Michigan law firm sued over alleged racial bias in diversity scholarships

The lawsuit alleges that the firm’s Medical Diversity Scholarship and Law School Diversity Scholarship violate the Civil Rights Act of 1866, which guaranteed basic civil rights regardless of race. That applies to racial discrimination in contracts, which includes scholarships.

The Center Square spoke exclusively with representatives from both parties involved in the lawsuit.

“Merit, not race, should serve as the legitimate basis for awarding scholarships,” Dr. Kurt Miceli, medical director at Do No Harm, told The Center Square. “Yet, discredited frameworks such as critical race theory and racial concordance have infiltrated medical and legal institutions, propagating divisive identity politics.”

Lawrence J. Buckfire, president of Buckfire Law Firm and its lead trial attorney, called the lawsuit “completely frivolous legally and factually.” He dismissed the plaintiffs and their motivations for filing the lawsuit.

“It was filed by two nasty, divisive organizations that intentionally target businesses and institutions that promote diversity,” Buckfire told The Center Square. “The three members who complain they didn’t win scholarships were not good candidates, and it’s just sour grapes they lost. The plaintiffs targeted the wrong law firm in the wrong venue to pursue such a hoax of a case.”

Both scholarships in question require applicants to be “a member of an ethnic, racial, or other minority” or “demonstrate a defined commitment to issues of diversity within their community.”

Operated by the firm since 2014, the scholarships award a $2,000 scholarship to one recipient each year. Buckfire said the scholarships are not racially biased.

“All people, regardless of race and ethnicity, were eligible to apply for the scholarships,” he said. “It is clearly laid out on the scholarship submission forms. The fact that the losers were not awarded scholarships had nothing to do with their race, and they knew they were eligible to apply for the scholarships because they submitted applications and essays.”

While white candidates were eligible for the scholarships, the lawsuit alleges they were discriminated against by not being selected for the scholarships.

“In its history, Buckfire has awarded scholarships to 25 students,” it alleges. “Zero were white.”

Miceli is certain the court will decide in favor of the plaintiffs.

“We are confident the court will determine that Buckfire has indeed violated the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and will order them to cease discriminating based on race,” he said. “The objective then is not to end Buckfire’s scholarships, but rather see to it that they are awarded on lawful and legitimate grounds—like merit—rather than race-based considerations.”

On the other hand, Buckfire anticipates the case will soon be dismissed. He alleged the students represented in the case are “three white guys whining about not winning a $2,000 diversity scholarship” and stood by the scholarships.

“As the son of a child Holocaust survivor, it was instilled upon me at an early age that our country should embrace people of all races and religions, and promoting diversity is very important to our firm,” he said. “Our scholarships have helped many people over the years achieve their educational goals.”

Edward Blum, president of the American Alliance for Equal Rights, argued the scholarships are illegal.

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“The fact that a law firm is flagrantly discriminating against certain individuals because of their race is flabbergasting,” Blum said in a press release. “There are many deserving students from all races and ethnicities who need help affording law and medical school. Excluding some of them because of their race is unfair and unlawful.”

The lawsuit is currently filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division.