2011 National Association of Law Students with Disabilities
Conference
General Information
When: Friday, January 21 - Sunday, January 23, 2011.
Where: San Francisco, CA at Golden Gate University School of Law
Registration Information
Like our past conferences, the 2011 conference promises to be an exciting, informationfilled weekend with many opportunities to strategize about employment, advocacy, and
community. Whether your interests are in public interest law, government work, working
for a large private law firm, or something else, the weekend is a great opportunity to
meet and mingle with impressive lawyers and law students with disabilities. We will also
have a group discussion about what NALSWD’s priorities for the next year should be,
as well as some initial campaigning for positions on next year’s Executive Board. 1Ls
and 2Ls with a passion and vision for NALSWD’s future are strongly encouraged to be a
part of that discussion.
The 2011 conference will be held at Golden Gate University School of Law in San
Francisco, CA. We encourage you to book your flights through San Francisco
International Airport (SFO) and Golden Gate University is easily accessible from the
Montgomery BART station. Lodging recommendations are included at the end of this
guide and include a range of possibilities for all budgets.
The tentative conference schedule is laid out below. Thank you for your continued
interest and participation in NALSWD.
Please feel free to contact nalswd.president@gmail.com with any questions you have. If
you would like to be involved in helping put the conference together, we also would love
your input! Or if your law school requires a specific invitation or other documentation in
order to sponsor your travel (which many schools will), we would love to assist in that.
We look forward to greeting all of you in January!
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Tentative Agenda for the 4th Annual NALSWD Conference
Please check back for updates as events get confirmed
FRIDAY JANUARY 21
5:00 – 7:00
NALSWD Happy-Hour to kick-off the conference!
(location to be confirmed)
SATURDAY JANUARY 22
8:30 – 9:00
Breakfast
9:00 – 9:30
Welcome Speech Opening the Conference
Drucilla Stender Ramey, Dean of Golden Gate
University School of Law
9:30 – 10:30
Panel 1: Applying for Bar Exam Accommodations
Speakers will include Disability Services
representatives and recent alums to outline the
process of getting accommodations for the bar and
strategies for avoiding common problems with the
process.
Confirmed Speaker: Sue Lunbeck, UC-Hastings
School of Law
10:30 – 10:45
Break
10:45 – 11:45
Panel 2: Disability Disclosure, Accommodation, and
Success in the Workplace
When, how, and why to disclose your disability in the
context of employment as well as tips for successful
self-advocacy for job accommodations.
Confirmed Speakers: Claudia Center, Legal Aid
Society of San Francisco – Employment Law Center;
Carrie Griffen-Basas, University of North Carolina
Law School
11:45 – 1:45
Lunch
1:45 – 2:45
Panel 3: The ADA at 20: Where Lawyers with
Disabilities are Now
Our panelists will be lawyers with disabilities who
have taken advantage of the opportunities the ADA
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opened up to successfully pursue a wide variety of
legal career paths.
Confirmed Speakers: Kathi Pugh, Morrison &
Forrester; Stuart Pixley, Microsoft
2:45 – 3:00
Break
3:00 – 4:00
Panel 4: Technology and Litigation: Two Paths to
Increased Access
Legal advocates for people with disabilities and
representatives from the tech industry will discuss the
potential – and the potential legal issues – of
accessible technology.
Confirmed Speakers: Larry Paradis, Disability Rights
Advocates; Ben Foss, Intel; Cynthia Waddell,
International Center for Disability Resources on the
Internet; Scott LaBarre, LaBarre Law Offices
4:00 – 5:00
Reception
5:15 – 6:00
Key Note Speech
6:00 – 8:00
Small Group Dinners Out in the City
*Later that Evening*
Possible return of the famous NALSWD Karaoke!
