Attorney General Rokita eliminates DEI, enforces merit-based legal representation for Indiana

Attorney General Rokita eliminates DEI, enforces merit-based legal representation for Indiana

Attorney General Todd Rokita today unveiled a robust new policy to protect Hoosiers from the unconstitutional diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices infiltrating law firms seeking to represent the State of Indiana. Effective October 2025, this policy will ensure that only firms committed to merit-based excellence and traditional American values of fairness will serve the state.

The Office of the Indiana Attorney General, tasked with approving most executive branch requests for outside counsel, is cracking down on woke ideologies that undermine equal treatment under the law. This move reinforces Indiana's commitment to rejecting discriminatory practices that prioritize race or sex over competence.

"The executive branch of Indiana state government is leading the charge against the radical left's woke DEI agenda, which undermines our constitutional principles and divides Hoosiers with race-obsessed schemes," said Attorney General Rokita. "This policy is a firewall to protect our state's legal representation, ensuring that law firms reject divisive ideologies and uphold the meritocracy and fairness that reflect the values of hard-working Hoosiers."

Recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, including Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard Coll. (2023) and Ames v. Ohio Dep't of Youth Servs. (2025), have reaffirmed that race-based policies violate the U.S. Constitution's Equal Protection Clause and federal civil rights laws. These landmark decisions expose DEI initiatives as not only divisive but illegal.

Under this new policy, the Attorney General will block contracts with law firms that engage in discriminatory practices, including:

• Using race or sex to make hiring, promotion or disciplinary decisions, undermining meritocracy.

• Forcing employees into trainings that push racial or sex-based stereotypes, indoctrinating workers with divisive narratives.

• Participating in programs like the Mansfield Certification, which impose quotas disguised as "diversity goals."

• Setting diversity preferences, targets or set asides that prioritize identity over qualifications.

• Operating DEI fellowships, offices or committees that promote race or sex-based classifications, further entrenching woke ideology.

This policy applies to all new requests for outside counsel, as well as amendments or renewals of prior requests, ensuring a clean break from existing DEI-driven practices. It does not affect previously approved contracts but sets a strong precedent for future engagements.

Attorney General Rokita's policy builds on his ongoing partnership with Governor Mike Braun to restore fairness in state contracting. In January 2025, Governor Braun issued an executive order banning state agencies from using taxpayer funds to support DEI initiatives that grant preferential treatment based on race. In July 2025, Attorney General Rokita and Governor Braun further strengthened state contracts by adding language to prohibit race- and sex-based discrimination, including DEI practices that violate Indiana and federal civil rights laws.

Read Attorney General Rokita's full policy guidelines here.

A headshot of Attorney General Rokita is available for download.

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