The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued one of the first appellate rulings last week addressing claims that diversity training created a hostile work environment—and employment lawyers say the opinion provides a roadmap for a flood of expected similar claims.

Also last week, the Fourth Circuit upheld a multimillion-dollar award for a white former Novant Health executive who claimed he was fired so the company could advance diversity goals.

"The floodgates on these cases are just opening up," said Jason Schwartz, a Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher partner. "I think there's going to be a huge number of reverse discrimination type cases filed this year and in subsequent years, and these two cases are the tip of the iceberg for that."

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Avalon Zoppo

Avalon Zoppo is an appellate courts reporter for The National Law Journal. Contact her at [email protected]. On Twitter: @AvalonZoppo.

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