Organizational Values and Strategy Task Force

On May 29, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), joined by federal grantmaking agencies, issued a lengthy proposed rule[1] covering many aspects of federal financial assistance, including:

Attention government contractors and subcontractors, a new Executive Order (EO) demands your immediate attention. Titled Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors, the order, issued March 26, directs federal agencies to begin inserting a new clause prohibiting what the EO terms “racially discriminatory DEI activities” into contracts within 30 days. The EO’s text reaches more broadly than prior purported DEI preclusion efforts. Here is what you need to know.

The General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced proposed updates to certification requirements for federal grantees on the System for Award Management (SAM, available at sam.gov), the GSA-run, official US Government system for, among other things, recipients of federal funding to make representations and certifications about their organizations. These proposed changes, published in a Federal Register notice on January 28, 2026, would impact all entities receiving federal financial a

Partner Lauren Hartz has been recognized as a recipient of Corporate Counsel's 2026 Women, Influence & Power in Law Award (WIPL) in the Next Generation of Leaders category. The award recognizes women lawyers under age 40 who have made meaningful contributions to the profession, their clients, and community around them.

In the waning hours of 2025, news broke that the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) had sent Civil Investigative Demands (“CIDs”) to investigate and potentially bring actions against federal contractors, grant recipients, and other entities receiving federal funds for maintaining so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) programs. Reporting notes that DOJ issued CIDs pursuant to its False Claims Act (“FCA”) authority (31 U.S.C. § 3729-3733) to companies across a variety of sectors of the US

On December 9, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) published a final rule rejecting the use of disparate-impact liability, i.e., holding entities liable for discrimination due to a policy’s disproportionate effect on a certain group, even without evidence of intentional discrimination. The rule removes such liability from its regulations implementing Title VI,1the statute that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs that receive federal financial assistanc

On November 5, Associate Erica Turret represented the National Health Law Program (NHeLP) in oral argument before the DC Circuit, challenging Indiana's restrictions on Medicaid coverage.

Jenner & Block Partner Dawn Smalls will present at the Deans' Workshops and Development Conference hosted by the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar and Association of American Law Schools (AALS). 

Jenner & Block Partner Dawn Smalls will present at the Deans' Workshops and Development Conference hosted by the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar and Association of American Law Schools (AALS). 

Published by Dow Jones Risk Journal, June 30, 2025 and reprinted with kind permission.

Jenner & Block continued its longstanding tradition of recognizing exceptional pro bono service at the firm's 2025 Pro Bono Awards Ceremony, honoring lawyers and professional staff who exemplify the firm's core commitment of expanding access to justice. The recipients represent the breadth of Jenner's pro bono work across all offices and practice areas, demonstrating how dedicated legal service can make meaningful impact. 

In today's increasingly diverse and interconnected business environment, companies that operate on an international scale have often looked to implement policies – including those relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) – that comply with the toughest standards. That levelling up approach has generally allowed global guidelines and initiatives to be implemented universally across business teams operating in different jurisdictions with certain caveats to ensure legal compliance in eve

Jenner & Block Associate Erica Turret will present at the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) Spring 2025 CLE Workshop on March 26. As higher education discrimination laws undergo significant changes, Erica will join leaders from Rice University and Syracuse University to explore the legal status of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives a program titled “Faculty and Staff: Walking Through This New World Together.” 

With a promise to deliver the “largest deportation” in the history of the United States, President Trump’s 2024 campaign foreshadowed a new era of immigration policy and enforcement. The first two weeks of the second Trump Administration have already confirmed that major changes are underway, affecting immigration enforcement, visas, border security, and pathways to citizenship. In this installment of our “First 100 Days” series, we cover what universities, and those who study or work on their c

As anticipated, the second Trump Administration began with the release of numerous executive orders. In this client alert, part of Jenner & Block’s “First 100 Days” series, we unpack three orders that target diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across American society—including in higher education. We summarize the key provisions for colleges and universities, discuss what likely comes next, and suggest steps to take now. As we explain below, how the federal government will implement

In this client alert, we discuss three week-one executive orders that reflect promises President Trump made on the campaign trail to attack DEI. Below, we summarize the key provisions for the private sector, discuss what likely comes next, and suggest steps to take now, in response.

Co-Managing Partner Ishan Bhabha has been elected as a member of the American Law Institute (ALI), a leading independent organization in the United States producing scholarly work to clarify, modernize, and otherwise improve the law. As a member, Ishan will work alongside others to clarify the law through Restatements, Principles, and Model Codes.

While much uncertainty lies ahead as we enter 2025, the coming year is sure to see further attacks on corporate DEI efforts nationwide. With President Trump returning to the White House, the federal government is set to take aim at DEI programs. Meanwhile, emboldened by these developments at the federal level, activists and private litigants will likely ramp up their anti-DEI efforts in the courtroom, the legislatures, and the public arena. In this article, we preview what corporations with DEI

Partner Dawn Smalls was recently appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL).