[blindLaw] Joining the legal aid panel of the Delhi High Court

[Rahul Bajaj]

Dear Members of the Blind Law Mailing List,


I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to share some exciting
news—I am in the final stages of being inducted into the Legal Aid Panel of
the Delhi High Court. This appointment is particularly noteworthy as it is
part of a concerted push by the court aimed at including lawyers with
disabilities in its legal aid panel, thereby recognizing the valuable
contributions they can make to the legal aid system.

During discussions surrounding this initiative, one of the challenges
highlighted was the need to convince clients that lawyers with disabilities
are fully capable of effectively handling their cases. This candid
acknowledgment of potential biases is both refreshing and crucial, as it
underscores the importance of addressing preconceived notions and
stereotypes head-on.

Indeed, while the prevailing narrative may be one of equality and
non-discrimination, the reality is that biases can often influence
decision-making processes, including the allocation of work and assignment
of responsibilities.


While it may seem patronizing in one sense to suggest that one will have to
convince clients about one's ability after having performed well in
different challenging settings, I think it is good that they are being
honest and forthright. I am also conscious of the need to ensure that we
appreciate this initiative without buying into the idea of being
affirmative action babies/ diversity candidates.


This induction comes at a time when I am on the verge of leaving my current
law firm job to go into independent practice. A fellow blind lawyer and I
are in talks about setting up a law firm to generate and effectively
perform paid legal work. we already do a lot of disability rights legal
work through our NGO but would like to find work in conventional areas of
law.


I would therefore welcome any insights or reflections on:

1. making the most of this opportunity;

2. using it as a leverage to build one's own client base; and

3. priming the law firm we are planning on setting up for success.


Warmly,


Rahul


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Rahul Bajaj
Rhodes Scholar (India and Linacre 2018), University of Oxford
Co-Founder, Mission Accessibility