Civil rights icon, Rep. John Lewis, wrote in 2018, “Freedom is not a state; it is an act. It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau where we can finally sit down and rest. Freedom is the continuous action we all must take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society.” As legal educators, we aim to equip our students—the next generation of lawyers—to do their part to wield the powerful instrument of the law to advance the aims of justice, fairness and equity. We teach that being effective and ethical attorneys requires a commitment to lifetime learning and growth.

It is in that spirit that we commend the New Jersey Supreme Court on its plan to implement a diversity, inclusion and anti-bias Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirement for judges and attorneys. This requirement will advance the growth and learning that is a hallmark of our profession, and it will help to engage us all in the essential work of eliminating racial injustice in the legal system and beyond.