The firms to be examined include Perkins Coie, Hogan Lovells, Ropes & Gray, and WilmerHale
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has launched an investigation into the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies of 20 major law firms, questioning whether their initiatives comply with anti-discrimination laws.
A report from Reuters noted that the move forms part of President Donald Trump’s broader efforts to curb DEI programs across the legal sector and beyond.
The EEOC’s acting chair, Andrea Lucas, sent letters to the firms on Monday, requesting extensive data on their hiring and employment practices. The letters seek information on internships, scholarships, fellowships, numerical diversity targets, and demographic details of lawyers hired or considered for positions since 2019.
Lucas expressed concern that some firms’ policies “may entail unlawful disparate treatment in terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, or unlawful limiting, segregating, and classifying” based on race, gender, and other protected characteristics. At least two firms under scrutiny reportedly set explicit diversity hiring goals.
Several of the firms targeted, including Perkins Coie, Hogan Lovells, Ropes & Gray, and WilmerHale, have represented plaintiffs in lawsuits against Trump administration policies. Perkins Coie recently filed a lawsuit against an executive order that suspended security clearances for its lawyers and restricted their federal contracts. A judge temporarily blocked parts of that order last week.
The Trump administration has aggressively challenged DEI programs across government agencies, higher education, and private businesses. US Attorney General Pam Bondi has also warned that the American Bar Association could lose its accreditation role for law schools over its diversity requirements.
Lucas’ investigation raises legal and ethical questions, as firms may argue that disclosing client-related diversity policies violates attorney-client privilege. The EEOC, which typically acts on employee complaints, has not indicated whether formal complaints have been lodged against the firms.
A spokesperson for Hogan Lovells told Reuters that the firm had no immediate comment, while the other 19 firms have yet to respond publicly.
