Appellate Judges Education Institute

Breakout 2: Embracing Neurodiversity: Understanding, Accommodating, and Thriving in the Legal Profession

Course Description: This comprehensive presentation explores neurodiversity through the lens of judicial wellness and professional effectiveness. Led by Sierra Grandy, a passionate advocate who teaches from lived experience backed by research, and featuring Judge Sunny Bailey from Las Vegas, founder of D.A.A.Y Court (Designated Autism Advocacy for Youth), participants will gain valuable insights into various forms of neurodivergence, including ADHD, autism spectrum, dyslexia, and other cognitive variations. The session is designed to help legal professionals identify neurodivergent traits both in themselves and in colleagues, clients, and others they interact with professionally. Through Sierra’s unique perspective as both an attorney and neurodiversity consultant, combined with Judge Bailey’s pioneering work with autistic youth in the justice system, attendees will learn to recognize unique strengths and challenges, and develop accommodation strategies that support judicial wellness. This session emphasizes the value of neurodiversity in creating more inclusive, innovative legal environments and showcases practical applications through real-world expertise.

Learning Objectives: After completing this session, participants will be able to:

Recognize and appreciate neurodiversity in legal settings by identifying signs of neurodivergence, understanding its impact on individuals who come before the courts or serve within them, and valuing the strengths of diverse thinking patterns.
Implement strategies to support neurodivergent individuals and allies through practical accommodations, coping strategies, and judicial wellness principles that enhance professional development and workplace inclusion.
Foster a more inclusive legal environment by leveraging neurodivergent perspectives to improve judicial reasoning, problem-solving, and justice system outcomes for professionals and those they serve.
Apply principles of judicial wellness that acknowledge and incorporate neurodiversity considerations into professional development plans for themselves and their teams.

Join Sierra Grandy, speaker, consultant, attorney, and founder of Questify Your Life LLC, along with Judge Sunny Bailey from Las Vegas for an enlightening presentation on neurodiversity in the legal profession. Learn from Judge Bailey’s groundbreaking work with D.A.A.Y Court for autistic youth and discover how to recognize neurodivergent traits in yourself and others, understand necessary accommodations, and enhance judicial wellness for all.

Sierra Grandy, Speaker, Attorney, Advocate, Founder, Questify Your Life LLC

Sierra Grandy is a passionate speaker, attorney, advocate, and adventurer focusing on neurodiversity, disability, and mental health topics. As a neurodivergent and disabled person herself, Sierra draws on her lived experiences and educational background to give voice to marginalized and overlooked communities. As an avid volunteer and leader in her community, she uses her connections and resources to try to make a difference in the lives around her. Her mission is to empower disabled and neurodivergent individuals by fighting for greater inclusion, acceptance, and access to essential tools for success.

Breakout 1: Originalism, Separation of Powers, and the Roberts Court

Plenary 7: Do Something! Ethical Responses to Judicial and Lawyer Misconduct