Michael Hiltzik: California's landmark corporate diversity law was overturned. What happens next?

Critics of the movement to make corporate boards more diverse by adding women and ethnic minorities to what used to be a white, male sandbox may take it as vindication that a California judge recently overturned as unconstitutional the 2020 state law mandating board diversity.

They're in for a disappointment.

Although California's diversity mandate was the first such state law, it was more a bellwether than a driver of the trend. Corporate boards are becoming more diverse, for sound business reasons and because of pressure from investors and other stakeholders.

Some companies even brag about the inclusiveness of their leadership because they know it makes them look good to investors, workers and customers, and because it's a sign that they're serious about finding new ways to improve their bottom line.

Indeed, diversity is increasingly becoming ingrained in corporate policy. But the battle isn't close to being won. And that makes efforts like California's more important than ever.

Let's take a look at the latest legal developments and their context.

California first stepped into the board diversity issue in 2018, when then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law requiring public companies incorporated or headquartered in