Dear LLS Community,
We call your attention to the earlier message from President Snyder on behalf of the university. We are grateful for his leadership and affirm the convictions he has expressed in this statement.
Law is a service profession. And our profession’s legitimacy depends on our ties to the clients and communities we serve. Racial and ethnic diversity are fundamental to ensuring excellence in legal education because a learning environment without diversity threatens our ability to produce thinkers, advocates, and leaders equipped to tackle the myriad problems faced by and within our legal institutions. As a Jesuit Marymount institution, our mission directs us to broaden access to legal education to individuals with diverse backgrounds, and diversity, equity, and inclusion are among our core values. As scholars whose work focuses on barriers to full inclusion into society, we recognize the legacy of exclusion and prejudice that remain embedded in our culture and legal system. Law schools have a moral, ethical, and legal duty to promote equal opportunity.
There are many, many things we love about our community and that make us strong. Our strength is rooted in individuals being welcomed and celebrated for their different backgrounds and perspectives—this is part of the tapestry of this amazing institution. We are proud of the steps we have taken to advance equity and inclusion, and working within legal means, we remain committed to pursuing opportunities to foster diversity. Our system of justice depends on an unwavering commitment to these goals.
Best,
Michael E. Waterstone
Dean, LMU Loyola Law School
Brietta Clark
Incoming Interim Dean, LMU Loyola Law School