Law firms are increasingly removing signs of their diversity commitments to avoid government backlash under the current administration. Despite efforts to appear compliant with criticisms of diversity programs, this may not protect them from consequences. Cooley's deletion of its DEI Action Plan raises concerns about transparency. In contrast, Bryan Cave openly communicated its decision to downplay diversity language, acknowledging their policy commitments will remain intact, showcasing an evolution towards honesty in corporate practices amidst pressures to conform to political climates.
Bryan Cave is the latest to take steps to downplay diversity efforts, stripping inclusion and diversity language from the website and stuffing its 2024 annual diversity report in the cold storage vault.
Cooley's sudden, overnight removal of its 'board approved DEI plan' from its public facing landing page gives me pause.
However, as of March 14, 2025, Cooley's DEI Action Plan landing page is no longer available to the public. The moral of the story is that weakness never pays.
After watching other firms try to hide the ball from associates... it's a welcome change to see a firm exhibit enough respect for its team to be honest about its decision.
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