> 1038%40gmail.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/gerard.sadl > ier%40gmail.com > _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/susan.kelly%40pim a.gov _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/rthomas%40emplmnt attorney.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dbeitz%40wiennerg ould.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/blinddog3%40chart er.net From lmendez at twcny.rr.com Fri Jun 28 00:22:21 2013 From: lmendez at twcny.rr.com (Luis Mendez) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 20:22:21 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills In-Reply-To: <007901ce7390$20f9f4e0$62eddea0$@charter.net> References: <3E86A9F3DC676742B192213CC4E9D4A20B8B87E77B@PDC-MAIL02.jwllp.com> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE217@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00c001ce71e9$82993380$87cb9a80$@com> <006901ce720f$36dfde00$a49f9a00$@amarjain.com> <0988FD6F-34D0-4D5A-936E-7AEACFE63FAA@gmail.com> <00a801ce72b4$33e6b340$9bb419c0$@timeldermusic.com> <007301ce735f$5e8f9ac0$1baed040$@com> <009001ce7361$16e966e0$44bc34a0$@wiennergould.com> <007901ce7390$20f9f4e0$62eddea0$@charter.net> Message-ID: <3D326F00-7C36-454B-99E1-AA0CF52BC26E@twcny.rr.com> Very good comments. I have opted to install a number of programs on my work computer so that I can be assured of a number of approaches to access a document. I would agree that OS-X is does not yet have an adequate number of productivity apps that are accessible and offer the power and versatility of Office. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 27, 2013, at 7:43 PM, "Steven Johnson" wrote: > There is another program I use at my office called Sharp Desk. It can > convert an empty document to a doc. Txt or rtf with a fair amount of > accuracy. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel K. > Beitz > Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 1:07 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Computer-related skills > > As to PDF documents, I simply convert them to word with Omni page. You > simply scroll down to the document in the file folder, find Omni page in the > context menu, and then hit enter on the "convert to word" option. It will > convert a text PDF, or OCR and then convert an image PDF. When done, Omni > page simply places the converted document above the PDF, giving it the same > name with a different file extension. > > > > > 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 > > www.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 From tim at timeldermusic.com Fri Jun 28 03:54:15 2013 From: tim at timeldermusic.com (Tim Elder) Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 23:54:15 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE567@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE567@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> Message-ID: <00aa01ce73b3$2d0d9c50$8728d4f0$@timeldermusic.com> I'm not sure both a top ranking and a top school are both necessary. My opinion is that one or the other will suffice for large or prestigious firms. Also, once you've been out for a couple years and develop a special skill set the pedigree is less important. Then the head hunters start calling you. The more important question becomes whether Big Law is an environment in which you want to work. Many, if not most, associates burn out after 3 to 4 years and either leave the legal profession entirely or find other career paths (in house, government, smaller firms, etc.). I think the legal market is changing and many small to mid-level firms will thrive. -----Original Message----- From: Angela Matney [mailto:amatney at hf-law.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:20 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Hi Dan: I don't know Virginia's rank now, but when I was there, it was in the top 10. Certainly, some firms have more stringent requirements than others, but the article referred to "Big Law" (note the capitalization). Many of my classmates who were not in the top 5% got Big Law jobs. My point was that not all "Big Law" jobs are foreclosed to people who did not graduate in the top 5% of a top-10 law school (and I know this because I attended such a school). Best, Angie ----------------------------- Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. ----------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. com From Gary.Norman at cms.hhs.gov Fri Jun 28 14:13:11 2013 From: Gary.Norman at cms.hhs.gov (Norman, Gary C. (CMS/OSORA)) Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 14:13:11 +0000 Subject: [blindlaw] Dinner Forum Message-ID: <2DD3498A837A9347A4E5E536B3FF482D1F3AE9AF@pl-emsmb12> [cid:image005.png at 01CE73E8.17D2F030] [A DIALOGUE ON ACCESSIBILITY OF THE CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS Mid-Atlantic Lyceum Fall Repast and Repartee Series] October 8, 2013 Repast and Repartee Series: Access to Cultural Arts and Institutions 6:00 pm - 8:15 pm American University Washington College of Law 4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Room 603, Washington, D.C. 20016 Background Like no other point in history, people with disabilities are more visible in civil society, inclusive of our cultural arts as well as our frivolities, such as television. The fall, 