Creating Community for Law Students with Disabilities
The Colorado Disability Justice Alliance Mentoring Program is a collaborative effort between the Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program (CAMP), the University of Colorado Law School, and the University of Denver Sturm College of Law to provide law students with disabilities professional support and guidance from peers and mentors who share similar personal experiences, such as having a disability.
The legal profession is challenging enough. For lawyers with disabilities, these challenges can be further compounded by a struggle to obtain accommodations during law school and on the bar examination, lack of assistive technologies and accessible space in law firms, and isolationism. Our focus is on removing these barriers for law students with disabilities and generating community and connection through a group mentoring experience.
About The Program
This nine-month program will engage law students with disabilities in a small group, peer-to-peer mentoring experience with Colorado lawyer mentors. The mentoring circle will meet monthly where participants will engage in dialogue, story telling, reflective exercises, and networking opportunities to build professional identity and successfully manage the unique challenges and opportunities in the transition to the practice of law.
Participants will work through a mentoring curriculum which includes topic areas such as:
1. Accommodations: How to ask for and navigate accommodations on the bar exam, in law school, and in the legal workplace.
2. Social Identity & Relationship Building: Building professional networks, managing toxic professional relationships, and reflecting on intersectionality and internalized ableism.
3. Career Advancement & Planning: Disclosing disability, creating an Individual Development Plan, and overcoming professional barriers.
Program Logistics
The program will launch in early September 2022 and continue until May 2023 and is open to 1L, 2L, and 3L students.
Monthly meeting dates and times will be set by the group and include both in-person and virtual engagement options.
Mentors are eligible to receive 9 general and 2 ethics credits for their participation in the program!
There is no cost to participate!
How to Join as Mentor or a Mentee
Visit our mentoring software platform HERE.
Scroll to the bottom of the home page to the green “Join Now” button.
When prompted, join as a Circle Member (mentee) or a Circle Lead (mentor).
Complete a short profile.
Select “Colorado Disability Justice Alliance” Mentoring Circle and join as a member or circle lead.
Information Session
To view a recording of our August information session visit: https://youtu.be/1lSIj4nD86g
Look for additional information at your law school’s orientation events!
Questions?
Please e-mail CAMP Education & Outreach Staff Attorney Courtney Sommer at c.sommer@csc.state.co.us.
