April is Autism Acceptance Month, kicking off with World Autism Awareness Day on Thursday 2 April.

The National Autistic Society describes this month as “an opportunity for everyone to come together and raise awareness, acceptance, and create a society where autistic people are supported and understood….it’s about how you show up, whether you’re supporting your autistic colleagues, students, or family members, your actions can help create an inclusive and accepting world.”

That’s exactly what we are about at Ison Harrison. We are proud to represent many autistic clients. We are always striving to make our practice as accessible as possible. We do not claim to be experts in autism as a firm; instead, we defer to our autistic clients and colleagues to take the lead. We provide support, empathy and an open mind along the way.

The Importance of Accessible Legal Support

Autism is more common than many people realise. It is estimated that around 1 in 100 people in the UK are autistic, which equates to over 700,000 individuals. Autism is a spectrum condition, meaning it affects people in different ways, particularly in how they communicate, process information and experience the world around them.

In a legal setting, autistic clients can face additional challenges that are not always immediately visible. Busy offices, unfamiliar environments and complex legal language can feel overwhelming, while unclear processes or unexpected changes may create unnecessary stress or anxiety.

For some, communicating in a fast-paced or highly formal setting can also be difficult. Recognising these potential barriers is an important first step in ensuring that clients feel supported, understood and able to fully engage with the legal process.

Building a More Accessible Practice

With so many individuals and families living with autism, services, including legal services, need to be accessible, understanding and responsive to a wide range of needs.

That’s why many of our team members have been undertaking training in Understanding Autism (delivered by Pougher Round solicitors), Supporting Vulnerable Court Users (delivered by Communicourt), and Accessible Legal Practice.

We recognise that developing an accessible practice begins with recognising that people may not always think in the way that we expect, and a willingness to explore creative ways of working. We attempt to adapt our practice to suit our clients, rather than the other way around.

For this reason, we have developed the Neurodiversity Champions initiative. These are people in a variety of departments who have completed training in autism and accessible practice and are wanting to learn more.

People Who Care, Not Just Experts

Our Neurodiversity Champions are “not experts, just people who care.” They endeavour to continue to increase their awareness of autism and their development of accessible practice, and to be an accepting space for conversations about autism both with their clients and their colleagues.

Our Champions are:

If you need legal advice and would value a supportive, accessible approach, contact Ison Harrison today to speak with a member of our team. Call us on 0113 284 5000 or email hello@isonharrison.co.uk.