News & Analysis as of

Affirmative Action Supreme Court of the United States Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College

Smith Anderson

SCOTUS Rejects Extra Burden for Majority-Group Plaintiffs in Title VII Cases

Smith Anderson on

On June 5, 2025, the United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, significantly impacting how majority-group discrimination claims are evaluated under Title VII of the...more

Mintz - Employment Viewpoints

“Reverse Discrimination” Cases Subject to Same Evidentiary Standard Says Supreme Court

Can members of a majority group be subject to a heightened pleading standard for their Title VII discrimination claims? The United States Supreme Court answered this question with a unanimous “no” in Ames v. Ohio Department...more

Morrison & Foerster LLP

U.S. Supreme Court Reconciles Circuit Split Regarding Standard for “Reverse Discrimination” Claims

On June 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, rejecting the “background circumstances” requirement multiple circuit courts of appeals have applied to Title...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

New Administration Outlook: How Educational Institutions Can Navigate the Attack on DEI

As the entire public and private sector adjust to the Trump Administration's attack on programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion ("DEI"), colleges and universities are in a difficult position. Like federal...more

Morrison & Foerster LLP

2024 State AGs Year in Review - UPDATED 4/1/25

In 2024, state attorneys general (“State AGs”) focused on a broad variety of areas and industries including, in particular, emerging industries such as artificial intelligence (AI) and privacy and social media protections....more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Wisconsin Court of Appeals Finds Taxpayer-Funded College Grant Program to Be Unconstitutional

On February 26, 2025, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, District II, determined that a program that provided taxpayer-funded educational grants to financially needy students of specific racial, national origin, and ancestry...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

U.S. Department of Education’s ‘Dear Colleague’ Letter Prohibiting DEI and FAQs Document Challenged in Federal Court

On March 5, 2025, the National Education Association (NEA) and its New Hampshire affiliate (NEA-NH) sued the U.S. Department of Education, challenging a recently issued “Dear Colleague Letter” (DCL) that informed schools that...more

Bricker Graydon LLP

U.S. Department of Education releases FAQ for February 14th Dear Colleague Letter

Bricker Graydon LLP on

On March 1, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) released a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document in connection with the February 14 Dear Colleague Letter (DCL). This document aims to clarify how...more

Shipman & Goodwin LLP

OCR Issues “Dear Colleague” Letter on Racial Discrimination

Shipman & Goodwin LLP on

On February 14, 2025, the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued guidance clarifying how the Department will interpret federal laws that prohibit schools and other entities receiving...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

OCR’s Directive on Race-Conscious Policies in Higher Education

Troutman Pepper Locke on

On February 14, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (DOE) issued a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL), which calls for educational institutions to immediately cease race-conscious practices in student...more

Venable LLP

This is Not a Drill: Trump Administration 'Dear Colleague' Letter Virtually Eliminates Consideration of Race in Higher Education

Venable LLP on

On February 14, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued a new "Dear Colleague" letter to "clarify and reaffirm the nondiscrimination obligations of schools and other entities that receive federal financial assistance...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

U.S. Department of Education Releases Dear Colleague Letter Addressing the Use of Race in Education, Announces Enforcement...

Husch Blackwell LLP on

On February 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education released a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) concerning discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in K-12 and higher education. The DCL articulates the...more

Roetzel & Andress

U.S. Department of Education Releases Guidance on DEI Programs in Schools Receiving Federal Funds

Roetzel & Andress on

The legality of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DEI”) Programs has come under immense scrutiny beginning with the change in presidential administration. On January 21, 2025, President Trump issued executive order 14173...more

Littler

U.S. Department of Education’s New “Dear Colleague” Letter Targets DEI Programs and Signals New Era of Title VI Enforcement

Littler on

On February 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a “Dear Colleague” Letter (DCL) and emailed it to K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions around the country. The DCL...more

Woods Rogers

Dear Colleague: Watch Out

Woods Rogers on

In a tersely worded “Dear Colleague” letter dated February 14, 2025 (pdf), the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) signaled its intent to combat “pervasive and repugnant race-based preferences and...more

Adams & Reese

The Future of DEI Under Trump’s Second Administration

Adams & Reese on

Every time a new President is elected, we employment lawyers write an article of some version of “What to Expect.” Many of my colleagues have written excellent articles on this topic, and the Trump administration has given us...more

Baker Donelson

Unpacking the U.S. Attorney General's "Ending Illegal DEI and DEIA Discrimination Preferences" Memo

Baker Donelson on

The U.S. Attorney General's Office issued a Memorandum, on February 5, 2025, to the employees of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) directing the DOJ Civil Rights Division to "investigate, eliminate, and penalize illegal...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

What to Know About the War Being Waged Against DEI

Can you still have DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs? How about affirmative action plans? The Supreme Court’s June 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard garnered national attention in holding...more

Cozen O'Connor

Costco Urged by Republican AGs to Repeal DEI Policies

Cozen O'Connor on

A group of 19 Republican AGs announced that they have sent a letter to Costco Wholesale Corporation, warning that its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies may violate state and federal civil rights laws prohibiting...more

Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP

Another Attack on Diversity and Inclusivity Efforts Post Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) Supreme Court Decision

The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) filed suit against McDonald’s in federal court over the corporation’s scholarship program for high school students of Hispanic and Latino descent, the Hispanic American Commitment...more

McGlinchey Stafford

Will DEI Programs Become Extinct Under the Trump Administration?

McGlinchey Stafford on

In an effort to embrace diversity and inclusion, many employers established Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. The look of these programs varied from company to company; however, many of the programs...more

Foley Hoag LLP

SFFA In The Courts: Where We Are Before the Administration Change

Foley Hoag LLP on

It has been over a year since the Supreme Court issued its decision striking down Harvard’s and the University of North Carolina’s admissions policies in Students for Fair Admissions (“SFFA”) v. Harvard College and SFFA v....more

Mintz - Employment Viewpoints

SCOTUS Takes Up Reverse Discrimination Framework Under Title VII

The U.S. Supreme Court recently granted cert in a hotly contested case addressing the standards of proof applicable to reverse discrimination claims under Title VII. The case comes on the heels of the court’s decision last...more

Nilan Johnson Lewis PA

Reverse Discrimination and Pay Equity

Nilan Johnson Lewis PA on

Employers have seen a significant increase in reverse race and gender discrimination claims over the last four years. White and male employees are arguing that employer efforts to address historic race and gender inequities...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

The rise of “reverse” discrimination claims

Since the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in Students for Fair Admission, we have observed an increase in “reverse” discrimination claims where members of a majority group, such as whites or males, allege discrimination...more

223 Results
 / 
View per page
Page: of 9

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:
*By using the service, you signify your acceptance of JD Supra's Privacy Policy.
- hide
- hide