Co-Chair
Karine Audouze
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
IBA Annual Conference Toronto 2025
02 Nov - 08 Nov 2025
Toronto , Canada
Annual IBA Employment and Diversity Law Conference 2026
22 Apr - 25 Apr 2026
Warsaw , Poland
IBA Annual Conference Copenhagen 2026
04 Oct - 09 Oct 2026
Copenhagen , Denmark
Publications
Non-biological mothers gained equal parental rights through constitutional court judgment in Italy
A recent judgment of the Italian Constitutional Court stated that the so-called ‘intentional mother’ (in a female same-sex couple, the non-biological mother) is entitled to the mandatory leave of absence from work which is normally intended for fathers in opposite-sex couples. This article explains the rationale for the ruling and how this decision may open the way towards the recognition of diverse family structures and contribute to the principle of equal treatment, thus indicating a meaningful signal of change that could, over time, contribute to potentially strengthening the legal status of LGBTQ+ families in Italy. It also considers the broader implications that this first step may have for Italian law, European human rights standards and international debates on inclusive family rights, including at the workplace.
Released on Oct 06, 2025
Artificial intelligence in Indian workplaces: diversity law issues from hiring to exits
AI has transitioned from experimental expensive novelty to a core affordable operational tool in organisations from various industries including those in India. This article considers the role AI plays in hiring and recruitment, employee performance management and redundancy, among other areas, and the challenges AI presents in these roles.
Released on Sep 24, 2025
Workplace diversity and inclusion: India’s evolving approach towards embracing DEI
This article examines India’s evolving DEI compliance landscape, highlights compliance and cultural gaps across sectors and explores operational challenges and strategies employers must navigate to embed inclusion in both form and function.
Released on Sep 24, 2025
Non-discrimination rules in job advertising in Ukraine
This article describes the recent changes in employment laws in Ukraine regarding non-discrimination rules during recruitment, in particular in the field of job advertising. It also examines the relevant legislation’s alignment with Ukraine’s EU integration objectives and existing national legal frameworks.
Released on Sep 24, 2025
Subcommittees and other groups
The Diversity and Equality Law Committee also coordinates the activities of the following subcommittees/working groups.
- Disability Rights Working Group