As a former Skadden Fellow, I look forward every year to the announcement of the new crop of Fellows. And every year I am disappointed by the overrepresentation of students from elite law schools. This year especially so. 1/6 https://twitter.com/SkaddenArps/status/1330909954514055168

This year Skadden awarded 29 Fellowships. Of those, 19 went to schools in the top 10 of the US News rankings, and another 4 went to schools in the top 20, leaving 6 going to schools below the top 20. Harvard Law got a whopping 9 Fellowships. 2/6

I’m sure all of the recipients are excellent students with bright careers in front of them. Law schools around the country are full of excellent students who aspire to careers in the public interest. 3/6

I have also known and worked with many terrific public interest lawyers who did not go to top 10 law schools. I have a hard time believing so many qualified Skadden applicants disproportionately come from a few elite schools. 4/6

Starting a career in public interest law is hard. Jobs are few & far between, and highly competitive. Fellowships like Skadden are a way to get a foot in the door and make a living wage. Students from elite schools already have an advantage in getting these jobs. 5/6

We’ve seen the self-perpetuating elitism in law school hiring and the way it disadvantages women, people of color, low income & first generation students. It is really a shame to see that same elitism replicated in the selection of public interest lawyers. Do better, Skadden. 5/5