SUNDAY JANUARY 23
8:30 – 9:00
Breakfast
9:00 – 9:30
Opening Remarks from the NALSWD Executive
Board
9:30 – 11:00
Group Student Discussion about NALSWD’s
Accomplishments in 2009-2011 and Priorities for
2011-2012
11:00 – 11:15
Break
11:15 – 11:45
Discussions About Elections and Potential
Candidacies
11:45 – 12:15
Debrief
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FAQs: 4th Annual NALSWD 2011 Conference:
GENERAL QUESTIONS:
Q: How do I register for the conference?
A: To register, please complete the form at:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEpGU0NqVlJIbDBNTk45T
1BsR2Vtd0E6MQ
Completing the registration form will allow us to arrange appropriate accommodations,
food, and space for the conference, so please sign up ASAP! If you have any problems
with the registration form, please email nalswd@gmail.com.
Q: Who is the conference for?
A: Law students with disabilities and recent alumnae. The conference is intended as an
open, safe space for students to interact with each other, thus particularly for the
NALSWD meeting events on Sunday, attendance is limited to current law students with
disabilities. However recent graduates and lawyers with disabilities can offer some of
the best information and advice, thus we welcome their attendance at the Saturday
afternoon panels and the keynote reception and speech. If you are not a law student or
lawyer with a disability, but you would like to participate in the conference, please
contact nalswd@gmail.com to discuss how you can help.
Q: How can lawyers with disabilities get involved in the conference?
A: Lawyers with disabilities, including those who have recently graduated from law
school, can offer invaluable insight about school and careers, as well as serving as both
positive role models and networking contacts. Thus we highly encourage their
participation in a number of the events during our conference, including the keynote
reception and speech on Saturday, and the Saturday afternoon panels. In addition, if
you would like to volunteer to be part of one of the small group dinners on Saturday
night, to help publicize the conference to students or lawyers with disabilities you have
contact with, or to make a greatly appreciated donation of any size, please contact
nalswd.president@gmail.com.
Q: Are law school deans and directors of offices for students with disabilities
allowed to attend the conference?
A: No, the conference is intended for students (and to some extent, lawyers) with
disabilities. However, we strongly encourage you to send students to the conference
and we will also make as many of the materials and presentations available on our
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website after the conference as possible. Please contact
nalswd.confdirector@gmail.com for more information.
Q: I would like to help NALSWD and have a few hours to volunteer. What can I
do?
A: Particularly close to the event, we will have a lot of small tasks that we would love
help on, particularly if you are in the San Francisco area (such as researching the
accessibility of restaurant options, checking up on catering orders, answering emails
from attendees with questions, and setting up for the conference). Email
nalswd.president@gmail.com for more information.
COST QUESTIONS:
Q: How much does the conference Cost?
A: Conference registration is free for students due to funding from private law firms.
Room rate quotes are included in the Lodging Recommendations section. Travel from
San Francisco International Airport by BART will cost around $4 each way, and shuttle
van rides are around $30. We will provide breakfast both Saturday and Sunday and
lunch and light appetizers on Saturday, but attendees will need to pay for their own
dinners out in the city Saturday night.
Your vocational rehabilitation office may be willing to fund some of your costs. We may
be able to help you advocate for this. If you would like the letter we've composed to
vocational rehabilitation counselors, email nalswd.cfo@gmail.com.
In addition, many law schools will provide at least partial funding for transportation and
hotel costs. Asking early is often key to securing funding and we may also be able to
help you with any documentation your school requires, email nalswd.cfo@gmail.com.
Q: Does NALSWD offer any travel stipends?
A: Due to the generosity of our donors, we are pleased to be able to offer a limited
amount of funds to make it possible for students who cannot otherwise secure funding
to attend the conference. Preference will be given to those who attend all events at the
conference and funding amounts will be limited to $300 maximum, possibly further
limited by demand. For details and to register your interest in funding, please email
nalswd.president@gmail.com.
Q: Who should I contact if I'd like to keep my travel costs down and share a room
with another conference registrant?
