diff --git a/.github/workflows/asf-allowlist-check.yml b/.github/workflows/asf-allowlist-check.yml
index 7fb2aaad71..132faa1bc3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/asf-allowlist-check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/asf-allowlist-check.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ permissions:
 
 jobs:
   asf-allowlist-check:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    runs-on: ubuntu-slim
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
       with:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-md-link.yml b/.github/workflows/check-md-link.yml
index 1379444e7f..8f207186e9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-md-link.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-md-link.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ on:
 permissions:
   contents: read
 
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
 jobs:
   markdown-link-check:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/license_check.yml b/.github/workflows/license_check.yml
index b5bf11b8ad..a6155c84cc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/license_check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/license_check.yml
@@ -27,9 +27,13 @@ permissions:
 
 jobs:
   rat:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-slim
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
       with:
         persist-credentials: false
+    - uses: actions/setup-java@de7274f081f381c8f8158605e0321c36c376e2e6 # v6.0.1
+      with:
+        distribution: temurin
+        java-version: 21
     - run: dev/check-license
diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-ci-docs.yml b/.github/workflows/python-ci-docs.yml
index 35bbc4441c..65c15cd51a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-ci-docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-ci-docs.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ permissions:
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
-  cancel-in-progress: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
   docs:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-ci.yml b/.github/workflows/python-ci.yml
index db1e9ff3ea..841781af6a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-ci.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ permissions:
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
-  cancel-in-progress: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
   lint-and-unit-test:
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ jobs:
       run: uv run python -m pytest tests/ -m unit --ignore=tests/integration -v -x
 
   cibw-dev-env-smoke-test:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-slim
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
       with:
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ jobs:
   python-ci-required:
     if: ${{ always() }}
     needs: [lint-and-unit-test, windows-unit-test, cibw-dev-env-smoke-test]
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-slim
     steps:
     - name: Verify Python CI jobs succeeded
       env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/python-integration.yml b/.github/workflows/python-integration.yml
index 9dae683aa8..3e7a6072f8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python-integration.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python-integration.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ permissions:
 
 concurrency:
   group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
-  cancel-in-progress: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
 
 jobs:
   integration-test:
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ jobs:
         include-hidden-files: true
 
   integration-coverage-report:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-slim
     needs: [integration-test, integration-test-s3, integration-test-adls, integration-test-gcs]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ jobs:
   python-integration-required:
     if: ${{ always() }}
     needs: [integration-test, integration-test-s3, integration-test-adls, integration-test-gcs, integration-coverage-report]
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: ubuntu-slim
     steps:
     - name: Verify Python integration jobs succeeded
       env:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/zizmor.yml b/.github/workflows/zizmor.yml
index 9b0147d598..a6702907ed 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/zizmor.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/zizmor.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ on:
 
 permissions: {}
 
+concurrency:
+  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
+  cancel-in-progress: true
+
 jobs:
   zizmor:
     name: Run zizmor 🌈