Asheesh Agarwal and Mike Witte: Conservative minorities should be on Indiana’s bench
For years, the establishment has created a judicial selection system that appears to reward patronage and effectively excludes conservative minorities.
Diversity
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Marion County Bar Association celebrates 100th anniversary
The association has been supporting Black lawyers and judges in the Indianapolis area since 1925.
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Attorneys inundated with questions from businesses, nonprofits about Trump’s policy moves
The topics of the inquiries range from grant funding to tariffs to immigration to diversity, equity and inclusion.
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DEI litigation shows hit to targeted programs in US
Discussions around improving diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace have unfolded throughout the United States for decades, dating back to the 1960s with the establishment of equal employment laws and affirmative action.
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Report: Women now comprise majority of law associates
The National Association for Law Placement released its annual Report on Diversity in U.S. Law Firms in January, with the report showing women now constitute the majority of all law associates for the first time since NALP began gathering data in the early 1990s.
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Articles
Trump administration moves to upend $37B affirmative action program
The program, which is funded by the U.S. government but administered by states, earmarks at least 10 percent of the federal funding for transportation infrastructure to women- and minority-owned contracting firms.
AG Rokita targets University of Notre Dame, launches inquiry about DEI policies
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has launched an inquiry into the University of Notre Dame’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
A ‘great move,’ or revisionist history? Indiana’s Beckwith sparks Three-Fifths Compromise debate
Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith’s defense of the Three-Fifths Compromise — which he called “a great move” by the country’s founders toward ending slavery — has triggered sharp pushback from historians and civil rights groups.
Federal judge blocks Trump push to cut funding to public schools over diversity programs
The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the National Education Association and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Indiana House committee moves ‘more focused’ version of anti-DEI bill
Criticisms continued to mount Monday even after a sweeping committee amendment rolled back significant portions of a bill that seeks to limit diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in schools and state government.
Some Indiana companies quietly pull back DEI push
Whether out of fear of losing federal funding, a desire to avoid litigation or a reluctance to seem political, organizations are changing the way they talk about diversity—if not outright cutting back on their pro-diversity efforts.
Some businesses fear for future of federal program in wake of judge’s partial blockage
The plaintiffs, Mid-America Milling Co. of Jeffersonville and Bagshaw Trucking Inc. of Memphis, claim in their suit that the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program has resulted in reverse discrimination against them.
Trump administration gives schools a deadline to end DEI programs
Schools are being given 14 days to end any practice that treats students or workers differently because of their race.
Legal battle looms as Trump orders a funding freeze during a review of federal loans and grants
Administration officials said the decision was necessary to ensure that all funding complies with Trump’s executive orders, which are intended to undo progressive steps on transgender rights, environmental justice and diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, efforts.
Anti-DEI bills take heat but pass committee
For four hours on Wednesday, and with tempers flaring throughout, Indiana lawmakers and plenty of constituents debated whether diversity, equity and inclusion efforts combat or constitute discrimination.
Black Indiana lawmakers denounce governor’s anti-DEI order, budget proposal
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun last week signed an executive order replacing “diversity, equity and inclusion,” or DEI, throughout state government policies and programming with “merit, excellence and innovation,” or MEI.
Trump administration directs all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on leave
President Trump’s executive order will toss out equity plans developed by federal agencies and terminate any roles or offices dedicated to promoting diversity. It will include eliminating initiatives such as DEI-related training or diversity goals in performance reviews.
Braun orders remote state workers back to office, eliminates DEI in first executive actions
By ending the pandemic-era measure, all state agencies must require their full-time workers to be back in office by July 1.
Walmart’s DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump’s election victory
Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are re-evaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups.
Minority-owned firms face ‘crisis’ as affirmative action programs fall
Minority- and women-owned businesses are bracing for the end of affirmative action in federal contracting—and the potential loss of contracts worth at least $70 billion a year.
IndyBar: New DEI Director Recruiting Committee Members
All are needed, and all are welcome. That’s the message Ranissa Dycus, Associate General Counsel at American Senior Communities, intends to spread as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director for the Indianapolis Bar Association and Foundation Boards of Directors.
More moms are serving as Indiana legislators — but far fewer than should be, new report says
The number of Indiana lawmakers who are also moms of minor-aged children has boosted significantly since 2022, but family and women’s advocates maintain there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
Law schools, firms create programs to build pipeline of diverse attorneys
With the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to effectively end affirmative action in college admissions, universities and law firms are looking for new ways to continue diversity efforts.
Greising on DEI: Let’s face the national headwinds with perseverance
The headwinds seem particularly strong right now—from the attacks on programs aligned with DEI objectives to lawsuits to block priority programs. Even law firms are getting sued and threatened over DEI programs.