Celebrating the 31st Anniversary of the ADA

On July 26, 2021, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) turns 31. Featured on this page is a profile series highlighting the successful careers and contributions of current Sidley lawyers and professional staff with disabilities. We invite you to read their inspiring stories to learn more about their professional and personal accomplishments, advice, and contributions to the community of people with disabilities.

Ralph F. Antonioli is a Paralegal in the Litigation group of the Chicago office. He focuses his work on labor, employment and immigration matters. Ralph, who was born in South America, speaks five languages fluently and already provided assistance to various teams with legal matters in Italian and Spanish. He was recently admitted to the D.C. Bar.

“Most of us who live with a permanent disability only want a shot like everyone else, and it indeed makes me smile to know that the ADA has played, and continues to play, a major role in making this happen.”

How long have you been a paralegal at Sidley?

I have been a paralegal with Sidley in Chicago since August 2020, but I’ve been in the legal field for nearly 25 years, both abroad and most recently in the U.S. (I became a practicing attorney in my country of birth at the “innocent” age of 21).

What do you enjoy most about the work that you do at the firm?

What I most enjoy about Sidley is the genuine collegiality that I feel as soon as I walk into the building every morning. I have been coming to the office almost every day since August, and I have always been welcomed with a big smile by everyone. I have found this to be crucial in having an overall great day. In fact, I try to get to my train to work as soon as I can every day.

When you reflect on the 31st anniversary of the ADA, what are you most grateful for? What makes you smile?

I am most grateful for the fact that the ADA has allowed me to pursue my professional dreams, regardless of my permanent disability. When I was recovering from my head injuries, I was told by many “experts” that I would never walk again, much less work in law again. Well, I went on to pass the bar exam and am now a proud member of the Sidley family. The ADA has played a pivotal role in my efforts to become a licensed attorney in the United States. Growing up abroad, this simply would not have been possible, but knowing that I would be granted the opportunity to compete on equal terms with my peers who do not have a disability is extremely rewarding. I am confident when I say that most of us who live with a permanent disability only want a shot like everyone else, and it indeed makes me smile to know that the ADA has played, and continues to play, a major role in making this happen for so many people across the United States.

Are you involved in organizations outside the firm? If so, which ones?

Given that the Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) awareness efforts are still relatively new, I would like to become a global reference in championing such initiatives. Although AVM ruptures only occur in about 2% of the population, I still believe more awareness is needed. Unfortunately, numbers are increasing and episodes are becoming more common.

What do you do for fun? Is there a hobby or other personal interest that would surprise people to learn about you?

My number one fun activity is without question spending time with my family—my wife Hari and my daughter Emily have been the pillars of my miraculous recovery. And our puppy, Chewy, has absolutely changed our lives since he joined the Antonioli crew. Despite not being able to participate in contact sports as I used to before my AVM rupture, you might be surprised that I am still hopeful of one day making a U.S. Paralympics team and representing the country that has given us so much. I am relentless in pursuing my goals (or extremely stubborn, according to my loved ones) and am 100% confident I will absolutely make this happen. I also plan to finish a book about my story as an immigrant and as someone living with a permanent disability hoping that I can help others who are struggling or that feel they are in a hopeless situation.

Everybody has a walk-up song. What’s yours?

“Lose Yourself” by Eminem.

What has been your go-to self-care activity in this remote work environment?

Practicing meditation before the start of every work day has been a major part of my routine in the last year, mainly thanks to the “Headspace” app that is supported by the firm.

Can you share with us a saying or quote that gives you inspiration or helps you stay centered?

I am big into quotes, but if I get to pick one it would be the following by John F. Kennedy: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.”

Ernesto R. Claeyssen is an associate in the Litigation group in the New York office. He focuses his practice on commercial litigation and disputes, which includes the representation of individual and corporate clients in complex commercial litigation matters, white collar criminal matters, government investigations, privacy and cybersecurity matters, and regulatory enforcement actions.

“Even though the ADA was a major milestone for the disability movement, the ADA needs major improvements in eradicating the digital divide that currently exists due to technology.”

Tell us about a professional goal you are proud of achieving, and what (or who) inspired you to go for it.

While in law school, my note, “Buy It on the ‘Gram: The Need to Extend the Americans with Disabilities Act to the E-Commerce World,” was published in the Rutgers University Law Review. Even though the ADA was a major milestone for the disability movement, the ADA needs major improvements in eradicating the digital divide that currently exists due to technology, which prevents people with disabilities from achieving true equality.

Elizabeth Hardcastle is an associate in the Healthcare practice in the Washington, D.C. office. She focuses her practice on healthcare regulatory and compliance matters, including strategic counseling in connection with public policy proposals and implementation issues. Beth competed on the U.S. Paralympic Swim Team in the 2008 Beijing Paralympics.

“I am so grateful for the advocates who came before me and made the ADA possible. In addition to their critical work in getting the ADA and similar disability rights laws passed, my life is enriched by the disability community they helped create.”

What attracted you to the practice of law and what aspect of your practice do you enjoy the most?

My firsthand experiences with the healthcare system as a wheelchair user gave me a lasting passion for finding new policy solutions. During college, I spent a summer interning on Capitol Hill and saw how impactful the policy and legal side of healthcare could be, which led me to law school and Sidley. I enjoy translating this original passion into my life sciences regulatory practice, advising emerging and established life sciences clients on the complex and ever-changing healthcare legal landscape.

What is the most memorable matter you led and what made it so memorable?

I am fortunate to have worked on a number of exciting and memorable matters at Sidley. One of my current favorite clients is an emerging pharmaceutical company bringing its first drug to market – a drug that is being studied to treat a rare disease that currently has no other FDA-approved treatment options. That work has involved leading a compliance review, managing two government filings related to healthcare codes needed for the drug, and advising on a number of pricing and distribution issues as they prepare to launch the drug. A few years ago, I also worked with our government affairs team in representing a wheelchair manufacturer and successfully worked to have Congress pass a law preventing the applicable government agency from cutting Medicare reimbursement for our client’s product. We thought that the bill would not pass before the cuts went into effect and Congress left for recess, but our bill was one of a handful Congress voted on and passed hours before it adjourned for the holidays.

When you reflect on the 31st anniversary of the ADA, what are you most grateful for? What makes you smile?

I am so grateful for the advocates who came before me and made the ADA possible. In addition to their critical work in getting the ADA and similar disability rights laws passed, my life is enriched by the disability community they helped create. The disability community’s collective pride continues to grow as we see of our members in leadership roles, being celebrated in the media, and excelling in athletics (I’m excited for the Tokyo Paralympics!).

Everybody has a walk-up song. What’s yours?

Before starting my career at Sidley, I was a competitive swimmer and competed on the U.S. Paralympic team, so I definitely had a walk-up song! Part of my pre-race ritual was to always listen to “Jump” from Van Halen. My swim coach introduced me to Van Halen and it was frequently played during swim practices. I still sometimes put it on for an energy boost when completing a late-night assignment!