2013, line-up on television will include more people with disabilities as characters than ever before. In the District, institutions like the Kennedy Center, the Shakespeare Theatre, and the Smithsonian have more audio description than has ever been a reality for people with sensory disabilities. Whether it is the Americans with Disabilities Act or the convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, there are more legal frameworks than ever before, yet more work is needed to make civil rights of people with disabilities, including, their assistance dogs, a reality. The Lyceum is thusly honored that a reception will occur in the month of October to celebrate disability awareness and to advance the mission of the Lyceum of bringing people together to discuss public policy. This will be a facilitated presentation and community forum on these issues with a transcript to be published possibly in the Mid-Atlantic Journal on Law and Public Policy in its third issue. Featured Speakers and Facilitators Remarks by Master of Ceremony and co-facilitator -- Gary C. Norman, Esq. L.L.M., Co-founder of the Mid-Atlantic Lyceum and Co-founder of its Mid-Atlantic Journal on Law and Public Policy Betty Siegel, Esq., Director of VSA and Accessibility at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Beth Ziebarth, Director of the Smithsonian Institution Accessibility Program Adeen Postar, Esq. Deputy Director of the Pence Law Library and Adjunct Professor Discussant and facilitator - Day Al Mohamed, Esq., Screen Writer and Anthology Editor Supporters Maryland Department of Disabilities Maryland bar Foundation The Animals and Society Institute Museum of Maritime Pets Maryland Animal Law Center Registration is free but required - please go to www.wcl.american.edu/secle/registration. For assistance, please contact: Office of Special Events & Continuing Legal Education, 202.274.4075 or secle at wcl.american.edu. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact the Mid-Atlantic Lyceum at (410) 241-6745 -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.emz Type: application/octet-stream Size: 29734 bytes Desc: image001.emz URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.emz Type: application/octet-stream Size: 1520 bytes Desc: image002.emz URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.emz Type: application/octet-stream Size: 1670 bytes Desc: image003.emz URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image004.emz Type: application/octet-stream Size: 6853 bytes Desc: image004.emz URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image005.png Type: image/png Size: 20852 bytes Desc: image005.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image006.png Type: image/png Size: 10077 bytes Desc: image006.png URL: From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Fri Jun 28 14:22:04 2013 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 09:22:04 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <00aa01ce73b3$2d0d9c50$8728d4f0$@timeldermusic.com> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE567@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00aa01ce73b3$2d0d9c50$8728d4f0$@timeldermusic.com> Message-ID: <009601ce740a$dd313e50$9793baf0$@sbcglobal.net> Tim: I am in no position to disagree with your suggestions. However, if your suggestions have validity, this would represent a significant change since 1980. And, if a prestigious firm is looking to hire someone with some experience, my bet is that the person hired has a significant corporate client that will come with him/her to the firm. Finally, over the past 30 years, the prestigious firms have only grown in size and opened more offices in more major cities in America and around the world. As long as corporations run this world, I do not foresee their legal representation waning. But, again, that's just my 2 cents worth. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tim Elder Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 10:54 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters I'm not sure both a top ranking and a top school are both necessary. My opinion is that one or the other will suffice for large or prestigious firms. Also, once you've been out for a couple years and develop a special skill set the pedigree is less important. Then the head hunters start calling you. The more important question becomes whether Big Law is an environment in which you want to work. Many, if not most, associates burn out after 3 to 4 years and either leave the legal profession entirely or find other career paths (in house, government, smaller firms, etc.). I think the legal market is changing and many small to mid-level firms will thrive. -----Original Message----- From: Angela Matney [mailto:amatney at hf-law.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:20 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Hi Dan: I don't know Virginia's rank now, but when I was there, it was in the top 10. Certainly, some firms have more stringent requirements than others, but the article referred to "Big Law" (note the capitalization). Many of my classmates who were not in the top 5% got Big Law jobs. My point was that not all "Big Law" jobs are foreclosed to people who did not graduate in the top 5% of a top-10 law school (and I know this because I attended such a school). Best, Angie ----------------------------- Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. ----------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net From attorney at alcidonislaw.com Fri Jun 28 14:29:56 2013 From: attorney at alcidonislaw.com (Rod Alcidonis, Esq.) Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 10:29:56 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <009601ce740a$dd313e50$9793baf0$@sbcglobal.net> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE567@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com><00aa01ce73b3$2d0d9c50$8728d4f0$@timeldermusic.com> <009601ce740a$dd313e50$9793baf0$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <9620A24F08E54C9CB39501E558BD2524@Workstation> Dan: You said: " And, if a prestigious firm is looking to hire someone with some experience, my bet is that the person hired has a significant corporate client that will come with him/her to the firm." That's exactly how it works, prestigious or not. If you are going to join a firm and not as a newbie associate, you better have some business to bring with you as part of the deal. Rod Alcidonis, Esq. -----Original Message----- From: Daniel McBride Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 10:22 AM To: tim at timeldermusic.com ; 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Tim: I am in no position to disagree with your suggestions. However, if your suggestions have validity, this would represent a significant change since 1980. And, if a prestigious firm is looking to hire someone with some experience, my bet is that the person hired has a significant corporate client that will come with him/her to the firm. Finally, over the past 30 years, the prestigious firms have only grown in size and opened more offices in more major cities in America and around the world. As long as corporations run this world, I do not foresee their legal representation waning. But, again, that's just my 2 cents worth. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tim Elder Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 10:54 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters I'm not sure both a top ranking and a top school are both necessary. My opinion is that one or the other will suffice for large or prestigious firms. Also, once you've been out for a couple years and develop a special skill set the pedigree is less important. Then the head hunters start calling you. The more important question becomes whether Big Law is an environment in which you want to work. Many, if not most, associates burn out after 3 to 4 years and either leave the legal profession entirely or find other career paths (in house, government, smaller firms, etc.). I think the legal market is changing and many small to mid-level firms will thrive. -----Original Message----- From: Angela Matney [mailto:amatney at hf-law.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:20 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Hi Dan: I don't know Virginia's rank now, but when I was there, it was in the top 10. Certainly, some firms have more stringent requirements than others, but the article referred to "Big Law" (note the capitalization). Many of my classmates who were not in the top 5% got Big Law jobs. My point was that not all "Big Law" jobs are foreclosed to people who did not graduate in the top 5% of a top-10 law school (and I know this because I attended such a school). Best, Angie ----------------------------- Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. ----------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/attorney%40alcidonislaw.com From dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net Fri Jun 28 14:32:27 2013 From: dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net (Daniel McBride) Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 09:32:27 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <9620A24F08E54C9CB39501E558BD2524@Workstation> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE567@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com><00aa01ce73b3$2d0d9c50$8728d4f0$@timeldermusic.com> <009601ce740a$dd313e50$9793baf0$@sbcglobal.net> <9620A24F08E54C9CB39501E558BD2524@Workstation> Message-ID: <00a001ce740c$51105ee0$f3311ca0$@sbcglobal.net> Rod: You'll get no argument from me. Dan -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rod Alcidonis, Esq. Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 9:30 AM To: tim at timeldermusic.com; 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Dan: You said: " And, if a prestigious firm is looking to hire someone with some experience, my bet is that the person hired has a significant corporate client that will come with him/her to the firm." That's exactly how it works, prestigious or not. If you are going to join a firm and not as a newbie associate, you better have some business to bring with you as part of the deal. Rod Alcidonis, Esq. -----Original Message----- From: Daniel McBride Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 10:22 AM To: tim at timeldermusic.com ; 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Tim: I am in no position to disagree with your suggestions. However, if your suggestions have validity, this would represent a significant change since 1980. And, if a prestigious firm is looking to hire someone with some experience, my bet is that the person hired has a significant corporate client that will come with him/her to the firm. Finally, over the past 30 years, the prestigious firms have only grown in size and opened more offices in more major cities in America and around the world. As long as corporations run this world, I do not foresee their legal representation waning. But, again, that's just my 2 cents worth. