What Is an ADA Advocate?
ADA Advocates serve a unique and critical function in implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act to secure equal access. The law is clear that an advocate simply ensuring the functionality of the client is protected under the ADAAA against all harassment, retaliation, and false accusation. When brought to the court’s attention, a stop is generally put to such tactics (pg. 32 Unlocking Justice, 2012).
Unlocking Justice
ADA advocates:
- come onto your case as a consultant and if needed expert witness
- based on your symptoms, review each case to determine what accommodations are needed in the courtroom during legal proceedings
- arrange evaluations to assess what your needs are, apart from formal accommodations.
- prepare a request that is confidentially provided to the access coordinator of the court, requesting the accommodations.
ADA Advocates are needed in:
Law firms
- Legal professionals need to know that law schools customarily don’t teach training in the new regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act of October 11, 2016.
- A client with an invisible disability must be accommodated privately per federal mandates. A diagnosis cannot be used to determine custody, guardianship, financial management of assets – only behaviors can be used to adjudicate, not a disability.
- Invisible disabilities must be accommodated in parity with physical disabilities.
Professional legal and medical services
- ADA advocates can practice in any state. Many lawyers practice law where they are members of the Bar but then use their ADA advocacy in other states where they are needed.
- Sometimes a person needs somebody to help them get through stressful times.
- Did it feel like you went to court but did not get heard, did not have access, felt like the entire system was rigged against you? If you don’t have equal access pre-arranged through court administration, this is how court can feel. Once you have an ADA advocate, these feelings are eased because increasing communication in the court’s makes the process fair.
