Minnesota Lawyer recently spoke with Halunen Law’’s employment litigation group leader, Josh Newville, along with Matthew Bodie, Robins Kaplan professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, to get their impressions on what may be in store. In “What’s ahead in employment law?” reporter Laura Brown explores the changes Labor and Employment Law may undergo under Trump’s second presidential administration. Bodie and Newville see the potential for even greater changes than the usual back and forth between political parties. In the article, Newville, who has championed LGBTQ rights throughout his career, speculates on the new administration’s impact on anti-discrimination policies, the role of the EEOC, state protections, and more.
“Trump 2.0 might be even more aggressive. At this point, we are going to see an effort to target diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at various companies. It is almost that he signaled the EEOC will now, which I think is probable a first in history, be treating DEI initiatives as if they are discriminatory, which, I’m curious to see how that plays out.”

The founder of Halunen Law, Clayton Halunen spent more than 25 years as a trial lawyer seeking justice for employees, from delivery drivers to CEOs, in individual, class action, and whistleblower cases. Raised in northern Minnesota by parents who both experienced workplace discrimination, he built his career holding powerful companies accountable for illegal conduct, including some of the largest corporations in the country. His work includes a $1.5 billion settlement in a pharmaceutical fraud False Claims Act whistleblower lawsuit. Learn more about Clayton Halunen.