Several major law firms have announced plans to observe the Juneteenth holiday, either by allowing staff to take a paid day of leave or by closing their offices entirely.
These firms include Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Debevoise & Plimpton; Ropes & Gray; Dechert; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and Sidley Austin.
Skadden was one of the first firms to make the announcement, with managing partner Eric Friedman sending a company-wide email to inform staff that Juneteenth would be recognised as a firm-wide holiday.
“It was in 1865, on June 19th, that enslaved black people in Texas learned that the Civil War had ended and that they were free, more than two years after the effective date of the Emancipation Proclamation,” Friedman wrote.
“We hope this day will provide an opportunity for us to pause from our daily routines to reflect on issues around racism and its impact on our country.”
Skadden was also one of the earliest law firms to issue a statement on the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, which sparked weeks of protests across the US and the world.
Activists are continuing to push for greater recognition of Juneteenth, including its potential designation as a national holiday and official recognition by Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange.
