Office of the President
Dear Lucas:
Last week, the New York State Bar Association filed an amicus curiae brief in a very important case pending before the United States Supreme Court, Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, a case relating to the use of race in undergraduate admission decisions. Our brief emphasizes the importance of promoting diversity in the legal profession because of the central role that lawyers, judges and legal institutions play in our society. As the demographics of our country's population change, it is crucial for our profession to become more diverse. To that end, it is essential for our nation's colleges to graduate talented and qualified diverse candidates, and encourage them to enter the legal profession.
Our brief highlights the efforts that have been made nationally to attract diverse candidates to the legal profession. It also highlights our Association's commitment to increasing diversity. In conclusion, our brief asks the Supreme Court to re-affirm its 2003 holding in Grutter v. Bollinger that racial diversity in higher education is a compelling state interest.
You may read our amicus brief online at www.nysba.org/amicusbrief . This is an important issue for the future of our profession, and we will keep you apprised of developments in this case.
Sincerely,
Seymour W. James, Jr., President