Activist behind ending affirmative action targets law firm diversity fellowships in latest case

The legal activist who was behind the fight to convince the Supreme Court to end affirmative action in college admissions filed two lawsuits targeting diversity fellowships at law firms.

American Alliance for Equal Rights President Edward Blum filed federal lawsuits this week in the Southern District of Florida against the law firm Morrison & Foerster and in the Northern District of Texas against Perkins Coie law firm.

Both firms offer high-paying fellowships with generous stipends to law students, but only students who are people of color or are members of the LGBT+ community meet the qualifications to apply.

"This kind of rank discrimination was never lawful, even before SFFA v. Harvard held that colleges cannot use race in admissions" and the firms' "gross racial exclusion is the kind of quota that the law has always banned," the lawsuits both state.

"These law firms are fostering policies that diminish individuals' unique qualifications and accomplishments," Blum said. "Race and ethnicity are attributes, not accomplishments."

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