FOR YOUR PRACTICE | EMPLOYMENT LAW
The Intersection Between Employment Claims and Attorney Disciplinary Liability BY STEVE CORNELIUS, ESQ. AND JEFF TORRELLI
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See https://www.eeoc.gov/newsroom/eeoc-and-justice-department-warn-against-unlawful-dei-related-discrimination; https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-dei-related-discrimination-work.
WITH AN INFLUX OF employment
claims involving lawyers and law firms, understanding the potential exposures associated with the modern practice of law is critical to identifying and managing risks. In addition to civil and sometimes criminal liability, various Rules of Professional Conduct can be implicated when lawyers engage in employment misconduct, including discrimination, retaliation, and sexual harassment. Recently, the media has bombarded nationwide news outlets with coverage of the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) programs in the public and private sectors. Agencies tasked with enforcing laws against unlawful employment practices, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and Department of Justice (“DOJ”), have undertaken calculated measures targeted at law firms to end “illegal DEI initiatives,
MARYLAND BAR JOURNAL | VOLUME 7 ISSUE 2
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