Man Accepted by 10 Law Schools Sues for Age Bias

An unusual law school controversy is taking place in Connecticut. Sixty-eight-year-old Geoffrey Akers, highly accomplished both academically and professionally, has sued the University of Connecticut Law School over the school's denying him twice into its 2012 and 2013 classes.
Akers applied to 11 law schools over the past several years. U. Conn Law School was the only school that didn't accept him.
Round One
Geoffrey Akers is an older gentleman who holds many academic degrees (seven, in fact) including a doctorate from the University of Connecticut. Back in the 1990s he applied to the law school and was placed on the wait list.
Most students would patiently wait the school out, but that apparently was not fast enough for Mr. Akers. He immediately filed a complaint with the state's Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities alleging a lack of American Indian diversity at the school. But then, he moved to Texas for work.
Rounds Two and Three
More than a decade later, he picked up experience in a patent office and applied to U. Conn's law school again -- twice -- in 2012 and 2013. He was rejected both times. He had an above average LSAT score, numerous achievements and an outstanding essay. He was accepted at 10 other law schools, but U. Conn refused to let him in. In fact, the 2013 application was merely confirmation of the school's decision since he originally thought "this has got to be wrong," when U. Conn rejected him in 2012. It wasn't wrong at all.
Soon after his rejections, he sued the school alleging age discrimination.
Freedom of Information Act
Determined to understand why he was not accepted, Akers filed 14 FOIA requests of the school, including requests for the school's policies on discrimination, his 2012 and 2013 applications, the school's admissions policies, and statistics of applicants' demographics.
It was Akers' contention that the school did not admit senior citizens by "conscious and deliberate choice."
FOI so far has opined that the school has been "responsive" to all of Mr. Akers' requests and that taking into account the facts of the case, the school was completely compliant.
Mr. Akers clearly still wants in, but he did not disclose exactly why he is so keen on studying at U. Conn Law. It could also be just as likely that the school rejected him in 2012 and 2013 because he sicked the CHRO on them after the wait list incident.
Related Resources:
- Senior Citizen Pursues Legal Action After UConn Law School Rejection (Connecticut Law Tribune)
- Is It Ever Okay for Lawyers to Wear Pajamas to Work? (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- Lawyer Suspended for Using Illicitly Obtained Privileged Info (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
- Lawyer Adds 'Whiskey Producer' to His Resume (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)