"My office will immediately commence a review of existing outside counsel engagements to assess compliance with this policy," Uthmeier said.
When reviewing its counsel, the AG's office will also consider "excellent" individual lawyers who "personally reject the DEI and ESG rouses," even if they are part of law firms with DEI programs.
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DEI/ESG programs will be under scrutiny by the Florida AG's office. (Getty Images)
Other practices under scrutiny include diversity fellowships limited to specific racial or ethnic groups, diversity mentorship programs, DEI-focused hiring websites, and workplace DEI trainings that "are so egregious as to constitute a plausible basis for a hostile work environment claim or allegation." Firms involved in third-party diversity programs such as the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity may also be disqualified, as well as Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks.
As President Donald Trump targets DEI programs and initiatives across the federal government and U.S. institutions, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been waging his own years-long battle against them at the state level.
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President Donald Trump and a DEI book. (Getty Images)
Florida enacted the Stop WOKE Act in April 2022, which restricted employers from mandating DEI training that could be construed as promoting certain concepts, such as inherent racism or sexism. But a federal district court permanently blocked provisions of this act last year, declaring that it violated free speech rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. In 2023, DeSantis signed legislation banning public colleges and universities from allocating state or federal funds to DEI programs.
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In March 2025, the state's high court considered eliminating the requirement that law students graduate from American Bar Association (ABA)-accredited schools due to the ABA's diversity mandates.
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