Ed Blum, the activist behind the Supreme Court affirmative action cases, is now suing two law firms that offer fellowships for diverse candidates, accusing them of unlawful racial discrimination against white candidates, reports the Wall Street Journal.
The lawsuits, filed in Texas against Perkins Coie and Morrison and Foerster, alleges Perkins Coie has been "racially discriminating against future lawyers for decades" by limiting some fellowship positions to applicants who are "'students of color,' 'students who identify as LGBTQ+,' or 'students with disabilities.'"
It said Morrison and Foerster considers only "African American/Black, Latinx, Native Americans/Native Alaskans, and/or members of the LGBTQ+ community" for its Keith Wetmore Fellowship for Excellence, Diversity, and Inclusion.
Perkins Coie said it will fight the suit.
"As a firm, we have been a leader in efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession. Our commitment to those values remains steadfast. We will defend this lawsuit vigorously."
Blum's group earlier this month sued an Atlanta-based venture capital fund that supports Black women who own small businesses, accusing it of unlawful racial discrimination.
The nonprofit American Alliance for Equal Rights, founded by affirmative action foe Blum, said in its lawsuit that the firm, called Fearless Fund, is violating Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, a U.S. law barring racial bias in private contracts, by making only Black women eligible in a grant competition.
Lawsuits brought by another group founded by Blum led to the Supreme Court's June ruling declaring unlawful the race-conscious student admissions policies used by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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