Conservative Lawyer Hopes to Prove Discrimination Case

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — After years of arguing that liberal Iowa law professors illegally derailed her career, a conservative lawyer will get a second chance to prove her claim to a jury.

Jury selection started Monday afternoon in federal court in Davenport in a lawsuit filed by anti-abortion activist Teresa Manning, who contends that the University of Iowa College of Law refused to hire her for teaching jobs because of her beliefs and associations.

The long-running lawsuit has been closely watched in higher education. Manning has reached a deal with a publisher to write a book about her experience, and has said the retrial provides a “historic moment” for social conservatives to expose an example of what they claim is political discrimination against them in higher education.

The university contends Manning botched a job interview.