Page 43 - CLT072020

CLOSING ARGUMENTS JULY 20, 2020 ¦ 43

EDITORIAL BOARD

Association (CBA) to “to advance schools), educational standards
the science of jurisprudence, for entry into law schools (pre-
promote the administration of venting those denied access to
justice and uniformity of leg- formal education from attend-
islation throughout the Union, ing, and fostering the reliance on
uphold the honor of the profes- biased admissions tests like the
sion of law and encourage cordial Recognizing the LSAT) and setting criteria for
intercourse among the mem- homogeneity of our admission to the bar (eliminat-
bers of the American Bar.” The profession is no longer ing apprenticeship and diploma
Founding of the American Bar enough. We must examine privilege). There is no surprise
Association, Simeon E. Baldwin the ways in which we that we have a diversity problem
(ABA J. 695 1917). continue to perpetuate the in the profession when the his-
exclusionary roots of the tory of our profession is rooted
The goals were laudable and
the ABA has been a significant profession. in discrimination. It is time to

leader in promoting and up- make meaningful change.
holding the rule of law, access to Recognizing the homogene-
justice, professionalism, diver- ity of our profession is no longer
sity and inclusion and educating enough. We must examine the
the public about the law. But we ways in which we continue to
cannot ignore that in the early perpetuate the exclusionary
years, the organization intentionally centered roots of the profession and the ways in which
regulations around whiteness and maleness. As holding on to tradition and outdated regulations
law schools sought to meet the growing need of perpetuate the narrative that our profession is by
prospective students, in particular women, black, and for whites only. It is time to dismantle the
Jewish and other ethnic minorities, the ABA in- system that has privileged all of us. It is time to
tervened. Every point of entry into the profession check our gatekeepers so that all have the oppor-
was regulated by the ABA; the creation and ex- tunity to access the system. It is time to break one
istence of law schools (eliminating night school, of the many U.S. systems that privilege one group
for profit schools, black law schools and rural law of people to the detriment of another.
¦

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