What were the report’s major findings?
We are very excited to share this report on law students with disabilities, the first of its kind. One of our major findings is simply documenting how prevalent disability in law school is. Roughly 20% of all law students have at least one disability. Most of these (83%) are invisible disabilities including anxiety, ADD/ADHD, and depression. Also, students with disabilities are very engaged in the academic and social life of law school—volunteering in class, engaging with peers and professors, and joining co-curricular activities at high rates. But their rates of belonging and satisfaction lag behind their classmates, underscoring that schools have to do more to meet their specific needs.
How can law schools better support disabled students?
Institutions can use what they learn from LSSSE and other sources to identify where support is needed and how they are falling short. For example, a law school might discover that students with disabilities need more help balancing caregiving responsibilities or more meaningful engagement with career services. By listening closely to disabled students and understanding the concerns they voice through the data, schools can develop targeted outreach and programming to meet those needs. Every school and every group of students will have different needs and solutions.
The data suggests that students with disabilities are doing a lot on their own to succeed. What they need now is structural support from their institution. Law schools should examine their own student feedback—whether through LSSSE or any other internal assessments—to understand where gaps in support exist. For instance, institutions should provide support for faculty making their online materials accessible for disabled students. Schools should feature speakers from the disabled community to bring greater awareness, including alumni who are practicing in various fields and open about their own anxiety, depression, or other conditions.
Notably, disability intersects with other identity characteristics—with two-thirds (67%) of non-binary law students identifying as disabled. How can law schools address the needs of non-binary disabled students?
This was an astounding finding, especially considering that women (21%) are not that much more likely than men (17%) to have a disability. Targeted identity-affirming outreach and support will be especially important for non-binary students. Again, schools will have to talk directly with their own students from discrete populations to see how best to meet their unique needs.
What can law schools do to create an environment where all students feel comfortable self-identifying?
Schools should make clear that disability-related support is completely confidential, and that it is in students’ best interests to request accommodations, if needed. The more law schools are open about disability, normalizing it and the accommodations that come with it, the more that will reduce disability-related stigma in legal education and the legal profession. Also, disclosure is a deeply personal decision; I do not think students should feel pressured to self-identify publicly and would never presume to suggest they do if they aren’t comfortable.
Disabled law students are more likely than their non-disabled peers to participate in various co-curricular activities. What can law schools learn from this engagement, and how can they build on it to further support and empower these students?
Yes! Law students with disabilities are more likely than their non-disabled peers to do field placements or clinics (83% vs. 79%), pro bono work (78% vs. 74%), and faculty research projects (39% vs. 34%). They are also more likely to be leaders of law student organizations (58% vs. 52%) and members of student-faculty committees (27% vs. 23%). So disabled students are showing up! The big takeaway for me is that students with disabilities are not hiding at the periphery of law schools but instead are central contributors, deeply engaged, and strongly committed not only to their own learning but to their institutions.
Disabled law students are less likely than their non-disabled peers to be members of a law journal (42% vs. 50%). What might explain this gap—accessibility barriers, for example—and how can law schools better ensure equitable access to journal opportunities for these students?
Law journal selection is highly school-specific. Schools should review their individual processes to ensure that no barriers impede students with disabilities from participating. Are there appropriate accommodations built into the process? Do disabled students see themselves already represented among existing journal editors and leaders? Research shows that intentional, accessible design benefits everyone, not only students with disabilities.
Disabled law students expect to graduate with an average debt of $99,250—nearly $13,000 more than their nondisabled peers. How might this disparity influence the career choices of disabled graduates, and how can law school career services use this information to better support these students?
Rising debt levels are a huge concern; LSSSE has been writing about this for almost a decade. Over the course of two decades of data, we’ve seen that students from non-traditional backgrounds—students of color, women students, women of color, LGBTQ+ students, and disabled students, among others—graduate from law school owing more than their peers. Finding ways to provide greater financial support to students is key—whether through tuition discounts, summer stipends, or scholarships. It is absolutely a huge concern that debt will constrain career choices, pushing students to pursue higher-paying jobs in the private sector, even though they might otherwise prefer public interest and government jobs.
Is there anything you would like to add?
The response to the 2025 report has been powerful, emotional, and insightful. Students have reached out to tell me they have felt “seen” for the first time—having their struggles and successes documented in our data. Parents of law students have emailed me to share that they have advocated for their children for decades and appreciate a focus that goes beyond legally required accommodation to demand the broader support these students deserve. Disability scholars have expressed gratitude for data that for the first time shows how many students with disabilities exist in law schools, the ways in which they thrive, and where they need greater institutional support. It’s also important to realize that this report is only the first step. It’s up to law schools to apply what we’ve shared here to their own institutions and students, to continue gathering data, and to respond directly to what students say they need. LSSSE will be here to help support—we’re always working to give voice to the students and improve legal education.
