From 8-9 August, the American Bar Association’s 589-member House of Delegates will congregate in San Francisco to vote on resolutions for profession-wide policy and standards. Among the more divisive resolutions being brought forward this year are several heavy hitters that aim to revitalise diversity in the American legal profession. One resolution proposes widening the selection criteria for the federal judiciary so as to encourage more diverse applicants for judgeships in bankruptcy courts, where white judges currently make up a hefty majority. Another proposes making harassment or discrimination ‘on the basis of race, sex, national origin, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or socioeconomic status’ a ‘black letter’ violation of the rules of professional conduct for lawyers. A third proposes measures that would encourage clients to direct a greater proportion of the legal services they purchase to attorneys with backgrounds and identities currently underrepresented in the profession.
Source: Law.com
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