DOJ accuses Berkeley Law of race-based admissions, seeks remedy

The Justice Department says UC Berkeley School of Law deliberately discriminated against white and Asian applicants in its 2024–25 admissions cycles, arguing the school used race-conscious methods in defiance of federal civil rights law and California’s Prop 209. The DOJ cites public remarks by Berkeley’s Dean Erwin Chemerinsky suggesting race proxies and admissions materials that pressure race conversations, along with data showing significant disparities after accounting for LSAT and GPA (e.g., Black applicants had about 5.8–6.5x higher odds of admission). Berkeley denies the charges, asserting it complies with Prop 209 and the Constitution, while UCLA faces a separate Title VI investigation. The DOJ is seeking a voluntary resolution to bring Berkeley’s admissions practices into compliance.