On the 70th Anniversary of the decision of the Sweatt v. Painter landmark decision, panelists delved into the progress, or lack thereof, in advancing systemic support for aspiring African American lawyers who choose to attend law school and whether there still exists a disparity in school funding.
PROGRAMMING
From Separate But Equal to Affirmative Action: Where Are We 70 Years After Sweatt v. Painter?
Non-CLE Program
Affirmative action was a core issue of the discussion, but so was equity in terms of school funding and/or access to public/state law schools for African American law students. This panel posed a unique opportunity for an audience to engage on the challenges of ensuring that the legal profession is as diverse as our country.
Please note: this panel is not for CLE credit.
Panelists
- Alfred D. Mathewson (Moderator), Emeritus Professor of Law | The University of New Mexico School of Law
- Joan Bullock, Dean | Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law
- Ward Farnsworth, Dean | The University of Texas School of Law
- George A. Martinez, Professor | Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
- Drucilla Ramey, Dean Emerita | Golden Gate University School of Law
Co-Sponsors
Additional Materials
- Brief of Heman Sweatt Family
- ABA National Lawyer Population Survey - 10-Year Trend in Lawyer Demographics
- 2019 NALP Report on Diversity in US Law Firms (PDF) — December 2019 (Materials distributed with NALP’s permission.)
- Press Release: Representation of Black or African-American Associates Eclipses Pre-Recession Levels for the First Time Despite Slow Overall Progress (PDF)
December 18, 2019 (Materials distributed with NALP’s permission.) - How BigLaw Can Support Black Attys And Improve Diversity
January 31, 2020, Law 360 (Distributed with permission from the author.) - 5 Takeaways From the Harvard Admissions Ruling
October 2, 2019, The New York Times - Diversity Summit 2020: Selected References from January 21, 2020 Session on Diversity Along the Legal Education Continuum