Diversity: Why checking the "box" is not enough, Diversity Matters, Vol. 2, No. 1 (p. 4)

In February 2008, John Richards spoke as a panelist at the "Hire Big 10 Diversity in the Law 2008" seminar at the ISBA. A panel of practitioners, professors, and in-house counsel spoke to prospective law students on a range of issues. For his part, Mr. Richards discussed how diversity issues can affect law school applications, and he recounts that in this article:

"[I]t is simply not enough for diverse students to just check the appropriate box. Something more is required. A law school does not benefit from its students’ diversity if those students are not willing to share, both in and outside of the classroom, how their diversity has shaped their perspectives. Likewise, law students must illustrate in their applications how being diverse has affected them and how their diversity enhances their abilities to help others....

"Whether you are LGBT, Hispanic, African-American or fall into another “box” on a law school application, sharing your story and struggles and how they relate to your identity, views, and desire to go to law school is crucial."