Speaker

Nyman Turkish

Speaker Bio

Jason M. Turkish believes there is no higher honor for a lawyer than to be a voice for those who would otherwise be silenced. That is why he leads a team of over 110 individuals dedicated to transforming the lives of People with Disabilities throughout the United States.

Jason Turkish is the President and Managing Partner of Nyman Turkish PC, a nationwide litigation and disability law firm with offices in California, Florida, and Michigan. Jason has a proven track record of success in fighting for the rights of the disabled. As a leading voice for the disabled and those who need a fair shot, Jason uses his lifetime of personal experience and superior legal training to achieve life-changing results for his clients.  Legally blind since birth, Jason's story of overcoming adversity to represent those who need a powerful advocate has captivated the attention of clients, fellow attorneys, advocates, and the news media.

Jason has handled complex matters in both State and Federal Court. Recently, Jason was lead counsel in a landmark settlement with the Law School Admission Council that will result in changes to the way blind law school applicants are tested, and within the next two years result in the elimination of the current logic games section of the LSAT for all law school applicants in America. His experience also includes obtaining a consent decree against the State of Michigan to guarantee equal access to absentee voting for the blind; obtaining a conditional preliminary injunction against the Department of Homeland Security (preventing a decorated combat veteran from being forced to return to a work assignment that exacerbated his symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder); representing the world's fastest blind triathlete in attaining equal treatment in Olympic Qualifying Events; fighting and winning in Federal Court on behalf of a deaf high school wrestler who was denied the use of a sign language interpreter; and twice successfully suing the Detroit Metro Airport to improve safety for individuals with disabilities who use public transportation services, and creating accessible public bus stops for individuals with disabilities. Jason's success in litigating complex and high-profile cases has not gone unnoticed. He was named by the prestigious organization Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in the legal profession.

Jason has also been selected to serve on numerous boards and committees both inside and outside of the legal profession. He is a member of the Stabenow-Peters Judicial Advisory Committee for the Eastern District of Michigan (charged with recommending candidates to the Senators for the federal bench and Office of United States Attorney for nomination by the President of the United States); he was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court to serve on the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board; and he is a former Gubernatorial Appointee and Chair of the Michigan Barrier Free Design Board, which enforces accessibility standards for businesses and public entities throughout the State of Michigan.

In addition to complex civil rights litigation, Jason also manages his Firm's nationally known Social Security Practice, each year representing the rights of thousands of Social Security Disability Claimant's nationwide.  Jason has also successfully handled appellate litigation in this practice area, having attained a landmark ruling in the Sixth Circuit challenging the way Social Security Judges are selected and hired as unconstitutional.  See Joyce Ramsey v. Comm'r of Soc. Sec., No. 19-1579 (6th Cir. 2020).

Jason is recognized as a fierce advocate for his clients and is willing to fight hard to vindicate their rights in Court. Michael Harris, the President of the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America, described Jason as “œnot only one of the best litigators I have ever met, but also someone who truly understands the law and works tirelessly to protect the rights of the disabled.”

Before joining Nyman Turkish PC, Jason completed his legal training at the Northwestern University School of Law, where he graduated with honors. Throughout his time in Law School, Jason worked closely as an extern with then nationally known attorney and advocate Richard Bernstein, now an Associate Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.

In addition to his legal practice, Jason is also a frequent lecturer on disability law and policy. Prior to law School Jason earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Jason lives in Huntington Woods, Michigan, a suburb of Metro-Detroit.