Written Sept 10, 2025
Although most Americans associate ADA lawsuits with restaurants, retail stores, or medical facilities, a growing number of violations are being uncovered in professional service offices — including law firms, accounting companies, engineering firms, scientific laboratories, consulting agencies, marketing firms, and other corporate workplaces. These businesses often operate in older office buildings or renovated suites that were never properly updated for accessibility, and many owners mistakenly assume the ADA does not apply to non-public or appointment-only offices. In reality, professional service firms are explicitly listed as places of public accommodation under ADA Title III, which makes them just as responsible for accessibility as any storefront business.
Investigators report a pattern of recurring violations. Common issues include inaccessible entry doors, steep ramps, lack of compliant parking, narrow hallways, heavy interior doors, and conference rooms too cramped for wheelchair maneuverability. Even modern offices frequently fail to provide accessible restrooms, proper signage, or reachable reception counters. Communication barriers are also widespread. Many firms do not provide alternative formats for documents, lack policies for assisting clients with visual or hearing impairments, or fail to offer qualified interpreters when needed.
Real-world cases illustrate the problem. In 2023, a New York law firm reached a settlement after a wheelchair user filed suit alleging that the firm’s office had a front entry with a single step, no ramp, and a door too heavy to open independently. According to court filings, the firm had moved into the space years earlier without verifying ADA accessibility. The settlement required physical modifications and policy changes. Another case from California in 2022 involved an accounting office where restrooms lacked proper grab-bar placement and the accessible parking space had an excessive slope. The plaintiff, who used a mobility device, reported that she was unable to use the restroom safely during her appointment. The business ultimately agreed to make corrections and pay damages under California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
Marketing firms and consulting agencies have also faced digital-accessibility lawsuits. In Florida, a large digital-marketing agency was sued because its website and client portal were not navigable using screen-reader software. The complaint alleged that visually impaired clients could not access service descriptions, appointment forms, or login areas. The case was settled confidentially, but accessibility advocates say the lawsuit reflects a growing trend: professional firms increasingly face legal pressure not just for physical barriers but also for inaccessible websites, PDFs, online contracts, and digital tools.
Industry experts say these offices often unknowingly violate ADA requirements because they rely heavily on building-code compliance rather than federal accessibility standards, which are much stricter. Others assume that because they do not operate walk-in retail spaces, the ADA’s public-accommodation rules do not apply. Still others lease office suites in multi-tenant buildings and mistakenly assume that the property owner is solely responsible for accessibility.
Advocates warn that professional firms cannot ignore ADA obligations simply because they rarely face traditional foot traffic. Clients still visit for consultations, depositions, filings, audits, evaluations, and meetings. Failure to provide equal access places firms at risk of litigation and undermines the trust of clients who rely on professional services. As lawsuits rise nationwide, attorneys and compliance experts recommend that professional offices conduct ADA audits, update physical spaces, and ensure digital accessibility in order to avoid costly legal consequences.
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