Hispanic Legal Chiefs Lag Behind All Groups at Top Corporations

Hispanic lawyers continue to trail other minority groups in reaching the top of major law departments despite being the largest minority workforce in the nation.

Hispanics held 2.2% of all general counsel jobs in the Fortune 1000 this year. The 22 Hispanic general counsel at the country’s largest companies is an increase of just one top lawyer since 2019, according to Jean Lee, CEO and president of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, which tracks diversity data.

Building the number of Hispanic general counsel in America’s biggest corporations could go a long way toward improving diversity in the legal industry. Top corporate lawyers have a wide influence on who is hired and promoted, not just internally, but at their outside law firms. Ruiqi Chen has the story.

COMPLIANCE

Revised Virus Paid-Leave Rule Moves to White House for Review
The U.S. Labor Department sent an updated rule on coronavirus-related paid leave requirements to the White House for final review, setting up the administration’s first response to a court decision that shot down key aspects of the original regulation.

EEOC Limits Power to Bring ‘Pattern or Practice’ Bias Claims
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission doesn’t have authority to sue employers over sweeping job patterns or practices that allegedly lead to workplace bias without first going through procedural steps laid out by federal law, the agency said in an opinion letter last week.

California Board Diversity Bill Enters Uncharted Legal Waters
California’s unprecedented push to create racial diversity quotas for corporate boards would move the companies there into uncharted territory, raising a host of legal questions and further empowering change-driven shareholders.

Wells Fargo, Delta Join a Nascent Push Into Racial Hiring Quotas
After decades of failed diversity pledges and good-faith promises to hire more minorities, U.S. companies are taking a more aggressive approach. For the first time, some of the biggest corporations are setting concrete racial quotas.

Ohio Lawmakers Pass Covid-19 Business Liability Shield Bill
The Ohio Senate passed a bill last week that would bar Ohio workers, customers, and health-care patients from suing hospitals and other businesses for spreading Covid-19.

Privacy Activist Spars With EU Official Over Data-Transfer Rules
The European Union’s justice chief sparred with a privacy activist over data transfers after a court struck down a key pact with the U.S. for a second time in five years.

Credit Suisse Spying Fallout Widens as Swiss Escalate Probe
The fallout from Credit Suisse Group AG’s spying scandal widened as Switzerland’s regulator escalated its investigation into an episode that ultimately led to the ouster of the bank’s chief executive officer.

ANALYSIS: Insurance Suits Heated Up This Summer. Will It Last?
The summer months of 2020 saw a big bump in federal lawsuits about insurance disputes, but it’s too early to say whether that bump will continue.

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• Bloomberg Law is constantly adding enhancements to the Coronavirus In Focus page.

PRACTITIONER INSIGHTS

INSIGHT: #TimesUp During Covid-19—Private Sector’s Role in Mitigating Gender Equality Crisis
Covid-19 presents employers the opportunity to showcase their leadership abilities and that they take gender equity seriously. Kaplan Hecker & Fink attorneys outline steps private companies can take to alleviate the disparate impact the pandemic is having on women.

INSIGHT: Maximizing Immunity Under the PREP Act for Covered Countermeasures
The PREP Act allows for immunity for covered persons relating to the manufacture, distribution, administration, or use of certain products in responding to a public health emergency. Haynes and Boone attorneys examine the scope of the PREP Act and steps covered persons should take, including properly maintaining records and documentation, to ensure immunity.

INSIGHT: Is an EIDL Right for Your Business?
The Small Business Administration’s management of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program under the CARES Act has had several issues. Katharine Meyer, a principal at GKG Law, examines the pros and cons of obtaining an EIDL, including the potential burdens of the collateral requirements and maintaining hazard insurance on that collateral.

INSIGHT: NFL Limits Off-Duty Conduct to Tackle Covid—Can Your Business?
Employers may seek to limit the off-duty conduct of their workforce to minimize exposure to Covid-19, and the approach taken by the NFL may seem tempting. Porter Wright attorneys explain that efforts to restrict lawful conduct, especially religious observances, during non-working hours and penalize employees must be carefully assessed to minimize risks of legal challenges and violations of federal and state laws.

BUSINESS & PRACTICE

Canadian Bank Hires Diversity, Inclusion Advocate as New CLO
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has recruited Kikelomo “Kike” Lawal to be its chief legal officer.

Zoom Hires General Counsel Amid User Boom, Consumer Concerns
Jeffrey True, who spent most of the past decade as the top lawyer for cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks Inc., is now part of Zoom Video Communications Inc.’s executive leadership in the same legal role.

Animal Health Firm Hires Ex-Big Law Partner, Blockchain Counsel
Covetrus Inc., an animal health services and technology company, hired Jamey Seely as general counsel.

Robinhood Adds Compliance Chiefs as Consumer Complaints Rise
Robinhood Markets Inc. is bringing on two new chief compliance officers as it copes with customer complaints and regulatory scrutiny.

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• Bloomberg Law’s In Focus: Legal Operations page has been updated to enhance navigation for subscribers to the service. Fundamental categories with dropdown guidance are now clearly identified under Practical Guidance on the left side of the page. More categories will be added in the coming months.

LEGAL NEWS

Goldman’s 1MDB Charges Dropped by Malaysia After Settlement
Malaysia has dropped criminal charges against Goldman Sachs Group Inc. units, a key step in the $3.9 billion settlement agreement that allows the bank to move on from the 1MDB scandal.

Auto-Parts Maker Joon Pleads Guilty to U.S. Charge in Death Case
Auto-parts manufacturer Joon LLC, also known as Ajin USA, has pleaded guilty to a federal criminal charge that the company willfully allowed employees to ignore OSHA safety rules leading to the death of a worker in 2016.

Danaher Sued by Pension Fund to Add Racial Diversity to Board
Danaher Corp. is the latest U.S. company caught in the cross hairs of a new weapon of the resurgent social-justice movement: investor lawsuits demanding minority representation on boards of directors.

McDonald’s Faces Discrimination Suit by Black Franchisees
McDonald’s Corp. is the subject of a lawsuit by more than 50 Black former franchisees in the U.S. who say they were driven out of business after being pushed by the company to set up shop in crime-ridden areas and denied financial help extended to White franchisees.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

• For our up-to-the-minute news on corporate governance, check out our Corporate Governance channel.

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