American Bar Association Challenged Over ‘Illegal’ Diversity Programs

A coalition of conservative legal firms on Monday demanded a federal investigation into the American Bar Association over its racially-focused internship opportunities. 

The groups announced Monday that they had filed a Title VII civil rights charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over its “illegal” selection process for several programs, including the “Diversity Clerkship Program.” The bar association, which accredits law schools throughout the country, was challenged over its programs by the American Civil Rights Project, the Center for Equal Opportunity, and the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty. 

“At this stage, it seems irrefutable that the ABA’s continuance of these programs and continuation of these advertisements of these programs, all with their still-embedded discrimination, must qualify as intentional discrimination in violation of Title VII,” a copy of the complaint sent to the EEOC shared with The Daily Wire says. 

The programs in question include the “Diversity Clerkship Program,” the “Judicial Intern Opportunity Program,” “Business Law Fellows,” and the “Diversity Fellowship.” 

Applicants for the clerkship program must be a “student of color,” “women,” “law students with disabilities,” or a student who has “overcome social or economic disadvantages.”

Qualifications for Diversity Clerkship.

The judicial intern program is a full-time six-week program for students to work with federal or state judges. Applicants of this program must be “members of groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the profession, including students from minority racial and ethnic groups, students with disabilities, veterans, students who are economically disadvantaged, students who identify as LGBTQ+, women, and others.”

The Business Law Fellows Program and the Diversity Fellowship have similar qualification requirements. 

“These individuals and organizations have become aware that the ABA has created a series of systematic violations of Title VII and other federal statutes,” the letter to the EEOC says. “Despite the ABA’s resulting affirmative knowledge of the illegality of these programs, the ABA has not only failed to cure these programs of their illegality, it has retained and extended them.”

The ABA declined to comment.

Both the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty and the American Civil Rights project have previously voiced objections to the American Bar Association’s “diversity” programs. 

“The ABA’s employment practices are flaunting the law and morality,” said Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty Associate Counsel Skylar Croy. “Regardless of race, creed, or background, everyone should be treated equally. Despite the initial successes at the federal level, the fight for true equality is far from over.”

The push to flush diversity, equity, and inclusion programs out of the ABA comes as the Trump administration has moved to eliminate DEI from the federal government. President Donald Trump has signed numerous executive orders instructing federal agencies and departments to get rid of DEI programs and emphasized the government will focus on merit-based qualifications.