ABA Law Student Division
Diversity Initiatives
Law Student Division Initiatives
Law
Student Division Diversity Plan
The Law Student Division is committed to promoting diversity in the profession
and ensuring equal opportunities and inclusion of all law students in
the membership, leadership, and activities of the ABA Law Student Division
regardless of race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender.
Dean
Henry J. Ramsey, Jr. Diversity Award
The Division's Diversity
Award serves as a testament to Dean Henry J. Ramsey, Jr. of Howard
University for his lifetime commitment to issues of inclusiveness and
his efforts to increase the quality of the practice and study of the law.
The Diversity Award serves to recognize excellence in activities that
have contributed toward the achievement and advancement of women, minorities
and persons with disabilities in the profession. The Henry J. Ramsey,
Jr. Award for Diversity is presented to a student, faculty, administrator,
or student group/organization from an ABA-approved law school during the
ABA Annual Meeting (Postmarked Entry Deadline: April 1). Tell me more >>>
Diversity
Day
The ABA Law Student Division has selected March 4, as the official Diversity
Day at law schools across the country. Under the plan, law schools are
encouraged to sponsor educational programs and events that teach and foster
respect for different races, genders, religions, sexual orientations
and individuals with disabilities. For more information about Diversity
Day, contact the ABA Law Student Division at abalsd@abanet.org or surf the Diversity
Day Toolkit .
ABA Goal IX Reports
2006 Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession Goal
IX Report
The Goal IX Report examines the participation of minorities in the ABA
as members, speakers and leadership.
2006
Commission on Physical and Mental Disability Law's Annual Goal IX Report
Discussion of the representation of lawyers with disabilities in leadership
positions within all entities of the ABA. The findings are based on surveys
that ABA entities complete each year.
2006
Commission on Women in the Profession Annual Goal IX Report
Discussion of the representation of women in leadership
positions within all entities of the ABA. The findings are based on surveys
that ABA entities complete each year.
2005 Goal
IX Report
The Goal IX Report examines the participation of minorities in the ABA
as members, speakers and leadership.
2004 Goal IX Report
The ABA annual surveys
and reports upon the progress it has made as a whole, as well as through
its various entities, toward achieving the objectives set forth in Goal
IX.
2003 Goal IX Report
The Goal IX Report examines the participation of minorities
in the ABA as members, speakers and leadership.
Student Programs and Opportunities
Judicial
Clerkship Program
Sponsors: ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity
and the ABA Judicial Division
Designed to bring judges and minority law students together through structured
networking activities.
Judicial
Intern Opportunity Program
Sponsor: Section of Litigation and the Section of Intellectual Property
Law
The American Bar Association Section of Litigation will begin accepting
applications for its Judicial Intern Opportunity Program November
1 for second-year law students. Applications for first-year law students
will be accepted beginning December 1, according to NALP guidelines.
The program is a full-time, six-week minimum, summer internship program
open to all first-or second-year minority and/or financially disadvantaged
law students.
Minority Fellowships in Environmental Law
Sponsored by the ABA Section of Environment Energy and Natural Resources Law
Mentor
Program for Students with Disabilities
Sponsor: Commission on Mental and Physical Disabilities
Law
This program is open to all law students with physical, mental, or learning
disabilities.
Students are paired with practicing attorneys, based on the student's
interest in either being matched according to disability, geographical
location, or area of interest. Mentors offer students both academic and
career advice, in addition to insights into the private and government
sectors.
Awards and Competitions
Margaret
Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award
Sponsor: ABA Commission on
Women in the Profession
Recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of women lawyers who have
achieved professional excellence within their area of specialty and have
actively paved the way to success for other women lawyers.
Annual
Paul G. Hearne Award
Sponsor: ABA
Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
Honors an individual or organization that has performed exemplary service
in furthering the rights, dignity and access to justice for some of the
54 million Americans with disabilities
Dean
Henry J. Ramsey, Jr. Diversity Award
Sponsor:
ABA Law Student Division
Recognize excellence in activities that have contributed toward the achievement
and advancement of women, minorities and persons with disabilities in
the profession.
Nomination Deadline: April 1 (postmarked)
Legal
Opportunity Scholarship Fund
Sponsor: ABA Fund for Justice and Education
Eligibility: Must be entering first-year of law school; must have a grade point average of 2.5 (based on 4.0 grading scale);
must be a citizen or permanent US resident; and must plan to attend an
ABA-approved law school
Award: $5,000 annually, renewable for two additional years, for a total
of $15,000
Thurgood
Marshall Award Honoring Outstanding Contributions to Civil Rights
Sponsor: Section of
Individual Rights and Responsibilities
Honors long-term contributions made by those in the legal profession to
advance civil rights, civil liberties, and human rights in the United
States
Spirit
of Excellence Award
Sponsor: ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Celebrates the achievements of diverse lawyers and others who contribute
to the legal profession and society.
American Bar Association Goal IX
"To promote full and equal participation in the legal profession by minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and persons of differing sexual orientations and gender identities."
Navigation
What is Diversity Day?
The ABA Law Student Division has selected March 4, as the official Diversity Day at law schools across the country. Under the plan, law schools are encouraged to sponsor educational programs and events that teach and foster respect for different races, genders, religions, classes, sexual orientations and individuals with disabilities. For more information about Diversity Day, contact the ABA Law Student Division at abalsd@abanet.org
Diversity Day Toolkit
Dean Henry J. Ramsey Diversity Award
Nomination Deadline: April 1, 2008
Student Resources
Council on Legal Education Opportunities (CLEO) -- A Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program
Commission on Racial & Ethnic Diversity in the Profession
Career Resources
Job
Search
Commission on Racial & Ethnic Diversity in the Profession
ABA Resources
Visit the ABA’s home page at www.abanet.org and click on "Diversity Initiatives" to take you to the following sites:
- Advisory Council on Diversity
- The Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession
- Council on Racial and Ethnic Justice
- Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
- Commission on Women in the Profession (resources)
- Diversity Center
