Regardless of their area of expertise, attorneys often must address diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI) issues. They may need to:

These issues are essential and fast-evolving, presenting challenges and opportunities for lawyers and their clients. While the US Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admission v. President and Fellows of Harvard College v. University of North Carolina, 600 U.S. 181 (2023) directly addresses only the constitutionality of race-conscious admissions policies in higher education, it may impact similar policies in the workplace and elsewhere. In fact, in the wake of Students for Fair Admission, companies and law firms have faced lawsuits challenging various DEI efforts, from scholarships and internships to goals for increasing diversity in their workforce.

This Toolkit includes resources from across Practical Law's services to help lawyers address DEI issues as they advise clients in practice and navigate this evolving area of law in the workplace. The areas include:

The resources listed below address a sampling of areas where DEI issues may arise, and which attorneys may need to address when advising clients.

For additional DEI resources relevant to advising clients, see ESG and Sustainability Toolkit (US): Social, Legal Operations, Professional Development & Well-Being Toolkit, ESG and Sustainability: DEI-Related Litigation Toolkit, and Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit.

For additional DEI resources for the UK, please see the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Toolkit.

For additional DEI resources for Canada, please see the Diversity & Inclusion Toolkit.

The resources listed below address common DEI issues attorneys may need to address in their workplace.

For additional resources on workplace DEI programs in general, see the Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit.