Law school classes are more diverse than ever. Their diversity includes students with disabilities, some of whom need accommodations to help them realize their academic potential. Although the path to receiving accommodations can be cumbersome, you can better navigate this process if you are prepared.
In this blog post, we at Stratus offer some tips for requesting disability accommodations for the LSAT and law school.
The LSAT
If you previously have received extended time or another accommodation for exams, you will probably qualify for LSAT accommodations as well. Regardless of your circumstances for requesting LSAT accommodations, you will need to start by registering for an LSAC (Law School Admission Council) account and signing up for an LSAT exam. Once you have registered for an exam, you can request accommodations via your LSAC account.
If you previously received accommodations for another standardized test such as the ACT, GRE, or SAT and you are requesting the same accommodations for the LSAT, you will likely just need to submit the letters from the exam administrators that granted those accommodations. This method has some limitations, so it is a good idea to check ahead of time to see whether your situation qualifies.
Likewise, if you are retaking the LSAT and you had accommodations the last time, you should be able to receive the same accommodations by submitting the letter from the LSAC that allowed you to receive those accommodations.
If this is your first time requesting accommodations or you are requesting new accommodations, you will likely need to submit a report from an accredited professional who has identified the need for these accommodations. Be sure to allow enough time to locate such a professional and receive appropriate documentation from them.
After you submit your documentation, you should receive a decision from the LSAC within 14 business days. If the LSAC does not approve your request, you will receive a letter in your LSAC online account explaining why. From there, you have two business days to inform the LSAC whether you will appeal its decision, and then you have four calendar days from the date of the LSAC’s letter to submit your appeal. The LSAC will generally get back to you within a week with the results of your appeal.
You should thoroughly review the requirements for LSAT accommodations and submit your accommodation request as early as possible. The process for requesting LSAT accommodations has come a long way, but it can still be a bit bureaucratic and lengthy, so preparation and advance planning are key.
Law School
Classes
Once you have decided where you will attend law school, you should seek out its accommodations office. Their contact information is usually available on the law school’s website. If you cannot find it, reach out to your admissions contact, and they should be able to connect you with the relevant personnel. To ensure that your accommodations are in place by the time classes begin, you should start the process immediately after you accept your admission to the school.
Generally, to receive learning accommodations in law school, you will just need to provide the same documentation you provided for the LSAT, if you received accommodations for that exam. Likewise, if you previously received accommodations in school, you should be able to submit the relevant documentation from your past schools. However, if you did not receive any accommodations for the LSAT or are requesting them for the first time, you will likely need to submit a report from an accredited professional.
Every school has its own process for granting accommodations, and it is important for you to follow it. Schools typically prefer to have their personnel communicate approved accommodations directly to the professors. So, for example, even if a professor does not allow laptops in class, if your approved accommodation allows you to use one, you should not have a problem doing so as long as the school’s accommodations office has notified that professor. If you encounter any issues, you should reach out to the accommodations office.
If your law school has a disability-focused student alliance, you should get to know the students involved in that group. They can provide inside advice and support for any issues you might face regarding accommodations.
Law Review Write-on
If you are planning to participate in the law review write-on, you should reach out to your school’s accommodations office to see if there is a process for requesting accommodations. If the school does not have a process, you should reach out to the law review. Although many people take a while to decide whether to apply for the law review, it is still a good idea to request accommodations as early as possible. Generally, the beginning of second semester is a good time for you to reach out about this.
The MPRE and the Bar
In your second or third year of law school, you will take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), which is an ethics exam that you must pass in order to take the bar exam. The process of requesting accommodations for the MPRE is usually the same as for the LSAT and law school. If you received accommodations at either of those points, the process should be seamless. But, again, you should allow yourself as much time as possible.
You will start registering for the bar during your third year or right after. Although every state has its own process, your past documentation typically will assist you in applying for accommodations for the bar. Once again, you should apply as early as possible because the application timeline is tight.
The process of obtaining disability accommodations can be time consuming at any stage of law school. However, good planning and organization will help set you up for success.