On July 4, 2026, Washington Law Review—in collaboration with Moot Court Honor Board at the University of Washington, Washington Journal of International Law, Washington Journal of Law, Technology, and Arts, and Washington Journal of Social and Environmental Justice—submitted a public comment to the ABA Council’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar opposing the Council’s move to repeal Standard 303(c). This repeal removes the requirement that law schools “provide education to law students on bias, cross-cultural competency, and racism.”
Our decision to submit this public comment reflects the commitment we made in 2020 to take meaningful action to address the ways in which bias manifests in law school and on law reviews. We oppose the repeal of ABA Standard 303(c) with the recognition that legal education plays a crucial role in shaping the profession. Academic institutions have a responsibility to prepare future lawyers to recognize, understand, and navigate the issues of bias and racism within the legal system in order to work towards a more just profession.
The full public comment is available to read here, beginning on page 36.
Special thanks to Washington Law Review Executive Managing Editors James Minghao Cao and Ryan Culpeper and Washington Law Review Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee members Kate Mulligan and Arenjot Kaur Sanghera for providing their Bluebook expertise and thoughtful contributions during the preparation of this public comment.
