NYSBA-Report on Advancing Diversity - September 2023 - Executive Committee Adopted September 20, 2023

Aug 30, 2026

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Report and Recommendations of the New York State Bar Association Task Force on Advancing Diversity (September 2023) sets out a post-SFFA decision path for law schools, other higher education institutions, private employers, and the judiciary. It explains why diversity matters across legal education, corporate and law firm workplaces, and judicial institutions, and identifies admissions and policy barriers affecting access. It provides risk-focused guidance for employers and practical strategies for courts, including communication, bias training, community engagement, and data collection and analysis.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages97

Reading Time4 h 4 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

The Importance of Diversity

Diversity in Law Schools and Other Higher Education Institutions

Diversity in Corporations and Law Firms

Diversity in the Judiciary

Implications of the SFFA Decision for Law Schools and Other Higher Education Institutions

Implications of the SFFA Decision for Private Employers: Corporations and Law Firms

Implications of the SFFA Decision for the Judiciary

Conclusion

Report and Recommendations of the New York State Bar Association Task Force on Advancing Diversity September 2023 Adopted by the Executive Committee on September 20, 2023. REPORT OF THE NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION TASK FORCE ON ADVANCING DIVERSITY TABLE OF CONTENTS I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................3 II. THE IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY .................................................................7 A. Diversity in Law Schools and Other Higher Education Institutions .................7 B. Diversity in Corporations and Law Firms ....................................................... 14 C. Diversity in the Judiciary ................................................................................20 III. IMPLICATIONS OF THE SFFA DECISION FOR LAW SCHOOLS AND OTHER HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS...........................................24 A. Institutional Goals and Values ........................................................................24 B. Permissible Processes Following the SFFA Decision .....................................25 C. Policy Barriers in Admissions Processes ........................................................28 1. Standardized Testing Requirements ................................................................29 2. Legacy, Athlete and Donor Preferences ..........................................................31 3. Tuition and Educational Resource Costs.........................................................32 4. Outreach, Enrollment and Student Success Barriers .......................................35 D. Broad Educational Institution Strategy ...........................................................36 IV. IMPLICATIONS OF THE SFFA DECISION FOR PRIVATE EMPLOYERS: CORPORATIONS AND LAW FIRMS ...............................................................40 A. Legal Framework and Current Landscape ......................................................40 B. Legal Risks of Dialing Back DEI Initiatives ...................................................52 C. Guidance for Private Employers .....................................................................56 V. IMPLICATIONS OF THE SFFA DECISION FOR THE JUDICIARY .........75 A. Strategy and Leadership Communication .......................................................75 B. Bias Training and Educational Outreach......................................................... 80 C. Engage with the Community and Local Organizations................................... 81 D. Data Collection and Analysis .......................................................................... 83 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................ 85 Members of the Task Force on Advancing Diversity Task Force Co-Chairs Jeh C. Johnson Brad S. Karp Loretta E. Lynch Academia Working Group Co-chairs: Dean Gillian Lester & Dean Alicia Ouellette Dean Matthew Diller Lara Ann Flath Eric Jonathan Friedman David J. Greenwald Marvin Krislov Kapil Longani Dean Troy A. McKenzie Business Working Group Co-chairs: Michael Delikat & Julie Swidler Barbara Lynn Becker Roger Blissett T. Andrew Brown Anne L. Clark Deneen Donnley Lissette Duran Stacey Friedman Jose Ramon Gonzalez Eric Grossman Kimberley D. Harris Adam Klein Sandra Leung Anthony V. Lupo Zakiyyah Salim-Williams Deirdre Stanley Liza M. Velazquez Alex Dumas Chiara Genovese Richard Katz Members of the Task Force on Advancing Diversity Law Firm Working Group Co-chairs: Jonathan Katz & Jill Rosenberg Bradley J. Butwin Peter A. Furci Michael Gerstenzang Julie H. Jones Adam T. Klein Kim Koopersmith Alden Millard Jesse Solomon Kathleen M. Sweet Caren Ulrich Stacy Barry M. Wolf Judiciary Working Group Co-chairs: Hon. Cheryl E. Chambers & Hon. Edwina G. Richardson-Mend

FAQs

What decision the report addresses, and why does it matter for diversity efforts?

The report addresses the implications of the SFFA decision, focusing on how it affects access and diversity across education, employment, and the judiciary. It aims to provide guidance on lawful, practical next steps after the ruling.

How does the report connect diversity to legal education, corporations, and law firms, and the judiciary?

It outlines the importance of diversity in law schools and higher education, in corporate and law firm environments, and in the judiciary. The report frames diversity as beneficial to training, organizational performance, and public confidence in justice.

What guidance does the report offer to private employers regarding DEI initiatives after the SFFA decision?

It identifies legal risks of scaling back DEI efforts and offers guidance for private employers on how to proceed. The focus is on aligning employer actions with the relevant legal framework and current landscape.

Aug 30, 2026

Upload by Asher