By James Greif
The inaugural AALS Impact Award will be presented to the five law deans who created the Law Deans Antiracist Clearinghouse Project: Danielle M. Conway (Penn State Dickinson Law), Danielle Holley-Walker (Howard University School of Law), Kimberly Mutcherson (Rutgers Law School), Angela Onwuachi-Willig (Boston University School of Law), and Carla D. Pratt (Washburn University School of Law).
Launched in June, the Law Deans Antiracist Clearinghouse Project is a resource for law deans, faculty, and the public that contains information related to addressing racism in law and legal education. The website also serves as a collective voice from the leadership of the legal academy condemning racism. Statements that law school deans have sent to their communities regarding racism have been archived as part of the website.
The AALS Executive Committee established the Impact Award this year to honor individuals or a group of individuals who have had a significant positive impact on legal education or the legal profession. The award will be presented as warranted and not necessarily given every year.
Left to Right: Danielle M. Conway (Penn State Dickinson Law), Danielle Holley-Walker (Howard Law), Kimberly Mutcherson (Rutgers Law), Angela Onwuachi-Willig (Boston University Law), and Carla D. Pratt (Washburn University Law).
“The AALS thanks these five law school leaders for creating the Law Deans Antiracist Clearinghouse Project and is pleased to honor their efforts with the inaugural AALS Impact Award,” said Darby Dickerson, AALS President and Dean of UIC John Marshall Law School. “These remarkable women conceptualized and created this phased guide to help law schools develop a sustainable antiracist agenda and provide resources and steps for each phase of the process. Given the project’s impact, they are the perfect inaugural recipients.”
“The five extraordinary deans who are receiving this award acted decisively in a moment that required a meaningful response from all of us in legal education,” said Vince Rougeau, AALS President-elect and Dean of Boston College Law School. “In assembling these resources, they have provided their colleagues with a wonderful set of materials to support our work in building an antiracist future for our law schools, our profession, and our society.”
The award will be presented during the 2021 AALS Annual Meeting on Tuesday, January 5.
