On July 26, 2023, attorneys Neel Lalchandani and Eve Hill and Brown, Goldstein & Levy summer associates Aaron Frazee, Jason Zheng, Tori Shaw, and Natasha Reifenberg were glad to attend a program commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act at the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
“It was an honor for our BGL team to help celebrate the anniversary of this landmark legislation alongside some of the nation’s most prominent disability rights attorneys and advocates,” Neel said. “The program was a compelling reminder of the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act and a meaningful reminder of why we do what we do at the firm. We are proud to continue to the fight to protect and advance the civil rights of individuals with disabilities across the United States.”
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke opened the program delivering a powerful speech in which she discussed the rights of people with disabilities and the many harsh realities they face within the criminal legal system.
“Through vigorous enforcement of the ADA, strong partnerships with the disability and criminal justice communities and racial justice advocates, and greater awareness of the devastating effect of stigma and low expectations, we can fulfill the promise of the ADA to achieve true inclusion and equality for people with disabilities,” Clarke said.
The program also featured a speech from keynote speaker Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative. A lifelong advocate for racial justice and reform of the criminal legal system, Stevenson spoke about the importance of celebrating the ADA every year.
“That commitment that was made so long ago is necessary,” Stevenson said. “Vulnerable people in our society—in any democracy—are always going to be the people who suffer disproportionately. Who are always going to be marginalized, always going to be excluded. And people with disabilities have been in that space for a very long time. We passed the Americans with Disabilities Act because we knew we were being unfair, cruel, nondemocratic in the ways we allowed structures and systems to operate with no intention to the needs of people with disabilities. That is why it is important that we acknowledge this law, that we honor this law, that we celebrate this law, and that we enforce this law.”
The well-rounded program concluded with discussion among a panel of experts: Estelle Richman (former Pennsylvania Secretary of Public Welfare), Helen Skipper (Executive Director of NYC Justice Peer Initiative), and Regan Rush (Principal Deputy Chief, Special Litigation Section, DOJ Civil Rights Division). Rebecca Bond, the Chief of the Disability Rights Section, moderated the panel.
“I think we can’t get at this until we address the underlying prejudice and stigma that exists that allows us to, as a society, treat people with disabilities as ‘other,’ as not-human, and without basic human respect and dignity,” Rush said during the panel. “I think if we could change that, then we have the platform needed to go further to realize the actual goals and intent of the ADA.”
Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a national leader in breaking down information, technology, housing, education, employment, and transportation and fighting in court for the rights of people with disabilities. For decades, our attorneys have worked to ensure that programs and services offered by private companies and government alike are fully accessible to individuals with disabilities—as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act and other federal and state laws. We take immense pride in our high-profile, high-impact disability rights cases, which our experienced attorneys litigate in trial and appellate courts across the country. We also take immense pride in our representation of people with disabilities and their families.
ABOUT NEEL LALCHANDANI
Neel Lalchandani represents individuals, nonprofits, and companies in a diverse array of civil rights and commercial matters. Among other victories for his clients, Neel has helped secure several of the largest payments in Maryland history for victims of police misconduct, including over $15 million in state compensation on behalf of innocent men imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. Learn more about Neel here.
ABOUT EVE HILL
Eve Hill is one of the nation’s leading civil rights lawyers, known especially for her work with clients with disabilities and LGBTQ+ clients. She has been recognized by Law360 as one of just 12 “Titans of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” for 2023, as well as by Lawdragon as one of the 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2022 and 2023). Her wide-ranging experience complements Brown, Goldstein & Levy’s decades of dedication to high-impact disability rights cases and its advocacy on behalf of individuals with disabilities and their families. Eve also leads Inclusivity, BGL’s Strategic Consulting Group, which works with organizations to promote the education, engagement, and employment of people with disabilities. Learn more about Eve here.
Founded in 1982, Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a law firm based in Baltimore, Maryland, with an office in Washington, DC. The firm is nationally recognized in a wide variety of practice areas, including complex civil and commercial litigation, civil rights, health care, family law, and criminal defense. Above all else, Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a client-centered law firm that brings decades of experience and passionate, effective advocacy to your fight for justice.