An anti-woke nonprofit issued a letter to America’s top 100 law firms this week warning them about the legal consequences of engaging in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practices.
The 1792 Exchange, a nonprofit dedicated to “steer[ing] public companies in the United States back to neutral on ideological issues so they can best serve their shareholders,” warned the Am Law top 100 law firms, a list published by The American Lawyer magazine, that they are risking legal consequences if they continue to pursue DEI policies.
Fomer Kentucky Attorney General and CEO of the 1792 Exchange issued a warning to law firms over DEI. (Fox News/Brandon Gillespie)
“In light of recent events and actions by the Trump Administration, courts, and consumers, I am writing to warn you about the legal and business risks posed by the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies practiced by many AmLaw 100 firms. DEI programs that involve race- or gender-based hiring quotas, preferential treatment, or mandatory ideological training on race and gender may expose your firm to direct liability under federal and state anti-discrimination laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as disqualification for doing business with state and federal governments,” the letter obtained by Fox News Digital said.
President Donald Trump targeted DEI policies as one of his first acts after taking office. He signed multiple executive orders banning the federal government from engaging in DEI practices – which critics allege are racially discriminatory – and banned federal agencies from contracting with companies that have DEI programs.
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President Donald Trump has targeted law firms partially over DEI. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)
Numerous companies, such as Facebook, Pepsi, Disney and Goldman Sachs, have rolled back their DEI initiatives in the wake of Trump’s re-election. Other companies, such as Costco and JP Morgan, have stood by the controversial policies.
1792 exchange CEO David Cameron, who previously served as the Republican Attorney General of Kentucky, said his organization sent the letter to law firms to make sure they were aware of the risks associated with DEI when they’re advising companies on “quotas.”
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Companies such as Disney have rolled back their DEI programs in the wake of Trump’s re-election. (Jaime Nogales/Medios y Media/Getty Images)
“We just want to make sure that the law firms are aware of the potential liability that can occur if folks start looking at this a little more closely,” Cameron told Fox News Digital.
Private law firms have recently caught the ire of the Trump administration, with the president targeting multiple prestigious law firms with loss of security clearances. Trump recently issued an executive order against Democratic white shoe law firm Perkins and Cole, partially due to their DEI policies.
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“My Administration is committed to ending discrimination under ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ policies and ensuring that Federal benefits support the laws and policies of the United States, including those laws and policies promoting our national security and respecting the democratic process,” the order said.
