Justice Department Concludes UCLA Law School Violated Anti-Discrimination Laws
Justice Department accuses UCLA Law School of racial bias in admissions. New findings spark legal scrutiny and calls for reform.
POLICY WIRE — Los Angeles, United States — The U.S. Department of Justice has determined that the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law violated anti-discrimination laws by considering race in its admissions process.
The decision comes after similar findings against the university’s medical school and amid heightened federal scrutiny of college admissions practices under the previous administration. The Justice Department also previously raised concerns about UC Berkeley Law School and the University of California, San Diego’s medical school over alleged discrimination against white and Asian applicants.
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In response, UCLA Law School stated it adheres to all applicable legal standards in its admissions process, emphasizing a merit-based evaluation of each applicant’s achievements and experiences. However, the department’s investigation found that the law school disadvantaged white and Asian American students by favoring Black and Hispanic applicants in recent classes. The report noted disparities in LSAT scores among admitted students and revealed that admissions staff encouraged applicants to disclose their race in personal essays during recruitment events.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
