FBANC Statement on the Passing of the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The FBANC Board offers sincere condolences to the family of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on Friday, September 18, 2020 at the age of 87. 

The news of Justice Ginsburg’s passing filled so many of us who admired her with grief and sorrow. She was a pioneering champion of justice, civil rights, and equality for all.  Justice Ginsburg blazed trails and broke barriers for generations of women, the LGBTQ community, and communities of color.  

At a 2018 National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) event, California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin H. Liu discussed diversity in the legal profession with Justice Ginsburg. She identified that unconscious bias is currently one of the principal impediments to equality:

The more people recognize that [unconscious bias] exists, the more likely it will be that the biases will be overcome, and also when women and members of minority groups are out there [in the workplace/profession] in numbers than one at a time curiosities, that barrier will fall.

Justice Ginsburg, Diversity in the Legal Profession, in NAPABA Presents: Diversity in the Legal Profession: A Conversation with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (2018). 

Since its founding 40 years ago, FBANC has focused on strengthening the pipeline for diverse lawyers and judges. We continue to carry forth this mission to overcome the challenges to equality in the legal profession, as identified by Justice Ginsburg. Thank you Justice Ginsburg for your passionate service towards shaping a more perfect union. FBANC will strive to continue your legacy.