The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) launched the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative (the “Initiative”), which was announced on May 19, 2025 via Memorandum from Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche, and a related press release (the “Memorandum”). The Initiative is a coordinated enforcement effort by various DOJ components and other federal agencies to investigate and prosecute
We recently wrote about the preliminary injunction entered by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, blocking the Department of Labor from enforcing certain provisions of Executive Orders 14173 and 14151, both of which limit or prohibit federal grants or programs relating to “illegal,” “unlawful,” and “immoral” diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”).
On April 23, 2025, the United States Department of Justice announced that it is rescinding the January 31, 2022 Notice of Report on Lawful Uses of Race or Sex in Federal Contracting Programs (the “2022 Report”). The April 23 announcement (the “Announcement”) does not clarify what practices or activities constitute inappropriate DEI programs. Rather, the
On April 2, we reported that Judge Matthew Kennelly of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois had issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Department of Labor from enforcing certain provisions of Executive Orders 14173 and 14151, both of which limit or prohibit federal grants or programs relating to “illegal,” “unlawful,”
On March 27, 2025, Judge Matthew Kennelly of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Department of Labor from enforcing certain provisions of Executive Orders 14173 and 14151, both of which limited or prohibited federal grants or programs relating to “illegal,” “unlawful,” and “immoral”
The Federal Government’s recent imposition of tariffs appears designed largely to bring manufacturing back inside the United States. News reports indicate the Government understands that tariffs may initially cause pain but accepts that trade-off to press investment in future growth of U.S. manufacturing. As such, there may be increased opportunities for construction companies who build
On March 14, 2025, The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit granted the government’s request to stay a nationwide preliminary injunction that blocked enforcement of elements of President Trump’s Executive Order 14173 (signed January 21, 2025) ending DEI programs within federal grant and contract processes, and his similar Executive Order 14151 (signed January
On January 21, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14173 titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” (the “Order”). As was noted in our February 10, 2025, article, the Order amounted to an initial step by the Trump administration to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) as well as diversity, equity, inclusion
Recent actions by the federal government have called into question the use of measures intended to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) on federal construction projects or projects receiving federal funding. On January 21, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14173 (the “Order”) revoking Executive Order 11246 signed by President Johnson in 1965. The revoked
Full Article in Properties Magazine
Allocating the Risks and Benefits of Green Construction
Sustainable (or “green”) construction practices and the trend toward green buildings are here to stay, driven not only by federal, state, and local legislation, tax credits, and incentives, but also by consumer, corporate, and shareholder demand. If they haven’t already, owners, architects