Employment lawyers frequently advise on disability discrimination, including claims arising from an employer’s failure to make reasonable adjustments. As lawyers offering a service, we must also consider adjustments to our processes to ensure they are accessible for clients who have a disability.
Good client care means more than making a service available. It requires that clients can understand advice, give instructions, and participate fully in decisions about their case. For a blind or visually impaired client, this may affect communication, meetings, documents and signing arrangements. A client with anxiety may benefit from clear agendas and shorter meetings, while a client with dyslexia may find plain English summaries easier to follow than dense technical letters.
This article focuses on accessibility for blind or visually impaired clients based on my experience in practice, but the same principles apply to any client with a physical or mental condition.
The starting point is to ask the client what adjustments they require. Although some lawyers may hesitate to raise a client’s condition, doing so appropriately can reassure and avoid assumptions. Clients with the same condition may have different preferences. A blind or visually impaired client may prefer accessible Word documents, audio, telephone calls, or emails compatible with screen-reading software. Those preferences should be recorded on the file and followed consistently by everyone involved.
Communication must always be provided in a format the client can use. Sending inaccessible attachments or heavily visual material may prevent the client from receiving key information. Important advice should also be explained verbally where appropriate, especially if material is lengthy or complex, so the client can ask questions more easily. In meetings, documents or images should be described clearly. In group discussions, those present should identify themselves before speaking.
Accessible communication may require lawyers to adapt their methods. Formatting choices that appear helpful visually, such as highlighting, underlining, or particular layouts, may not work effectively with assistive technology. Lawyers should work with clients to identify what is accessible and address any barriers promptly.
Where a client attends in person, arrangements should be considered in advance. This may include assistance from reception, a description of the room layout, and chaperoning. Sufficient time should be allowed to explain advice and documents. Accessibility should be built into the timetable, not treated as an inconvenience.
Extra care is needed when a client signs a document. The contents must be explained in an accessible way and recorded carefully. Any electronic signature platforms used must be compatible with the client’s assistive technology or an agreed lawyer could sign on the client’s behalf. The key requirement is that the client understands and validly executes the document.
Finally, dignity and confidentiality must be preserved. Communication should be directed to the client, not to a relative or support worker, unless the client has requested otherwise. Blindness does not affect legal capacity, and the client must remain central to decision-making. Any authority to share confidential information with a third party should be expressly confirmed and recorded.
Accessible client care is not complicated, but it does require attention, consistency, and respect for the client’s autonomy.
Anna Ramsden is an employment lawyer at CLR Law and can be contacted on anna@clrlaw.co.uk