One of the firms threatened with legal action in the US over its diversity practices has dropped its existing policy. White & Case's decision affects not just the US but also its UK office and other global businesses.

The section of the firm’s website headed Our commitment to diversity appears to have been dropped, as well as a pledge that White & Case ‘celebrates and welcomes difference’ and strives to ‘create an environment where everyone can bring their authentic, full selves to work and thrive’.

A White & Case spokesperson told the Gazette: ‘We have discontinued our diversity and inclusion function and introduced a new initiative focused on professional skills training and engagement for all our non-partner lawyers and business services professionals.

‘This change ensures that we remain compliant with applicable US law while fostering a workplace where everyone can thrive and has equal opportunities to succeed.’

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The firm has previously publicised its achievements in promoting diversity and inclusion. Last year it celebrated being named ‘top performer’ by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, whch includes the firm’s chair Heather McDevitt.

White & Case’s chief diversity officer Hedieh Fakhriyazdi said at the time that the awards were a sign of its ‘commitment to driving meaningful change by fostering a more inclusive legal profession’. She added that such accolades ‘also affirm our responsibility to lead with integrity, inclusion and purpose’.

The firm was one of 20 US firms contacted last month by the US government’s US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) asking for information about equality practices. This has chimed with President Trump’s stated ambition to remove what he describes as unlawful recruitment practices.

‘The EEOC is prepared to root out discrimination anywhere it may rear its head, including in our nation’s elite law firms,’ said acting chair Andrea Lucas. ‘No one is above the law—and certainly not the private bar.’

Freshfields, another of the 20 targeted firms, appears to have altered the heading on its main DEI website page from ‘diversity and inclusion’ to ‘culture and inclusion’. The magic circle firm has yet to respond to the Gazette’s enquiry about why the change was made.