In a move that underscores the tightening scrutiny on diversity initiatives, several of the nation’s largest law firms are making quiet adjustments to their publicly-stated commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This comes as a response to the looming deadline set by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for disclosing DEI data. According to information available, at least seven leading firms which received communications from the EEOC, including Debevoise & Plimpton, Ropes & Gray, and Sidley Austin, have updated their DEI webpages. These updates seem to aim at mitigating potential risks of a thorough investigation by the agency.
The EEOC has recently settled with four Big Law firms regarding its diversity practice investigations, although it has not publicly confirmed whether other firms have complied or reached similar settlements after the deadline. It appears that this deft maneuvering by firms such as Reed Smith, White & Case, Goodwin Procter, and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius may serve to allay concerns regarding their DEI compliance. For further details on this matter, the coverage on Law.com delves deeper into these ongoing developments.