But there will always be someone out there putting something on an email that they wouldn’t necessarily wish the world to see.

Already this week, we have had the ‘Fab’ulous Goldman Sachs banker whose very personal emails, written through a firm e-mail account, have become part of one of the biggest investigations into the subsequent financial crisis. They have also become very  public after Goldman leaked them to the press prior to the Senate hearing on Tuesday. At least Fab has Goldman behind him.

The latest email scandal from the heart of America’s top law school, Harvard, is likely to leave the writer without such powerful backing. According to Above the Law, a third year law student decided to make the case for a biological reason for racial disparities in intelligence at a dinner and followed up with an email for clarification. Another then decided to hit Forward and send the email to Harvard Black Law Student Association. At this point it is understood that Black Law Student Associations across the country have also received a copy – with details of the student’s name and her training contract/pupillage (equivalent). Here’s an extract:

I absolutely do not rule out the possibility that African Americans are, on average, genetically predisposed to be less intelligent. I could also obviously be convinced that by controlling for the right variables, we would see that they are, in fact, as intelligent as white people under the same circumstances. The fact is, some things are genetic. African Americans tend to have darker skin. Irish people are more likely to have red hair.

The email goes on to discuss in greater depth the basis for her argument, you can read it in full here.

Whatever you think of the scientific possibilities, there’s no escaping the premise from which she initiated her argument. Needless to say her email has created a serious shitstorm:

ATL Tipster: The firestorm that has resulted has been EPIC. [A member or members of] Harvard’s BLSA sent the email, along with CRIMSON DNA’s name and information, to the BLSAs at other Top 14 schools. The BLSAs are meeting to discuss what should be done about this and judging from the craziness on the listservs and at meetings, this is going to get ugly. They want to go after her clerkship offer, so this one might make the news.

One or two corrections have been made to the details (click here) but the substance of the situation remains. Interestingly, her argument has actually sparked some debate over the possibilities; being a legal blog not a scientific one, we will leave you to mull them over for yourselves.

Our take – as far as legal careers go, law firms and other legal establishments are unlikely to welcome such controversey. So, when it comes to putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, remember; you have been warned.