The Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) encourages its members to take part in the Commission on Disability Rights of the American Bar Association (ABA)'s #BeCounted campaign in celebration of Disability Pride Month.

"As we celebrate Disability Pride Month, I am proud that the ISBA and I have made it a high priority in selecting its event venues and programming with the goal of reducing the accessibility barriers faced by our members with disabilities," President Sonni Choi Williams said. "We will continue to strive for improvements in ensuring equity and inclusion around disability issues are addressed in a meaningful manner that permeates into the future of the ISBA."   

The #BeCounted campaign encourages lawyers with disabilities across the country to add themselves to the ABA's U.S. map. Why? According to the 2021 ABA Model Diversity Survey,  “[a]ttorneys with a disability are generally underreported and/or underrepresented at every level and are significantly more likely to work in the “Other Attorney” role compared to all other groups within law firms.” Also, “[f]or the most recent year, most law firms did not hire a single attorney [who] self-identified as . . . having a disability.”  Furthermore, according to a  2023 report from the National Association of Law Placement (NALP), only 1.4% of law firm lawyers surveyed self-identified as having a disability. The ABA (and NALP) believe there are more, given that one in four adults in the United States have a disability. 

To participate, complete a short digital form, which will ask for your city, state, and disability/ies. The form does not ask for any personally identifiable information.

Complete the form.

#BeCounted and express your disability pride!

To learn more about Disability Pride Month, visit the American Bar Association's website.