Co-Chair
Yvonne
Frederiksen
Co-Chair
Pål Kvernaas
Diversity and Equality Law Committee
The Diversity and Equality Law Committee includes private practitioners, in-house attorneys, and academics working with corporate clients on issues like pay equity, anti-discrimination, and LGBTQ+ rights. Members come from leading law firms, corporations, and various perspectives. The Committee publishes an annual newsletter highlighting new developments and issues of interest. The Committee also comprises the Disability Rights Working Group, focused on disabled individuals' rights in the workplace. The Committee collaborates with the Employment and Industrial Relations Law Committee, the Immigration and Nationality Law Committee , and the Global Employment Institute.
About the Committee
The Diversity and Equality Law Committee comprises private practitioners, in-house attorneys and academics, many of whom work with corporate clients in order to help them fulfil their key goals in such areas as pay equity, prevention of discrimination based on gender, race, religion, age, and disability (among other protected traits), and LGBTQ issues.
Many of these professionals are members of leading law firms or corporations. Of course, we welcome members from all areas and with all perspectives.
The Committee publishes annually the Diversity and Equality Law Committee Newsletter, which gives members an opportunity to bring attention to new developments in their jurisdictions, and other issues of interest.
The Committee also comprises the Disability Rights Working Group, whose members are interested in issues facing disabled individuals and their rights in the working world.
The Committee has been fortunate to enjoy very active support from its officers as well as invaluable input from other committees. It is a sign of the Committee's growing strength that increasingly we are asked to co-sponsor sessions with other IBA committees.
The officers are always keen to encourage others to join in the work so if you would like to contribute an article or suggest a topic for future conferences then please contact any of the officers. E-mail is our preferred means of communication.
We work closely with our colleagues in the other three bodies making up the Human Resources Section: the Employment and Industrial Relations Law Committee, the Immigration and Nationality Law Committee, and the Global Employment Institute. The Human Resources Section Board was established in 2014 in order to coordinate activities and join efforts within the Section. Board members consist of the current and immediate past Chairs of each of the committees in the Section.
Forthcoming conferences and webinars View All Conferences
Global perspectives on female leadership within legal frameworks
16 Sep 2026 1600 - 1715 BST
Webinar
IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026
04 Oct - 09 Oct 2026
Copenhagen , Denmark
Annual IBA Employment and Diversity Law Conference 2027
07 Apr - 09 Apr 2027
Bengaluru , India
Publications
Palestine conflict, social media freedom of speech and employment law – a challenge for all involved
We live in a world of many controversial topics, and where opinions raised in social media by employees may influence how their employer is seen by the public. Consequently, employers try to restrain their employees’ public statements. This article highlights a Higher Regional Labour Court of Mainz decision regarding the summarily dismissal of a professional football player in connection with his statements related to the Israel-Palestine-conflict following the Hamas terror attack in October 2023, and the counter strikes by Israeli military forces.
Released on Sep 01, 2026
Voices in conflict: free speech, social media, and the workplace during national trauma
In times of national trauma, the boundaries of acceptable speech tend to diminish. Emotions run high, public discourse becomes polarised, and institutions, especially employers, sometimes feel pressure to ‘take a stand’. But what happens when that pressure collides with one of the most fundamental democratic rights: freedom of expression?
Released on Jul 20, 2026
Measuring what matters: compliance as a bridge between data and practice
This article examines how the gap between corporate diversity disclosures and actual workforce practices – a phenomenon known as ‘diversity washing’ – distorts ESG ratings, misallocates capital, and erodes stakeholder trust, and argues that effective compliance programmes, rather than performative policies, which are the necessary bridge between reported metrics and genuine organisational change
Released on Jul 20, 2026
Anti-DEI views: not protected as ‘political belief’ in Canada
At what point does an employer have a right to require employees to support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives? In supporting diverse views, will there be instances where an employer can decide that a person’s lack of support for DEI is enough to refuse to hire them? A recent Canadian human rights decision explores this question, which involves the anti-DEI views of an applicant seeking to become a university professor.
Released on Jul 20, 2026
Subcommittees and other groups
The Diversity and Equality Law Committee also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.
- Disability Rights Working Group