DEI in disguise? Some law firms continue prioritizing diversity efforts despite hostility from government
Are law firms’ diversity, equity and inclusion programs permanently shuttered—or are they only in hibernation?
In response to the Trump administration’s hostility toward DEI programs, many firms fell in line. A 2025 analysis by Reuters found that 46 of the top 50 highest-grossing U.S. firms removed or altered explicit website references to DEI.
Additionally, many firms are leaving DEI chief posts unfilled. According to Bloomberg Law, Ropes & Gray and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett have not refilled their top diversity professional positions in more than a year since the executives in those roles left the firms. Other top firms—including Kirkland & Ellis, Milbank and Cravath, Swaine & Moore—have not hired replacements for top diversity officers who left the firms in the last three to six months.
Bloomberg Law further reported that Milbank scaled back and altered its diversity programs after settling federal inquiries into its hiring practices by the Trump administration in April 2025. As part of the deal, Milbank stated that it would not engage in “illegal DEI discrimination and preferences,” according to Law.com. That apparently hasn’t hurt business. Citing client demand, the firm offered early start dates for new hires in August.
None of those firms replied to emailed queries about their planning for the vacant roles.
Firms weren’t the only target. Diversity Lab, a legal industry consultancy that named its firm DEI certification program after Arabella Mansfield, a woman who became America’s first female lawyer in 1869, also faced scrutiny. Under the Mansfield Rule, firms and corporate legal departments pledged to consider a range of candidates for leadership roles and promotions, at least 30% of whom were from underrepresented groups because of race, gender or other characteristics.
But the Mansfield Rule—and DEI—have retreated to the shadows today as fallout persists from President Donald Trump’s assault. Diversity Lab permanently shuttered in June following a Federal Trade Commission investigation into its allegedly anticompetitive behavior.
‘Not backing down’
It turns out that while some firms have scrubbed their websites of diversity promises and left DEI posts empty, others have carried on as they did before the Trump administration launched its sweeping crackdown across major firms, federal agencies and educational institutions. “Go woke, go broke” was the message, but it seems that the legal profession’s long history of inclusivity cannot be erased as easily as some conservatives had hoped.
“It was scary in the beginning,” says Rodney L. Abstone II, who has a JD degree and is a veteran firm diversity and recruiting consultant at Abstone Lalley DeNio Inc. in Chicago. “Even though the majority of firms did not share the administration’s opinion, they did not want to become a target.”
Abstone argues that the initial panic over DEI has since faded. For instance, he points out that a lot of larger, corporate clients are continuting to insist that their matters are staffed with diverse teams of lawyers.
“Many firms are sticking to their guns and not backing down,” he says. “They’re coming to me and asking for diversity candidates.”
He adds that he’s currently working on a “director of recruiting” role for an Am Law 200 firm. The role used to be known as “director of DEI,” and it specifically called for diverse candidates. Similarly, he says, earlier this year, he was asked to fill a “chief talent officer” role at a firm that had the same responsibilities for a since-eliminated “chief DEI officer” job.
Marci Taylor, a legal industry strategist and a consultant in Arizona, has also found that some firms are quietly rebranding their old diversity officer jobs.
“As C-level diversity executives resigned, the firms weren’t quick to refill the positions, but also a lot of firms haven’t given up. They use terms like ‘chief inclusion officer’ or ‘chief culture officer.’ Many have people at the manager level still doing the work,” Taylor says.
The bottom line hasn’t suffered because of the crackdown, she adds.
“I’m not aware of any diminished reputation just because firms are not actively promoting diversity,” says Taylor, who is the president of Arizona-based consultancy Mantra Legal. “There’s been no major fall in revenue or profits that I’ve seen.”
Some firms remain defiantly proud of their inclusivity efforts. In a December 2025 podcast with the Daily Journal, Vidhya Prabhakaran, the partner in charge of the San Francisco office of Davis Wright Tremaine, said the firm’s approach to DEI has always been “focusing on fostering a culture where any talented professional can succeed.”
“We’re just continuing to focus on that,” he added. “A lot of it is honestly just blocking the noise that’s coming out in all of the attacks and just continuing to focus on that core mission.”
Prabhakaran acknowledged that it’s difficult for DEI officers and employees to face external attacks on and criticism of someone’s very existence as a professional.
“That disconnect is something that we have to protect against, right?” he said in the podcast. “And ensure that like these folks know that we have their backs as they push forward an organizationally critical function.”
See also:
Companies pause DEI objectives when hiring lawyers
Law firm diversity benchmark sees drop in participation
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Making us all stronger
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