Attorneys of Color

91 ABA Journal Attorneys of Color articles.

Black woman is appointed to lead BigLaw firm as other firms ramp up diversity goals

The new global CEO and U.S. chair of Norton Rose Fulbright is the first woman of color to be in those positions at the law firm and the only woman of color to lead a top 200 grossing law firm in the United States, according to the firm.

Dec 11, 2020 3:04 PM CST

Law prof finds ways to connect remotely amid historic election and COVID-19 restrictions

April Dawson, an associate dean and professor at the North Carolina Central University School of Law, has been finding creative ways to use technology in the classroom, even before the pandemic, and she says the experience helped her connect with students.

Nov 30, 2020 9:04 AM CST

Who are some of the lawyers serving on Biden’s agency review teams?

Of the 500-plus individuals appointed to President-elect Joe Biden’s agency review teams, over 150 are lawyers. The agency review teams are also some of the most diverse in history.

Nov 19, 2020 9:40 AM CST

Ex-partner’s bias suit alleges he was told Black lawyers left because they can’t handle BigLaw

A former Black partner at K&L Gates alleges in a lawsuit that he was terminated for his complaints about discrimination and then harassed by private investigators hired by the law firm.

Nov 11, 2020 12:46 PM CST

Biden has pledged to nominate a black female SCOTUS justice—who are the possibilities?

President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to nominate the first Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court if he gets a chance to make a nomination.

Nov 9, 2020 12:59 PM CST

How many tenured law professors are Black? Public data does not say

Oct 28, 2020 3:25 PM CDT

University of Chicago Law School celebrates Earl Dickerson’s legacy as a civil rights lawyer and activist

Earl B. Dickerson’s name may not be well known to the public, but the civil rights lawyer lived a larger-than-life existence. Now, scholars, relatives and activists are marking the 100th anniversary of his 1920 graduation from the University of Chicago Law School in celebration of his becoming the first African American to receive a juris doctor.

Oct 28, 2020 10:13 AM CDT

Former Davis Polk associate may pursue retaliation claim, judge says; other racial bias claims tossed

A federal judge in Manhattan has ruled that a Black former associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell can pursue a retaliation claim against three partners, but many of his other racial bias claims were inadequate.

Oct 27, 2020 1:36 PM CDT

Posthumous bar admission granted in case of Black man who sought law license in 1882

A Black man who sought to become a lawyer in Dallas in 1882 after reading the law has been granted bar admission posthumously, thanks to the work of two appeals judges who did the historical research.

Oct 26, 2020 12:24 PM CDT

Black law grads trail in employment overall and in bar-passage-required jobs, new NALP report finds

Black law graduates in the class of 2019 had the lowest overall employment rates among all racial and ethnic groups and lower employment in bar-passage-required jobs than white graduates, according to new findings by the National Association for Law Placement.

Oct 21, 2020 11:05 AM CDT

For minority law students, learning the law can be intellectually violent

It pales in comparison to the structural and physical violence that people experience outside the ivory tower, but it is also unforgiving, can feel unrelenting and often goes unnamed.

Oct 15, 2020 11:23 AM CDT

NAPABA president Bonnie Lee Wolf’s efforts against anti-Asian discrimination draw support of ABA, other groups

“Now is a time to stand with the African American community against what has been going on for decades, centuries, to show unity and solidarity from the Asian American community,” Wolf says. “What’s encouraging is that it seems like people are listening, and we can be part of that driving force to see real action and real change.”

Oct 1, 2020 12:15 AM CDT

First Black Oregon Supreme Court justice blazes a trail for lawyers—and students

On a hot day in June 2019, Oregon Supreme Court Justice Adrienne Nelson stood up and made a promise to her community. “This is going to be a place where students know they are enough, and they can build from that and grow from that,” she said.

Sep 30, 2020 2:21 PM CDT

Wells Fargo alleges ‘gamesmanship’ by lawyer who sued after manager reportedly called him N-word

A lawyer who sued Wells Fargo after a branch manager allegedly called him the N-word is engaging in “obvious gamesmanship” by trying to characterize an isolated incident as racial discrimination by the corporate entity, according to a Wells Fargo court filing.

Sep 24, 2020 12:41 PM CDT

How Black female prosecutors are challenging the status quo and fighting for reform

Black female prosecutors—a small cadre of top district attorneys across the country—have faced more scrutiny and second-guessing than their white or male counterparts. They’ve also been subjected to racist and violent threats and sexist attacks.

Sep 10, 2020 12:22 PM CDT

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