DEI Counseling
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Strategic Consulting, Support, and Defense
A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is critical to the success of your organization. As expectations around DEI evolve across the country, we can help you navigate your DEI journey to ensure that your commitment can remain steadfast and secure.
To learn about our own DEI efforts, please visit DWT's Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
Areas of Focus
From trainings, to pay equity, to strategies for enhancing existing DEI programs, to litigation mitigation, and counseling, our DEI practice attorneys are able to work with clients on the full gamut of legal services to help you achieve your company's DEI needs and goals.
Trainings: Comprehensive, Customized, and Meaningful
Advice and Counseling: Navigating the Landmines
In-house counsel, human resources, and DEI professionals need guidance on how to navigate the landmines that continue to appear vis-à-vis DEI. We partner with you to help ensure that your commitment to DEI is meaningful and within the confines of the law. This can include review and assessment of existing programs to identify opportunities and risks; advising on efforts to increase diversity through hiring; engaging and supervising third-party vendors to conduct surveys or reviews and analyzing their work product for legal risks; or consulting related to employee affinity or business resource groups. We can also perform equity audits and recommend next steps or collaborate with company leaders to create a complete DEI program that meets the organization's goals.
We have specific expertise regarding OFCCP compliance and can advise clients regarding their data collection, storage, and reporting obligations.
We offer a suite of employment counseling services that are focused on DEI. This includes handbook and policy review, consultation regarding employee relations issues touching upon DEI (such as majority group discrimination complaints, workplace gender transitions, religious accommodation issues, and microaggressions), pay equity analyses, advice regarding employee layoffs and terminations, and advice regarding employee benefits plans.
Litigation: Defending Your DEI Commitment
As the law around DEI evolves around the nation, we are witnessing more and more lawsuits arise from legislation prohibiting or restricting DEI. We can help your organizations defend against these suits and maintain your commitment to advancing DEI.
We are witnessing a rise in lawsuits relating to an organization's DEI commitment, including claims of discrimination by members of majority groups, claims relating to racial equity or diversity programs, and religious accommodation discrimination. We can defend you against these claims.
Investigations
The DWT team includes experienced investigators who work with a racial equity lens and with cultural competency on issues of discrimination, racial equity, disability accommodation, and LGBTQ inclusion.
Compensation Review
Our diverse team is committed to helping our clients reach their DEI goals, whether it is one-off advice or a larger organizational-wide project. We have worked with both large international corporations and smaller regional companies in a multitude of industries. Some of our more recent engagements include:
Equity audits and risk assessment
Conducts diversity, equity, and inclusion audits of existing programs both to identify gaps and opportunities and to assess any legal risks associated with aspects of DEI programming.
Trainings
Conducts trainings for all levels of staff and leadership regarding all facets of DEI, including implicit bias, microaggressions, racial equity; gender identity and sexual orientation; understanding the business case for DEI; and advancing diversity in hiring through lawful hiring practices.
Advice and counsel
Partners with in-house counsel, human resources, and DEI professionals to help navigate issues related to DEI, including oversight of employee resource groups, managing employee communications around current events, oversight of and interpreting data from employee engagement surveys, crafting lawful hiring programs to advance diversity, creating and overseeing sponsorship and mentorship programs, practicing LGBTQ inclusion, pay equity, and responding to employee concerns or disputes.
Defense of governmental investigations and litigation
Assists businesses in responding to administrative charges or governmental action related to DEI programs. Defends employers in litigation against claims arising out of DEI programs, including discrimination claims by majority group plaintiffs.
Workplace investigations
Conducts, oversees, or provides guidance on workplace investigations into employee complaints related to DEI work, allegations of systemic barriers, or impact of unconscious bias. Experience in nuanced issues of discrimination and bias, including sensitive and public allegations.
Employee policy development
Conducts equity review of personnel policies and identifies opportunities to advance DEI through policies and practices.
Practice Contacts
Our Team
