The Federalist Society’s Civil Rights Practice Group and Georgetown Student Chapter will host a panel discussion on Mandated Racial Admissions in Hiring at Law Schools? An Examination of the Newly Proposed ABA Standard today at noon at the Georgetown Law Center:

At its midyear meeting, the ABA proposed a new standard (here and here) that would purportedly require law schools to consider race and ethnicity in its admissions and faculty hiring practices. The standard further states that compliance with conflicting law will not excuse a law school from complying with the ABA standard. The standard, not yet formally adopted by the ABA, is scheduled to be voted on by the ABA House of Delegates at its annual meeting in August. The proposed ABA standard has particular significance because the ABA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the accrediting entity for law schools. Our panel of experts will discuss the pros and cons of the proposed ABA standard.

• Moderator:  Tom Morgan, George Washington University Law School
• Panelists:
  • David Bernstein, George Mason University School of Law
  • Roger Clegg, Center for Equal Opportunity
  • Peter Edelman, Georgetown University Law Center
  • James Freeman, The Advancement Project

For prior TaxProf Blog coverage, see:

• Bernstein: ABA Orders Law Schools to Engage in Racial Preferences in Admissions and Hiring Contrary to Law (2/12/06)
• ABA Responds to "Affirmative Blackmail" Charge (2/14/06)
• More on the ABA and Law School Diversity (2/15/06)
• Still More on the ABA, AALS, and Law School Diversity (2/16/06)
• More Profs Weigh In On Law School Diversity (2/17/06)
• Update on the ABA and Law School Diversity (2/18/06)
• Update on the ABA and Law School Diversity (2/19/06)
• Groups Opposed to ABA’s New Diversity Requirements Seek Revocation of ABA’s Power to Accredit Law Schools (3/10/06)

For recent commentary, see:

• David Berstein, Is African-American Enrollment in Law School Down? (The Volokh Conspiracy) (3/16/06)
• Gail Heriot, The ABA (The Right Coast) (3/15/06)
• Abigail Thernstrom & Roger Clegg, Bad Standards The ABA Goes to the Grutter (National Review) (3/16/06)