Krevolin Horst, LLC

The Department of Labor (DOL) has aligned with the prior administration to support higher wages for some workers, backing a 2021 executive order that raised the minimum wage for federal contractors to $15 per hour. The states of Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana had challenged the order.?The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit disagreed and upheld the order. The states have now asked for a rehearing en banc. The DOL filed a brief in support of the Fifth Circuit panel’s ruling, declaring that “the federal government benefits when its contracts are performed by sufficiently well-paid employees.” While unclear whether the DOL’s stance in this case signals a broader trend, we will keep a close eye on the DOL’s future actions.

Yesterday, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) issued joint guidance regarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. The guidance was provided via two “technical assistance documents” entitled “What To Do If You Experience Discrimination Related to DEI at Work” and “What You Should Know About DEI-Related Discrimination at Work.” Notably, the guidance does not provide any changes in the law. Although the guidance discusses popular DEI initiatives, such as Employee Resource Groups (ERG), affinity groups, and internships, the guidance does not prohibit the continued use of such programs. Instead, according to the new guidance, such programs may be illegal if an employer limits participation in such groups or programs to individuals based on protected characteristics. Therefore, based on the current state of the law, employers may continue to provide initiatives that help attract and retain workers, as long as workers are not excluded from participating in such programs due to protected characteristics such as race or gender and subject to the laws in the relevant jurisdictions. We will continue to monitor and report on further developments. You can view the guidance documents at: https://lnkd.in/gZxCRbDg and https://lnkd.in/g4nTxhVA

Krevolin & Horst’s Jeff Horst and Leslie Bryan made a surprise visit to Joyce Gist Lewis’s litigation class at Georgia State University College of Law, stepping in as opposing counsel to challenge students’ cross-examination skills. ? This was a valuable opportunity?for the 2L law students?to learn courtroom strategies firsthand from seasoned trial attorneys.

Co-Managing Partner Allegra Lawrence-Hardy and Partner Lovita Tandy reconnected with colleagues and industry leaders at the Driving Diversity & Leadership Conference (DLDC) in Phoenix, AZ! The conference was a wonderful opportunity to network and share insights within the legal profession. We were proud to be with our National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) to support its vision of expanding opportunities. A huge thank you to NAMWOLF for organizing such an impactful gathering, and special thanks to Leslie Davis, Clare Grossman, Jane Kalata, and all NAMWOLF staff for your dedication and hard work in making this event such a success. We look forward to continuing to work together as we build for the future. #NAMWOLF #LegalIndustry #DLDC2025 #Leadership

Today, the United States Supreme Court rejected certiorari in a Title VII religious discrimination case—in an order reflecting some justices’ interest in making a major change to how Title VII cases are litigated. The case,?Hittle v. City of Stockton, is from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which had found in favor of the employer using the Supreme Court’s?McDonnell Douglas?framework—a standard in place since 1973. While the Supreme Court majority did not provide reasoning for rejecting the employee’s cert petition, the dissent (Justices Thomas and Gorsuch) indicated its desire to accept certiorari to reexamine the?McDonnell Douglas?framework—going so far as to suggest it may no longer have a place in Title VII litigation. While the framework remains intact for now, the dissent raised an important question about the future of employment litigation—one we will be monitoring closely.

Are you confused about the latest updates to the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA)? You're not alone. The U.S. Treasury recently released a statement regarding CTA enforcement—leaving many questions unanswered. What does this mean for your company’s obligation to file its Beneficial Ownership Information under the CTA? Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eSH67YUs

This week, the United States Supreme Court ruled that parties may only recover attorney's fees as a “prevailing party” under 42 U.S.C. §?1988 if they achieve final, court-ordered relief—obtaining a preliminary injunction or securing voluntary compliance from the opposing party is insufficient to win a fee award. While the decision may have a deterrent effect on claims for emergency, temporary injunctive relief, it also has the potential to incentivize early resolution of potentially costly claims that carry the risk of a fee award.?Check out our legal alert for more details.?https://lnkd.in/e_3_gaj6

We are proud to announce that 17 of our attorneys have been selected as 2025 Georgia Super Lawyers, and 8 of our attorneys have been recognized as Rising Stars! Please join us in congratulating: Super Lawyers – Joyce Gist Lewis, Crissy Wolfe, Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, Doug Krevolin, Jeff Horst, Zahra S. Karinshak, Chris Adams, Halsey Knapp, Gerardo ("Gerry") Balboni, Jessica Gabel Cino, Adam Sparks, Kana Caplan, Lovita Tandy, Sada Jacobson Baby, Leslie Bryan, Jenn Coalson, and Rod Ganske. Rising Stars – Barclay Vallotton, William Ponder, Jacob Edwards, Megan Howard, Skylr Martucci-Moore, Jackie Caroe, Jack Cartwright, and Anre Washington. Joyce, Zahra and Allegra were again named to the Georgia Top 50 Women lawyers list, and Joyce, Jeff and Allegra also appear on the Georgia Top 100 list. Congratulations all!

Krevolin Horst Partner Zahra S. Karinshak recently participated in a dynamic panel discussion hosted by the Georgia Association For Women Lawyers (GAWL) as part of their Leader Within CLE event. This transformative conversation aimed to empower attendees to elevate their careers and become influential leaders by exploring strategies for honing leadership skills and building strong mentorship networks. Zahra spoke alongside Linda Klein (Baker Donelson), Meka B. Ward (The Home Depot), Robin Frazer Clark (Law Firm of Robin Frazer), and Judge Ana María Martinez (DeKalb County State Court), with GAWL President Ebony Phillips, Esq. moderating. ? KH is proud to support initiatives that foster leadership and mentorship in the legal community. #Leadership #Mentorship #WomenInLaw #GAWL

Today, the United States Supreme Court ruled that states may not require 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claimants to exhaust administrative remedies before bringing a state court lawsuit challenging the procedural aspect of the administrative agency’s handling of the?administrative claim. This decision leaves the door open for public employers facing substantive § 1983 claims in state court to argue an administrative exhaustion defense, so defendants facing a § 1983 claim in state court may want to pause before seeking removal because?state court may now be the preferable venue in certain cases. Check out our legal alert for more details: https://lnkd.in/eACYRh-n