DJ 202-PL-285

SEP 14 1992

Mr. Dan E. Neal

Neal & Eng
1361 Pearl Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401

Dear Mr. Neal:

This letter is in response to your recent inquiry concerning

the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act to your
law office.

The Americans with Disabilities Act authorizes the

Department of Justice to provide technical assistance to
individuals and entities having rights or obligations under the
Act. This letter provides informal guidance to assist you in
understanding the Act's requirements. However, it does not
constitute a legal interpretation and it is not binding on the
Department.

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits

public accommodations from discriminating in the provision of
goods, services and facilities on the basis of a disability. The
Act and the Department's implementing regulation specifically
include attorney's offices in the definition of public
accommodation and require them to remove architectural barriers
in existing facilities, where such removal is readily achievable.
"Readily achievable" is defined as those activities which are
easily accomplishable and able to be carried out without much
difficulty or expense, keeping in mind the overall resources
available to the public accommodation and the nature and cost of
the action needed, among other considerations.

With respect to the specific areas identified in your

letter, you are obligated to ensure access to your facility for
persons with disabilities, on a readily achievable basis. You
may be required to install a ramp or other means of gaining
physical access to your offices. You are required to make all
modifications to bathrooms specified in the Accessibility

cc: Record Chrono Wodatch Magagna Millerc.neal.pl

FOIA Library arthur T. 9/9/92
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Guidelines, appended to the enclosed regulation, and are required
to widen entrances in your office, to the extent that you can do
these modifications without much difficulty or expense.

Please note that there is no exemption in the Americans with

Disabilities Act for buildings which have historic value.
Indeed, even buildings eligible for listing in the National
Register of Historic Places or designated as historic under State
or local law are required to comply with the Americans with
Disabilities Act to the maximum extent feasible. Where it is not
feasible to comply in a manner that will not threaten the
historic significance of the building, alternative methods of
access must be provided.

If you offer your clients the opportunity to make outgoing

telephone calls on more than an incidental convenience basis, a
TDD must be made available on request. In addition, you may be
required to make other revisions or modifications to your
policies and practices. For example, you are required to ensure
effective communication with your clients who have disabilities.
In some cases, this may mean that you will be required to provide
some form of auxiliary aid, such as a sign language interpreter,
for a hearing impaired client.

I have enclosed copies of the Department's regulation under

title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as our
Technical Assistance Manual. These materials will provide you
with further guidance as to your obligations under the Act.

I hope this information is of assistance to you.

Sincerely,

Joan A. Magagna
Deputy Director
Office on the Americans with Disabilities Act

Enclosures (2)
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