Law Schools
Duke Law accused of racial discrimination by DOJ
The U.S. Department of Justice has alleged that Duke University School of Law “intentionally discriminated based on race” in its admissions decisions. (John M. Chase/Getty Images)
The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that Duke University School of Law “intentionally discriminated based on race” during the last three admissions cycles to admit more Blacks and Hispanics, according to a news release.
At issue are Duke’s use of diversity-driven essay questions to encourage applicants to reveal their race and adjustments to its mission statement, conduct that violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to strike down race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard University and University of North Carolina.
“Using ‘diversity’ essay questions to identify preferred races for admission is still illegal discrimination based on race, and this department is committed to eliminating it everywhere we find it, including in our nation’s law schools,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in the Thursday news release.
A six-page Aug. 6 letter signed by Dhillon alleges that the North Carolina law school’s mission statement changed to express its goal to “help build and sustain a dynamic legal profession that embodies a commitment” to a number of stated values, such as equal justice, public service and a “diversity of perspective and experience.”
On its applications, the school list six potential essay questions topics, including one on diverse perspectives. The letter alleges that reviewers were told to tag responses related to diversity or if the applicant received a Pell Grant, stating that is commonly correlated with race.
The letter offers data from 2018 through 2025 showing that Black and Hispanic applicants in 2024 were admitted with lower LSAT scores of 164 and 170, respectively, while admitting Asian and white applicants with LSAT scores of 173 and 172, respectively. It adds that median LSATs of denied Asian and white applicants in 2024-2025 exceeded the median LSATs of admitted black applicants.
Because the department determined that Duke Law “deliberately discriminated on the basis of race in its decisions to admit and deny applicants,” the letter states, the department “seeks to enter into a voluntary resolution agreement with the university to ensure that admissions practices are brought into legal compliance.”
“We are reviewing the letter and its conclusions carefully,” the school said in a statement to The Hill. “Duke is committed to complying with the law and will continue to do so in a manner that is consistent with our academic mission.”
Law.com also has the story.
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