You secured a public consent decree against Barbri, Inc. to make their online course and bar review prep course accessible to blind students. Can you tell me more about this case?
The Barbri Bar Review case was personal for me. Barbri’s bar preparation platform—featuring MBE practice modules, essay-writing tools, and personalized planners—was not accessible to blind users. The platform was incompatible with screen readers due to unlabeled buttons and poorly coded content, and crucial course materials such as lecture handouts and printed books were not provided in accessible formats like searchable PDFs, Word, or large print in a timely manner. These delays caused blind students, including myself, to fall behind during bar preparation. I ultimately did not pass the California bar the first time due to these barriers.
After learning that other students were also encountering similar problems, I, along with my colleagues at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and Disability Rights Texas, decided to bring a case against them. We initially sent Barbri two demand letters proposing a collaborative resolution. When those efforts were ignored, we filed suit under Title III of the ADA and the Texas Human Resources Code. We later brought in Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll LLP as co-counsel and sought guidance from the National Federation of the Blind and Brown Goldstein & Levy throughout the litigation.
The resulting consent decree was a major victory. It required Barbri to make its digital platforms accessible, maintain accessibility throughout updates, designate an ADA coordinator, and establish an accessibility team trained in disability law and digital access. This case was a significant victory in digital accessibility in high-stakes educational environments.
You currently work as an Associate at McGuinness Law Group. Why did you decide to take this position and what are your responsibilities there?
I joined McGuinness Law Group because I wanted to deepen my litigation experience in disability rights—my true passion and the reason I went to law school. While I had gained valuable experience at the Delaware Department of Justice and the D.C. Attorney General’s Office, those roles were not focused on disability-specific issues. I was looking for a firm where I could litigate disability rights cases and be mentored by experienced disability rights litigators, particularly women.
McGuinness Law Group is a women-owned and led firm, and everyone is a person with a disability or is closely connected to the disability community. That lived experience brings authenticity and commitment to the work. I felt strongly about joining a team that genuinely understands and prioritizes disability justice.
As an Associate, I litigate disability rights cases, lead disability know-your-rights trainings for community groups, network, develop potential new cases, and help expand the firm’s practice—particularly in digital accessibility. Our core practice areas include higher education, housing, employment, public accommodations, and now digital accessibility.
Have your accessibility needs evolved over the course of your career with the advent of new technologies? How so?
My core accessibility needs—access to information and digital content—have largely remained the same, but new technologies have offered more workarounds, though not complete solutions. Inaccessible PDFs and screenshots produced by clients and opposing counsel remain a major issue. Additionally, many legal timekeeping programs, document management systems, and state court websites are still not accessible to screen readers.
However, innovations like Aira—a service that connects blind users with live agents to help interpret visual information—have helped bridge some gaps. I’ve used Aira to review inaccessible documents, complete online forms, and describe pictures and screenshots.
Videoconferencing tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have also significantly improved the accessibility of legal practice. They allow me to take depositions and present exhibits independently, participate remotely in court hearings, take client meetings from anywhere, and engage in private chat communication during proceedings—something previously unavailable to me in traditional courtroom or office settings. For example, during a deposition, I can chat with a colleague to get feedback through the Teams or Zoom chat, instead of being shut out of the handwritten note passing practice. I can seamlessly read my outline on my computer while taking the deposition remotely.
Despite these improvements, we still have a long way to go to achieve truly inclusive legal systems and workplaces. We need websites, platforms, programs, and documents to be accessible so we do not have to rely on workarounds. This can improve if more law firms and legal organizations hire more attorneys with disabilities, who can then bring more awareness to these issues.
What advice would you give to aspiring law students and lawyers with disabilities about navigating the legal profession?
Be persistent. If you want to be a lawyer—especially a litigator—you will face challenges, both due to accessibility barriers and outdated perceptions of what people with disabilities can achieve. But don’t let those challenges stop you.
There will be hurdles in getting accommodations for the LSAT or bar exam, in securing employment, and in being taken seriously. But you can overcome them with hard work, resilience, and a strong support network. Seek out mentors, especially other lawyers with disabilities who can provide resources and support, and who believe in you.
Stay true to your purpose—even if it means starting your own practice. Find environments where you are respected, where your potential is recognized, and where your development is invested in.
Finally, give back. When you achieve success, help others do the same. Create opportunities for the next generation of disabled law students and attorneys. “Nothing about us without us” must also apply to the legal profession.
What advice would you give to law schools and legal employers about creating accessible and inclusive environments where people with disabilities feel they belong?
People with disabilities belong in the legal profession, just like everywhere else. We represent a vital part of the community, and our lived experiences and advocacy skills make us uniquely suited to this work. Lawyers represent communities made up of people from all walks of life and with various lived experiences. It is only logical that those who represent and advocate for them come from diverse communities and all walks of life as well. Those with disabilities know how to think creatively and how to advocate. We’ve been doing it all our lives. If given a true chance, we would make some of the best lawyers.
To cultivate inclusion and accessibility, law schools and employers can take the following concrete actions:
- Create a culture of support and openness – Encourage safe disclosure of disabilities and normalize accommodations as a standard part of academic and workplace support.
- Implement Universal Design for Learning (UDL) – Use flexible teaching and assessment strategies that accommodate different learning needs and formats.
- Eliminate physical and digital barriers – Ensure physical spaces and digital platforms are accessible, including websites, databases, and legal research tools.
- Provide robust and flexible accommodations – Centralize accommodation processes and promote remote and flexible work and learning environments.
- Offer disability education and awareness training – Foster disability cultural competence through training and programming.
- Support mentorship and affinity groups – Develop formal mentorship networks and employee/student resource groups for individuals with disabilities.
By proactively implementing these practices, law schools and employers can create inclusive spaces where people with disabilities are not just accommodated—but are welcomed and feel empowered to lead and thrive.
Is there anything you would like to add?
People with disabilities are, first and foremost, people. We may navigate the world differently, but those differences are not deficits—they are simply variations in the human experience. Like anyone else, we aspire to lead meaningful lives: to contribute to society, to be valued and respected, to support our families, to serve as caregivers, partners, and parents, and to participate fully in all aspects of community life. We want to succeed, thrive, and lead—not just be present at the table, but help shape the future of the legal profession.
I hope to see greater representation of attorneys with disabilities not only practicing across all areas of law, but also ascending to positions of leadership—whether as partners in law firms, judges across all levels of the judiciary, or elected and appointed officials. True progress occurs when we are not only included but also empowered to lead. That is how we change systems, challenge assumptions, and move the profession—and society—forward.
