Estela Díaz Quoted on Corporate Boards’ Increased Focus on Investigating Workplace Culture

The National Law Journal has quoted Akin Gump litigation partner Estela Díaz in the article “Corporate America, Confronting Racism and Sexual Misconduct, Turns to Big Law to Investigate Its Culture.” The article discusses the increase in requests for law firms to review workplace culture at large corporations and other institutions.

Díaz, whose practice focuses on white collar investigations, noted that clients have increasingly asked her to investigate racial or gender discrimination incidents or conduct general audits of their culture. She added that prior to the #metoo movement, these issues were not top of mind for companies, saying, “Before, when we did a white-collar internal investigation on behalf of a board—like looking into accounting irregularities—and you came across, you know, something like allegations of sexual harassment or discrimination, that would be folded into your investigation or referred to a second investigation.”

By way of example, the publication notes Díaz’s representation of a special committee of the board of Papa John’s in which she conducted a “part investigation, part audit” into the company’s workplace culture, policies and practices following the circumstances surrounding the company’s founder resignation. Díaz said that this matter illustrates corporations’ increased focus on “systemic or company-wide issues” rather than individual flashpoints.