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

[christophergbell at comcast.net]

Congratulation on on your appointment.  You are absolutely right about the attitude of potential clients.  When I was a young, legal services attorney in Florida many years ago, I would occasionally have someone come in for help who would say, "I don't want a blind lawyer; I want a real lawyer!"  To which I would invariably respond, "It's me or nobody, take your pick". Outside of the legal aid context, my recommendation would be to develop an area or areas of real expertise and then take every opportunity to demonstrate your mastery in that field through involvement in bar activities and presentations, presentations to appropriate groups, etc. Perhaps you could write a column in your local newspaper highlighting a common legal problem with suggestions as to how to solve it.   Also, if you have ties to a particular community, whether family, community, cultural, etc., work that connection hard, particularly in the beginning so you can get some clients in the door who will then refer their friends and relatives to you. Of course, these are activities anyone would do who is starting a law firm.  It is just that, as a blind lawyer, we have to "Wow" folks to get the work.  Just my two cents.  Best, Chris Bell


-----Original Message-----
From: BlindLaw <blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Rahul Bajaj via BlindLaw
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2024 2:20 PM
To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Rahul Bajaj <rahul.bajaj1038 at gmail.com>
Subject: [blindLaw] Joining the legal aid panel of the Delhi High Court

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 _______________________________________________
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