N.Y. state bar forms task force to fight racism, social inequity

Sep 17, 2021

The New York State Bar Association is launching a task force focused on examining and combating structural racism and other types of biases, in its latest effort to address broader national social issues.

The task force unveiled Thursday will include attorneys from across the state who will examine how racism permeates the lives of New Yorkers with an eye to exploring changes in law and public policy.

The group will also study entrenched stigma based on gender and sexual orientation, according to the bar's announcement.

The new group has launched about a week after the bar publicized another task force to study the effects of COVID-19 on the legal profession. The NYSBA has also convened a group to study racial injustice and police reform, and it released a 114-page report earlier in 2021.

T. Andrew Brown, president of NYSBA and managing partner of business and litigation firm Brown Hutchinson, said the task forces are always “responsive to the moment,” including the new Task Force on Racism, Social Equity and the Law.

“Quite frankly, it follows George Floyd and we're still seeing the fallout of that,” he said. “It really has narrowed focus pointedly on issues of racism and how racism really does serve as a blemish, not only on our society, but has a harmful impact upon all of us as citizens.”

https://www.reuters.com/legal/legali...ty-2021-09-16/