National Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities
Monday and Tuesday, May 22-23, 2006
Renaissance Washington Hotel
Washington, DC

Sponsored by:

* American Bar Association Office of the President
* American Bar Association Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
* U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Dear Colleague:

We are pleased to invite you to the first National Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities to be held Monday and Tuesday, May 22-23, 2006 in Washington, D.C. The American Bar Association (ABA) President's Office, the ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) have partnered to bring to you this important learning opportunity. This Conference is appropriate for lawyers, law students, law schools and any organization that employs lawyers. Our intent is to help expand opportunities for lawyers with disabilities in all legal employment sectors.

In particular, the Conference will provide examples of best practices in hiring lawyers with disabilities, focus on the law pertaining to the employment of lawyers with disabilities and provide practical advice for how to set up a legal work environment to be accommodating to lawyers with disabilities. The Conference will also feature Richard L. Thornburgh, Esq., Of Counsel, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham, LLP, as the Keynote Speaker the first evening of the Conference. Mr. Thornburgh previously served as Governor of Pennsylvania and Attorney General of the United States under two presidents. He was also instrumental in the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Ms. Cari M. Dominguez, Chair of the EEOC, will also be a featured speaker at the Conference. We are also fortunate to have the Honorable Judge David S. Tatel, of the United States Court of Appeals for District of Columbia Circuit, as our featured speaker during lunch on the second day of the Conference.

The Conference is a celebration of diversity, and will be held in an appropriate setting - our Nation's capitol. The Conference will also provide a wonderful networking opportunity for lawyers, law students with disabilities, and legal employers. We are confident that you will find the Conference to be a worthwhile and important program and look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,



Michael S. Greco, Esq., President
American Bar Association

Scott C. LaBarre, Esq. Chairperson
American Bar Association Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law

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Monday, May 22, 2006

2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Registration Vendors Showcase

5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Reception
* Vendors Showcase
* Welcome and Introductions: Michael S. Greco, Esq., President, American Bar Association (ABA); Partner, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham, LLP, Boston, MA
* Keynote Speaker: Richard L. Thornburgh, Esq., Of Counsel, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham, LLP, Washington, DC
* Paul G. Hearne Award Presentation

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Registration/Continental Breakfast Vendors Showcase

8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.
Welcome and Introductions
Scott C. Labarre, Esq., Chair, ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law (CMPDL); LaBarre Law Offices, P.C., Denver, CO

8:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Michael S. Greco, Esq., ABA President

9:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Cari M. Dominguez, Chair, EEOC, Washington, DC

9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. - Session I: Why Are We Here Today? Why is this conference important? Why should legal employers want to reflect diversity? Do lawyers with disabilities experience employment discrimination?

Moderator:
Bernard R. Hurwitz, Esq., Senior Attorney Editor, Thomson West, Rochester, NY

Speakers:
* David M. Landau, Esq., Deputy Counsel, Starbucks, Seattle, WA
* Paul R.Q. Wolfson, Esq., Partner, Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale, & Dorr, Washington, DC

10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. -- Session II: Is Disability Diverse or Just Different? Does disability fit into existing concepts of diversity? Why or why not?

Moderator:
Alex J. Hurder, Esq., Clinical Professor of Law, Vanderbilt Law School, Nashville, TN

Speakers:
* Olegario D. Cantos, VII, Esq., Special Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Division U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC
* Samuel R. Bagenstos, Esq., Professor of Law, Washington University, St. Louis, MO

10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Break and Vendors Showcase.

11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. -- Session III: Does It Pay to Hire Lawyers with Disabilities? What are the reasons that hiring lawyers with disabilities makes good business sense?

Moderator:
Marguerite D. Downing, Esq., Deputy Public Defender, Los Angeles, CA

Speakers:
* Honorable Judge Richard S. Brown, Wisconsin State Court of Appeals-District II, Waukesha, WI
* James E. Scarboro, Esq., Partner, Arnold and Porter, Denver, CO

11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. -- Session IV: Are You Required to Hire Lawyers with Disabilities? What does the law require in hiring lawyers with disabilities, and the provision of accommodations for them once they are on the job?

Moderator:
Arlene S. Kanter, Esq., Professor of Law & Co-director, Syracuse University College of Law Center on Human Policy, Law, and Disability Studies, Syracuse, NY

Speakers:
* Christopher J. Kuczynski, Esq., Assistant Legal Counsel & Director of ADA Policy Division, EEOC, Washington, DC
* Arlene B. Mayerson, Esq., Directing Attorney, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund, Berkeley, CA

12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. -- Luncheon and Vendors Showcase.

Keynote:
War Stories from Someone Who Became Disabled Later in Life

Speaker:
Honorable Judge David S. Tatel, U. S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia Circuit

Renaissance of Idealism Video

1:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. -- Session V: Best Practices in Law Firms. What are best practices for law firms to use when they hire lawyers with disabilities? How do law firms identify, hire, and retain lawyers with disabilities?