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tim Elder Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 10:54 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters I'm not sure both a top ranking and a top school are both necessary. My opinion is that one or the other will suffice for large or prestigious firms. Also, once you've been out for a couple years and develop a special skill set the pedigree is less important. Then the head hunters start calling you. The more important question becomes whether Big Law is an environment in which you want to work. Many, if not most, associates burn out after 3 to 4 years and either leave the legal profession entirely or find other career paths (in house, government, smaller firms, etc.). I think the legal market is changing and many small to mid-level firms will thrive. -----Original Message----- From: Angela Matney [mailto:amatney at hf-law.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:20 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Hi Dan: I don't know Virginia's rank now, but when I was there, it was in the top 10. Certainly, some firms have more stringent requirements than others, but the article referred to "Big Law" (note the capitalization). Many of my classmates who were not in the top 5% got Big Law jobs. My point was that not all "Big Law" jobs are foreclosed to people who did not graduate in the top 5% of a top-10 law school (and I know this because I attended such a school). Best, Angie ----------------------------- Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. ----------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/attorney%40alcido nislaw.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net From tim at timeldermusic.com Fri Jun 28 15:51:48 2013 From: tim at timeldermusic.com (Tim Elder) Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 11:51:48 -0400 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <009601ce740a$dd313e50$9793baf0$@sbcglobal.net> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE567@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00aa01ce73b3$2d0d9c50$8728d4f0$@timeldermusic.com> <009601ce740a$dd313e50$9793baf0$@sbcglobal.net> Message-ID: <000301ce7417$66fbc950$34f35bf0$@timeldermusic.com> Hi Dan, Yes, you are right that quite a bit has changed in the legal market since 1980. Most firms aren't going to expect an associate level attorney to bring clients with them. Rather, the associates are desirable because they have a specific skill set that the firm's current and prospective clients may need. No doubt corporations will always need lawyers. But small to medium firms are able to undercut larger firms on the bottom line and are more nimble when adapting to changes in the industry. There will probably always be a need for big international corporate firms. But the smaller, more responsive firms with lower overhead will probably do very well as the market for legal services evolves. I suspect the days of corporations putting up with firms that act more like clients than service providers are ending. -----Original Message----- From: Daniel McBride [mailto:dlmlaw at sbcglobal.net] Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 10:22 AM To: tim at timeldermusic.com; 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: RE: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Tim: I am in no position to disagree with your suggestions. However, if your suggestions have validity, this would represent a significant change since 1980. And, if a prestigious firm is looking to hire someone with some experience, my bet is that the person hired has a significant corporate client that will come with him/her to the firm. Finally, over the past 30 years, the prestigious firms have only grown in size and opened more offices in more major cities in America and around the world. As long as corporations run this world, I do not foresee their legal representation waning. But, again, that's just my 2 cents worth. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tim Elder Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 10:54 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters I'm not sure both a top ranking and a top school are both necessary. My opinion is that one or the other will suffice for large or prestigious firms. Also, once you've been out for a couple years and develop a special skill set the pedigree is less important. Then the head hunters start calling you. The more important question becomes whether Big Law is an environment in which you want to work. Many, if not most, associates burn out after 3 to 4 years and either leave the legal profession entirely or find other career paths (in house, government, smaller firms, etc.). I think the legal market is changing and many small to mid-level firms will thrive. -----Original Message----- From: Angela Matney [mailto:amatney at hf-law.