A&O and Freshfields targeted over diversity programmes, along with 18 other major firms in the US.
Government agency demands information on firm hiring practices since 2019.
A&O Shearman and Freshfields are among 20 major law firms being investigated by the US government agency in charge of guarding against workplace discrimination over concerns their diversity initiatives fall foul of anti-discrimination laws.
The probe follows Donald Trump’s executive order against Perkins Coie on 6 March which also ordered the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to review the diversity policies of leading Big Law firms.
The EEOC has written to each firm requesting details about their diversity policies, including information on all lawyers and partners hired since 2019.
In a statement, agency chair Andrea Lucas said: “The EEOC is prepared to root out discrimination anywhere it may rear its head, including in our nation’s elite law firms", adding “No one is above the law - and certainly not the private bar.”
The firms have until 15 April to respond.
A former EEOC chair questioned the legal basis behind the demands, telling Bloomberg Law: “I am not aware of any authority that would require law firms to respond to these letters.”
The full list of firms:
A&O Shearman
Debevoise & Plimpton
Cooley
Freshfields
Goodwin Procter
Hogan Lovells
Kirkland & Ellis
Latham & Watkins
McDermott Will & Emery
Milbank
Morgan Lewis
Morrison & Foerster
Perkins Coie
Reed Smith
Ropes & Gray
Sidley Austin
Simpson Thacher
Skadden
White & Case
WilmerHale
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