Webinar: What Does Accessibility Mean? Nuts & Bolts /Decoding Website Accessibility: What Every Attorney Needs to Know

**Program hosted in (ET) Time Zone**

Digital accessibility has become a rising area of litigation, affecting businesses across nearly every industry. Attorneys are now on the front lines of advising clients, responding to claims, and interpreting complex technical evidence tied to website accessibility. During this session, attendees will engage with two nationally recognized consulting experts as they break down what makes a website truly “accessible” under ADA Title III and explain how the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are applied in practice. The presenters will highlight common compliance pitfalls, explain the different layers of guidance in WCAG (including its structure of principles, guidelines, and testable Success Criteria, as well as WCAG versions and levels), share real-world examples that illustrate common issues, and explain the role that consulting experts play in disputes involving website accessibility.

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Presented by FBA’s Civil Rights Law Section

Presenters

 Mike Silverman, Digital Accessibility Strategist.

Michael Silverman is a digital accessibility strategist, consultant, advisor and expert, highly experienced in website/product accessibility and compliance with ADA Title III and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). He has 20 years of professional work experience helping state governments, startups, small and mid-sized businesses, and Fortune 500 companies to develop ADA-compliant accessibility programs, targeted remediation plans, and documentation that can withstand regulatory and litigation scrutiny. Drawing on his vast experience, Mr. Silverman has been retained as a digital accessibility consultant and expert witness by both plaintiff and defense attorneys to evaluate digital accessibility claims, assess legal exposure, build credible records grounded in verifiable facts and provide expert testimony. To date, Mr. Silverman has consulted on more than 140 digital accessibility cases across a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, hospitality, professional services, automotive and mobility, real estate and property management, retail and consumer brands, entertainment, transportation and travel, and technology (AI platforms and Software-as-a Service (SaaS) products). His work includes structured audits, expert declarations, responses to opposing experts, and assistance with trial preparation. His testimony focuses on methodology, technical accuracy, and how the evidentiary record aligns with alleged harm and legal exposure. Mr. Silverman holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa and a Master’s degree from Northern Illinois University with a specialization in assistive technology. He is a Certified Professional in Accessibility through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals.

Peter Bossley, President, Accessibility Ally Inc

Peter Bossley is President of Accessibility Ally Inc, which provides digital accessibility consulting and expert services across a variety of industries in the public and private sectors. With 19 years of technology experience across information technology and digital accessibility roles, he brings significant experience in this space. He has been both a consulting and testifying expert in state and federal courts. Peter previously led large-scale digital accessibility efforts at The Ohio State University, having had institution wide responsibility for digital accessibility compliance programs. He is a Certified Professional in Web Accessibility by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals.

Jessie Weber, Partner, Brown, Goldstein and Levy, LLP (Moderator)

Jessie Weber is Managing Partner at Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP (“BGL”), where she works on a range of civil litigation matters nationwide, with a focus on disability rights, fair housing, workplace justice, and appellate litigation. She has successfully litigated and resolved cases involving accessible technology and document formats, voting rights for individuals with print disabilities, access to health care and educational opportunities, and employment discrimination. She currently represents blind students and the National Federation of the Blind in litigation against the Los Angeles Community College District, and obtained a jury verdict finding LACCD violated plaintiffs’ rights under Title II of the ADA by denying them an equal educational experience, including through the use of inaccessible technology, and awarding the individual plaintiffs more than $240,000 in damages—a verdict recently reinstated by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Ms. Weber was also part of the legal team advocating for coverage of websites and mobile applications under the ADA in Robles v. Domino’s Pizza, LLC, first through successful advocacy to the Ninth Circuit, resulting in a published decision clarifying that public accommodations must make their web and mobile services accessible now and cannot wait until the DOJ issues website-specific regulations, and later by obtaining an order from the trial court holding that Domino’s violated the ADA by maintaining an inaccessible website and requiring Domino’s to make its website accessible. Before joining BGL, Ms. Weber was a Francis D. Murnaghan, Jr. Appellate Advocacy Fellow at the Public Justice Center where she worked on issues affecting marginalized communities. Before that, she served as a law clerk for Judge Catherine C. Blake of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. She serves as president of the board of Disability Rights Maryland and previously served on the boards of the ACLU of Maryland and FreeState Justice. Ms. Weber obtained her AB from Princeton University and her JD from Yale Law School.

Registration

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• Live Broadcast | FBA Member: $0
• Live Broadcast | Nonmember: $95
• On-Demand Broadcast | FBA Member: $50
• On-Demand Broadcast | Nonmember: $95