Yes, we have an optional biographical section of the application where applicants may share a gender other than the one listed on standard legal forms, indicate their preferred pronouns, choose “Mx.” as a prefix; and a diversity and inclusion section where applicants may opt-in to receiving outreach from our student LGBTQ+ group. Applicants are also invited to include an optional statement in their applications discussing economic, cultural, or social factors that have been significant in their development and identity, or that have presented obstacles to them. Many applicants use this statement to discuss their sexual orientation or gender identity. There is a process for students to change their gender identity post-enrollment.
St. John’s Law School actively seeks to employ a diverse pool of staff/faculty/administrators, including visible, out LGBTQ+ individuals. St. John’s Law School is located in New York City in the borough of Queens, recognized as one of the most diverse urban counties in the United States. The Law School is committed to diversity of all kinds in its faculty, students, and staff, and we encourage applications from candidates who will increase the diversity of the St. John’s Law community.
The Appointments Committee at the Law School makes efforts to recruit promising candidates from all underrepresented groups in the legal academy, including LGBT faculty. The Appointments Committee considers candidates’ potential contribution to the diversity of our faculty in evaluating candidates, and we have solicited applications from candidates representing underrepresented groups (including LGBT candidates) identified by members of our current faculty, by colleagues on other faculties, and through our own review of the faculties of other law schools we look to as sources of potential lateral candidates.
The diversity statement from our faculty hiring posting, states in part, “St. John’s University is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex (including sexual harassment and sexual violence), sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, disability, religion, age, status in the uniformed services of the United States (including veteran status), marital status, status as a victim of domestic violence, citizenship status, genetic predisposition, carrier status, or any other classification protected under federal, state, or local law.
The Appointments Committee pays special attention to candidates who identify themselves in ways that will enrich the diversity of the Law School community and prioritizes interviewing and calling back such candidates. In making hiring decisions, one of the factors considered is whether the candidate will add to the diversity of the St. John’s Law community; and that includes LGBTQ+ diversity. Candidates who interview at the Law School are introduced to our diverse and inclusive environment with indicators of our culture that include prominently displayed signs throughout the Law School building that St. John’s Law is a “Diverse, Inclusive, Accepting, Welcoming, Safe Space For Everyone.”
As members of the Law School community, our staff/faculty/administrators have the opportunity to voluntarily and (if they desire) confidentially self-identify their gender identity and sexual orientation.
St. John’s University offers health insurance, family medical leave, parental leave, and nontraditional family planning such as in vitro fertilization and/or adoptive benefits on equal terms to same-sex couples who are married. The St. John’s University Employee Benefits Program and Welfare Benefit Plan are reproduced for review.
Employee Benefits Program 2020
Employee Health Benefits Summary
Welfare Benefit Plan
There is some coverage for related services.
Employee Benefits Program 2020
Employee Health Benefits Summary
St. John’s Law offers health insurance to students.
Student Health Benefits 2019-2020
Student Health Benefits Summary
The student health insurance plan is only available to enrolled students. Some transition-related healthcare benefits may be offered to enrolled students.
The following language appears on the St. John’s University Counseling & Consultation Center website (https://www.stjohns.edu/life-st-johns/health-and-wellness/center-counseling-consultation):
The staff at the Center for Counseling & Consultation (CCC) is dedicated to helping students with a whole range of challenges that may interfere with the ability to live well, relate to others, and succeed academically.
One of the amazing things about St. John’s is that we have students from all over the country and all over the world, from all different walks of life.
We are sensitive to your needs here at the Counseling Center and will work with you to talk about your concerns.
St. John’s provides three gender-inclusive restrooms in the Law School building. These gender-inclusive restrooms are identified with signage that states, “ALL-GENDER RESTROOM” in addition to having room numbers on the doors for identification on building maps. The St. John’s Law OUTLaws and Allies executive board distributed electronic communication informing students about the availability and location of these facilities. In addition, the Inclusivity Resource Center at St. John’s University also provides gender neutral resources to the student body.
St. John’s Law offers a course on Issues of Race & Gender in Law, which includes consideration of LGBTQ+ issues.
Courses that cover or discuss LGBTQ+ issues include, but are not limited to, the following:
Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Law Seminar (2 hours)
Comparative Law
Constitutional Law II (1.5 – 3 hours)
Consumer Protection (approximately up to 1 hour)
Immigration Law
International Human Rights Law
Legislative and Statutory Interpretation
Professional Responsibility
The First Amendment: The Religion Clauses
Trust and Estates
St. John’s Law has an active LGBTQ+ law student group, OUTLaws & Allies, that is supported by the administration and Law School community in general. St. John’s Law provides funding, including travel support, for LGBTQ+ students to participate in LGBTQ+-focused learning and career services opportunities such as the Lavender Law Conference & Career Fair convened by the LGBT Bar and events with the LGBT Bar Association and Foundation of Greater New York (LeGaL).
Yes, mandatory for all students
St. John’s Law continuously works to be a safe, inclusive, and welcoming home for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, administrators, and guests. St. John’s Law is committed to providing relevant LGBTQ+ resources through trainings, initiatives, and events directed towards awareness of LGBTQ+ issues and concerns. The administration appointed the Director of Diversity & Inclusion, in part, to devote a safe space at St. John’s Law for members of the LGBTQ+ community and expand the reach of the Law School to the LGBTQ+ legal community. St. John’s Law regularly recognizes the contributions of LGBTQ+ students, faculty, administrators, and staff in strengthening our diversity.
LGBTQ+ students at St. John’s University School of Law experience a welcoming environment, and are supported by faculty and administrators as well as a robust LGBTQ+ student organization, OUTLaws and Allies. OUTLaws and Allies engages our student community by planning professional and social events each semester and reaching out to admitted students who indicate on their applications that they are LGBTQ+. Drawing on the diverse and welcoming legal community in New York City and our alumni base, members of OUTLaws have the opportunity to network with LGBTQ+-friendly employers and members of the LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York on a regular basis, and the Law School hosts LGBTQ+ judges and practitioners at student-centered events. Members of the LGBTQ+ student and alumni community are also celebrated each year at our annual Diversity and Inclusion Gala.
Notice of Non-Discrimination – St. John’s University School of Law Student Handbook
Policy 704 – Policy against Bias, Discrimination, and Harassment
Yes. The current student president of our OUTLaws & Allies organization emailed all law school candidates in the LSAC Candidate Referral Service who identified as LGBTQ+ an introductory email informing them of the organization at St. John’s Law, and welcoming them to contact him or the admissions office. The admissions office also recruits prospective students at events nationwide, including many that are focused on reaching diverse student populations, including LGBTQ+ students. St. John’s Law actively recruits students from the Ronald H. Brown Law School Prep Program for College Students. This pipeline program actively seeks out diverse candidates, including those from the LGBTQ+ community. One of our current LGBTQ+ students enrolled through the prep program before joining us. At the yield stage, an LGBTQ+ senior administrator or faculty member called each admitted student who identified as LGBTQ+ to speak with them about St. John’s Law, and answer any questions they might have about being part of the LGBTQ+ community at the Law School.