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:20 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Hi Dan: I don't know Virginia's rank now, but when I was there, it was in the top 10. Certainly, some firms have more stringent requirements than others, but the article referred to "Big Law" (note the capitalization). Many of my classmates who were not in the top 5% got Big Law jobs. My point was that not all "Big Law" jobs are foreclosed to people who did not graduate in the top 5% of a top-10 law school (and I know this because I attended such a school). Best, Angie ----------------------------- Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. ----------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Fri Jun 28 16:39:37 2013 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 11:39:37 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] Treaty to be signed giving blind better access to books, France 24, June 26 2013 In-Reply-To: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341DDFDDB8989@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> References: <41370810CEBD1C4DA64C9361CE162341DDFDDB8989@EDUPTCEXMB01.ed.gov> Message-ID: Congratulations, Scott! Your tireless work on the treaty seems to have paid off. I am excited to hear the details next week at our National Association of Blind Lawyers meeting in Orlando. Link: http://www.france24.com/en/20130626-treaty-be-signed-giving-blind-better-access-books Text: Treaty to be signed giving blind better access to books Photo: A blind Iraqi boy studies brail at the Al-Nur school for the blind, in Baghdad, on April 20, 2006. A long-awaited international treaty that would give hundreds of millions of blind and visually impaired people better access to books is to be signed Thursday, according to the organizers of a conference in Morocco. AFP - A long-awaited international treaty that would give hundreds of millions of blind and visually impaired people better access to books is to be signed Thursday, according to the organizers of a conference in Morocco. Hundreds of delegates from the World Intellectual Property Organization's 186 member countries gathered in the central city of Marrakesh to finalize the treaty seeking to overcome the restrictions to published material that copyright laws impose on the blind. Less than five percent of the million-odd books published each year are made available in formats accessible to the visually impaired, according to the World Blind Union. They number more than 314 million people, the World Health Organization estimates, and 90 percent of them live in developing countries. "We have a treaty. It was adopted during the night (of Tuesday to Wednesday) by the main commission of the diplomatic conference," a source close to the negotiations told AFP. He said the treaty would be adopted at the plenary session on Thursday, with a formal signing ceremony on Friday. Francis Gurry, the head of WIPO, confirmed the news, saying it was "a balanced treaty which takes into account the interests of the visually impaired" and of editors, "to protect their rights." "We have worked for 30 years to reach this moment," said Maryanne Diamond, an official with the World Blind Union. "We are very happy, as are all of the blind and civil society NGOs here," James Love, the director of the NGO Knowledge Ecology International, said of the provisional agreement in Marrakesh. "The outcome is a very big victory for persons who are blind, and it will change the lives of millions of persons, in very concrete and meaningful way," he added. The exact contents of the treaty remain unknown. But according to the WIPO, which is a UN organization, it includes a commitment to permit the cross border exchange of books in formats designed for the visually impaired, such as Braille, the limited circulation of which is often restricted by national laws. Calls for an international treaty have grown since the adoption in 2006 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which states that laws protecting intellectual property must not pose a discriminatory or unreasonable barrier limiting access to cultural material. Blind soul music legend Stevie Wonder has called for a "state of emergency" to be declared, saying the world must "end the information deprivation that continues to keep the visually impaired in the dark." From Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov Fri Jun 28 19:06:06 2013 From: Noel.Nightingale at ed.gov (Nightingale, Noel) Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 14:06:06 -0500 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: <9620A24F08E54C9CB39501E558BD2524@Workstation> References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE567@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com><00aa01ce73b3$2d0d9c50$8728d4f0$@timeldermusic.com> <009601ce740a$dd313e50$9793baf0$@sbcglobal.net> <9620A24F08E54C9CB39501E558BD2524@Workstation> Message-ID: My experience is being hired by a national firm with a mid-size office in Seattle was that I was not expected to be bringing business. The expectation was that I would be billing hours, and lots of them. Noel -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rod Alcidonis, Esq. Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 7:30 AM To: tim at timeldermusic.com; 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Dan: You said: " And, if a prestigious firm is looking to hire someone with some experience, my bet is that the person hired has a significant corporate client that will come with him/her to the firm." That's exactly how it works, prestigious or not. If you are going to join a firm and not as a newbie associate, you better have some business to bring with you as part of the deal. Rod Alcidonis, Esq. -----Original Message----- From: Daniel McBride Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 10:22 AM To: tim at timeldermusic.com ; 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Tim: I am in no position to disagree with your suggestions. However, if your suggestions have validity, this would represent a significant change since 1980. And, if a prestigious firm is looking to hire someone with some experience, my bet is that the person hired has a significant corporate client that will come with him/her to the firm. Finally, over the past 30 years, the prestigious firms have only grown in size and opened more offices in more major cities in America and around the world. As long as corporations run this world, I do not foresee their legal representation waning. But, again, that's just my 2 cents worth. -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tim Elder Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 10:54 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters I'm not sure both a top ranking and a top school are both necessary. My opinion is that one or the other will suffice for large or prestigious firms. Also, once you've been out for a couple years and develop a special skill set the pedigree is less important. Then the head hunters start calling you. The more important question becomes whether Big Law is an environment in which you want to work. Many, if not most, associates burn out after 3 to 4 years and either leave the legal profession entirely or find other career paths (in house, government, smaller firms, etc.). I think the legal market is changing and many small to mid-level firms will thrive. -----Original Message----- From: Angela Matney [mailto:amatney at hf-law.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:20 PM To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters Hi Dan: I don't know Virginia's rank now, but when I was there, it was in the top 10. Certainly, some firms have more stringent requirements than others, but the article referred to "Big Law" (note the capitalization). Many of my classmates who were not in the top 5% got Big Law jobs. My point was that not all "Big Law" jobs are foreclosed to people who did not graduate in the top 5% of a top-10 law school (and I know this because I attended such a school). Best, Angie ----------------------------- Hirschler Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you for your cooperation. Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. ----------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel McBride Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM To: Blind Law Mailing List Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in America, London and Hong Kong. While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be considered. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious schools who are at the top of their class. Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the top 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum Laude. Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general rule. And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. That's just my 2 cents worth. Dan McBride Fort Worth, Texas _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba l.net _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/attorney%40alcidonislaw.com _______________________________________________ blindlaw mailing list blindlaw at nfbnet.org http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindlaw: http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/noel.nightingale%40ed.gov From wickps at gmail.com Fri Jun 28 19:13:17 2013 From: wickps at gmail.com (Paul Wick) Date: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 12:13:17 -0700 Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters In-Reply-To: References: <010b01ce7298$971c41d0$c554c570$@sbcglobal.net> <20AA0861082775448814F89F818F6472253AE567@Exch-DB.hirschlerfleischer.com> <00aa01ce73b3$2d0d9c50$8728d4f0$@timeldermusic.com> <009601ce740a$dd313e50$9793baf0$@sbcglobal.net> <9620A24F08E54C9CB39501E558BD2524@Workstation> Message-ID: Noel, As I see it There are basically two kinds of lawyers (1) people who work for big law and its imitators, that don't care about bringing in business (except for the few who make partner) and (2) the entire rest of the legal profession (where I'd gather most blind lawyers are concentrated) where the ability to sell yourself is essential, something not emphasized enough in law school.) I do recognize that working in government is more like (1) than (2) but this also depends on the level of government one seeks entry to. Best, Paul On 6/28/13, Nightingale, Noel wrote: > My experience is being hired by a national firm with a mid-size office in > Seattle was that I was not expected to be bringing business. The > expectation was that I would be billing hours, and lots of them. > > Noel > > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Rod > Alcidonis, Esq. > Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 7:30 AM > To: tim at timeldermusic.com; 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters > > Dan: > > You said: " > And, if a prestigious firm is looking to hire someone with some experience, > my bet is that the person hired has a significant corporate client that will > come with him/her to the firm." > > That's exactly how it works, prestigious or not. If you are going to join a > firm and not as a newbie associate, you better have some business to bring > with you as part of the deal. > > Rod Alcidonis, Esq. