Trump, GOP Put Pressure on ABA Over Rolling Back DEI Initiative

The American Bar Association (ABA) is moving closer to rolling back a key diversity initiative in an effort to hang on as the nation’s law school accreditor while the Trump administration and Republicans ramp up pressure on such DEI initiatives.

In recent years, conservatives have looked to sideline the ABA over concerns it leans politically to the left. They no longer view it as a neutral group that can be trusted.

Front and center in the fight are the ABA’s diversity initiatives.

Under what is known as Standard 206, law schools desiring accreditation must “demonstrate by concrete action a commitment to diversity and inclusion.”

The standard was suspended the month after Trump took office, and it’s not currently set to go into effect until at least August 2027. As conservatives aggressively push back, the ABA might now scrap it once and for all.

It heads to the ABA House of Delegates for consideration this summer at their annual conference.

The development follows a 10-4 vote this month to repeal the diversity standard by the Accreditation Council. It technically operates independently from the ABA and plays a key role in the process.

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And beyond the state-by-state pushback, The Trump administration is mounting pressure as well.

Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson has barred political appointees from renewing their ABA membership.

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