Diversity was one of the main things Whitney Wright considered when she was choosing a law school.
“I chose NIU Law because I was looking for a school that had small class sizes and had a diverse student body and faculty,” said Wright, a third-year student at Northern Illinois University College of Law.
In 2020, students of color accounted for 24% of NIU College of Law’s entering class. That number is now nearly 40%. Along with its growth in diversity, the school has seen an increase in student organizations that support and serve the diverse student community.
While many law school campuses are becoming more multicultural, this trend is not as strong in the legal profession, which has long faced criticism for its lack of diversity. Despite the United States’ increasingly diverse population, the legal profession has remained disproportionately white.
According to the American Bar Association’s National Lawyer Population Survey, the percentage of lawyers of color has nearly doubled in the past decade, yet it still has a long way to go.
Meanwhile, ABA demographic reports show that the U.S. law school Class of 2023 was the most racially and ethnically diverse in history for the third year in a row.
The ABA requires law schools to demonstrate a commitment to diversity in both their student bodies and their faculty. But many schools have gone above and beyond that accreditation requirement.
This year, preLaw’s honor roll demonstrates that despite more stringent criteria for making the honor roll, law schools are outpacing national diversity growth rates.
It’s important to note that if the cutoff scores from two years ago were applied today, 80 schools would have qualified, compared to fewer this year, highlighting the rising standards and achievements in law school diversity.
At the top of this year’s honor roll are institutions such as City University of New York School of Law, Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law and University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law — schools that have maintained their top spots for several years.
A few schools have emerged with impressive scores, making their debuts on the honor roll. The George Washington University Law School and NIU College of Law are among the newcomers that have made significant strides, earning high marks for creating more inclusive academic communities.
Most Diverse Law Schools
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Why diversity is important
Cassandra Hill became dean of NIU College of Law in 2020. That year’s first-year class was 24% students of color, she said. The number jumped to 33% in 2021, remained basically steady at 32% in 2022 and reached a record-breaking 40% in 2023. For the most recent class, the figure stands at 39%.
“Diversity is important in a law school environment because it enhances the educational experience and prepares students to enter a legal profession that serves a diverse society,” Hill said. “During a student’s three years of law school, they will face rigorous coursework, intense examinations and countless hours of study. They will engage in spirited debates, learn the intricacies of the law and develop the critical-thinking skills necessary to navigate complex legal issues. They will be prepared not just to enter the legal profession but to excel within it.”
Many law schools believe that diversity enhances the educational experience by bringing a range of perspectives into the classroom, better preparing students for the complexities of legal practice in a multicultural world.
Sudha Setty, dean of CUNY Law, said the positive effects of her school’s diverse student body are both profound and far reaching.
“In the classroom, our students bring their varied life experiences to bear on legal concepts, challenging conventional interpretations and fostering a more nuanced understanding of the law’s impact on different communities,” Setty said. “Beyond academics, we see our students translating their unique insights and experiences into impactful advocacy and community engagement. They actively seek opportunities to apply their skills in service of our communities, reinforcing our school’s commitment to social justice.”
CUNY Law’s commitment to diversity extends well beyond simply working to ensure demographic representation. The school has implemented programs designed to help foster an inclusive and equitable learning environment.
For example, the school’s Pipeline to Justice Program helps increase opportunities for underrepresented students, ensuring that they have the resources and support needed to succeed. The 10-month prelaw program is designed to create pathways for students from underrepresented communities.
“This initiative goes beyond traditional LSAT preparation, focusing on holistic skill development and community building,” Setty said. “It’s just one example of how we’re actively working to transform the legal profession.”
Additionally, CUNY Law continually revises its curriculum to reflect diverse perspectives, incorporating concepts such as critical race theory into core courses. The school also emphasizes hands-on legal training through its community partnerships and clinics, where students apply their skills to assist underserved populations.
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco has also made diversity one of its missions. Chancellor and Dean David Faigman said the school is committed to creating an environment where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but considered essential to the study of law.
“It is our responsibility, and our privilege, to welcome students and faculty with diverse perspectives to study and work here,” Faigman said.
He also emphasized that exposure to different views helps students refine their legal reasoning and better understand the societal impacts of laws and policies.
UC Law, San Francisco’s latest incoming J.D. class is a testament to this commitment to diversity, with more than half of the students identifying as people of color, 60% female, and 17% being the first in their families to graduate from college.
Faigman said he is proud of the school’s efforts to reflect the diversity of California and the clients their graduates will serve. The school supports this through programs such as the Legal Education Opportunity Program and the First Generation Program, which are designed to help students access resources and build community.
NIU’s Hill emphasized that diversity and inclusion efforts at a law school are not just about bringing underrepresented groups into the institution; they’re about ensuring that those students feel seen, included and respected.
Quoting diversity expert Verna Myers, Hill said, “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”
Hill has implemented various diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives during her tenure. They include implicit bias training for faculty and the admissions committee, the Race and the Law Conversations series and the appointment of an assistant dean of diversity initiatives.
In addition, the NIU College of Law Diversity Scholars Program was launched in 2023 with a $142,000 grant from the AccessLex Institute. It aims to boost diversity by engaging undergraduates early.
“The goal of the two-year program is to increase the diversity of the legal profession,” Hill said.
The program helps educate undergraduates about law school and its application process, while also providing mentoring to help build their confidence.
