How Echo is Transforming Lives through Entrepreneurship, with Geraud Staton
The Buzz, A SC Economic Development Video Podcast | Episode 87: EVP of Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Henri Baskins
Williams Mullen's COVID-19 Comeback Plan: Part II – Doing Business With the Commonwealth of Virginia
PODCAST: Williams Mullen GovCon Perspectives - Why Was My SWaM Certification Denied, and What Can I Do?
PODCAST: Williams Mullen GovCon Perspectives - Recent Updates to the SWaM Certification Process in Virginia
Microsoft Makes Minority-Owned Firm Its Premier Provider
20 Republican AGs filed an amicus brief in support of a proposed consent order that would end federal enforcement of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program (DBE), which requires federal transportation fund recipients...more
As a result of the federal government’s clear directives against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that put the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (“DBE”), 8(a) Business Development Program, Woman-Owned Small Business (“WOSB”),...more
Last week’s revocation of federal affirmative action requirements was accompanied by a statement from the Trump administration stating its intent to eliminate any federal program that promotes DEI principles. ...more
In a unique, interactive session that was part of the firm’s annual In-House Counsel seminar, participants evaluated potential DEI outcomes by analyzing three fictional scenarios. With elements pulled from real-life cases,...more
Challenges to Race-based Initiatives Continue: Fearless Fund Settles Yearlong Suit with the American Alliance for Equal Rights, Ending the Strivers Grant Contest for Women of Color Business Owners - Fearless Fund is a venture...more
On Monday, June 3, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit held that a contest providing venture-capital funding to only Black women was substantially likely to violate section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of...more
On June 3, 2024, the Eleventh Circuit authorized a preliminary injunction in American Alliance for Equal Rights v. Fearless Fund Management, LLC et al., ruling that a grant contest that awards funding and mentorship...more
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit blocked a contest by a venture capital fund that provided grants and other benefits to black women-owned businesses, finding the contest is likely to unlawfully discriminate...more
On March 5, 2024, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas struck down key provisions of the Minority Business Development Act of 2021, which promotes the provision of business development services...more
A Texas federal district court judge has decided that the Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) policies that provide financial assistance to minority-owned businesses are unconstitutional. While the court’s decision...more
California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) has signed a bill that mandates venture capitalists to report the diversity of the founding members of businesses they invest in, making the first state to require venture capital firms to...more
The Supreme Court issued a major decision at the end of June when it outlawed affirmative action for colleges in Students for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard College (“SFFA”). The Court based its decision...more
The Boston Planning and Development Agency (“BPDA”) has adopted a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy (“DEI”) that asks developers of large projects (adding/constructing more than 50,000 square feet), Planned Development...more
In part two of this year’s Fellows subseries, Wetmore Fellows Alex Devine and Kimberly Valladares host a discussion with Boston Managing Partner David Ephraim and Washington, D.C. Finance Partner Crystal Kaldjob about the...more
Vendor diversity is an important, even essential part of DEI. Even though some organizations may not have realized it yet. What is vendor diversity? While diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, has become more and...more
In 2020 alone, there were nearly 20 highly publicized incidents of flagrant racism on construction jobsites throughout North America, ranging from workers of color finding nooses hung in the workplace to racist graffiti. Many...more
Some interesting links we found across the web this week: “Salary is a necessary evil,” and other thoughts on startup pay - This article is a must-read for startups that are considering how to compensate their new...more
The CFPB’s Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) has issued its annual report to Congress covering the OMWI’s activities in FY 2016. The Dodd-Frank Act required the CFPB and various other federal agencies, including...more
The CFPB released two items at year-end: the results of its 2016 annual employee survey and its updated Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan) for 2016-2020....more
Ballard Spahr Partner Dee Spagnuolo joined Director Stuart Ishimaru of the CFPB’s Office of Minority and Women Inclusion and other industry leaders for the panel discussion "Diversity and Dodd-Frank Section 342," on September...more