# DOJ investigation into UC Berkeley Law admissions

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/doj-investigation-into-uc-berkeley-law-admissions
> Updated: 2026-09-11T22:31:30.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 2.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Education have concluded a joint investigation alleging that the UC Berkeley School of Law engaged in illegal race-based admissions. Federal officials claim the school violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by using essay prompts and racial identity questions as proxies for race to bypass the 2023 Supreme Court ruling against race-conscious admissions.

Data from the investigation indicates significant disparities in admission odds for the 2025 class, noting that Black applicants had ‘5.8 times higher odds of admission than comparable white applicants.’ The DOJ also highlighted disparities in LSAT scores, reporting a median of approximately 165 for Black admits compared to roughly 172 for Asian and white admits. Harmeet K. Dhillon, the Justice Department’s top civil rights official, stated these patterns ‘could not reasonably have occurred by chance and provide substantial evidence of intentional discrimination.’

In response, Berkeley Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky rejected the findings, asserting the school ‘scrupulously complies’ with federal law and California’s Proposition 209. The University of California, Berkeley has pledged to provide evidence demonstrating its commitment to merit-based admissions and compliance with all relevant policies. The DOJ is currently seeking a voluntary resolution agreement and has indicated it may pursue litigation if negotiations fail.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-11: UC Berkeley Law accused of racial discrimination in admissions

The DOJ and Department of Education have accused UC Berkeley Law of racial discrimination, alleging the school used race-based tactics to favor Black applicants over white and Asian applicants.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/uc-berkeley-law-accused-of-racial-discrimination-in-admissions

### 2026-09-09: UC Berkeley Law accused of illegal race-based admissions by DOJ

The DOJ and Department of Education allege UC Berkeley Law illegally used race-based proxies to favor Black applicants over white and Asian students, violating civil rights laws.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/uc-berkeley-law-found-to-have-discriminated-against-asian-and-white-applicants

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Cite as: DOJ investigation into UC Berkeley Law admissions. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/doj-investigation-into-uc-berkeley-law-admissions