Law Schools Under Fire: How Trump-Era Investigations Are Reshaping Legal Education in 2025

The legal education landscape is undergoing seismic shifts. In 2025, the Trump administration released a federal list of elite law schools now under investigation or facing funding freezes due to allegations of antisemitism, DEI violations, and ideological bias. For aspiring attorneys, these developments carry serious implications—especially for those seeking federal internships, clerkships, or careers in public service.

Columbia University’s Alma Mater statue in front of Low Library. Columbia is amid federal investigations tied to Trump administration policies.

🚫 Which Law Schools Are Facing Federal Investigation?

Several top-tier institutions have been blacklisted or penalized:

• Harvard Law School – Facing lawsuits and a $2.6 billion funding freeze over alleged antisemitism and DEI violations

• UCLA School of Law – $339 million in research grants frozen amid civil rights investigations

• Columbia Law School – Paid $200 million in settlements to restore federal funding

• UC Berkeley – Under investigation for campus speech restrictions and DEI-related practices

• Cornell Law School – Facing scrutiny over pro-Palestinian speech and faculty hiring practices

• Georgetown and NYU – Faculty have publicly condemned recent executive orders targeting DEI

  
  

Where to Read About Law Schools Under Trump Administration Scrutiny

• Harvard Law School’s DEI and Antisemitism Investigation   🔗 Harvard Magazine article

• Civil Rights Lawsuit and Grant Freeze at UCLA Law   🔗 U.S. News report

• Columbia’s Federal Settlement Over Bias Allegations   🔗 MSN coverage

• UC Berkeley’s DEI Investigation and Free Speech Controversies   🔗 Axios report

• Cornell Facing Legal Scrutiny for Speech Restrictions   🔗 Finger Lakes 1 article

• Georgetown and NYU Faculty Push Back Against Executive Orders   🔗 JURIST legal analysis

Legal Issues With the Trump Administration: What Law Students Need to Know

The Trump administration’s federal hiring freeze has disrupted legal career pipelines nationwide:

• Internship cancellations: Prestigious placements at the DOJ, IRS, and FCC have been rescinded

• Revoked job offers: Honors Program participants at Harvard, William & Mary, and GW Law lost federal roles

• Career uncertainty: Over 1,000 law grads from the class of 2023 entered federal service through now-suspended programs

Students who declined private sector offers in favor of federal roles are now scrambling for alternatives as application windows close.

Where to Read About the Legal Fallout from the Trump Administration

• Hiring Freeze and the Collapse of Legal Recruitment   🔗 Bloomberg Law analysis

• Cancelled Internships at DOJ, IRS, FCC   🔗 Bloomberg Law report

• Law Grads Reeling from Revoked Federal Job Offers   🔗 JDJournal investigation

• Class of 2023 Career Disruption Analysis   🔗 FindLaw blog

Spotlight: Duke University’s Legal and Financial Fallout

Though not officially blacklisted, Duke University has faced major consequences:

• $108 million in NIH funding frozen for Duke Health and the School of Medicine

• Mass layoffs and hiring freezes: Nearly 600 staff contracts terminated, with more cuts underway

• Federal investigations: The DOJ and HHS are probing race-based practices in hiring and admissions, and alleged bias in the Duke Law Journal’s editor selection process

The proposed creation of a Merit and Civil Rights Committee signals sweeping reforms that could reshape Duke’s academic governance.

Where to Read About the Duke University Funding Freeze, Investigation & Layoffs

• NIH Freezes $108M in Duke Health Funding   🔗 Duke Chronicle coverage

• Layoffs and Budget Cuts at Duke Following Federal Action   🔗 Forbes update

• DOJ and HHS Investigate Racial Discrimination at Duke   🔗 The Hill article

• Merit and Civil Rights Oversight Proposed for Duke Law   🔗 U.S. Department of Education press release

How Ginsburg Advanced Tutoring Supports Pre-Law Students in a Politicized Admissions Climate

At Ginsburg Advanced Tutoring, we specialize in helping students navigate law school admissions amid political controversy. Whether you're applying to schools under investigation or seeking alternatives with strong public interest programs, our team offers:

• LSAT Boss prep classes

• Strategic admissions advising

• Application support tailored to shifting reputational risks

  
  

📌 Ready to take control of your law school journey? Register now and build an application that stands out—even in turbulent times.