Marshall-Motley Scholars Program seeks the next generation of civil rights attorneys
The cost of a private law school education has grown by an astronomical 175% since 1985. More than 75% of new or young lawyers surveyed by the American
Tag: Diversity
ABA Diversity and Inclusion Center supports diverse students
What does the ABA Diversity and Inclusion Center do? The better question might ask what doesn’t it do. Between awards, scholarships, programs, CLEs, webinars, networking events, and pipeline programs, the center’s entities work to strengthen networks of attorneys and civil rights professionals inside and outside the ABA.
LSSSE report: Law schools have more work to do on diversity, inclusion
A recently released national survey of law student perceptions and experiences on issues of diversity and inclusiveness revealed that law schools have more work to do if they want to make all of their students feel valued. This year’s
New initiative seeks to boost diversity of law clerks in the federal judiciary
Federal clerkships, for better or worse, are often seen as a gateway to many of the country’s top-tier legal jobs. Sadly, it comes as no surprise that diversity among law clerks in the federal judiciary is disproportionately low. Even though minorities increasingly make up a growing percentage of law school graduates nationwide, and
Students take to Twitter to demand racial equality
The killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Tony McDade brought long overdue conversations about anti-Black racism—and police brutality against Black communities—into the mainstream. But at the University of Michigan Law School and Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, it took hundreds of emails from
In a Nutshell: What Bostock means for LGBTQ+ workers
We’ve all been there. The social version of a “cold call.” Your friends ask about a headline you haven’t had any time to read about. Maybe you were working, or maybe you were just enjoying time away from reading lengthy opinions. Whatever the reason
I’m Nicole: A law student and trans woman
July 5, 2019, I came to the striking realization that I’m a trans woman. And since that day I’ve lived the life I’ve always wanted to live. Albeit sober and in law school—which are challenges in and of themselves. So. Yay me. Starting London Tipton.
Want to change the law? Change law school
Bright students pay on average $43,020 dollars annually to become the world-changing attorneys they see in the news—those creating stay-at-home orders to halt the spread of COVID-19 or calling for the end of the qualified immunity doctrine to reduce police brutality against communities of color. To get into law school, these students
A letter to my white classmates
I’m your classmate, and I’m Black. I was Black before I enrolled, and I will be Black after we graduate. Can you count how many Black classmates you’ve had throughout the years? Can you name them? I can count how many Black students I’ve
'Diversity and Inclusion': Understanding buzzwords and moving beyond them toward innovation
The words “diversity” and “inclusion” (as well as “equity” and “justice”) are often buzzwords in today’s workplace, on social media, and in classrooms across law and other graduate schools across the country. For those who come from historically (and currently) marginalized backgrounds, especially people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities,
Inspiration from those not like me
How I’ve learned and been motivated by those who break from tradition.
The importance of pipeline programs: I would not be here without them
As a first-generation college graduate, I did not know what kind of doors a college degree or a graduate degree could open. Coming from an economically disadvantaged background, I did not have the resources or the tools to leverage a college degree or graduate degree. At my local
The envelopes please: Announcing the 2019 Law Student Division Awards
The ABA Law Student Division is proud to announce the winners of the yearly Law Student Division Awards. Congratulations to this year's winners, who will be recognized at our ABA Annual Meeting awards breakfast held in conjunction with the Young Lawyers Division on
Make diversity part of your bar group's future plans—it's essential!
As bar leaders, lawyers can successfully integrate diversity into your bar, into your leadership, and into your future plans for your organization. Today, I’m happy to talk about how you as bar leaders can successfully integrate diversity into your bar, into your leadership, and into
Where do women go to law school? Here are the 2018 numbers
For the third year in a row, women once again outnumbered men in law school classrooms across the country in 2018, according to the most recent data released by the American Bar Association. At Enjuris,
Looking for real changes for real diversity in the legal world (podcast)
What unique challenges to people of color face in the legal profession and what can be done to effectively address these issues? In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, host Kristoffer Butler talks to Jerome Crawford and Tiffany Buckley-Norwood about how the legal profession can become more welcoming for
Joining a law firm? Choose the right one for you with these 4 tips
How does one tell if a firm is truly committed to diversity and inclusion? While many firms tout their commitment to service, diversity and inclusion, and professional development of its junior attorneys, law students should consider the following tips when evaluating a firm’s culture to determine if it is the right fit.
Bob Carlson's blueprint for his year as ABA president
All ABA presidents are sworn to follow the policies of our Association, adopted by our House of Delegates. We value due process and democratic input with the consensus of state and local bar associations from every state, plus specialty bar associations and the ABA’s full range of expertise from all our sections and divisions. Yes, we are driven by ideology, but let’s be clear what our ideology is.
Join us on Friday for our annual meeting diversity roundtable
Learn all about "Increasing Diversity Competence: How Office Culture Promotes Good Working Relations" on Friday morning at 9 a.m. during annual meeting events with the Law Student Division. Come and listen to this panel of attorneys talk about their experiences with diverse workplaces, office relations, client connections, and how the legal
5 ways law students can interrupt implicit bias
Let me tell you a story about implicit bias. In 2009, I married a man I met the first day of law school. He is white. I am black. In 2010, we moved to Chicago. By various measures, Chicago is the most segregated city in the United States. Specifically, for
Confronting implicit bias: What law firms can learn from Starbucks
Implicit bias is pervasive. It is a consequence of our brains’ quest for efficiency. Instead of laboring over every decision we need to make each day, our brains take shortcuts when making routine decisions. For example, each time you stop at a red light you don’t contemplate what that means
Promoting diversity? It's Constitutional! (Grutter v. Bollinger)
Barbara Grutter was a successful business owner with excellent academic credentials. In 1997, Grutter applied to the University of Michigan Law School. Grutter was ultimately rejected from the program. Grutter, who was white, argued that the denial amounted to racial discrimination.
Where women go (and don't go) to law school, 2018
Once again, 2017 data reveals that female enrollment in law schools has outpaced male enrollment. 2016 was the first year women made up the majority of law school attendees, and now 51.3% of women are attending in comparison to 48.7% of men. It is a significant achievement that women have caught up in terms of law school enrollment – for the second year in a row.
'Diverse neutrals' in dispute resolution and ABA 113's impact on young lawyers and law students
Most civil disputes settle or are resolved out of court, which creates space for more young lawyers and law students to pursue careers in alternative dispute resolution (ADR). There is also a need to increase opportunities for diverse lawyers to serve as neutrals and represent people in ADR processes. This article explores the barriers to inclusion for diverse attorneys in the legal profession and means to overcome them. It also discusses practical steps diverse young lawyers and law students can take to access opportunities in mediation practice. Discussions on these topics will continue during the Section on Dispute Resolution’s 20th Annual Spring Conference April 4-7 in Washington, DC.
Revising accreditation standards for greater transparency for incoming law students
We, the American Bar Association Law Student Division Council affirm that the American Bar Association can and should do more to protect potential law students and current law students as they seek to enter the legal profession. We also affirm that greater transparency, achieved through accreditation rules, will ensure that students can make informed decisions. We, thus, call for the Council of the Section of Legal Education (“Council”) to increase the reporting requirements already authorized under Standard 509.