Mansfield 5.0 Certified Firms
An Open Letter From the 2021-2022
Mansfield 5.0 Certified Law Firm Leaders
We, the Chairs, Managing Partners, and DEI Leaders of 160+ leading law firms, are dedicated personally and professionally to addressing historical issues of exclusion and marginalization of women lawyers, underrepresented racial and ethnic lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities. We demonstrated that commitment this year, in part, through our joint participation in Mansfield Rule 5.0. Mansfield’s purpose is to increase diversity in leadership.
The Mansfield behavioral science and data-driven certification process – along with our many other commitments to propel systemic change – has strengthened our efforts to cultivate diversity, equity, and inclusion in our advancement practices and leadership roles. We are truly proud to announce our hard-earned achievement as 2022 Mansfield Certified law firms.
As illustrated by the considerable requirements, the year-long Mansfield certification is not an easy, check-the-box exercise. Each of our firms considered a broad slate of talent – including at least 30% underrepresented lawyers – for leadership positions. We expanded our talent pools when appointing lawyers for dozens of leadership roles and committees, when hiring senior lateral associates and partners, when promoting into the equity partnership, when staffing client pitch teams, and more. To foster transparency, many of our firms also memorialized our leadership job descriptions and advancement practices and ensured they are accessible to our lawyers.
Our Mansfield progress, although still in the early stages, is encouraging. We have made notable gains – both as a collective group and individually by firm – across many aspects of firm culture and leadership by adhering to the rigorous certification requirements. And through Mansfield’s knowledge sharing forums, we joined forces as a community to share resources and expertise needed for our talent to thrive.
There is still a lot more work to do. Mansfield is an iterative process that pushes boundaries and evolves every year. But in the spirit of transparency and accountability – the foundation on which Mansfield is built – some of our firms’ related accomplishments follow.
In the coming weeks, you will also learn about the progress that our UK law firm counterparts (see here) and the nearly 50 legal departments piloting Mansfield (see here) are experiencing. We invite our peers and clients to join us in driving greater progress every year as a united profession. This is a multi-year journey that doesn’t end with achieving Mansfield 5.0 certification. The hard work and long-term commitment must continue.
Highlighted Individual Firm Results
Click on each of the four categories below to learn more about Mansfield firms’ results.
Mansfield Early Outcomes
“Akerman’s early adoption of the Mansfield Rule both reflects and furthers our longstanding commitment to building a firmwide culture of equality and inclusion. In support of this commitment, we have devoted significant resources and energy to strengthening professional development programs for our affinity network groups and providing meaningful opportunities to advance and excel within the firm. As envisioned by the Mansfield Rule, these efforts are showing results: in the last year, 75% of our lawyers promoted to equity partner were members of historically underrepresented groups. Additionally, 41% of our lawyers serving on our firmwide board of directors are diverse. We are grateful for the support of Diversity Lab in achieving these results, and we look forward to continuing our progress in the critical areas of diversity, equality, and inclusion.” Scott A. Meyers | Chairman & CEO | Akerman
“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) are core values of Beveridge & Diamond. We are dedicated to continuing our leadership in DE&I and fostering an inclusive workplace for lawyers and staff alike. Our participation in the Mansfield Rule initiative has facilitated our development of new programs and processes, and helped us to thoroughly track our progress over the years. Among the results: 50% of lawyers on our Management Committee and 81% of our new attorney hires since 2021 are diverse.” Kathy Szmuszkovicz | Firmwide Managing Principal | Beveridge & Diamond
“Since joining the inaugural group, the Mansfield Rule has become embedded into our culture. Not only do we openly talk about our commitment to becoming an increasingly diverse organization, our Mansfield Rule participation brought concrete action items and goals to those conversations. It is critical that everyone talks about diversity and inclusion and the Mansfield Rule has been consequential to the expansion of that dialogue at BCLP.” Jen Sloop | Director of Recruitment | Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