A: Email nalswd.confdirector@gmail.com and we will attempt to put students interested
in this option in touch. In addition, there are several local youth hostels that provide
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comfortable accommodations for even those with very limited budgets. For details,
please see our Lodging Recommendations list.
Q: Who should I contact if I know of a law school, law firm or private donor
interested in helping fund the conference?
A: Please email nalswd.cfo@gmail.com. Any amount is appreciated.
Q: Are there restaurants, bars and coffee shops in the area of the conference?
A: Yes. There are sandwich shops and sit-down restaurants within easy walking
distance, as well as a movie theater and accessible public transit that can take you
anywhere in the city.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Q: Are there other airports I could fly into or is San Francisco International airport
the only one?
A: We strongly recommend flying into San Francisco International (SFO). It is a
relatively simple BART ride from there into the city that takes about 1 hour, but requires
no transfers. Both Oakland and San Jose airports are farther away, transit is more
complicated, and taking a cab from either would be extremely expensive.
Q: When I'm booking my airline tickets, how long should I allow traveling from
SFO airport to the conference and vice versa?
A: 30 minutes by taxi or van and about an hour on BART, depending on the time of day.
The conference finishes at noon on Sunday, which allows plenty of time to reach the
airport for mid-afternoon flights.
Q: Is the San Francisco BART (subway system) close to the conference? If so, is
it wheelchair accessible and which stop is closest? Where can I find a BART
map?
A: The Montgomery stop is very close to the conference (about two blocks away). BART
is wheelchair accessible, with elevators to every platform. More information and maps
are available at http://www.bart.gov/.
Q: During which hours is BART not running?
On the weekend, BART runs from 6-8 A.M. until Midnight.
ACCESSIBILITY QUESTIONS:
Q: Will there be American Sign Language Interpreters during the conference?
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A: Yes. Please indicate your need on the registration form.
Q: Will there be CART services available during the conference?
A: Yes. Please indicate your need for these services on the registration form.
Q: Will there be designated places for service animal relief?
A: Yes. Further details will be available if you indicate your need for these services on
the registration form.
Q: What should I wear to the conference?
A: The dress code on Saturday is business casual for the presentations and speakers.
The Friday happy-hour and the student meetings on Sunday however are casual.
Q: What will the weather be like in San Francisco during the conference?
A: Likely reasonably warm for January. Light to medium jackets are advisable, but
heavy winter gear should be unnecessary.
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Lodging Recommendations
Hotels
Courtyard by Marriott San Francisco Downtown
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/sfocd-courtyard-san-francisco-downtown/
299 Second Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: (415) 947-0700
Rates: $189 and up
Accessible Rooms: 10
Distance from GGU: 6 minutes by foot
Club Quarters (Golden Gate University's Recommendation)
http://www.clubquarters.com/loc_sanFrancisco.aspx
424 Clay Street (Across from Embarcadero Center)
San Francisco, CA 94111
Tel: (415) 392-7400
Rates: $134 - $154 (GGU negotiated rate. Please mention GGU when making your
reservation.)
Accessible Rooms: 11
Distance from GGU: 10 minutes by foot
Hotel Whitcomb - San Francisco, CA
http://www.hotelwhitcomb.com/
1231 Market Street,
San Francisco, CA 94103
Tel: (415) 626-8000
Rates: $99
Accessible Rooms: 10
Distance from GGU: 10 minutes by train/foot
Hostels
San Francisco City Center Hostel
http://sfhostels.com/
685 Ellis Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (415) 474-5721
Rates: $30 dorm room, $72 private room
Accessible Rooms: 1 private room
Distance from GGU: 15 minutes by train/foot
San Francisco Downtown Hostel
http://sfhostels.com/
312 Mason Street
8
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 788-5604
Rates: $30 dorm room, $72 private room
Accessible Rooms: 3 dorm rooms, 1 private room
Distance from GGU: 10 minutes by train/foot
In addition, if you are having difficulty finding lodging that meets your needs, please
email nalswd.confdirector@gmail.com and we will do our best to find something that will
work for you.
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