Bloomberg Industry Group Receives ABA Silver Gavel Award For 'UnCommon Law' Podcast Series on Affirmative Action

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Jun 14, 2023, 08:53 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., June 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomberg Industry Group announced that the American Bar Association selected Bloomberg Law's UnCommon Law podcast as a recipient of the 2023 Silver Gavel Award for Media and the Arts. The prestigious awards program recognizes outstanding work that fosters the American public's understanding of law and the legal system.

The four-part series, which kicked off with the episode, "Affirmative Action Faces Toughest Test in a Generation," received the Silver Gavel Award in the Radio Category. The series was hosted and produced by Matthew Schwartz and edited and executive produced by Josh Block. All episodes of UnCommon Law are available at https://news.bloomberglaw.com/podcasts/uncommon-law.

The series leveraged original interviews with attorneys who were there when affirmative action was the topic of Supreme Court arguments, legal scholars, former Supreme Court clerks, leaders in higher education and civil rights organizations, students impacted by affirmative action, and fellow journalists. The podcast mixed these interviews with archival audio, music, and sound design to tell a nuanced and engaging story about why the Supreme Court found the use of affirmative action in college admissions constitutional then, and why it's likely to find it unconstitutional now.

"Bloomberg Industry Group has invested heavily in how we tell the stories that our subscribers want to know," said Editor-in-Chief Cesca Antonelli. "This series shows just how far we've come in bringing top-shelf journalism to the legal community and the general public. In UnCommon Law, Matt and Josh expertly wove together the knowledge, expertise, and dedication to the highest quality journalism that Bloomberg Industry Group strives for every day."

The Silver Gavel Awards are highly selective — this year the ABA is presenting eight Silver Gavels and four Honorable Mentions among 30 finalists identified from 165 entries received in all eligible categories, which include books, commentary, documentaries, drama and literature, magazines, multimedia, newspapers, radio, and television.

"The American Bar Association conducts an extensive review of the entrants and undertakes a deliberative process to select Silver Gavel winners and Honorable Mentions," said Lisa Bail, chair of the ABA Standing Committee on Gavel Awards. "We congratulate all of the 2023 awardees for their dedication and excellent work toward advancing the American public's understanding of the law and the justice system."

The recognized works focus on such matters as gender violence, civil rights, legal history, cold cases, discrimination, civics, and the pursuit of justice. The ABA has presented these awards each year since 1958.

Selection criteria include how the entry addresses the Silver Gavel Awards' purpose and objectives; educational value of legal information; impact on, or outreach to, the public; thoroughness and accuracy in presentation of issues; creativity and originality in approach to subject matter and effectiveness of presentation; and demonstrated technical skill in the entry's production. To learn more about the Silver Gavel Awards, go to www.ambar.org/gavelawards.

About the ABA
The ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

About Bloomberg Industry Group
Bloomberg Industry Group empowers professionals in government, law, tax, and accounting with expertise, industry knowledge, content, and technology, enabling them to take decisive action and make the most of every opportunity. Bloomberg Industry Group is an affiliate of Bloomberg L.P. For more information, visit bloombergindustry.com.

SOURCE Bloomberg Industry Group