{"id":2575453,"date":"2026-03-03T06:38:01","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T11:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/firm-that-called-dei-lawsuit-frivolous-removes-race-based-scholarship-criteria\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T06:41:28","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T11:41:28","slug":"firm-that-called-dei-lawsuit-frivolous-removes-race-based-scholarship-criteria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/firm-that-called-dei-lawsuit-frivolous-removes-race-based-scholarship-criteria\/","title":{"rendered":"Firm that called DEI lawsuit &#8216;frivolous&#8217; removes race-based scholarship criteria"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffirm-that-called-dei-lawsuit-frivolous-removes-race-based-scholarship-criteria%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2575453&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A Michigan law firm, Buckfire &#038; Buckfire, P.C.,has agreed to remove race-based language from its diversity scholarships adn to end a lawsuit filed last November,in a settlement announced wiht Do No Harm and the American Alliance for Equal Rights.The parties filed a joint stipulation of dismissal on Feb. 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.<\/p>\n<p>key points:<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The complaint alleged the firm\u2019s Medical Diversity Scholarship and Law School Diversity Scholarship violated the Civil Rights Act of 1866 by limiting eligibility to minorities or requiring a demonstrated commitment to diversity, with white applicants facing an extra hurdle.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Under the settlement, Buckfire will remove all references to race as eligibility or selection criteria and clarify that the scholarships are open to applicants of all races and do not give preference based on race or ethnicity. The concept of \u201cdiversity\u201d will not be restricted to a single experience or characteristic.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; Do No Harm\u2019s Stanley Goldfarb said the move ensures the scholarships are open to all, while Edward Blum of the American Alliance for Equal Rights noted the matter was resolved without further litigation. Blum is also associated with Students For fair Admissions, which advocates against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/byu-rooting-out-racism-task-force-calls-for-race-conscious-religious-curriculum-admissions-standards\/\" title=\"BYU \u2018Rooting Out Racism\u2019 Task Force Calls For \u2018......Conscious\u2019 Religious Curriculum, Admissions Standards\">race-conscious admissions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; The case comes in the wake of recent Supreme Court rulings on affirmative action that have influenced policies at colleges and schools nationwide. Buckfire had previously defended the scholarships and described the lawsuit as frivolous,stating the firm would continue its scholarship programs in line with its commitment to diversity.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Michigan firm that called DEI lawsuit &lsquo;frivolous&rsquo; removes race-based scholarship criteria<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2181996\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>EXCLUSIVE &mdash;<\/strong> A <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/michigan\/\">Michigan<\/a> law firm, which <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/3892826\/michigan-law-firm-sued-racial-bias-diversity-scholarships\/\">previously blasted<\/a> a lawsuit over its diversity scholarships as &ldquo;completely frivolous,&rdquo; has agreed to remove race-based language from its award criteria and end a lawsuit filed last November.<\/p>\n<p>According to a joint announcement on Monday,&nbsp;the firm Buckfire &amp; Buckfire, P.C.&nbsp;reached an agreement with&nbsp;Do No Harm&nbsp;and the&nbsp;American Alliance for Equal Rights&nbsp;to amicably resolve the case. The parties filed a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.mied.389969\/gov.uscourts.mied.389969.11.0.pdf\">joint stipulation of dismissal<\/a> on Feb. 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4477594\/trump-iran-campaign-maga-america-first\/\">Trump&rsquo;s &lsquo;America First&rsquo; coalition balks at strikes against Iran<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4477246\/aipac-funded-democratic-leaders-buck-israel-iran-strikes\/\">AIPAC-funded Democratic leaders buck Israel on Iran strikes<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4477659\/doj-new-policy-save-tax-dollars-previously-spent-transgender-procedures\/\">Justice Department&#8217;s new policy saves $1.6 million in <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >taxpayer dollars previously spent<\/a> on transgender procedures<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.mied.389969\/gov.uscourts.mied.389969.1.0.pdf\">complaint<\/a>, filed on Nov. 13, alleged that the firm&rsquo;s Medical Diversity Scholarship and Law School Diversity Scholarship violated the Civil Rights Act of 1866 by limiting eligibility to students who were &ldquo;a member of an ethnic, racial, or other minority&rdquo; or who demonstrated a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/race-and-diversity\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"22\">commitment to diversity<\/a>. The suit was brought on behalf of three students.