The reachAbility Scholarship in law supports students with disabilities

It’s a question that has no ready answer: how many people with disabilities are working in Nova Scotia’s legal community?

“No one will self-identify,” says Tova Sherman, a disability awareness trainer and the founding director of reachAbility, a not-for-profit working to create more inclusive communities. “There is a stigma about people with disabilities based on what they can’t do, not what they can. We need to change that.”

Sherman is certainly doing her part through the newly announced reachAbility Scholarship in Law. The organization will make a gift of $10,000 every year for the next four years to Dalhousie University to establish an entrance scholarship for students with disabilities at the Schulich School of Law.  The intent is to level the playing field for all students interested in a law degree while paving the way to a more inclusive, accessible community.

“By grace of one person with disabilities entering the profession, we can raise the bar for dialogue on accessibility and get the ball rolling for change. We can create demand for people with disabilities in the profession by demonstrating they are creative thinkers that can do great work for you.”

Students who apply for the scholarship must demonstrate academic excellence and meet the qualifications for financial need as defined by the school. They must also self-identify as having a disability. “This is about breaking the cycle of shame associated with disabilities. By self-identifying, they become role models and help shift the paradigm of seeing people with disabilities as needing to be fixed to ensuring we accommodate everyone.”

The goal is that the scholarship will become self-sustaining and eventually expand to assist eligible second and third year law students. Sherman hopes that the legal community will support this initiative through donations and, by doing so, help challenge conventional thinking about hiring employees with disabilities.

“I believe people in the legal profession are community leaders,” says Sherman. “They create laws, change laws and stand up against injustice. If they see the value of inclusion, it sets a standard that trickles down through our society, and we will all benefit from the different perspectives that people with disabilities have to offer.”