Diversity Statement?

I originally intended to write a diversity statement. I'm 33, married, two kids, advanced degree in a technical subject, career experience with some meaningful responsibility, publications in high impact journals. I am definitely not the traditional law school applicant. When it came time to write the statement, I realized that most of what makes me unique is easy to see in other parts of my application. Why make the admissions committee read another essay that is basically a restatement of my resume? The only thing that was not addressed in elsewhere in my file was my family information. I think that's relevant to law school admissions. I just added a personal section to my resume and mentioned that I'm married and have 2 kids (I would never include it in my professional resume). The phrasing of requests for diversity statements gives me the impression that they want things that cannot be directly addressed in the application form. All of my diversity is right there for them to see.

I'm on the fence about a paragraph or two expressing my interest in UVa and Vanderbilt (my reach schools). There is not a request for insight into why I am applying to UVa or Vandy, but the conventional wisdom seems to be to include one anyway, assuming you can say something that will add to the application. I would not send something that was general and vague just to say that I had sent the essay. I would want there to be a solid connection between something the school offers and some element of my legal interests or something related to my background. Wash U has a center focused on using empirical techniques to study legal questions. That connects directly to my research experience. I added a statement to that affect where they ask for why I am interested in Wash U in the application. I might write a Why UVa essay, but there is a good chance that I will not. When I'm not sure about my application strategy, I refer to my Law School Admissions reference. The tone of her optional essay chapter sounds like you should give the school what they want and leave it at that. I might look at it again to help me make my decision.

So diversity statement, definitely no. Maybe (but probably not) on the Why X essays.