ISSUE 2: SEPTEMBER 2023
Hyper-focus on capacity and performance has stigmatised perceptions on how to survive the competitively natured legal industry. This creates a culture which exacerbates ableist and dismissive experiences for disabled law students/graduates, particularly those with non-apparent disabilities.
5th year UTS law student, Alex*, joins us in our second issue of the Diverse-abilities Blog to talk about their experiences with ableism in the law community.
*The name Alex has been used to anonymise the identity of the interviewee.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
‘I graduated high school in 2013, went to a different uni, dropped out due to unmanaged mental health issues and worked for a bit before starting at UTS in 2018.
When I first started at UTS, I had failed several semesters due to personal circumstances, including my mental health, so switched to a part-time study load instead. Autumn 2023 is the first time I’m doing a full-time course load since 2020.’
What does ableism mean and look like to you?
‘In the context of legal studies and the legal profession, ableism looks to me like inflexibility and lack of empathy.
It looks like telling a student that the only way to be a lawyer is to accept burnout.’
Has studying in law been affected and/or impacted by your diverse-ability?
‘I think all law students will fall prey to the pressures of achieving what conventionally would seem to be the typical legal career, especially around clerkship season. But having a disability/ chronic illness/ mental illness makes achieving that ideal seem even more out of reach.
‘I feel myself setting impossible standards because I feel like I have to compensate for my disability.’
Many other disabled students, including myself, literally cannot work a full-time 9-5. So how are we supposed to keep up with colleagues who’ll keep working until 7-8pm or late?’
How have you been able to manage, combat, work or challenge these effects on your lived experiences?
‘I talk to other law students and lawyers with disabilities, who teach me how they deal with ableist society and remind me that it’s possible to get through it.’
I would like to thank Alex* for allowing me to share their voice and experience with ableism in the legal community. I hope this second issue of the blog will spur some reflection and understanding in those who read it.
For any inquiries and/or feedback, please feel free to contact me at accessibility@utslss.com. All correspondence will remain confidential unless specified otherwise.