Moderator:
Eve L. Hill, Esq., Executive Director, Disability Rights Legal Center, Los Angeles, CA

Speakers:
* Kathi J. Pugh, Esq., Pro Bono Program Counsel, Morrison and Foerster, LLP, San Francisco, CA
* Andrew D. Levy, Esq., Partner, Brown, Goldstein, and Levy, LLP, Baltimore, MD
* William H. Grignon, Esq., Associate, Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, Los Angeles, CA

2:30 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Session VI: Elimination of Bias: Challenging stereotypes about lawyers with disabilities.

Moderator:
Michael E. Waterstone, Esq., Assistant Professor, University of Mississippi Law School, University, MS

Speakers:
* Eve L. Hill, Esq.
* Andrew J. Imparato, Esq., President and CEO, American Association of People with Disabilities, Washington, DC
* Michael A. Schwartz, Assistant Professor of Law and Director, Public Interest Law Firm, Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse NY

3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. -- Break and Vendors Showcase.

3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. -- Conclusion: What Can Legal Employers Do to Increase Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities?
Conference wrap up and audience participation.

Moderator:
Scott C. Labarre, Esq., Chair, ABA CMPDL

Speakers:
* Michael S. Greco, Esq., ABA President
* Scott C. Labarre, Esq., Chair, ABA CMPDL
* Jeffrey S. Davidson, Esq., Partner, Firm Management Committee, Kirkland & Ellis, LLP, Los Angeles, CA
* Jaclyn Okin Barney, Esq., Staff Attorney, New York Lawyers for The Public Interest, New York, NY

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Registration Fees. The meeting registration fee includes admission to the Conference, materials, and all meals listed in the program agenda, including the reception.

Early Bird, Advance, and On Site Registration. Advance registration is possible by Friday, May 12, 2006 online, by fax, or by mail. Please see the registration form for the early bird registration fees. Registration will only be accepted if accompanied by payment. Please call (202) 662-1570 by Friday, May 19, 2006 to ensure space availability. On site registration must be accompanied by payment.

Contact Information:

ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
740 15th St. NW, 9th Fl.
Washington, DC 20005-1022
cmpdl@abanet.org
Tel.: (202) 662-1570
Fax: (202) 662-1032
http://www.abanet.org/disability/events/06/nationalconference/home.html

Cancellation Policy. Full refunds will be given for cancellation requests received by Friday, May 12, 2006. Refunds on registration fees, minus a $50 administrative fee, will be granted for cancellations received after May 12, but before May 19, 2006. Fax (202) 662-1032 or email (cmpdl@abanet.org) your request to Michael J. Stratton.

Airline Information. There are three airports in the Washington DC metro area - Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) in VA, Dulles International Airport (IAD) in VA, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) in Maryland. You may make reservations by contacting the airlines directly. If you are an ABA Member, you can contact the ABA travel agency, Travelocity Business, at 866-321-8403.

Conference Site:

Renaissance Washington, DC Hotel
999 Ninth St. NW, Washington DC 20001

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Renaissance for attendees at $239 per night. Contact the hotel directly at (202) 898-9000 or at 1-800-MARRIOTT for reservations. Please refer to the ABA Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities code when making reservations: abaabaa. After April 24, 2006, or when the block of rooms is sold out, rooms at the ABA rate may not be available.

Disability-Related Accommodations. For accommodations information and requests, please email Michael J. Stratton at cmpdl@abanet.org or call (202) 662-1570.

MCLE Credit. Continuing legal education credit has been requested, but please be aware that each state has its own requirements for attendees and speakers. Certificates of attendance will be available on site for those who register for CLE. After the Conference, you may contact the ABA Service Center at 1-800-285-2221 to confirm CLE credit hours approved by your state.

Attendees are encouraged to register online at:

http://www.abanet.org/disability/events/06/nationalconference/home.html

Name (exactly as it should appear on the name badge):

Firm/Company:

Address:

City:
State:
Zip Code:
Phone:
TTY:
Fax:

Email Address. Registration Fees (deadline for advance registration is May 12, 2006. Thereafter, please call (202) 662-1570.

By 4/15:
* $250 - General Attendees.
* $225 - ABA Members.
* $200 - Government and Legal Services.
* $100 - Law Students (Note: A limited number of scholarships will be available for law students with disabilities.)

After 4/15
* $300 - General Attendees.
* $275 - ABA Members.
* $225 - Government and Legal Services.
* $125 - Law Students (Note: A limited number of scholarships will be available for law students with disabilities.)

Additional $25 Fee for CLE Credit. Please check the box below if you wish to pay $25 for CLE credit.

$25 for CLE Credit.

TOTAL FEES

Course Materials. Each registrant receives one set of materials in CD ROM format. Please check here if you would prefer the material in a paper format:

Paper Format

Method of Payment.
* CHECK enclosed (payable to the American Bar Association)
* VISA: __________
* MASTERCARD: __________
* AMEX: __________

Card Number:
Expiration Date:
Cardholder Signature: ____________________

Return this form to:

ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
740 15th St. NW, 9th Fl.
Washington, DC 20005-1022
Phone: 202 662-1570 Fax: 202 662-1032 Email: cmpdl@abanet.org

For additional information, please contact Michael J. Stratton at 202 662-1570.

I require dietary considerations (Please attach a note with explanation)

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