ADA National Network Learning Session: Review of Emergency Preparedness Litigation

The ADA was passed before major emergencies such as September 11th, Hurricane Katrina and Sandy Hook. As a result, the text of the ADA does not specifically reference the ADA's application to emergency preparedness efforts by state and local governments. In this session, Barry Taylor will discuss how the courts have interpreted the application of the ADA and other civil rights laws to the issue of emergency preparedness. He will also review the implementation of various emergency preparedness settlements across the country.

Learning objectives:

• Understand how the courts have viewed emergency preparedness cases with regard to the ADA.
• Learn about the implementation of various emergency preparedness settlements across the country.

Presenter:

Barry Taylor is the Vice President for Civil Rights and Systemic Litigation at Equip for Equality, where has worked since 1996. At Equip for Equality, he has overseen many individual and systemic disability discrimination cases and he is currently co-counsel in five ADA class actions, including lead counsel in Ligas v. Norwood, a class action on behalf of people with developmental disabilities who are seeking community services. Barry has given numerous presentations on the ADA across the country to people with disabilities, family members, attorneys, employers, businesses, service providers and advocacy organizations.

Prior to coming to Equip for Equality, Barry was the AIDS Project Attorney in the Midwest Regional Office of Lambda Legal working to advance the civil rights of people living with HIV/AIDS. From 1988 - 1993, Barry was a litigation associate at the Chicago law firm of Peterson & Ross. He is a 1988 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, where he also received his undergraduate degree in 1985.