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Admissions Up, Diversity Down: Law School Enrollment Data

Law school admissions for J.D. programs rose 1.2% in the Fall 2019 to 112,882, according to information from the American Bar Association (ABA). This represents an increase of 1,321 students from 2018 to 2019.

auditorium benches chairs class 207691Further, an additional 19,819 students enrolled in “other than J.D. degree programs” like LL.M., certificate and masters programs. That increase of 1,296 students is fully 7% over that of 2018. As such, total law school enrollment for Fall 2019 was up 2% to 132,684, according to the ABA.

“ABA-approved law schools are required to post their Standard 509 Information Reports on their websites as part of their ABA Required Disclosures, annually by December 15,” reads information from the trade association. “The ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar website provides access to that information for all law schools, including downloadable spreadsheets of aggregate data that the law schools report.”

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The data, which accounts for 203 ABA-approved law schools, shows 84 of schools reported smaller 1L classes this admissions cycle, while 119 listed an increase or no change. However, there was a caveat with respect to the increase in enrollment noted by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. It reported a diminished, albeit slight, representation of minority students in law school. According to the publication, minority enrollment dipped by 0.2%. It is now down to 11,879 students, per Bloomberg News.

Said Barry Currier, managing director for ABA accreditation and legal education, in an email to Bloomberg News: 31% of students self-identify as ethnic or racial minorities and that is worth noting as the ABA works to have a “legal profession that is diverse and reflects the clients and communities that it serves.”

Law School Admission Council Announces Diversity-themed Writing Contest, Offers $5K Prize

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) announced its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion writing competition available to law students. According to the organization, the competition is aimed at promoting dialogue with respect to recruiting and retaining a more diverse cohort of law students.

“One of our guiding principles at LSAC is that the legal system functions best when it reflects the communities it serves,” said LSAC president and CEO Kellye Y. Testy in a statement. “The topic of this year’s writing competition helps bring attention to the need for diversity and inclusion in law, and we look forward to hearing law students’ thoughts on this important issue.”

Specifically, the topic is “why a diverse and inclusive bar is essential for equality, justice, and the rule of law." One winner from the 1L, 2L, and 3L/4L categories will each receive a $5,000 prize, and one winning essay will be submitted to a legal publication. The deadline for submission is March 31.

For information regarding this year’s writing competition, contact Kent Lollis at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact LSAC’s Diversity Office at email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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