Western State College of Law is committed to creating a campus of diversity and inclusion. Our law school is proud to maintain a diverse profile among our student body, staff and faculty. This includes many factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, age and socioeconomic status. Such diversity gives our students the benefit of seeing other perspectives and ensures an environment where everyone feels welcome.
All American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law schools are required to report the race and ethnicity of their students. The most recent statistics for our student body include:
- 54% of our entire student body is considered diverse (what the ABA calls “Minority Categories”).
- 2021 incoming class ages ranged from 20 to 57.
- Women represent 58% of our student body.
Western State was recognized in 2020 as one of the “Best Schools for Hispanics” and as one of the “Most Diverse Law Schools” in 2019 by preLaw Magazine.
Diversity in Law
The legal profession has historically lacked diversity. According to the most recent ABA “Profile of the Legal Profession” report, only 11% of lawyers were of color in 2011, and it has only slowly increased to 14.6% by 2021. Despite modest growth, that range is still not representative of the country. In 2021, 85% of all lawyers identified as non-Hispanic whites, whereas in 2019 non-Hispanic whites only represented 60% of the U.S. population. Similar numbers span all racial categories. For example, only 4.8% of all lawyers were Hispanic in 2021, compared to representing 18.5% of the U.S. population. Similarly, the ABA shows that female lawyers are still a minority, representing only 37% of the profession as of 2021.
Law School Culture: Having racial, ethnic and cultural diversity can enhance the law school experience, while a lack of diversity can have a negative effect on school culture as it can marginalize minorities. One paper published in the Iowa Law Review found that more diversity in the classroom leads to better questions, analysis and solutions, which in turn results in more just and intelligent lawyers. At Western State, we value the diversity of all our students and faculty, as it enhances critical thinking by bringing different worldviews and perspectives to the conversation.
Legal Profession: Having diversity in the actual legal profession is important for a democratic society. More diversity among law practitioners helps individuals from various backgrounds have equal access to justice and brings a diverse perspective to interpreting the law. It is also important for individuals to see lawyers who look like them and share similar experiences.
Western State is committed to continuing to support diversity in law. In fact, in 2021 we awarded over $1 million in diversity scholarships. Apply today to join our student body and work with and learn from a diverse group.