Lawyers with disAbilities Committee
The LIV Lawyers with disAbilities Committee was established in early 2010 to consider the needs of lawyers and law students who experience disability, the barriers they face in employment and progression in the legal profession, and what initiatives the LIV can undertake to promote equal opportunity.
To find out more about the Committee and how to get involved, email Janet Tan on jtan@liv.asn.au or call (03) 9607 9384.
LIV Disability Action Plan
The LIV’s Disability Action Plan (DAP) aims to ensure that all LIV services, products and facilities are accessible for all our members and other LIV customers in the legal profession and general community. The LIV DAP aims to provide a model for “best practice” across the legal profession and will provide a platform for the LIV to encourage law firms to consider barriers to services and employment in their own businesses.
LIV Strategy to Increase Recruitment and Retention of Law Graduates and Lawyers Experiencing Disability in the Legal Sector
The Lawyers with disAbilities Committee identified that law graduates who experience a disability experience difficulties in obtaining ongoing and meaningful employment following university. In response, and in implementing the DAP, the LIV developed this recruitment and retention strategy.
The strategy will assist the LIV to further develop a long term plan to reduce barriers to employment in the legal profession in general, including working with legal employers to improve disability confidence and promote diversity in the workplace, and provide education about how to retain, enhance and develop existing employees who experience or acquire a disability at some point in their career.
Email Janet Tan on jtan@liv.asn.au to join our Disability Network email list and receive updates about events and other initiatives under the strategy.
External Disability Resources
Assistance for Employers
Australian Network on Disability
Provides advice and services on disability to employers including useful factsheets.
Job Access
Provides an information and advice service for employers including assistance for workplace modifications, training and wages.
Office for Disability
Provides a central point for website links to disability employment and recruitment websites.
Provides information about benefits of employing people with a disability, reasonable adjustment and occupational health and safety, and disclosing disability.
Helping Employees Successfuly Return to Work
Following extensive consultation with mental health experts, Orygen Youth Health Research Centre has published guidelines for organisations to use when developing their return-to-work policies and procedures.
Assistance for Job Seekers
Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET)
Provides information and resources to support the work of disability practitioners in the postsecondary education and training sector
Australian Human Rights Commission
Provides various resources and links to websites focused on employing job seekers experiencing a disability.
Disability Employment Services
Provides job seekers with disability with access to tailored employment services suited to the candidate’s needs, including providing links to training and skills development.
Disability Services Australia
Provides employment support to people experiencing a disability. Services include assistance finding a job, organising training and providing ongoing support throughout employment.
Echo
Recruitment and support services for jobseekers experiencing a disability.
Job Access
Provides an information and advice service for jobseekers including assistance for workplace modifications, training and wages.
Disclosure
University of Western Sydney
Information about disclosure
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
Information about disclosing disability in employment
Disability Action Plans
Australian Human Rights Commission
Provides a register of Disability Action Plans and resources to develop action plans.
Australian Network on Disability
Can provide assistance to organisations wanting to make their workplace disability friendly.
Office for Disability
Provides support to organisations wanting to develop a Disability Action Plan.
Mental Health
Australian Human Rights Commission
Provides the “Workers with Mental Illness: a Practical Training Guide for Managers” Publication.
Law Care
The LIV’s confidential counselling service, aiming to help members deal with personal and professional problems. Available for members and their families.
Mindful Employer
Resource to increase the awareness of mental health at work and providing support for businesses in recruiting and retaining staff.
Mountain Climbing
Resource to assist students experiencing mental illness to make the transition to employment.
SANE Australia
Provides useful factsheets on identifying mental illness and how to assist someone who is suffering from mental illness.
Students
Australian Network on Disability
Runs the Stepping Into Law Program for students and graduates experiencing disability to undertake legal placements with employers in the profession.
Education to Employment
Information resource about the transition from education to employment.
The University of Melbourne
Provides publications to improve the quality and support for students with disabilities.
Willing and Able Mentoring
Offers a program designed to assist students experiencing disabilities to prepare for the workplace by providing a mentor to provide guidance throughout their studies.