The leaders of the Lone Star State's 10 law schools are pledging action to address racism and discrimination in the justice system in the wake of two weeks of nationwide protests against racism and police brutality against black Americans.

The law deans released a joint statement that condemned racism and commemorated George Floyd, whose death by police has lead to charges against the Minneapolis police officers involved.

Their collaboration follows a nationwide trend in which law school deans are making the case that the legal profession must play a key role in promoting justice and ending inequality. Statements have come from law deans in California, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida and more.

Read more: Law Schools Have an 'Obligation' to Help End Racism and Injustice, Deans Argue

While law schools across the country have issued statements supporting racial justice, the Texas deans wanted to be a model for other schools that they can work together on the issues, said Michael Barry, dean of South Texas College of Law Houston. One immediate goal is to ensure that the firms that hire Texas law students consider minority candidates, he said.

In Their Own Words

The deans' joint statement follows individual statements that each dean released to their law school communities earlier this month. Click their names to read their statements.

• Brad Toben, dean of Baylor University School of Law in Waco
• Michael Barry, dean of South Texas College of Law Houston in Houston
• Patricia Roberts, dean of St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio
• Jennifer Collins, dean of Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in Dallas
• Robert Ahdieh, dean of Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth
• Jack Wade Nowlin, dean of Texas Tech University School of Law in Lubbock
• Joan R.M. Bullock, dean of Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston
• Leonard M. Baynes, dean of the University of Houston Law Center
• Ward Farnsworth, dean of the University of Texas School of Law in Austin
• Felecia Epps, dean of the University of North Texas Dallas College of Law

"We decided it would be more powerful for us to issue a statement jointly. These issues are larger than any one school," said Barry.

The deans began discussing the joint statement about a week ago, he added.

The Texas deans said in the statement that they have come together because of their "steadfast, unwavering commitment to the values of equality, nondiscrimination and diversity."

"Our nation seemingly is poised to have important and significant conversations about race and racism, particularly in our systems of justice," the statement said.

Law schools have a special responsibility to educate future lawyers about how to recognize racial injustice and how to advocate to eradicate it. The deans said law schools must be a forum to debate the problem and find solutions, even though conversations about race can be difficult.

The deans pledged to support the bar, judiciary and lawmakers to eradicate racism and discrimination in the justice system. They promised to take action to make the profession more accessible to people of color, and to make sure their law schools are welcoming to people of all races and backgrounds.

"We have confidence that, working with the legal community throughout Texas, we can identify and develop meaningful programs and actions that will help us all address systemic racism and discrimination in the legal system, create a more diverse and inclusive legal profession, and ensure that our laws are applied more justly to people of diverse backgrounds," said the statement.