{"id":13208,"date":"2024-10-02T21:13:45","date_gmt":"2024-10-02T21:13:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wifamily.news\/?p=13208"},"modified":"2024-10-08T14:59:32","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T14:59:32","slug":"following-legal-actions-by-will-american-bar-association-removes-two-racial-quotas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wifamily.news\/?p=13208","title":{"rendered":"Following Legal Actions by WILL, American Bar Association Removes Two Racial Quotas"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post originally appeared at https:\/\/will-law.org\/dei-loses-again-following-legal-actions-by-will-american-bar-association-removes-two-racial-quotas\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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The News:<\/strong> The American Bar Association (ABA) removed two racial quotas from its Judicial Clerkship Program following a Title VI complaint and a judicial misconduct complaint filed by WILL earlier this year. Previously, each law school was required to \u201csend (and underwrite the costs for) four to six law students who are from underrepresented communities of color.\u201d Similarly, judges selected to participate were \u201casked to make a commitment to strive to hire at least two minority judicial law clerks over the next five years.\u201d Both quotas are now gone.<\/p>\n

Many law schools have partnered with the ABA to put on the clerkship program and the ABA touts their relationship and access with various \u201cArticle III judges\u201d (federal judges) and \u201cstate supreme court justices.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Quotes:<\/strong>\u00a0WILL Associate Counsel, Skylar Croy, stated, \u201cAll law students deserve an equal shot to compete for prestigious post-law school employment. No one should assess them based on the color of their skin\u2014especially not the ABA and especially not judges. Instead, they should be considered based on their individual talents and knowledge of the law. We will continue to challenge race-based programs to reach WILL\u2019s goal of complete race neutrality.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Additional Background: <\/strong>Most judges hire a recent graduate as a \u201claw clerk.\u201d These jobs are often considered a golden ticket to a successful legal career. For example, six of nine current U.S. Supreme Court justices once clerked for the Court. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Since at least 2001, the ABA\u2019s Judicial Clerkship Program has helped some law students secure clerkships. The program is essentially a job fair where law students can meet judges, including federal judges and state supreme court justices. At least 15 law schools contract with the ABA to send their students to the program, which a little over 50 students attend each year. This year, the program was sponsored by legal research giant LexisNexis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Previously, the ABA employed two explicit racial quotas. Following the complaints, the ABA removed them (see below). WILL initially\u00a0filed a Title VI complaint against the ABA and three participating universities\u2014South Texas College of Law Houston, the University of the Pacific, and Willamette University\u2014all receive federal funds. Title VI prohibits federal fund recipients from discriminating on the grounds of race, color, or national origin. WILL also filed a judicial misconduct complaint against Magistrate Judge Leo I. Brisbois, a federal\u00a0judge in the\u00a0District of Minnesota, for his involvement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

WILL remains concerned that race may still play a role in the selection of law students and will continue to pursue its Title VI complaint. However, the elimination of two racial quotas marks a significant step in the right direction.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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