Press Release

Washington, DC — The following is a statement from American Association for Justice President Navan Ward Jr. on Black History Month:

"Black History Month in 2022 finds us at a historic moment, as the largest bar associations in America, the American Association for Justice, the Defense Research Institute, the American Bar Association, and National Bar Association are being led at the same time by Black lawyers. There was a time when the only bar association option for Black lawyers was the National Bar Association. That there are four Black lawyers in these leadership positions concurrently is unprecedented and is a tremendous source of pride for each of us and for those we represent.

As we celebrate our progress, we recognize that we have a long way to go across the legal profession, including in our law schools, our associations, and our practices. To that end, AAJ recently launched a diversity pledge to support member firms in their recruitment, retention, and promotion of minority lawyers. We will also continue to invest in our Leadership Academy, which provides comprehensive training to prepare underrepresented lawyers in AAJ for leadership in the association and in law firms.

To achieve diversity in our profession, we must treat every month as Black History Month. It must be part of our consciousness all year if we want to see real results and lasting change. We are heading in the right direction, and there is much work ahead, but if we persist, we will prevail."