“Since implementing the Mansfield Rule three years ago, Cozen O’Connor continues to make notable progress in advancing diverse attorneys. Proudly, 57% of the firm’s most recent partner class were women, lawyers with disabilities, lawyers of color, and LGBTQ+ lawyers!” Vincent R. McGuinness, Jr. | President and Managing Partner | Cozen O’Connor
“Day Pitney has worked with Diversity Lab and its Mansfield certification process since its inception, and each year we are motivated to up our game and do better. We have focused on advancement and retention of our diverse and women associates, and have seen a cultural shift at the firm that includes more thoughtful attention to building diverse teams in many settings, whether it be a client team, a new partner class, or staff hiring.” Theresa Kelly | Partner in Charge of Diversity and Inclusion | Day Pitney
“Fenwick was there at the 2016 Women in Law Hackathon that gave birth to the Mansfield Rule for law firms and we are here now leading the way for excellence, diversity, equity and inclusion. In the past five years, diversity in our partnership has doubled and 56% of our partner promotions have been women and/or attorneys of color. In 2021, 70% of our lateral attorney-hires were diverse and in 2022, all of our lateral partners have been women of color.” Catherine Kevane and Bomi Lee | Partners and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Steering Board Co-Chairs | Fenwick & West
“Fish is deeply committed to diversifying our next generation of law firm leaders and we are proud to partner with Diversity Lab in the Mansfield Rule certification since its launch in 2017. At Fish, one of the ways we measure the success of our objectives is with data, and the Mansfield Rule has become one of the foundations of these metrics—a benchmark by which to quantify our systemic change management practices. The careful reduction of bias in interviews and the diversification of candidate pools has led to classes of significantly-increased gender diversity in both non-equity and equity partnership elevations since our adoption of the Mansfield Rule. We know that diverse teams increase the quality of legal service we provide to our clients, and as a top IP law firm, it’s our social and professional responsibility to diversify our future leaders.” Ahmed J. Davis | Principal and National Diversity Chair | Fish & Richardson
“We are a better firm when diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the very core of who we are, and our participation in Mansfield has really helped engrain this into the fabric of the firm. In fact, it provided us with the extra push and resources we needed to create or formalize several processes and policies aimed at making our firm a more diverse and inclusive workplace. Over the past two years the diversity of our candidate pool for new hires has increased well above Mansfield’s 30% threshold, as has the diversity of those attorneys serving as practice group leaders, regional managing partners, and committee chairs. We are proud of the firm we are becoming, and our participation in Mansfield has played a valuable role in our progress.” John Polson | Chairman and Managing Partner | Fisher Phillips
“Foley Hoag’s participation in the Mansfield Rule Certification program is directly aligned with our strategic plan to focus on increasing diversity in all areas of the firm. Increased diversity enhances our climate of inclusion and belonging, strengthens our firm culture at all levels, and ultimately leads to better client service.” Jim Bucking | Managing Partner | Foley Hoag
“Frost Brown Todd has earned the Mansfield Rule certification three years in a row, and what I value and appreciate is that each year new benchmarks are introduced. The bar is increasingly higher, which keeps firms from reverting to the status quo. Instead, it compels us to be more intentional about foregrounding DEI considerations in our hiring, advancement and culture practices. It also builds greater transparency and accountability around our efforts. Mansfield has given us both a tool and road map for inclusion that truly reflect the clients and communities we are privileged to serve.” Chris Johnson | Chief Diversity Officer | Frost Brown Todd
“We believe organizations can’t move the needle on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion when they assign the job solely to the DEI team. Success requires systemic and cultural change at all levels within an organization. It needs to be led from the top and practiced by every leader in the organization, intentionally and consistently, which is the approach we have adopted at Goodwin. As an inaugural Mansfield participant, we’ve appreciated the rigor applied to certification year after year. For several years now, the majority of our promoted partner classes have been comprised of individuals from historically excluded communities, and representation in our leadership positions exceeds 40%.” Yakiry Malena Adal | Managing Director, Diversity, Equity + Inclusion | Goodwin Procter