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Daniel McBride > Sent: Friday, June 28, 2013 10:22 AM > To: tim at timeldermusic.com ; 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters > > Tim: > > I am in no position to disagree with your suggestions. However, if your > suggestions have validity, this would represent a significant change since > 1980. > > And, if a prestigious firm is looking to hire someone with some experience, > my bet is that the person hired has a significant corporate client that will > come with him/her to the firm. > > Finally, over the past 30 years, the prestigious firms have only grown in > size and opened more offices in more major cities in America and around the > world. As long as corporations run this world, I do not foresee their legal > representation waning. > > But, again, that's just my 2 cents worth. > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tim Elder > Sent: Thursday, June 27, 2013 10:54 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters > > I'm not sure both a top ranking and a top school are both necessary. My > opinion is that one or the other will suffice for large or prestigious > firms. > > Also, once you've been out for a couple years and develop a special skill > set the pedigree is less important. Then the head hunters start calling > you. > > The more important question becomes whether Big Law is an environment in > which you want to work. Many, if not most, associates burn out after 3 to 4 > years and either leave the legal profession entirely or find other career > paths (in house, government, smaller firms, etc.). I think the legal market > is changing and many small to mid-level firms will thrive. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Angela Matney [mailto:amatney at hf-law.com] > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:20 PM > To: 'Blind Law Mailing List' > Subject: Re: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters > > Hi Dan: > > I don't know Virginia's rank now, but when I was there, it was in the top > 10. Certainly, some firms have more stringent requirements than others, but > the article referred to "Big Law" (note the capitalization). Many of my > classmates who were not in the top 5% got Big Law jobs. My point was that > not all "Big Law" jobs are foreclosed to people who did not graduate in the > top 5% of a top-10 law school (and I know this because I attended such a > school). > > Best, > > Angie > > > > > > ----------------------------- > > Hirschler > Fleischer, A Professional Corporation Confidentiality Note: This e-mail and > any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If > you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, > distribution or use of this e-mail or any attachment is prohibited. If you > have received this e-mail in error, please notify us immediately by > returning it to the sender and delete this copy from your system. Thank you > for your cooperation. > > > Circular 230 Notice: Pursuant to Treasury Department Circular 230, tax > advice contained in this communication and any attachments are not intended > to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that > may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code, nor may any such tax advice > be used to promote, market or recommend to any person any transaction or > matter that is the subject of this communication and any attachments. > > ----------------------------- > > -----Original Message----- > From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel > McBride > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:12 PM > To: Blind Law Mailing List > Subject: [blindlaw] 10 tips for getting noticed by recruiters > > When I was working for the corporate firm in my freshman year of law school, > the firm name was Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Brown & LaBoon. Next to Fulbright > & Jaworski and Vinson & Elkins, it was the third largest firm in Houston, > with offices in Austin, Dallas and Washington, D.C. At that time, Locke & > Purnell was the largest firm in Dallas, with offices in Austin and > Washington, D.C. Lord & Bissell was a large corporate firm out of Chicago, > with offices in the United States, London and Hong Kong. > > > > Somewhere along the line, Locke & Purnell merged with Lord & Bissell. > Shortly thereafter, Locke, Lord & Bissell merged with Liddell, Sapp. The > firm is now Locke, Lord, Bissell & Liddell, with offices in 13 cities in > America, London and Hong Kong. > > > > While employed at Liddell, Sapp, part of my job duties