A blind law student hopeful is suing the American Bar Association, claiming the Law School Admissions Test (commonly known as the LSAT) violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Angelo Binno has taken the LSAT multiple times and cannot achieve a satisfactory score because he is unable to draw out the diagrams he would need to solve some of the problems. He has been rejected from three law schools as a result.
Binno—who graduated high school a year early, speaks three languages and worked for the Department of Homeland Security—reached out to Richard Bernstein for help. Bernstein, who also is blind, is a lawyer who was able to get into law school 15 years ago via an LSAT waiver. Since then, however, the ABA has cracked down on law schools handing out waivers and has threatened to penalize schools for granting them.
While the ABA has said it requires the universities it accredits to abide by federal laws, it also says it does make accommodations for people with disabilities.
The suit underscores the ongoing importance of diversity. While legal departments and law firms struggle to create more diverse work environments, some diverse candidates are encountering obstacles as they pursue the careers they want in law.
NPR reports more details about Binno’s suit against the ABA.