Currently, 30 undergraduates from several universities are participating in the program.
“In addition to our monthly meetings, students will receive a commercial LSAT preparation course and a field trip to visit our law school,” Hill said.
In 2022, Hill launched the Building Community Program, specifically designed for first-year students of color. The program offers participants a broad support network that extends beyond the law school, while incorporating university-wide resources to promote diversity and inclusion.
Participants also get to see how a diverse law school community can help them build their network and grow as students and as future legal professionals.
“Studying in a diverse environment gives people the opportunity to make friends who have different backgrounds and ultimately learn more about the communities other people come from,” said Wright, the third-year NIU Law student.
Wright said it helps prepare students for the legal profession by giving them practical experience in collaborating with people from all walks of life.
She said she also believes that diversity in the classroom is essential to fully understanding the complexities of the law.
“One of the main purposes of going to law school is to challenge your beliefs and values and expand your knowledge on a wide range of different topics and legal issues,” Wright said. She emphasized that having classmates with varied life experiences helps gain deeper insights into how laws affect some communities differently than others.
How diversity benefits the legal industry
Wright also noted that exposure to diverse perspectives in law school prepares students to become more well-rounded lawyers, better equipped to address a wide range of legal issues and serve a broad array of clients.
CUNY’s Dean Setty shared similar sentiments, saying the law should reflect and respond to the full spectrum of human experiences and perspectives.
“A diverse legal profession ensures that the interpretation, application and evolution of the law are informed by a full understanding of societal needs and realities,” Setty said.
She added that diversity is also key to building public trust in legal institutions.
“When individuals see themselves represented in the legal profession — from law school classrooms to courtrooms to legislative chambers — it fosters a sense of inclusivity and legitimacy in the legal system,” Setty said. “This representation is vital for addressing historical inequities and ensuring that the law serves as a tool for justice.
“In addition, many communities in the U.S. suffer from significant unmet legal needs. Drawing students from a wide range of experiences and backgrounds is one way to address those unmet needs.”
Carmia Caesar, associate dean of experiential programs and equity at GW Law, said every school is enriched by the diversity of experiences its faculty, students and staff bring.
“Each of us is so much more than what is visible at the surface,” Caesar said. “A failure to recognize that strength and the possibility of unimagined strengths would send institutions the way of the Titanic.”
She emphasized that diverse teams bring multiple perspectives to tackling legal challenges, which helps prevent groupthink and the risk of producing uniform solutions. While it may be comfortable to work with people who share similar backgrounds, Caesar pointed out that members of a homogenous group are likely to approach issues in the same way, limiting creative problem-solving.
Diversity of perspectives in GW Law’s student body enriches classroom discussions and extracurricular activities, she said, helping to cultivate well-rounded future legal professionals.
“Diverse experiences, diverse perspectives, diverse approaches to legal questions lead to exceptional outcomes,” Caesar said. “For example, think of a time when law schools only admitted male applicants. Think of all the legal brilliance that would be missing from the academy if women were not permitted to attend law school.
“One of the women on our faculty was a member of the first class of women at her undergraduate institution. Would she have made it to law school if she had gone to college someplace else? More selfishly, would she have made it to the GW Law faculty?
“The commitment to finding excellence in places where we may not have looked 50 years ago is critical to achieving exceptional outcomes.”
Hill noted that diverse perspectives lead to more nuanced and comprehensive decision-making, as individuals from different backgrounds often approach legal problems and interpret the law in different ways.
Additionally, she stressed that a diverse workforce helps mitigate unconscious bias in courtrooms, law firms and other legal settings by increasing sensitivity to how laws affect various groups differently.
In her view, diversity is also key to improving access to justice for marginalized communities, fostering innovation by incorporating different ideas and experiences, and providing mentorship and role models within the legal profession.
Hill said she believes that diversity shapes societal views on justice and equality, making it an indispensable part of the legal field’s progress.
ABA’s demographic survey shows both the progress that has been made and the challenges that remain.
During the past decade, the percentage of lawyers of color in the U.S. has nearly doubled, increasing from 11% in 2013 to 21% in 2023. This marks a notable advancement for the profession.
Asian Americans now represent 6% of the legal profession, which is nearly proportional to their 6.3% share of the U.S. population.
However, data reveals that not all groups have reached such a balance. Hispanic lawyers have increased their representation from 3.7% to 6% in the past decade, yet 19.1% of the U.S. population is Hispanic. Meanwhile, the percentage of Black lawyers has barely changed in the past decade, growing from 4.8% to 5%, while Black individuals make up 13.6% of the U.S. population.
The percentage of white lawyers has declined from 88.7% in 2013 to 79% in 2023. Despite this decrease, the white population is still overrepresented in the legal profession when compared to its 58.9% share of the total U.S. population.
While many of these statistics are worth celebrating, many in the legal community believe there is still much more work to be done.
Methodology
We graded schools based on how well each school matches with the U.S. average for each minority population. For students, we looked at Asian (which includes native Hawaiian), Black, Hispanic, Caucasian and American Indian populations. For faculty, we compared the percentage of minority faculty members to the overall U.S. minority population. A school received full credit when it matched the national average and could receive up to 40% added value if its percentage was higher than the national average for each population. Faculty diversity accounted for 25% of the final grade, with each student population accounting for 16.67%, except American Indian, which accounted for 8.32% of the final grade. We have used this methodology since 2013.