involved the > recruiting and hiring of new associates for fall and spring hiring classes. > I can tell you that their list of 'acceptable' law schools included the Ivy > League, Michigan, Stanford, Notre Dame, Illinois, UC Berkeley, Texas, Texas > Tech, Baylor & SMU to name a few. > > > > And you had to graduate Magna Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude to be > considered. > > > > I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule. However, the top notch law > firms in this country recruit graduates only from the most prestigious > schools who are at the top of their class. > > > > Angie, with all due respect to your alma mater, I cannot say that I have any > idea where Virginia ranks. However, I would not believe it to be in the > top > 20 to 30 schools. But, that's just a guess. With all due respect to my > alma mater (South Texas College of Law), it isn't even on the list, and a > South Texas grad can forget about it. And, perhaps, we might differ on what > is meant by a 'top' firm. I am talking 'elite' firms such as Fulbright & > Jaworski, Vinson & Elkins and Locke Lord. To get into one of these firms, > you best attend an Ivy League school and graduate no less than Magna Cum > Laude. > > > > Now, of course, if one should attend any ABA accredited law school, graduate > Cum Laude and have an uncle or aunt in Congress, or a top executive at a > Wall Street firm, then they can probably be an exception to the general > rule. > > > > And, if you lack these credentials, the other 10 tips are of little value. > That's just my 2 cents worth. > > > > Dan McBride > > Fort Worth, Texas > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/amatney%40hf-law. > com > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/dlmlaw%40sbcgloba > l.net > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/attorney%40alcidonislaw.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/noel.nightingale%40ed.gov > > _______________________________________________ > blindlaw mailing list > blindlaw at nfbnet.org > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw_nfbnet.org > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for > blindlaw: > http://host.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindlaw_nfbnet.org/wickps%40gmail.com > From slabarre at labarrelaw.com Sun Jun 30 02:03:16 2013 From: slabarre at labarrelaw.com (Scott C. LaBarre) Date: Sat, 29 Jun 2013 20:03:16 -0600 Subject: [blindlaw] Annual Meeting of NABL, Agenda Pasted and Attached Message-ID: <005901ce7535$fc602940$f5207bc0$@labarrelaw.com> AGENDA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLIND LAWYERS 2013 ANNUAL MEETING ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- Wednesday, July 3, 2013 Salon 19, Level 2 Rosen Centre Hotel Orlando, Florida 1:00 p.m. WELCOME AND MEETING LOGISTICS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Scott LaBarre, Esq., President, NABL, Denver, Colorado 1:05 p.m. THE HATHITRUST CASE: ADVANCING THE RIGHT TO READ Daniel F. Goldstein, Esq., Partner, Brown, Goldstein, and Levy, Baltimore, Maryland; Mehgan Sidhu, Esq., General Counsel, NFB, Baltimore, Maryland 2:00 p.m. TIPS AND TRICKS FOR BLIND LAWYERS: A Panel Discussion Ronza Othman, Esq., Moderator, First Vice President, NABL, Baltimore, Maryland PUBLIC SPEAKING FOR BLIND LAWYERS AND READING FLUENTLY ALOUD USING AN AUDIBLE TELEPROMPTER - AN ALTERNATIVE, ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUE Bruce Gardner, Esq., Senior Counsel, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, Phoenix, Arizona USING SPECIALIZED SOFTWARE WITH ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TO BE MORE EFFICIENT Timothy R. Elder, Esq., Principal, TRE Legal, Baltimore, Maryland USING I-DEVICES WITH VOICE OVER TO CONDUCT LEGAL RESEARCH Patti Chang, Esq., Senior Legal Counsel, City of Chicago Law Department, Chicago, Illinois USING BOOKSHARE TO CONDUCT LEGAL RESEARCH Anne Naftel, Bookshare Collection Development Associate, Benetech, Palo Alto, California 3:00 p.m. BREAK 3:15 p.m. FINAL VICTORY OVER THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BAR EXAMINERS: Hearing from the Plaintiffs Dee Jones, Esq., President, NFB, of Vermont, Middlesex, Vermont; Timothy Elder, Esq., Second Vice President, NABL, Baltimore, Maryland 4:00 p.m. THE MARRAKESH TREATY TO FACILITATE ACCESS TO PUBLISHED WORKS FOR PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND, VISUALLY IMPAIRED, OR OTHERWISE PRINT DISABLED Dr. Fredric K. Schroeder, First Vice President, World Blind Union and Delegate to the World Intellectual Property Organization, First Vice President, NFB, Vienna, Virginia; Scott C. LaBarre, Esq., Legal Counsel, NFB and NFB Delegate to the World Intellectual Property Organization, Denver, Colorado 4:45 p.m. NABL BUSINESS MEETING: ELECTIONS AND DISCUSSION OF FUTURE PROGRAMS 5:00 p.m. ADJOURN 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. ANNUAL NABL RECEPTION (ticketed event) Join us for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres as we celebrate the progress of our organization. Network and meet your fellow blind attorneys and legal professionals. Salons 1 and 2, level 2. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: REVISED NABL Agenda for Braille 2013.doc Type: application/msword Size: 26112 bytes Desc: not available URL: