Do Law Schools want disabled students?

<p>After reading comments regarding disabled students and colleges in other forums and threads, it made me wonder if law schools want disabled students to promote diversity in the same way they want URMs or students from different states/countries. </p>

<p>I attended law school with a blind student. I know it was hard for him because there weren't any law books in braille and he had to find readers for each class. Usually they only had time to read the material to him one time. (Can you imagine learning law by hearing someone read the material one time?) He went on to a successful career as an attorney and I certainly benefited from knowing him.</p>

<p>Any thoughts?</p>

<p>Yes, they may. My sister's classmates at YLS included someone with a significant physical disability and someone with a profound speech impediment. I'm sure that both of these students had the numbers YLS looks for, but it's a pretty safe bet that their experiences helped them stand out among other candidates. (FWIW, your goal doesn't have to be becoming an advocate for the disabled; one of these students had always wanted to go into corporate law, and did.) I also had an advisee with a physical disability; she got into very good schools, although not any that were out of her numbers range.</p>

<p>Thanks Hanna. I've noticed you always try to respond thoughtfully to all sorts of legal questions.</p>

<p>I agree that disabled students should and likely do meet the usual academic qualifications and that a disaibility might help an applicant stand out. I wonder how many disabled students attend law schools and what the most common disability is? I would guess it would be mobility-impaired students.</p>