If you think minority lawyers at elite firms are rarities now, brace yourself: They could be virtually nonexistent in the near future.

Am I being alarmist in making this dire prediction? Maybe. But recent research by Saint Louis University School of Law assistant professor Aaron Taylor shows some troubling trends. Analyzing LSAT scores and enrollment statistics for 2010 (when enrollment hit a historic high) and 2013 (when enrollment declined by a quarter), Taylor examined how the drop in law school enrollment is affecting minorities.