From Backlash to Breakthrough: Navigating the State of DEI in a Shifting Legal Landscape

As the U.S. experiences an intensifying backlash to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, attorneys and organizational leaders alike must understand the evolving legal landscape and how to adapt with purpose. This program will unpack key developments shaping the current state of DEI, including recent executive orders, high-profile litigation challenging DEI programs, and the sweeping impact of Students for Fair Admissions and its progeny. Beyond legal analysis, the course explores the broader cultural implications of these shifts and offers practical strategies for navigating complexity while keeping people - especially those from marginalized communities - at the center.

Through a legal and wellness-informed lens, attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how to build resilient, inclusive organizations amid heightened scrutiny and uncertainty. The course provides actionable tools that support compliance and courage: not only staying within the lines of what's permissible, but advancing what's possible.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Identify the key legal developments affecting DEI initiatives, including federal executive orders and major court cases

2. Break down the legal and practical implications of Students for Fair Admissions and related rulings for both public and private institutions

3. Analyze the risks and opportunities for organizations seeking to maintain or advance DEI goals in today's polarized environment

4. Apply strategies that align legal compliance with organizational health, employee well-being, and sustainable culture change