[nabs-l] Interest in law

[Scott C. LaBarre]

I am always happy to discuss law school.  Please feel free to contact me at 
the below.
Scott C. LaBarre, Esq.
President
National Association of Blind Lawyers
LaBarre Law Offices P.C.
1660 South Albion Street, Ste. 918
Denver, Colorado 80222
303 504-5979 (voice)
303 757-3640 (fax)
slabarre at labarrelaw.com (e-mail)
www.labarrelaw.com (website)

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sarah Jevnikar" <sarah.jevnikar at utoronto.ca>
To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2008 7:17 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Interest in law


> This sounds great! Best of luck. I believe there is a blind lawyer in
> Toronto I can find the name of. Will this help, even if he's not in the
> States?
> Sarah
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf
> Of T. Joseph Carter
> Sent: Sunday, October 26, 2008 6:41 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: [nabs-l] Interest in law
>
> Hi all,
>
> Those of you who have known me for a long time will know that I've been a
> lot of places, academically as well as geographically speaking.  The whole
> time, I believe I have been building toward something--I haven't known
> what exactly.  I think I will offer myself the short answer to my question
> now, I should subscribe to the blind law list.  In the meantime, I'd like
> some opinions--and please don't be afraid to share yours.  You don't have
> to have known me for long to know that when I make up my mind about
> something, I'm certainly willing to share mine!  *grin*
>
> In order to get the kind of feedback I want, I probably need to provide
> the background that got me where I am now.  Sorry, it's a little long.
>
> For a time, I was a software developer.  Not a great one, perhaps, but I
> could write an algorithm.  I did, however, learn to work with technology
> extremely well, and I developed thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving
> skills.  I learned to pick apart problems, but that's not really what a
> "code monkey" does these days.  I didn't really enjoy the work that paid
> my rent as well as the very similar work that didn't.  Plus, I lacked the
> functional blindness skills and the social skills to succeed.
>
> When these facts came to light, I took a career direction evaluation, and
> chose one of the options far down on the list: Teacher.  I knew I wouldn't
> survive the social dynamics in education, so I began a study of Psychology
> since it is the science of explaining things I didn't understand in terms
> that I did.  Through the grace of God and some assistance from a few
> people in the right place at the right time, coupled with some experiences
> at the Colorado Center for the Blind, basically that worked.
>
> With my Psychology degree and a minor in Special Education, I'm now a
> student in a Special Educator program whose curricula courses focus on
> objective measurement, identifiable results, and reliable data.  My
> advisor and favorite professor has told me that she is convinced that I
> can be a fine special educator.  From her, this is high praise indeed and
> is not lightly offered.  She does think, however, that I have other gifts
> that would not be tapped to their potential in an elementary classroom,
> and I think she's right.
>
> More recently, I've learned of several cases where special education has
> gone wrong.  Horribly wrong.  The causes are many: Apathy, irritation,
> hostility, laziness, low expectations, and plain outright discrimination
> on the basis of a disability, and that's just a start.  And lest you think
> I'm talking about the schools here, I'm talking about teachers, parents,
> and administrators and at every level from early intervention through
> graduate school programs.  Most could be resolved by a good mediator or
> arbitrator.  Some cannot be, and you need a good litigator.
>
> I think a career connected to law is probably where this is going for me.
> Being a reasonably religious person, this seems right because I believe
> that God wastes nothing, and logically I can see that if I target
> education or disability law, all of my experience is directly relevant to
> my education, my experience, and my career.
>
> Not only that, I remember as a teen looking over the course offerings at
> places like MIT and being extremely excited just reading the titles.  I
> find similar excitement today looking over the courses relevant to the
> kinds of law related to disability, education, and possibly employment.
> It seems like this is right for me because it gives me the chance to
> educate the people who need it most (often teachers and parents) and to
> seek real justice for people who often times have a hard time finding an
> honest person who just wants to see the right thing happen.
>
> If you're not asleep yet and can think of particular individuals I might
> want to talk to, I'd love some suggestions.  I'd feel a little out of
> place on the blind law list at the moment given that all I know are the
> basics of the ADA, section 504, and IDEA that they teach teachers.
>
> I'm also curious what you, my fellow nabsters, think about this potential
> change in my education direction.  My student loan debt already scares the
> bat snot out of me, and it'll double or triple if I go to law school!
>
> I'd appreciate any input or advice.  I'd also like to know how a blind
> person manages to get materials in a timely manner, which law schools have
> been good to blind students, and which ones to avoid.  I'm in Oregon, and
> we have three law schools, but little ties me to Oregon except a beautiful
> woman I would expect to not see much for three years no matter where I go
> to school.  She's got her own graduate program to attend to for most of
> that time, and we have modern communication and travel at our disposal.
>
> Thanks for reading, and in advance for sharing your thoughts.  *smile*
>
> Joseph
>
>
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