Law360: How The Affirmative Action Ruling Is Driving Work For BigLaw

Law firms are advising clients on how to address the legal implications that diversity programs may face as a result of the Supreme Court’s June 29 ruling that found race-conscious policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Tristan Morales, a labor and employment partner at O’Melveny & Myers LLP and a leader of its DE&I and Affirmative Action Task Force, noted that corporate diversity initiatives were being challenged before the high court’s ruling, pointing to lawsuits against Amazon, Pfizer, and Starbucks. Since the ruling, “everyone is interested in a look at their own policies,” Morales said. “They’re doing that in different ways. Some are starting with an internal analysis and reaching out to counsel to talk through that. Some are going right to outside counsel, or have already been working with outside counsel to lead that review.”

Read the full article here.