DOJ finds Duke Law race discrimination

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a findings letter accusing Duke University School of Law of illegally considering race in its admissions process for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 incoming classes, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. The DOJ alleged that Duke Law used proxies for race, such as personal essays and first-generation college status, to maintain racial diversity. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stated that using diversity essay questions to identify preferred races is illegal discrimination. The DOJ cited admissions data showing Black and Hispanic applicants were more likely to be admitted than white or Asian applicants with comparable credentials, and that in 2024-2025 the median LSAT scores of rejected white and Asian applicants exceeded those of admitted Black applicants. Duke University said it is reviewing the letter and remains committed to complying with the law consistent with its academic mission. The DOJ seeks a settlement to bring Duke Law into compliance and is prepared to file a lawsuit if no agreement is reached. This action is part of a broader Trump administration crackdown on higher education, including similar findings against Yale and UCLA medical schools, investigations into 15 other medical schools, and Education Department probes into San Jose State and San Francisco State over pro-Palestinian protests.