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<b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br><br>
<br><br>
CONTACT:<br><br>
</b>Chris Danielsen<br><br>
Director of Public Relations<br><br>
National Federation of the Blind<br><br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330<br><br>
(410) 262-1281 (Cell)<br><br>
cdanielsen@nfb.org<br><br>
</font><div align="center"><h1><b>National Conference of Bar Examiners
Discriminates <br>
Against <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Blind Law
School Graduates</b></h1></div>
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</font><div align="center"><font face="Garamond"><b><i>Blind Law School
Graduates File Complaint Against NCBE<br><br>
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<font face="Times New Roman, Times"> <br><br>
</font><font face="Garamond"><b>Baltimore, Maryland (June 2, 2010):</b>
Three blind law school graduates registered to take the Maryland general
bar exam in July 2010Timothy R. Elder, Anne P. Blackfield, and Michael
B. Witwerfiled a complaint today against the National Conference of Bar
Examiners (NCBE) for violation of the Americans with Disabilities
Act. The complaint was filed because the Multistate Bar Examination
(MBE), a section of the General Bar Examination that is offered and
disseminated through the NCBE, is inaccessible to the
blind.</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times">
</font><font face="Garamond">Recent law school graduates must take and
pass the General Bar Examination to qualify to practice law in the state
of Maryland.</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times"> <br><br>
</font><font face="Garamond"> <br><br>
Each plaintiff asked the Maryland State Board of Law Examiners to take
all parts of the General Bar Examination, including the MBE, on a
computer equipped with screen access software, which converts what is on
the screen into synthesized speech and magnified text. The Maryland
Board agreed to grant the accommodations for the MBE if NCBE allowed it
to do so. NCBE, however, refuses to allow the requested
accommodations.<br><br>
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Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
“As we have said before, those who control admission to the practice of
law must themselves obey the law. It is unconscionable that NCBE
would engage in blatant discrimination against the blind and deny
graduates the accommodations that they need to compete on an equal
playing field with their sighted peers. We will work tirelessly to
ensure that all blind people are given their lawful right to take the bar
exam and continue with their respective careers.”<br><br>
<br><br>
The plaintiffs are represented with the support of the National
Federation of the Blind by Daniel F. Goldstein and Mehgan Sidhu of the
Baltimore firm Brown, Goldstein, and Levy; Laurence W. Paradis, Anna
Levine, and Karla Gilbride of the Berkley firm Disability Rights
Advocates; and Scott C. LaBarre of the Denver firm LaBarre Law
Offices. <br><br>
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<b> <br><br>
</font><font face="Garamond">About the National Federation of the
Blind<br><br>
</b>With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind
is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind
people in the United States. The NFB improves blind people’s lives
through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs
encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading
force in the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's
blind. In January 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of
the Blind Jernigan Institute, the first research and training center in
the United States for the blind led by the blind. <br><br>
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