Page 14 - MarchApril26 Report

Access to Justice
Starts Inside the Profession
Chad Mayer is a busy man. For the last 18 years,
he’s been a super utility player at KMK Law.
Chad works a full five days a week, arriving
early in the morning. He is a whiz in the supply room
and running the smart mail machine. He sorts and
delivers attorney mail and packages, makes deliveries
around downtown, and sets up for lunches and meet-
By Alan Abes
ings. He is such an integral part of the KMK team
that when he takes a rare day off, his co-workers look
for him. He participates in KMK’s wellness program
and loves the perks of his job like the occasional Reds
game or holiday party. Chad, by the way, has Down
syndrome.
If that were all Chad did, it would be enough.
Somehow, he also has time to work as a greeter at
select FC Cincinnati games, riding
the streetcar from his downtown
home. He is a multi-sport athlete
in the Special Olympics. Chad
served on the Board of the Down
Syndrome Association of Greater
Cincinnati and is a regular partic-
ipant in the DSAGC’s social
activities. His schedule made me
tired just talking about it.
Chad and KMK were at the
forefront of employment for people
with a developmental disability.
Chad followed what has now become an established
path, training with the help of a job coach who shad-
owed Chad until he was ready to work on his own
with periodic touchpoints.
Local organizations such as LADD and Easter-
seals Redwood, to name only a couple, have robust
employment programs free to employers. They
provide a pool of candidates based on the job descrip-
tion or help train someone the employer identifies.
They provide ongoing performance evaluations
to ensure satisfaction, and employment consul-
tants to supplement training and assist with any
challenges. The Cincinnati Regional Chamber also
14 | march/april 2026 cba report
has resources available to employers interested in
employing someone with a developmental disability
(or other disabilities), as do affinity organizations like
the DSAGC.
Many studies show what Chad proves every day,
employees with Down syndrome and other devel-
opmental disabilities score highly for work quality,
attendance, motivation, engagement, dependability,
and integration with co-workers. They simply need a
chance to prove what they can do.
Chad urges employers to keep an open mind and
make sure any candidate is the right fit. He urges
job seekers with DD to “go for it” and “follow your
dreams” because “it makes you feel good to have some-
thing to do.”
Chad emphasized how much
he loves the people on his team at
KMK. It only took 30 seconds in
Chad’s environment to see how much
his team loves him back. KMK’s
Office Services/Facilities Manager,
Kathy Holden, said it best: “Chad,
as you know, is amazing to say the
least. When he first started here
almost 18 years ago, I was a little
worried as I did not know what to
expect. Chad knocked it out of the
park. Not only does he work hard and
keep busy all throughout the day, he brings such joy
and happiness to everyone he meets. His co-workers,
attorneys, staff, etc. look forward to him coming
around, delivering mail and packages to the floors. I
honestly don’t know what we would do without him
here, we are so blessed to have him on our team!”
Kathy ended with this thought: “I think Chad does
more for us than we do for him, he gives us purpose!”
What a wonderful tribute to Chad and KMK, and an
example for others to follow.
Alan Abes is a partner at Dinsmore and the 2025-2026 CBA president.