29 March 2022, Dublin. The inaugural event of the disAbility Legal Network event, Fostering a Disability-Inclusive Culture in the Irish Legal Sector, hosted by William Fry found that 62% of people working with a disability in the legal sector have not shared their disability status at work.  The findings resulted from a poll to over 100 delegates who attended the event in person and virtually.

Niamh Fawl of the National Disability Authority presented at the event on how businesses can create a diverse and inclusive work culture.

Speaking at the event Jane Barrett, Chairperson of the disAbility Legal Network Committee and Associate at William Fry stated that, “one of the goals of the disAbility Legal Network is to raise an awareness that there are in fact people working in the legal sector with disabilities”. She said in response to the results of the poll that “62% seems a high proportion” and that she “hoped the existence of the network and by its committee members that have disabilities being open about their own disabilities will encourage those with invisible disabilities in the legal sector to be more open and share their disability status at work where they feel safe to do so.”

• Owen O’Sullivan, Managing Partner, William Fry
• Jane Barrett, Chairperson of the disAbility Legal Network Committee and Associate at William Fry
• Niamh Fawl, Senior Standards and Monitoring Officer with the National Disability Authority
• Elaine Cahill: Solicitor and Case Officer, Competition Enforcement and Mergers Division at the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
• Martin Gordon B.L: Garda Civil Legal, Irish Paralympian
• Catherine O’Flynn, Head of Employment & Benefits at William Fry