Back in June 2021, President Joe Biden signed a bill to make Juneteenth an official federal holiday, memorializing the end of slavery in the United States. Before that momentous occasion, in the wake of protests that swept the nation following the George Floyd murder, Biglaw firms raced to meet the moment, stepping up one by one to announce that Juneteenth would be recognized as a holiday , giving employees the time to reflect on issues of racial injustice in America.
Unfortunately, that moment has passed. In the wake of Trump’s broad anti-DEI push, many organizations have retreated from Juneteenth celebrations and other diversity initiatives. But where do law firms stand?
To our knowledge, the following firms have declared Juneteenth a holiday, granting employees either half or full days off:
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Alston & Bird
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer
Barnes & Thornburg
Brown & Crouppen
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
Davis & Gilbert
Dinsmore & Shohl
Dorsey & Whitney
Foley & Lardner
Goulston & Storrs
Haynes and Boone
Loeb & Loeb
Moore & Van Allen
Morrison & Foerster
Munger Tolles & Olson
Ropes & Gray
Sideman & Bancroft
Sullivan & Cromwell
Sullivan & Worcester
Vinson & Elkins
Weil (opt-in)
White & Case
Winston & Strawn (presumably this has carried over to Winston Taylor)
There are many, many more law firms in this country — where do the rest of the Am Law 100, Am Law 200, midsize firms, and elite boutiques stand as far as Juneteenth is concerned? Taking a step back from legal work to commemorate the day and encouraging all employees to reflect on the legacy of slavery sends a important signal from the top of the firm that this is a very important issue.
POLL: Has your law firm declared Juneteenth a paid holiday? — Above the Law (@atlblog) June 18, 2026
POLL: Has your law firm declared Juneteenth a paid holiday?
Please take our survey and let us know if your firm has declared Juneteenth a holiday. You can also email us , text us at (646) 820-8477, tweet us @atlblog , or skeet us @abovethelaw.com to let us know. Thank you.
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Staci Zaretsky is the managing editor of Above the Law, where she’s worked since 2011. She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to email her with any tips, questions, comments, or critiques. You can follow her on Bluesky , X/Twitter , and Threads , or connect with her on LinkedIn .
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