Companies today are caught between demands by stakeholders to set and deliver on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitments, and an onslaught of new challenges from litigants, activists, regulators and investors. We help boards, senior executives and in-house counsel safely navigate this increasingly fraught landscape and respond to threats in a manner that mitigates reputational and legal risk and drives long-term success.
It’s Still Lawful to Encourage Workforce Diversity, Loretta Lynch Tells Washington Post Amid Recent Attacks on Corporate Diversity Programs
December 9, 2023
Litigation partner Loretta Lynch spoke with The Washington Post about strategies to combat new lawsuits targeting corporate diversity programs following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision striking down race-conscious admissions in higher education. In “Conservatives are suing law firms over diversity efforts. It’s working,” published on December 9, Loretta notes that while it’s still “lawful and laudable” to try to improve workforce diversity, “the more restrictive the language that companies use [in their policies], the higher the risk” of legal scrutiny.
“You have to make sure everyone has an opportunity to compete equally,” adds Loretta, who co-leads the firm’s DEI Strategic Advisory practice. “You want to make sure that you recognize that excellence is found everywhere.”
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