The incoming Law Society president has called for greater openness around disability in the legal sector.
Brett Dixon, who will take up the post from October 2026, said improving disability inclusion is one of the key priorities for his presidential year.
Dixon plans to host a series of events across the country with disabled solicitors, some of which will be online, where people in or entering the profession can talk about the key challenges.
He has also committed to championing a refreshed Reasonable Adjustment Guide and Best Practice Guides on Disability Training, Mentoring and Senior Leadership Progression.
“For most people generally who run businesses, not just solicitors, it isn’t that they don’t want to [be inclusive], it’s just that sometimes they’re not aware it needs doing,” Dixon said, speaking to Nick Gallagher, CEO of The Solicitors’ Charity, in the latest episode of The Legal Pause podcast.
“It’s not until you really know somebody [with a disability] that you actually start to think about what it’s like for them. For example, my daughter was born with a missing limb on the left side below the elbow,” Dixon said.
“I’d worked for years with people with serious disabilities, brain injuries, sometimes limb loss, amputation, traumatic limb loss, usually, and that gave me a level of knowledge, a level of awareness. But I can tell you, that until it comes closer, you don’t see how many people are in that position, and think about some of the things in life that are difficult for them to do.”
During the podcast, Gallagher highlighted figures from The Solicitors’ Charity showing that while 23% of working-age adults nationally disclose a disability, only 8% of solicitors do so.
Dixon argues that creating a more inclusive profession requires moving towards an environment where talking about disability and the support people need becomes an ordinary part of workplace conversation.
“[That statistic] shocked me because you would have thought that lawyers were capable of having difficult conversations. That lawyers were capable of potentially having an argument about why the right thing should be done in a certain way based on evidence,” Dixon said.
“But even in a profession that has all of those outward-facing characteristics, there are still people who feel like they can’t say, ‘Look, I need some help in this way. It might not be help you understand because you’ve never been in my shoes, but this will enable me to do the best work for you, which has got to be what you want as an employer.’ So that really grabbed my attention.”
Gallagher said: “[Dixon] makes an important point about the value of creating environments where people feel comfortable talking about what they need.
“We know from our own work that disability, whether relating to physical health, mental health or both, is a significant part of the picture for many people who approach us.
“Support starts with understanding the individual. By working collaboratively across the profession, we can help make those conversations easier and ensure solicitors know where they can turn when support is needed.”
