Law schools across the United States maintained racial and ethnic diversity in their 2024 incoming class, defying predictions of a steep decline following the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to ban affirmative action in college admissions. Data released Monday by the American Bar Association (ABA) shows that the percentage of Black, Hispanic, and Asian law students in the first-year class has remained consistent or even increased slightly compared to the previous year.
Breakdown of Enrollment by Race
The ABA reported that Black students comprise 7.71% of the current first-year juris doctor (J.D.) class of 39,684, compared to 7.84% in 2023. Hispanic students saw a modest increase, rising from 14.17% to 14.2%. Meanwhile, the percentage of Asian first-year students grew significantly, jumping two percentage points to 9.76%. In contrast, the percentage of white students declined slightly from 57.8% in 2023 to 56.74% this year.
To refine its reporting, the ABA changed its methodology for 2024, including non-U.S. resident students in individual racial categories rather than listing them separately. Nonresident students accounted for 3.71% of the first-year class in 2023, but the ABA did not collect specific nonresident data for 2024. An ABA spokesperson acknowledged that this change complicates direct year-over-year comparisons.
Efforts to Sustain Diversity Pay Off
Aaron Taylor, executive director of the AccessLex Center for Legal Education, noted that the early trends are promising but stressed the need for further analysis to assess the full impact of the affirmative action ban. “The passage of time will also give us a clearer view of the effects,” Taylor said. He suggested examining whether diversity declined at the nation’s most prestigious law schools, which often rely heavily on affirmative action to build diverse classes.
Law schools took proactive steps to counteract the ban’s effects, revising application essays to encourage deeper insights into candidates’ personal backgrounds while staying within the Supreme Court’s guidelines. Additionally, the Law School Admission Council expanded outreach efforts, urging a more diverse pool of candidates to apply.
These strategies appear to have succeeded. Applicants of color accounted for nearly 48% of the 2024 applicant pool, compared to 47% the previous year. Applications from Black and Hispanic candidates surged by nearly 38% and 29%, respectively, contributing to an overall 6% increase in law school applicants.
Increased Enrollment Reflects Growing Interest
The total number of first-year law students increased by 5% in 2024, with 1,759 more students enrolling compared to the previous year. This increase follows a rise in overall applications, signaling stronger interest in legal education despite concerns over the affirmative action ruling. However, the total number of J.D. students across all years dropped by 1.23%, primarily due to the graduation of the unusually large cohort that entered in 2021.
Legal Challenges Likely to Follow
As law schools adapt to the new legal landscape, some anticipate further challenges to their admissions processes. Kellye Testy, executive director of the Association of American Law Schools, expressed concern over potential lawsuits from conservative legal groups targeting schools that successfully maintained or boosted diversity. “I think people will want to argue that schools did something illegal, even though I don’t think that’s the case,” Testy said.
For now, the data suggests that law schools have effectively navigated the affirmative action ban, ensuring that diversity remains a central feature of their incoming classes. However, as Taylor cautioned, time will ultimately reveal the long-term effects of the Supreme Court’s decision on legal education and representation.
