Women in the Law

ABA’s new CLE policy appears to comply with state ban on diversity ‘quotas,’ Florida Bar says

The ABA Board of Governors on Tuesday revised the association’s diversity policy for continuing legal education programs after the Florida Supreme Court banned course credit in the state for programs with panel “quotas.”

Apr 6, 2022 2:38 PM CDT

Nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson moves to Senate with some GOP support

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is expected to win U.S. Senate confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court this week, after a majority of senators voted Monday evening to move her nomination out of a deadlocked committee.

Apr 5, 2022 10:00 AM CDT

Diversity increases with law school deans, according to new AALS study

The number of women and people of color in law school dean positions is growing, but those hired through search firms were mostly white men, according to a new study released by the Association of American Law Schools. The American Law School Dean Study surveyed 197 deans of ABA-accredited law schools and 222 former deans who served between 2010 and 2020

Apr 4, 2022 11:01 PM CDT

Weekly Briefs: BigLaw firm settles ‘mommy track’ suit; ban on scraped court data challenged

Morrison & Foerster settles ‘mommy track’ suit Morrison & Foerster has settled with two remaining plaintiffs in a lawsuit contending that the law firm discriminates against lawyer moms. In a joint filing, plaintiffs Sherry William and Joshua Ashley Klayman joined the law firm in a March 22 stipulation of dismissal.…

Apr 1, 2022 3:00 PM CDT

First Latina justice confirmed to California Supreme Court

Judge Patricia Guerrero will become the first Latina justice of the California Supreme Court following her confirmation by the California Commission on Judicial Appointments earlier this week.

Mar 24, 2022 12:26 PM CDT

Jackson showed no signs of bias in criminal cases, ABA evaluators tell senators; uniform high praise compelled top rating

The ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary gave U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson its “well qualified” rating after receiving consistent praise from those who knew her and reviewed her writing, committee representatives told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

Mar 24, 2022 11:13 AM CDT

Sen. Booker asks Jackson about her ‘bedrock values,’ ‘provocative’ statement on juggling motherhood and career

Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey turned to issues of family when he questioned U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson during her confirmation hearing Tuesday evening.

Mar 23, 2022 8:51 AM CDT

Diverse Lawyers Trial Academy hosts 2-day training for 1st-chair roles, and applications are open

The Diverse Lawyers Trial Academy is a two-day intensive training program that connects lawyers who have been historically underrepresented in civil proceedings with a faculty of experienced trial lawyers, in-house counsel, judges and trial consultants.

Mar 23, 2022 8:30 AM CDT

Will Supreme Court nominee Jackson’s Harvard ties lead to recusal in race-conscious admissions case?

Some Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee plan to ask U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson whether she will participate in a case challenging race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard University.

Mar 15, 2022 12:37 PM CDT

Tucker Carlson wants to see SCOTUS nominee Jackson’s LSAT score; critics say demand is racist

Fox News host Tucker Carlson stepped into a firestorm last week after he called for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to release her score on the Law School Admission Test.

Mar 7, 2022 9:46 AM CST

Weekly Briefs: ABA will ‘work expeditiously’ to rate SCOTUS nominee; parents of accused school shooter will stand trial

ABA president vows expeditious but through evaluation of SCOTUS nominee The ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary will “work expeditiously” to evaluate U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson “in a thorough and fair manner,” said ABA President Reginald Turner in a statement issued Friday afternoon. Turner said…

Feb 25, 2022 3:47 PM CST

Biden nominates Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the US Supreme Court

Updated: U.S. Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has been nominated to replace Justice Stephen G. Breyer to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Feb 25, 2022 8:14 AM CST

Op-ed shoots down criticism of SCOTUS nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson for ruling against class of Black workers

Updated: A Harvard Law School professor and a former federal appeals judge are pushing back against criticism of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson for a ruling that she made in a lawsuit by a group of Black workers suing Lockheed Martin, a security and aerospace company, for alleged discrimination.

Feb 23, 2022 10:37 AM CST

Mary Smith is first Native American woman to become ABA president-elect nominee

Mary Smith of Illinois is the ABA's next president-elect nominee. It became official after the House of Delegates' Nominating Committee voted to select Smith on Sunday and presented her nomination to the full House of Delegates during the 2022 ABA Midyear Meeting on Monday.

Feb 14, 2022 5:27 PM CST

Lactation stations and breastfeeding accommodations are needed for bar exam attendees

Bar admissions authorities, bar associations, law schools and legal employers need to establish clear and consistent policies that provide accommodations to individuals who are lactating, the ABA House of Delegates resolved Monday.

Feb 14, 2022 11:39 AM CST