Practice Area: Diversity, Inclusion & Civil Rights

Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch Named Co-Chair of Blue-Ribbon Task Force on Preserving Diversity in the Wake of the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Affirmative Action

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Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch is joining Brad Karp, chair of Paul, Weiss, and former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson as chairs of the New York State Bar Association’s blue-ribbon Task Force on Advancing Diversity. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled June 29 that decades of race-conscious policies at Harvard University and the University … Continued

NYSBA Pledges To Continue Its Fight for Equal Rights in Wake of U.S. Supreme Court Decision in LGBTQ+ Public Accommodations Case

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Richard Lewis, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, No. 21-476, 599 U.S.__ (2023): “The New York State Bar Association vows to continue its fight for equal rights following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in 303 Creative LLC … Continued

Task Force Chaired by Jeh Johnson, Brad Karp To Review Legal Strategies for Maintaining Diversity in Wake of U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action

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Brad Karp and Jeh Johnson The New York State Bar Association has launched a task force to recommend how colleges and businesses can maintain diversity in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision on affirmative action. The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard University and Students for Fair Admissions … Continued

Task Force Chaired by Jeh Johnson, Brad Karp To Review Legal Strategies for Maintaining Diversity if U.S. Supreme Court Throws Out or Weakens Affirmative Action

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Brad Karp and Jeh Johnson In anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action, the New York State Bar Association is launching a task force to recommend how colleges and businesses can maintain diversity. If the U.S. Supreme Court rules that decades of race-conscious policies violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act … Continued

NYSBA Recommends Reducing Reliance on Prisons and Courts as the Primary Treatment for People With Mental Illness

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The legal system needs to move away from its role as the primary treatment for people with mental illness, the New York State Bar Association recommends in a report approved by its Executive Committee. In the report, the Task Force on Mental Health and Trauma Informed Representation detailed the many ways that people in crisis … Continued

NYSBA President Calls the Selection of Justice Joseph Zayas as Chief Administrative Judge the Perfect Choice for New York

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Sherry Levin Wallach, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about Chief Judge Rowan Wilson’s selection of Joseph Zayas, associate justice of the Appellate Division, Second Department, as chief administrative judge: “Judge Joseph Zayas’ appointment to be New York’s next chief administrative judge is historic. He is the first Latino judge … Continued

State Budget Makes Progress Toward Protecting Legal Access for Children & Indigent Adults, But More Must Be Done

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Sherry Levin Wallach, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about the assigned counsel language included in the 2023-24 state budget bills passing today: “We appreciate that Gov. Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders have recognized the state’s responsibility to protect the constitutional right to counsel for children and indigent adults … Continued

President of New York State Bar Association Calls Judge Rowan Wilson’s Historic Confirmation a Significant Milestone

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Sherry Levin Wallach, president of the New York State Bar Association, issued the following statement about the state Senate’s confirmation of Judge Rowan D. Wilson as chief judge of the Court of Appeals and the State of New York: “The historic appointment and confirmation of Judge Rowan D. Wilson as New York’s first African-American chief … Continued

Vivian Wesson on AI, Facial Recognition and the Law

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Technology can both help and hurt in the cause of justice. In a fascinating conversation, Vivian Wesson shares with host David Miranda how artificial intelligence and facial recognition are being used in both criminal and civil law. Wesson says the technology can unearth biases when it cannot distinguish between races of people and lead to … Continued