DRA is one of the leading non-profit disability rights legal centers in the nation. For twenty years, its landmark lawsuits have set legal precedents and enforced civil rights for millions of people with disabilities throughout the country. DRA seeks to remedy systemic problems through class action and other high-impact litigation across the nation. Its cases have improved the lives of millions of people with a variety of disabilities.
Read Our Annual Report:
2012 - 2013 Annual Report PDF File
Organizational Structure
DRA has thirteen lawyers, many of whom have disabilities. Its lawyers work in multiple practice areas such as education, employment, emergency planning, health care, access to public and private facilities & services, technology, telecommunications, transportation and veterans benefits.
DRA does not charge its client’s fees for legal representation. It is a private non-profit 501(c) (3) organization that is supported by tax deductible donations, foundation grants, and legal fees in cases in which it prevails. DRA is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in Berkeley, California and New York City.
New York City Office
DRA opened a branch office in New York City on July 26, 2010, the Twentieth Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide New Yorkers with disabilities equal rights and opportunity in all areas of life.
The first civil rights problem that DRA addressed in New York was the City’s lack of accessible polling places for voters with mobility and vision disabilities, which has been an ongoing problem for New Yorkers with disabilities for over a decade. DRA filed a lawsuit to resolve the overwhelming inaccessibility of New York City’s polling places. A federal court decision in 2012 resulted in improved access to polling sites during the 2012 Presidential Election. DRA continues to litigate this matter to ensure access to the fundamental right to vote.
Heading up the New York office is Julia Pinover, Esq. who previously worked as an attorney at DRA's California office. The New York office is working closely with major grassroots disability organizations to identify and advance their needs.
DRA formed a New York Advisory Board with prominent members of the Bar, Disability, and Business community. Its current members include: Evan Davis, Blaine V. Fogg, Margaret M. Foran, Stephen G. Foresta, Janni Lehrer-Stein, Alan Levine, Gary Phelan, Eugene Pinover, and Susie Wilson.