The largest bar exam preparation company in the nation, BarBri, Inc., failed to provide equal access to key parts of its bar preparation courses to blind students. As passing a bar exam is a pre-requisite to becoming a practicing attorney, BarBri’s inaccessibility created a barrier for many blind law students to the successful start of their careers. The inaccessible courses left blind law students with inferior preparation to pass the bar exam and become lawyers. In April of 2016, on behalf of several blind law students and graduates, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee filed a lawsuit against BarBri.

In January 2018, BarBri agreed as part of a court-enforced consent decree to update its online products using industry-recognized web accessibility guidelines, and to strengthen internal processes, training, and staff resources for ensuring compliance with these standards. This settlement cleared unreasonable and unlawful barriers standing in the way of blind bar exam takers and ensured that the legal profession is open to all.