ABA Law Student Division
Diversity Initiatives
Commitment to Diversity
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" ABA Mission and Goals
Law Student Division Initiatives
The ABA 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. Tell me more
Combating Bias
The American Bar Association offers an array of resources and guidance for law students interested in taking on the task of combating bias in law school, within the legal profession and in their communities. Tell me more
Resources for Minority Law Students
The American Bar Association offers an array of resources and guidance for law students of color and those from low economic backgrounds to begin building their bridge to a successful and rewarding legal career. Tell me more
ABA Goal IX Reports
The ABA Goal IX Report examines the participation of minorities, women, and persons with disabilities in the American Bar Association as members, speakers and leadership within all entities of the ABA. The findings of the Goal IX Reports are based on surveys that ABA entities complete each year. Tell me more
Awards and Other Opportunities
Each year the American Bar Association recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of legal professionals, law students, law schools and law school organizations for their achievements and advancement of women, minorities, personal with disabilities, and individuals of differing social orientations.
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. Tell me more
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 2, 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.
ABA Goal IX Reports
The ABA Goal IX Report examines the participation of minorities, women, and persons with disabilities in the American Bar Association as members, speakers and leadership within all entities of the ABA. The findings of the Goal IX Reports are based on surveys that ABA entities complete each year.
2008 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. For previous year's reports, visit the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethic Diversity in the Profession
2008
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. For previous year's reports, visit the Commission on Physical and Mental Disability Law.
2008
Commission on Women in the Profession Annual Goal IX Report
This annual report card provides detailed statistics on women involvement in the ABA and measures women's progress in attaining leadership positions within the ABA. For previous year's reports, visit the Commission on Women in the Profession.
Awards and Competitions
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.
Tell me more
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. Tell me more
2009 Adam A. Milani Disability Law Writing Competition
Sponsors: Mercer University School of Law and the ABA
Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
The purposes of the competition are to promote greater interest in and understanding of the field of disability law and to encourage excellent legal writing skills in law students. Tell me more
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.
Tell me more
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. Tell me more
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. Tell me more
Other Opportunities
CLEO diverCITY Network
Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO)
The CLEO diverCITY Network is an online portal recently established by the Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) to be “the virtual destination for minority law students.” CLEO is actively encouraging minority/underrepresented law students seeking membership in CLEO to register as a new CLEO Affiliate. Registration is Free. To sign up, click on the “Students” button from CLEO's home page. If you are not familiar with CLEO or their mission, click here.
National Association of Women Lawyers
Annual Selma Moidel Smith Law Student Writing Competition
Award: $500 and publication in the NAWL Women Lawyers Journal
Entry deadline: April
Asian Pacific American Bar Association Educational Fund (AEF)
Robert T. Matsui Annual Writing Competition
Entry deadline: June
Award: $1,500 and publication in the UCLA Asian Pacific American Law Journal
The National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Bar Association
Michael Greenberg Student Writing Competition
Awards: $3,000, $2,000, and $1,000. First-place winner will also receive registration, airfare and lodging to attend Lavender Law and publication in the Journal of Law and Sexuality.
Entry deadline: June
For questions or additional information visit http://www.nlgla.org/
Scholarships and Resume Building Opportunities
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. Tell me more
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. Tell me more
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. Tell me more
Minority Fellowships in Environmental Law
Sponsored by the ABA Section of Environment Energy and Natural Resources Law. Tell me more
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. Tell me more
Commission on Physical and Mental Disability Law
The ABA Commission on Physical and Mental Disability Law provides a webpage containing some scholarships and financial assistance resources available to students with disabilities. These sites are simply suggestions and are not affiliated or supported by the ABA or the Commission. Tell me more
Commission on Physical and Mental Disability Law
Annual National Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities
This groundbreaking program is designed to encourage legal employers, particularly corporations and law firms, to promote diversity and inclusion within the workplace with emphasis on hiring and retaining lawyers with disabilities. Learn best practices for promoting disability diversity and inclusion and identify legal employers and work settings that are models for the legal profession. Scholarships for lawyers and law students with disabilities to cover lodging and registration costs are available through an application process. For more information, contact Michael Stratton (202.662.1571). Tell me more
Combating Bias
The mission of every American lawyers should be to build public trust and confidence in the justice system — and in the legal profession — through partnerships with the public in justice reform. Discover how the ABA can help you get involved in improving the administration of justice in your area.
- Diversity Center
- Coalition for Justice
- Advisory Council on Diversity
- Council on Racial and Ethnic Justice
- Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession
- Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
- Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
- Commission on Women in the Profession
- Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities
- AIDS Coordinating Committee
- Youth at Risk Initiative
- Rule of Law Initiative
Also, don't miss the exciting opportunities available to students of color and those from low income backgrounds through The Council on Legal Education Opportunities (CLEO).
