DOJ Finds Berkeley Law Discriminated Against Asian and White Applicants in Admissions
The Justice Department concluded that UC Berkeley Law’s 2024-2025 admissions favored Black applicants, discriminating against Asian and white candidates.
The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division found that the University of California, Berkeley School of Law violated Title VI by employing race, essay prompts and other tactics to meet diversity goals in its 2024 and 2025 admissions cycles. Statistical analysis showed Black applicants were admitted at odds of 5.8 to 6.5 times higher than similarly qualified white applicants, indicating deliberate discrimination against Asian and white candidates.
The review, begun in March 2025, was expanded to include the law school after the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions decision. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon warned the school of a “complete disregard for the rule of law” and is pursuing a voluntary resolution, with litigation as a fallback. Dean Erwin Chemerinksy had earlier argued institutions must find non-constitutional ways to preserve diversity, and a 2020 video shows him acknowledging “unstated affirmative action” in faculty hiring. Berkeley has not responded to requests for comment.
Why it matters
The case tests federal enforcement of race-neutral admissions rules and could reshape diversity policies at law schools nationwide.
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