Abstract The year 2020 has forced us, as a nation, to recognize painful realities about systemic racism in our country and our legal system. The fallacies in our founding documents and the vestiges of our slave past are so woven into our national culture that they became hard to see except for those who suffered their daily…
Law Society of Scotland launches new Racial Inclusion Group
The Law Society of Scotland has launched a new group on Racial Inclusion, headed up by Tatora Mukushi, a solicitor with Shelter Scotland, who has been appointed as the first convener of the group. The group has been formed by the Law Society, with the goal of forming a better understanding of the lived and…
Bar Standards Board of England and Wales publishes data showing that female barristers and those from ethnic minorities earn less than white males
On the 5th November, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) published new analysis surrounding its data on barristers’ income by gender and ethnicity. The research demonstrates that female barristers are likely to earn less than male barristers and that those from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups are likely to earn less than White barristers….
New York State Bar Publishes Independent Review of the New York State Court System’s Response to Issues of Institutional Racism
The New York State Bar has published the findings by the special adviser on equal justice, Jeh Charles Johnson. Over the course of the review Mr. Jonson conducted 96 interviews involving 289 individuals from across the state. This included interviews with judges, court clerks a range of practitioners within the system, and others involved in…
ABA issues new guidance on lawyer misconduct
On the 15th July, the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility released guidance that expands on a model rule that covers a lawyer’s conduct related to harassment and discrimination. ABA Formal Ethics Opinion 493 outlines how ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(g) addresses actions by a lawyer beyond the courtroom…
California approves measures to advance equity in attorney discipline
At its July 16 meeting, the State Bar Board of Trustees approved a plan aimed at improving equity in the attorney discipline system, following up on the bar’s first-ever study on racial disparities in the disciplinary system. The first group of reforms aim to expand representation by counsel when an attorney faces a disciplinary investigation….
Racism in predictive justice, the issues with algorithmic policing
A new article by Will Douglas Heaven, senior AI editor at the MIT technology review has called for an end to the use of predictive policing and justice, powered by AI algorithms. The article looks at a number of ways that race feeds into AI algorithms, and how this can detriment minorities. The article suggests…
ABA launches new resource on racial justice
The American Bar Association has announced the launch of the ABA Racial Equity in the Justice System website. A central resource aimed at providing information to ABA members, attorneys, the profession and the public on issues such as addressing bias, racism and prejudice in the justice system and society. The website will include resources such…