{"id":110657,"date":"2025-03-17T17:02:48","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T01:02:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/03\/17\/trump-sics-eeoc-on-20-biglaw-firms\/"},"modified":"2025-03-17T17:02:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T01:02:48","slug":"trump-sics-eeoc-on-20-biglaw-firms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/03\/17\/trump-sics-eeoc-on-20-biglaw-firms\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Sics EEOC On 20 Biglaw Firms"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"733\" width=\"1024\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-130287812-1024x733.jpg?resize=1024%2C733&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Donald Trump wasn\u2019t lying when he said he wa<a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-signs-executive-order-calling-out-top-50-biglaw-firm-with-intent-to-wage-war-against-other-leading-law-firms-over-their-dei-policies\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">s going after Biglaw<\/a>. The onslaught continues with 20 Biglaw firms <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eeoc.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2025-03\/Law_Firm_Letters_-_03.17.2025.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">receiving letters<\/a> from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission\u00a0Acting Chair Andrea Lucas informing them they\u2019re being investigated by the agency.<\/p>\n<p>Lucas writes the agency is \u201cconcern[ed] that some firms\u2019 employment practices, including those labeled or framed as DEI, may entail unlawful disparate treatment in terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, or unlawful limiting, segregating, and classifying based on race, sex, or other protected characteristics, in violation of\u00a0Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII).\u201d All because the firm has at any point made public statements or programs in support of diversity in the profession.<\/p>\n<p>The following firms have received letters from the EEOC thus far:<\/p>\n<p>1. A &amp; O Shearman<br \/>2. Debevoise &amp; Plimpton <br \/>3. Cooley <br \/>4. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer<br \/>5. Goodwin Procter <br \/>6. Hogan Lovells <br \/>7. Kirkland &amp; Ellis <br \/>8. Latham &amp; Watkins <br \/>9. McDermott Will &amp; Emery<br \/>10. Milbank <br \/>11. Morgan, Lewis &amp; Bockius <br \/>12. Morrison &amp; Foerster <br \/>13. Perkins Coie<br \/>14. Reed Smith<br \/>15. Ropes &amp; Gray <br \/>16. Sidley Austin <br \/>17. Simpson Thacher &amp; Bartlett <br \/>18. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &amp; Flom <br \/>19. White &amp; Case <br \/>20. WilmerHale<\/p>\n<p>Notably Paul, Weiss is not on the list of Biglaw firms that have been notified of an EEOC investigation, despite the recent Executive Order targeting the firm for a bunch of reasons including <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/undeterred-by-massive-court-loss-trump-goes-after-another-biglaw-firm\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">their support of DEI.<\/a> I guess their letter will be in the next tranche to drop \u2014 because Trump\u2019s fight with the legal industry is far from over.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-80083 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/06\/IMG_5243-1-scaled-e1623338814705-620x568.jpg?resize=174%2C160&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"174\" height=\"160\" title=\"\">Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/1XC11QhFCWxWr4NQrk2sEA\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Jabot podcast<\/a>, and co-host of <a href=\"https:\/\/legaltalknetwork.com\/podcasts\/thinking-like-a-lawyer\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Thinking Like A Lawyer<\/a>. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email <a href=\"mailto:kathryn@abovethelaw.com?subject=Your%20Column\" target='_blank\"' rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">her<\/a> with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-sics-eeoc-on-20-biglaw-firms\/%E2%80%9C\/\/twitter.com\/Kathryn1%22%E2%80%9D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@Kathryn1<\/a>\u00a0or Mastodon <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-sics-eeoc-on-20-biglaw-firms\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@Kathryn1@mastodon.social.<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-sics-eeoc-on-20-biglaw-firms\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Trump Sics EEOC On 20 Biglaw Firms<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"733\" width=\"1024\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/03\/GettyImages-130287812-1024x733.jpg?resize=1024%2C733&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" title=\"\"><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Donald Trump wasn\u2019t lying when he said he wa<a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-signs-executive-order-calling-out-top-50-biglaw-firm-with-intent-to-wage-war-against-other-leading-law-firms-over-their-dei-policies\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">s going after Biglaw<\/a>. The onslaught continues with 20 Biglaw firms <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eeoc.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2025-03\/Law_Firm_Letters_-_03.17.2025.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">receiving letters<\/a> from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission\u00a0Acting Chair Andrea Lucas informing them they\u2019re being investigated by the agency.<\/p>\n<p>Lucas writes the agency is \u201cconcern[ed] that some firms\u2019 employment practices, including those labeled or framed as DEI, may entail unlawful disparate treatment in terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, or unlawful limiting, segregating, and classifying based on race, sex, or other protected characteristics, in violation of\u00a0Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII).\u201d All because the firm has at any point made public statements or programs in support of diversity in the profession.<\/p>\n<p>The following firms have received letters from the EEOC thus far:<\/p>\n<p>1. A &amp; O Shearman<br \/>2. Debevoise &amp; Plimpton <br \/>3. Cooley <br \/>4. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer<br \/>5. Goodwin Procter <br \/>6. Hogan Lovells <br \/>7. Kirkland &amp; Ellis <br \/>8. Latham &amp; Watkins <br \/>9. McDermott Will &amp; Emery<br \/>10. Milbank <br \/>11. Morgan, Lewis &amp; Bockius <br \/>12. Morrison &amp; Foerster <br \/>13. Perkins Coie<br \/>14. Reed Smith<br \/>15. Ropes &amp; Gray <br \/>16. Sidley Austin <br \/>17. Simpson Thacher &amp; Bartlett <br \/>18. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &amp; Flom <br \/>19. White &amp; Case <br \/>20. WilmerHale<\/p>\n<p>Notably Paul, Weiss is not on the list of Biglaw firms that have been notified of an EEOC investigation, despite the recent Executive Order targeting the firm for a bunch of reasons including <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/undeterred-by-massive-court-loss-trump-goes-after-another-biglaw-firm\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">their support of DEI.<\/a> I guess their letter will be in the next tranche to drop \u2014 because Trump\u2019s fight with the legal industry is far from over.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-80083 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/abovethelaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2021\/06\/IMG_5243-1-scaled-e1623338814705-620x568.jpg?resize=174%2C160&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"174\" height=\"160\" title=\"\">Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/1XC11QhFCWxWr4NQrk2sEA\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Jabot podcast<\/a>, and co-host of <a href=\"https:\/\/legaltalknetwork.com\/podcasts\/thinking-like-a-lawyer\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Thinking Like A Lawyer<\/a>. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#f69d97829e848f98b69794998093829e939a9781d895999bc98583949c939582cbaf998384d3c4c6b5999a839b98\" target=\"_blank&quot;\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">her<\/a> with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/abovethelaw.com\/2025\/03\/trump-sics-eeoc-on-20-biglaw-firms\/%E2%80%9C\/\/twitter.com\/Kathryn1%22%E2%80%9D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@Kathryn1<\/a>\u00a0or Mastodon <a href=\"https:\/\/mastodon.social\/@Kathryn1%22%22\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">@[email\u00a0protected].<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Donald Trump wasn\u2019t lying when he said he was going after Biglaw. The onslaught continues with 20 Biglaw firms receiving letters from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission\u00a0Acting Chair Andrea Lucas informing them they\u2019re being investigated by the agency. Lucas writes the agency is \u201cconcern[ed] that some firms\u2019 employment practices, including those labeled or framed as [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":110658,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-110657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/IMG_5243-1-scaled-e1623338814705-620x568-L7RDDR.jpeg?fit=620%2C568&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110657","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110657"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110657\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110658"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}