Columbia Law School Advises Students to Avoid Offensive Terms

Columbia Law students have been advised to stop using phrases such as “grandfathering” and other antiquated terms in a mandatory training session, the Washington Free Beacon reported on Tuesday.

The class, led by Marquerite Fletcher, a former corporate lawyer at WilmerHale, centered on a single case study involving a student’s complaint that scheduling events around Jewish holidays was difficult.

In audio of the training, Fletcher, who the outlet noted has previously wished clients a 'HappyChrismaHanuKwanzakah,' described the complaint as a classic example of a 'microaggression' and invited students to suggest additional examples.

In another part of the training, Fletcher cautioned lawyers against using the term 'grandfathering,' citing its roots in the Jim Crow South. She also recalled being reprimanded at a Massachusetts 'lawyer well-being group' for referring to a 'crazy uncle,' as the phrase was seen as stigmatizing toward people with mental health conditions

"I learned from it," Fletcher recalled in the audio obtained by the outlet. "I’ve never said it again If you said something that landed on somebody badly or was inappropriate in some way, wouldn't you want to know?"

Protests riled the university in May after it announced it would be laying off close to 180 employees due to the Trump administration pulling $400 million in federal funding over Columbia’s inability to combat the anti-Israel sentiment plaguing the school.

The arrangement had Columbia pay a $200 million fine and share their hiring and admission data with federal authorities.

A Columbia Law School spokesperson told the outlet, “The workshop in question focused on helping students navigate challenging interactions in the classroom to fulfill ABA Standard 303(c), which requires law schools to “provide education to law students on bias, cross-cultural competency, and racism” at the start of their legal education. Incoming law students also participated in a mandatory multi-day orientation program that featured discussions on free expression and civil discourse, rules and expectations for student conduct, and professional advancement.”