Nashville, TN

On March 19, 2025, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Justice issued two technical assistance documents regarding “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (“DEI”) programs in the workplace. Consistent with the Trump Administration’s Executive Orders regarding DEI, these technical assistance documents warn of the potential illegality of certain employment policies or initiatives under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Robin McGuffin takes a look at the guidance recommended in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.

If you or your company have developed a new technology, filing a patent application is an important step to protect your investment. However, because patent rights are territorial, it’s often necessary to file patent applications not only in the United States, but also globally. IP attorneys James Hayne takes a look at the difference between the U.S. and the Chinese systems.

There is yet another update with respect to the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”). Less than two weeks after the U.S. Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) set a new deadline for CTA compliance, both FinCEN and the U.S. Department of Treasury issued separate press releases announcing their intent to not enforce the CTA until new rules are finalized. Stites & Harbison's Corporate Transparency Act Committee takes a look at the update in this Stites & Harbison Client Alert.

Compliance with the Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”) is no longer voluntary. Businesses subject to the CTA, which includes the majority of entities formed or registered to do business in the United States, will have until March 21, 2025, to file their beneficial ownership information reports with the U.S. Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”).