Doing diversity in the legal profession in England and Wales: why do disabled people continue to be unexpected?

Abstract

AbstractA call for socio‐legal scholars to interrogate the relationship between law, disablement, ableism, and justice was recently made in this journal. Using research co‐produced with disabled people in the legal profession in England and Wales, this article responds by asking why, in a profession that has made a significant investment in widening access and diversity, do disabled people continue to be unexpected? The apparent absence of disabled people in the profession belies a complex reality. Identity concealment is widespread and maintained by genuine fears of career disadvantage. The effect of this is that disabled legal professionals are unable to access their legal rights to reasonable adjustments. Findings suggesting that status, success, and economic power offer little protection from ill treatment exposes the contradictory position that disabled people occupy in a profession that has increasingly favoured ‘business case’ over social justice diversity discourses.