'We Need to Lose Our Addiction to Yale and Harvard.' Judge Urges Congress to Diversify Federal Courts

Michael J. McShane, during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, to be United States District Judge for the District of Oregon. Feb. 13, 2013. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM

Judges, lawmakers and legal experts on Monday called for diversifying the federal courts through outreach to potential candidates who didn’t attend elite law schools, and by diversifying the committees responsible for advancing potential nominees to the White House.

During a two-hour House Judiciary Committee hearing, a panel of judges and legal experts described ways to bring people with different backgrounds onto the federal bench. The proceeding comes amid a push by the Biden administration to put forth more diverse nominees after former President Donald Trump was criticized for appointing mostly white men.