Attorneys with Disabilities Needed for Membership Demographic Study Focus Groups

[Jonathan Ko]

Hi Everyone,

Hope you are doing well. The researcher for the WSBA demographic study, Dr. Ben Kim-Gervey, is looking for focus group members. Please find attached a frequently asked questions sheet that should give some background about what it is all about. In addition, below, please find some preliminary results information and what is of interest. It would be great if we can get some of our members to volunteer to be on these groups--especially groups that suffer disproportionately impacts. If there are people that you think might be interested in participating, please reach out and feel free to send them the FAQ. Please reply to this email or you can reach out directly to Dr. Ben Kim-Gervey (He is copied on this email).

Best,
Jonathan

On Thu, Jan 25, 2024 at 1:12 PM Ben at KGR+C <b...@kno-why.com> wrote:

 

There are a few things of interest here. The size of the group that identifies as Disabled via visible or invisible disability in the survey is smaller than I’d expected, and somewhat smaller than the proportion identified as Disabled via US Census within the state, but interestingly far larger than the proportion cited by the National Bar.  So there’s some things to probe in there.

 

In addition, the data show a number of things that suggest that the disabled community is experiencing a number of disproportionate impacts that affect workplace satisfaction and “fit”, including a lack of mentorship, workplace biases and micro aggressions, in addition to structural challenges (see below). 

It’s also clear from the data (as well as from life… I am disabled,  and have conducted groups like this with Oregon Bar members, the Judiciary, and others) that the manifestations of these biases, while often occurring with similar frequencies to other non dominant groups (e.g., ethnicity, gender identity, etc), are expressed very differently to disabled members (as they are to each group) and have a different kind of impact as a result. We are hoping to have folks who identity as disabled - whether it’s a visible or invisible disability, mobility-based or not, etc - to speak to some of those findings and bring them to life. The disability or the nature of the disability isn’t the key thing, but rather the interest in and ability to speak about this stuff with a group of peers. And the stories can be very challenging -  I’ve heard from courtroom lawyers with hearing disabilities that Judges won’t let them approach to hear better, so their clients suffer and it made them change careers. Wheelchair-bound lawyers have told us that the 10 minute restroom break doesn’t work bc there’s 1 elevator -  or none - and the accessible restroom is in another building. Chronic pain patients have talked about how they can’t work in a large office because they need to lay down and everyone assumes they’re lazy when they do. I’d like to get some of the WSBA Membership talking about these challenges so our findings reflect more than the frequency with which “micro aggressions" happen, but the meaning and impact it has on the lives of those it happens to.

I hope that helps! Please let me know if you need anything more. If you’d prefer to discuss this via phone, I’d be happy to do so.

Ben

Ben Kim-Gervey, Ph.D.
KGR+C LLC
+1 917-207-3727

he/him/his

[Stuart Pixley (CELA)]

Dropping Dr, Kim-Gervey

 

Hey WADA family – Wanted to put in a plug for folks to contact the Dr. and encourage others to do as well.

 

One of our earliest WADA victories was in 2012 getting WSBA to ask us the same questions as the do other minority communities and getting them to establish this very focus group – they previously covered all other minority groups plus caregivers but not PWD – so Noel and I raised a little hell.

 

The result was a reported 21% of respondents reported having a disability or impairment – compare with less than 1% for NALP respondents and a high of 7% among state and ABA surveys.  This even after we boycotted the focus group and survey for lack of accessibility.

 

Would really, really love if we could show up.

 

 

Stuart Pixley (Pronouns: He/Him/His)

Senior Corporate Counsel CELA | Silicon Engineering Systems + CHIE

stua...@microsoft.com  | (425) 707-0163

For helpful resources check out the AHSI CELA Resource Guide

I acknowledge that our homes and offices in Puget Sound are situated in the

traditional and unceded homeland of many indigenous nations including the

Duwamish and Coastal Salish peoples.

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[Adam Tabor]

+1

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