“Advancing diversity in law firm leadership requires action. As one of the founding Mansfield Rule firms, Munger, Tolles & Olson pursued and obtained Mansfield certification each year alongside numerous law firms and legal departments. With pride, we report double-digit growth in the diversity of the firm’s management and compensation committees now at 46% and 56%, respectively.” Hailyn Chen & Malcolm Heinicke | Co-Managing Partners | Munger, Tolles & Olson
“Having participated in the Mansfield Rule initiative since its inception, our firm has seen a steady and consistent increase not only in the number of women, racially/ethnically diverse, and LGBTQ+ attorneys considered for various leadership roles at the firm, but also in the diversity of our various leadership roles and committees at the firm. This is no coincidence. When we look at the full pool of potential candidates for these opportunities, we are able to achieve greater diversity at all levels. Over the past five years, our partner compensation committee, practice group leaders, policy committee, and management committee have all achieved 30% or greater diversity, with our compensation committee reaching 50% diversity this year. This progress has made our organization stronger, and it demonstrates our deep and meaningful commitment to building a more equitable and inclusive firm.” Stephen Zubiago | Managing Partner and CEO | Nixon Peabody
“Parker Poe has recently increased the diversity of its firm leadership by filling three seats on our Board of Directors with diverse individuals (bringing our Board of Directors to over 30 percent minorities and women), hiring our first C-Suite role overseeing all aspects of DEI, and forming a very active Social Justice & Racial Equity Task Force. We look forward to learning and growing even more along with the other well respected law firms participating in the Mansfield Rule.” Shalanna L. Pirtle, Esq. | Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer | Parker Poe
“Each year, Diversity Lab sets the bar for Mansfield Rule certification higher and higher, in a worthwhile effort of challenging law firms to be intentional in their approach towards diversifying their leadership. As an inaugural Mansfield participant firm, I cannot overstate how much our approach towards diverse leadership has fundamentally changed as a result of pursuing Mansfield certification, from recruiting to training and development to mentorship and sponsorship.” John Iino | Chief Diversity Officer | Reed Smith
“Steptoe continuously strives for a diverse community amongst our lawyers and business services professionals. In 2021, 50% of new partners in the US were women or ethnically diverse and the firm elected Gwen Renigar as its first woman chair. Additionally, over 55% of our executive committee members are women. Over the past five years, more than a third of our lawyer hires in the US were ethnically diverse or identify themselves as part of the LGBTQ+ community.” Shauna Bryce | Chief Diversity Officer and Chief Legal Talent Officer | Steptoe and Johnson LLP
“Taft is honored to participate in the Mansfield Certification process to build more inclusive law firms across the profession. We are committed to being the inclusive employer of choice in each of our markets and will continue to partner with organizations like Diversity Lab to implement meaningful diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. In 2022, 74% of Taft’s executive leadership team are women and/or racially and ethnically diverse. Having diverse perspectives within our leadership team shapes our modern and inclusive approach. The Mansfield Certification process ensures that we continue to place a high priority on diversity, equity, and inclusion at Taft.” Adrian Thompson | Chief Diversity Officer | Taft Law
“White & Case was first Mansfield certified in 2018, the inaugural year, and has been Mansfield Plus certified every year since. We continue to have formal discussions among the Firm’s leadership and diversity committees regarding broadening the pool of candidates for leadership committees and governance roles. Currently, women make up 38% of our global management.” Binoy Dharia | Partner and Diversity Chair | White & Case
“As someone whose role is focused on integrated talent management and inclusion, Mansfield has been instrumental in opening up doors and creating space for conversations across various internal functions that impact how we retain and advance diverse talent (i.e., hiring, integration, work allocation, mentorship, client development, strategic pricing and succession planning) and also directly with clients to ensure that we’re all moving in step toward our DEI goals. Recent conversations prompted by Mansfield have led to enhancements in our recruiting process, joint talent development partnerships with clients, advancing diverse talent in annual rate negotiations and client reviews, and a new framework for practice group assessments and succession plans. Mansfield helps us approach these conversations in not only a more transparent, but a more holistic, integrated way.” Brittaney Schmidt | Chief Legal Talent & Inclusion Officer | Vorys
