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Diversity
Second BigLaw firm changes diversity fellowship after changes by first lead to suit dismissal
Perkins Coie has agreed to expand its diversity fellowship program after it was sued by a conservative group that opposes affirmative action. Image from Shutterstock.
Updated: Perkins Coie has agreed to expand its diversity fellowship program after it was sued by a conservative group that opposes affirmative action.
Perkins Coie agreed Friday to open the program to all law students based on several criteria, including resilience in overcoming obstacles and leadership in diversity, equity and inclusion, Bloomberg Law reports.
Reuters also has coverage.
Perkins Coie initially restricted applicants to first- and second-year law students from communities that were “historically underrepresented in the legal industry.” Fellowship recipients received stipends of $15,000 to $25,000.
The American Alliance for Equal Rights, a group founded by Edward Blum, an affirmative action critic, had sued Perkins Coie and Morrison & Foerster over their fellowship programs, which were intended to increase diversity in the legal profession. The lawsuits alleged violation of the federal law that bars discrimination based on race when making contracts.
The group dropped the suit Wednesday, report Reuters, Bloomberg Law and Law.com.
Blum’s group also dropped its suit against Morrison & Foerster after the firm agreed in August to make similar changes to its fellowship program, Bloomberg Law reports in a separate story.
See also:
“In new admissions cycle, law schools are trying to avoid ‘litigation bait’ with race-neutral plans”
Updated Oct. 12 at 8:20 a.m. to report that the lawsuit against Perkins Coie has been dropped.
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