Berkeley Law Review Prioritizes Life Experience Over Editing Skills in New Admissions Process

The California Law Review at UC Berkeley has instituted a holistic admissions framework that gives greater weight to candidates’ personal statements about race, culture, and perspective, relegating editing proficiency to a secondary consideration. Applicants like Maya Parthasarathy, a former one outlet deputy, argue that hiring practices that de-emphasized grades can guide the journal’s diversity objectives. Committee members, including Clemencia Garcia-Kasimirowski and Mackenzie Gettel, explicitly state their intent to amplify Native and marginalized voices.

Review of fourteen applications from 2023-2026 shows the personal statement—accounting for 30% of the overall score—often determines editorial appointments, despite the journal’s claim of equal opportunity. The approach mirrors controversies at Duke and Harvard law reviews, which have attracted federal scrutiny. Editor-in-chief Deksyos Damtew circulated an article on “whiteness” for new editors, underscoring the journal’s anti-racist focus. Faculty advisors and administrators have declined to comment on oversight of the admissions process.