Disability Rights
Zisser Law represents individuals in disability rights matters. As a US DOJ attorney in the Civil Rights Division, Mr. Zisser focused on the rights of individuals with mental health disabilities and intellectual and developmental disabilities. He addressed the rights of individuals to avoid unnecessary institutionalization, the rights of students to be educated alongside their peers, and the rights of prisoners and patients to receive adequate mental health treatment, protection from harm, and access to programs and services.
In his work on police oversight, Mr. Zisser has always ensured that incidents involving individuals experiencing a mental health crisis are treated seriously as disability rights issues.
As the director of a university civil rights office, Mr. Zisser oversaw investigations of complaints of discrimination based on disability, including the denial of reasonable accommodations.
Zisser Law can help ensure that clients receive the accommodations they need and that they are entitled to under law, can address harassment or termination based on disability, and can take on cases involving police or jail abuse that involve mental health disability, a nuanced area requiring special understanding.
“Stigma against mental health disability shows up in innumerable ways. It can make the workplace uncomfortable, it can mean exclusion from school or other aspects of life, and, sadly, it can lead to brutality and even the loss of life at the hands of police or corrections officers. People experiencing mental health crisis need support, need resources — they don’t need punishment or cruelty.”