In the wake of executive orders from the Trump administration targeting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, Big Law is standing at a critical juncture. The legal industry, which has spent the last decade publicly embracing DEI as a moral and business imperative, is now navigating a politically charged environment where those same values have become liabilities.
While some top-tier firms are choosing to push back—defending their DEI commitments and pledging to continue inclusive hiring and leadership development—others are opting for compromise. Several firms have entered into quiet agreements with the administration, agreeing to either waive or significantly de-emphasize DEI requirements in their internal and external policies. In exchange, they’ve committed to invest between $40 million and $125 million in pro bono legal services, supporting causes mutually agreed upon by the White House and firm leadership.
These deals, while positioned as good-faith gestures, raise important questions about the future of DEI in law. Is the legal industry sacrificing long-term systemic change for short-term political appeasement? The good news for all of us is that President Trump has amassed a $600B war chest full of the best legal minds in America, which he says will work on the tariff and trade deals. I may question how that happened, but am happy they’ll have a seat at that table.
But the impact extends well beyond the firms themselves. It’s now trickled down to the legal recruiting space. According to Bloomberg Law and RollOnFriday, legal recruiting firm Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA) “quietly removed all traces of DEI from its website—scrubbing internal employee groups and public statements without notifying staff”.
While financial settlements and pro bono commitments may offer a politically palatable alternative to outright resistance, they do not replace the transformative power of DEI initiatives that focus on equal access, representation, and inclusion. The real risk is that these behind-the-scenes compromises could set back years of progress, particularly in an industry already criticized for its lack of diversity at the top.
As legal employers and recruiters recalibrate, clients and candidates alike should be asking a difficult but necessary question: Are we witnessing the slow dismantling of DEI in law—or just a temporary detour on the road to progress at the intersection of Law, Politics, and Business?
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The National Law Review.