<\/p>\n<p>Challengers said the firm&rsquo;s scholarships automatically deemed anyone who was &ldquo;a member of an ethnic, racial, or other minority&rdquo; eligible, while white applicants had to clear what the lawsuit described as an extra hurdle by &ldquo;demonstrat[ing] a defined commitment to issues of diversity.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Under the settlement, Buckfire agreed to remove all references to race as eligibility or selection criteria and clarify that its scholarships do not give preference to any student based on race or ethnicity. The firm will also state that it does not limit &ldquo;diversity&rdquo; to any one experience, characteristic, or circumstance.<\/p>\n<p>Stanley Goldfarb, chairman of Do No Harm, said, &ldquo;To make clear that the scholarship programs are open to all, Buckfire will remove all references to race as eligibility or selection criteria.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Do No Harm believes scholarships should be equally open to all races and is thankful that Buckfire agrees,&rdquo; Goldfarb added.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2572676\/conservatives-challenge-big-laws-left-wing-tilt\/\">Edward Blum<\/a>, president of the American Alliance for Equal Rights, said he was &ldquo;grateful&rdquo; the matter was resolved without further litigation.<\/p>\n<p>Blum is also the president of Students For Fair Admissions, a membership organization whose mission has been to eliminate racial and ethnic classifications in school admissions.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">Following SFFA&rsquo;s 2023&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\">Supreme Court<\/a>&nbsp;victories<\/span> <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2578872\/supreme-court-bans-affirmative-action-in-ruling-against-race-conscious-college-admissions-2\/\">in two cases<\/a>, involving Harvard and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, numerous schools and businesses across the country have been put on notice about policies they employ that could discriminate on the basis of race if a program is not structured around merit-based award systems.<\/p>\n<p>Last November, Blum said the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wis-voter-id-loophole-raises-renewed-concerns\/\" title=\"WI&#039;s Voter ID &#039;Loophole&#039; Raises Renewed Concerns\">law firm&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s program was &ldquo;flabbergasting.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There are many deserving students from all races and ethnicities who need help affording law and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/student-finds-elusive-treasure-of-gold-gemstones-and-pre-columbian-artifacts-stashed-in-rocky-mountains\/\" title=\"Student Finds Elusive Treasure of Gold, Gemstones and Pre...Columbian Artifacts Stashed in Rocky Mountains\">medical school<\/a>. Excluding some of them because of their race is unfair and unlawful.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/3892826\/michigan-law-firm-sued-racial-bias-diversity-scholarships\/\">MICHIGAN LAW FIRM SUED OVER ALLEGED RACIAL BIAS IN DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Buckfire had previously defended the scholarships, which award $2,000 annually to one student in each category, and insisted they were open to applicants of all races. Firm president Lawrence Buckfire in November called the lawsuit &ldquo;a hoax of a case,&rdquo; adding it was &ldquo;completely frivolous legally and factually,&rdquo; and accused the plaintiffs of sour grapes.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement announcing the dismissal, Buckfire said that helping students achieve their educational dreams remains central to the firm&rsquo;s mission and that it looks forward to continuing its scholarship programs, consistent with its <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dei\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3088\">commitment to diversity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Buckfire drops race-based scholarship criteria<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2575454,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/iStock-2199005816.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[16574,51272,51639],"class_list":["post-2575453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-dei","tag-diversity-2","tag-law-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/iStock-2199005816.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2575453"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575453\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2575457,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2575453\/revisions\/2575457"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2575454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2575453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2575453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2575453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}