Cravath, Swaine & Moore’s chief diversity officer has left after about three years on the job, as Big Law firms face Trump administration scrutiny over such positions.
Peter Wilson Jr., whom Cravath lured from Proskauer Rose to guide diversity and inclusion efforts across the firm, confirmed in an automatic response to his work email address that he is no longer with the firm. Cravath did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Wilson could not be reached for comment.
Law firms have faced an onslaught of attacks waged by President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly referred to the industry’s diversity measures as “illegal DEI.” Some 20 firms, including Wall Street operators Kirkland & Ellis and Latham & Watkins, were probed for information on their hiring decisions and participation in diversity programs.
The firm is among those that chose not to rebrand DEI efforts in the wake of Trump pressure. Cravath’s affinity groups, a feature that several firms axed last year, remain advertised on the firm’s “Diversity & Inclusion” webpage.
Cravath also lost four partners at the beginning of the year. Partners and executive exits often occur at the start of years, as partners delay announcing career moves until they collect the previous year’s full compensation.
Before Wilson took the job, Kiisha Morrow had been the head of diversity and inclusion at Cravath for almost 17 years.
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