Many lawyers and legal staff will be relishing the prospect of returning to their offices following revisions to the Government’s guidance on working from home. While re-connecting with colleagues and feeling a sense of “normality” will be a happy prospect for some, disabled legal staff may face a very different reality – one that involves difficulties in finding accessible methods of public transport for the daily commutes, as well as navigating unaccommodating and antiquated offices.
Much of the London legal community is housed within Georgian buildings with grand staircases, narrow corridors and paved entranceways. Whilst these buildings may be visually impressive both inside and out, to say that they are accessible by modern standards would be a significant stretch. Being able to offer clients and visitors accessible facilities is a vital aspect of a lawyer’s responsibilities: not least to ensure that everyone who feels anxious around having to use the legal system, feels understood and in safe hands.
Barristers’ chambers in particular face significant challenges around accessibility. For example, over 80% of barristers who requested support or adjustments to be made to cater for their impairments have said the process caused undue anxiety for them, according to a recent survey.
For many, improving wheelchair accessibility will be the first (and in some cases, only) step that comes to mind when it comes to creation of equal access, but individuals are so often disabled by society in multiple forms. Creating environments where steps are taken to allow for equal access to a building, alongside the use of accessible language, is a huge step in minimising the prospects of legal staff and stakeholders feeling marginalised by their firm or chambers.
Here at 7BR, we have been navigating our own impediments to equal access, with our home at 7 Bedford Row being a listed Georgian townhouse. As such, we have recently installed Sesame Steps to our front door – encompassing a sophisticated concealed lift mechanism which allows all disabled individuals to independently and seamlessly enter the building unaided. Installing the Steps was a complex and lengthy endeavour, which faced multiple hurdles, not least the funding of the project in addition to securing planning permission for making alterations to a listed building. During the course of installing the Steps, we at 7BR also wanted to explore in more depth some of the intrinsic challenges facing disabled individuals across society.
For example, the phrases “pop to the shop” or “it’ll only take two seconds” suggest an ease and speed of activity often regarded as basic for all. But these phrases unconsciously disregard the experiences of the disabled community, who so often face severe difficulty in navigating “quick and easy” tasks. Extensive forward planning is often needed to ensure that the task can be undertaken – such as phoning ahead to see if the transport method taken to reach a shop has disabled access, let alone the shop entrance itself. It is therefore imperative that an understanding of how these microaggressions reinforce society ableism is reached.
However, changes in societal attitudes aren’t enough on their own – practical solutions are necessary also in order for language to become accurate for all, regardless of any disability. We should strive to create an accessible society where a disabled person can “hop on a train” in full confidence that they can do this easily and independently.
It is easily done to ‘talk the talk’ when it comes to diversity and inclusion around disability, but actually taking effective steps to change the infrastructural environment of a law firm to include disabled people is a permanent and tangible solution. Physical structural improvements may be needed for buildings in some cases, but more often than not, necessary reasonable adjustments come at little to no cost.
This could involve having a clear and open process for all barristers to request any necessary adjustments, encouraging those with undeclared disabilities to come forward, as well as providing disabled access guides for their buildings to all staff and clients, minimising the chance of any disabled individuals struggling to independently access a firms’ facilities. In terms of bringing this about, having a disabled person present in all decision-making processes (and not simply for decisions related to disability) can help to mitigate the risks of excluding disabled staff.
The sector must seek to resolve any issues regarding accessibility by listening to and valuing the experiences of disabled legal staff, who have felt marginalised for far too long. Cultural and infrastructural changes have long been called for, and legal leaders should be setting an example.
Harry Charlton is chief executive at 7BR
