The American Bar Association Board of Governors passed a resolution on April 3, 2025, reaffirming the association’s commitment to ABA Goal III: Eliminate Bias and Enhance Diversity. The resolution is part of the ABA’s ongoing work to promote full and equal participation in the association, the profession and the justice system by all people and to offer opportunities to all communities and advance the rule of law.
April 29, 2025 Goal III
ABA Board of Governors passes diversity resolution
The resolution calls on the ABA to review the language describing its diversity, equity and inclusion activities to ensure consistency among the ABA’s various policies and programs and among the ABA’s various entities that seek to further Goal III in order to provide central direction regarding those policies and programs. It calls for ABA opportunities and programming related to Goal III to be open to participation by all people who share the ABA’s commitment to that goal and its objectives and whose participation in the ABA would enhance the diversity, equity and inclusion efforts of the association and the legal profession.
Goal III seeks to ensure that all people and groups can fully and equally participate in the justice system, the association and the profession. The resolution resolves that ABA policies or programs that seek to further Goal III shall not base eligibility for participation on particular group identities and instead shall base eligibility on a person’s demonstrated commitment to Goal III.
The resolution reaffirms the ABA’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and trusted justice system, reflecting its long-standing advocacy for a system that is fair and ensuring the long-term success of Goal III efforts. The resolution expands access to ABA programs for anyone who shares the commitment to Goal III.
ABA President Bill Bay in his speech at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Phoenix said, “The ABA believes in excellence. And excellence demands diversity. Our goal calls for the elimination of bias and enhancing diversity in our profession and the justice system. The bottom line is we will not retreat from our goal and objectives in this area.”
Since the ABA’s founding, its commitment to diversity has evolved with the profession and the times. What hasn’t changed is the ABA’s mission to serve its members, the profession and the public by defending liberty and the rule of law. Opening programs to people of all backgrounds who share the ABA’s commitment to Goal III will help build better understanding or diversity, equity and inclusion, leading to a more sustainable legal community.