In the latest developments from the legal and financial sector, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have released a joint declaration, focusing on the civil rights implications of a lender’s consideration of an individual’s immigration status under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). This joint statement could have significant…
Prominent law firms are refusing to back down in the face of potential litigation concerning their diversity initiatives. Last week, conservative legal activist Edward Blum, head of the American Alliance for Equal Rights, directed a series of inquiries at Winston & Strawn, Hunton Andrews & Kurth, and Adams and Reese. These questions centered on the…
Attention all top legal professionals, the 37th annual Civil Rights and Governmental Tort Liability Seminar proudly hosted by DRI, is set to be staged in Phoenix, Arizona between January 17th and 19th. The seminar promises to deliver invaluable insights and tools specifically designed to aid in the serving of your governmental clients. The event details…
A Washington DC federal judge imposed a partial gag order on former US President Donald Trump on Monday, prohibiting him from making any disparaging statements about potential witnesses, the court or prosecutors ahead of his criminal trial over alleged election interference during the 2020 US presidential election. The trial date is set for March 4,…
It has become increasingly important for venture capital (VC) companies to focus on the diversity of their portfolio companies. The state of California has taken a step in reinforcing this focus by implementing a new law specific to the VC industry. California’s governor recently signed into law SB 54, a bill conceived to enhance transparency…
As employees return to their workplaces, it’s more critical than ever for employers to ensure their policies are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Recently, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) made an announcement that underscores the importance of reviewing company protocols related to employees returning from a medical leave of absence….
In a recent ruling by the Third Circuit, a key aspect of helping to prove retaliation was spotlighted. This case, Watkins v. Pennsylvania Dep’t of Corr., No. 22-1426, 2023 WL 5925896 (3d Cir. Sept. 12, 2023), was brought by a corrections officer who sued his employer, the Department of Corrections (DOC), alleging a retaliatory hostile…
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Tennessee can continue its restriction on the distribution of absentee ballots. This decision is the latest development in a complex legal standing surrounding the state’s voting laws. A group of voters had previously sued the state over its limitations on absentee voting. The plaintiffs argued that…
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US District Attorney’s Office (USDAO) have recently declined to charge Border Patrol agents for the fatal shooting of Raymond Mattia, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, according to announcements by tribal leadership. The decision has been vehemently criticized by the Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Verlon M….
The U.S. Supreme Court has recently taken up an important redistricting dispute in South Carolina. This action follows a significant victory in an Alabama redistricting case by civil rights groups who argue that the voting maps drawn by South Carolina Republicans disenfranchise Black voters and should be redrawn. Bloomberg Law reported that the case named…
Southwest Airlines is in the process of appealing a ruling in a Texas federal court that favored a flight attendant who alleged her termination was in violation of the Civil Rights Act. Alongside, the airline is also recommending the Fifth Circuit to void a district court sanction that commands three of its in-house lawyers to…
The legal sector has recently been confronted with contentious issues over diversity fellowships offered by some of its most eminent firms. The threat of lawsuits is now looming larger as the Blum Group, led by Edward Blum of the American Alliance for Equal Rights, issues warnings to numerous prominent firms claiming that their diversity programs…
An 11 member coalition of Attorney Generals (AGs) recently submitted their comments to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division regarding proposed revisions to the Americans with Disabilities Act. The revisions, if accepted, will establish requirements for web and mobile app accessibility for state and local governments. This step is seen as a move towards…
The applicability of Title IX in schools extends beyond sports, affecting other areas including dress codes – a point that’s being increasingly discussed among legal experts. A recent opinion piece published on JD Supra addresses the matter in the context of “morality codes” in schools. While the article provides limited information due to its personal-blog…
In light of a recent Supreme Court decision, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has issued a formal legal opinion, asserting that workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs remain lawful. Weiser’s opinion follows the Supreme Court ruling on Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard College, which determined that race-conscious admissions programs at colleges and…
In a recent lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Wheeler Trucking is accused of serious allegations related to racial and religious discrimination, as well as retaliation. The federal agency alleges the trucking company permitted harassment of a former employee based on race and religion at its Lorain County, Ohio location. According…
On July 26, the Attorney General for the District of Columbia and Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco) agreed to a First Amendment to Consent Decree, altering their approach to hazardous substance enforcement along the Anacostia River in Washington D.C. This follows allegations of hazardous materials released into the local environment by the electric company. The…
Edward Blum, known for his opposition to affirmative action in higher education, is now threatening three major law firms (Winston & Strawn, Hunton Andrews & Kurth, Adams and Reese) with lawsuits, focusing on their diversity fellowship programs. In letters sent to the respective law firms by his group, American Alliance for Equal Rights, Blum raises…
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a report alleging that Rwandan authorities have been infringing civil and political rights, including freedom of speech, with these violations extending to Rwandans living in foreign countries. HRW detailed the various tactics used by Rwandan authorities to suppress dissent, including assassinations, kidnappings, physical assaults, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detention….
A recent lawsuit filed by the North Carolina Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) alleges a calculated assault against voter registrants of the state. The details of the complaint, first detected by Law.com Radar, present what the complainants believe to be “perverse” tactics to suppress the voting populace. Unfortunately, the specifics of the…
In an unprecedented move, on July 20, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) via the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have jointly issued a cautionary letter to hospital systems and telehealth providers. This letter comes in response to growing concerns related to the privacy and security…
On Wednesday, the American Alliance for Equal Rights, an anti-affirmative action group, withdrew its Texas federal lawsuit against the diversity fellowship program at Perkins Coie LLP. The suit had been directed at the program’s initial mandate that applicants should belong to underrepresented groups. The law firm, in response, revamped the controversial requirement, leading to the…
On October 7, 2023, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the proposed bill SB 403, which aimed to ban discrimination based on caste under a number of measures including the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Unruh Civil Rights Act, and California Education Code. This move has inevitably sparked discussion among legal professionals and corporations in…
Temple University Health System, Inc. (“Temple Health”) recently submitted a notice of data breach to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. The notification, which dated back to September 15, 2023, announced the unfortunate discovery that a substantial amount of entrusted data had fallen prey to unauthorized access. This breach,…
In a move towards increasing transparency, California continues its effort to take the lead in addressing systematic gaps in the business sector. The state’s Governor recently signed Senate Bill (SB) 54, enforcing a new requirement for venture capital companies to disclose diversity statistics. This legislative development will see venture capital companies reporting annually to the…