We recognize that LSAC’s move to bar individuals of Iranian heritage from taking the LSAT, and other services, is egregious, discriminatory and causing hardship among many in our community. We recommend taking the following steps to potentially restore your account, document discriminatory treatment and seek to change the underlying policies:
Step 1: Contact LSAC and provide them necessary documentation as requested.
Background: Some individuals have successfully restored access to their LSAC accounts by complying with requests for additional information to verify their identity. We recommend doing so, particularly if you are an individual who urgently needs to restore access to your account, for example if you had or have an upcoming LSAT exam scheduled.
However, we strongly recommend retaining all documentation regarding your experience, including to support potential litigation against LSAC in case it is necessary to halt their discriminatory actions against individuals of Iranian heritage. This includes taking notes and/or recording calls with LSAC’s help line, as well as saving emailed communication and any documents that have been sent to LSAC.
What LSAC appears to be doing – mass barring individuals of Iranian heritage and manually restoring access to accounts after receiving additional documentation verifying residence and perhaps citizenship status – is not in any way required by Iran sanctions, and is very likely discriminatory. But it does have a parallel with how many financial institutions have treated our community. While not required, banks have locked Iranians and Iranian Americans alike out of their accounts, then requested they upload or send documentation to verify proof of residence. Many, but not all, individuals have been able to reverse freezes on their bank accounts after complying with these documentation requests. Sometimes, banks have made repeated requests for additional information and imposed repeated freezes against individuals of Iranian heritage. Hence, it is important to retain documentation of your experience with LSAC even past any restoration of access to your account.
You can initiate a review with LSAC by writing their compliance team. Email [email protected] and use the below template to argue the suspension does not apply because you are not located in, or ordinarily resident in, Iran. Customize as needed for your specific situation.
Subject: Urgent Request for Review of LSAT Services Suspension of Iranian Americans
Dear LSAC Compliance Team,
I am writing to request an immediate review of the notice suspending my access to LSAC services.
I am an Iranian American [and/or Iranian national/dual national] who currently resides in [City, State/Province, Country], and I am not located in or ordinarily resident in Iran. My understanding is that the recent sanctions-related suspension may apply to individuals inside Iran or ordinarily resident there, not to applicants who live outside Iran solely because of Iranian nationality, heritage, or dual citizenship.
Enforcement against individuals who do not fit this criteria appears to violate longstanding civil rights protections against discrimination. Denying me access to LSAC services and the LSAT on that basis appears to extend beyond what is required and would unfairly impede my law-school application.
Please confirm that my account and eligibility to register for or take the LSAT will be promptly restored. I can provide documentation of my current residence or other documentation if needed, though this should not necessarily be required based on my understanding of sanctions law. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
For additional context, please see the National Iranian American Council (NIAC)’s public demand for the reinstatement of LSAT access for individuals of Iranian heritage and its September 10 letter to LSAC explaining the urgent concern that this policy may be improperly applied to applicants who live outside Iran.
Sincerely,
[Full Name]
[LSAC Account Number, if applicable]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]
Step 2: Fill out our intake form documenting the harm that has been done. NIAC is collecting stories from people who have been directly or indirectly affected so we can better document these harms, raise awareness of their real-world impact, and inform our advocacy with policymakers and institutions. We are also in touch with lawyers who are exploring the possibility of litigation against LSAC. If you or someone you know has been impacted, please fill out the form below and share.
Your response will be kept confidential. NIAC will not share your name, story, documents, or any identifying information with anyone without your explicit approval. https://secure.everyaction.com/L48Xbr-IhEyY6fDWU57Y-w2?t=FSdeXr
Step 3: Fill out our action alert telling policymakers about these harms and demanding action. Tell your members of Congress, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately restore the educational, remittance, and sports-exchange licenses before more innocent people are harmed for no good reason. https://niacouncil.org/campaign/no-to-sanctions-demand-u-s-restore-educational-family-and-cultural-licenses-for-iranians/
Step 4: If you are a resident of California, consider reporting these actions as discriminatory treatment. If you believe you were subjected to discrimination, harassment, or retaliation – including by LASC, the Civil Rights Department of the State of California may be able to investigate and help you resolve your complaint. https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/complaintprocess/?content=fileComplaint#fileComplaintBody