Mansfield Knowledge Sharing Benefits
“Diversity Lab’s thought leadership and network of support has been incredibly beneficial to BakerHostetler as we implement additional tools to support our inclusion and diversity initiatives. The knowledge sharing has helped us develop a stronger inclusion and diversity framework and we look forward to sharing what we have learned with our peers who are also committed to increasing the representation of women and diverse leaders in the legal industry.” Leah Fisher | Director of Inclusion & Diversity | BakerHostetler
“Diversity and inclusion lie at the core of Debevoise’s promise of talent and service, and we are committed to cultivating a community where lawyers of color, women lawyers and LGBTQ+ lawyers can thrive. As a DEI leader and ally, I’m mindful that meaningful change in the legal profession will not come about due to the success of any single firm, and that we will all do better in our efforts to build inclusive communities—and do better by our diverse and underrepresented colleagues—if we do it together. That’s why we value the knowledge sharing benefits afforded by participating in Mansfield and are so grateful for the opportunity to collaborate across firms and legal departments.” Michael Gillespie | Partner and Diversity Co-Chair | Debevoise & Plimpton
“We are proud to participate in the Mansfield Rule and take measurable, intentional steps to support greater inclusion in our law firm and its leadership,” said Carrie Valiant, Chair of Epstein Becker Green’s Diversity and Professional Development Committee and Member of the firm’s Board of Directors. “The robust discussions that we have had with Mansfield leaders and other participating firms have given us great insight into how we can continue to make positive progress toward diversity and inclusion in our firm and within the legal industry.” Carrie Valiant | Chair of Diversity and Professional Development Committee | Epstein Becker Green
“Jones Walker joined the Mansfield Rule 6.0 Certification Process with Diversity Lab to propel our firm’s diversity efforts beyond where we are today and to help boost our efforts to attract and retain a diverse workforce that mirrors the ones of our clients and diverse communities in our firm’s footprint. We believe that one of the greatest benefits of this process is the opportunity for knowledge sharing with other law firms who have successfully been certified.” Richard Cortizas | Chief Diversity Officer | Jones Walker
“Our Firm is participating in Mansfield Certification to further demonstrate our commitment to cultivating a more diverse and inclusive profession. Building on our Lateral Hiring Policy implemented in 2020 which requires that the Firm consider 30% underrepresented candidates for lateral positions, we believe participating in Mansfield is an opportunity to further live out our commitment to advancing diversity. We’re also looking forward to the opportunity to engage in knowledge-sharing with other firms that will help us to further accelerate our DE&I efforts.” Stephanie Mays | Chief Talent Officer | Maynard Cooper & Gale
“One important element about the Mansfield Certification Program is in the sharing of best practices, wherein we not only support our individual firm DEI journeys but also strengthen DEI progress within the profession. This culture of sharing reminds us of our respective goals as well as our collective mission to expand diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession and the industries and communities we touch.” Anthony Upshaw | Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion | McDermott Will & Emery
“The knowledge sharing calls at the heart of the Mansfield Rule program provide a valuable exchange of tested knowledge from early adopters and innovative ideas from new members. Together, we can make even better progress and keep raising the bar on diversity and inclusion.” Mary Tucker | Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Belonging | MG+M The Law Firm
“As Nelson Mullins continues to invest in diversity, equity, and inclusion, our partnership with the Diversity Lab is another important step that demonstrates our commitment. Mansfield Certification will further improve our accountability as we measure our progress. Adding additional diverse members to our firm leadership and providing expanded development opportunities will serve our clients and firm well. The sharing of impactful practices across peer firms as part of the knowledge sharing sessions will bear fruit as we work towards our shared goals.” Jim Lehman | Managing Partner | Nelson Mullins
“Norton Rose Fulbright has a longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and the Mansfield Rule is an important barometer of our efforts. Firm management and business services leaders participate in the Mansfield Rule knowledge sharing opportunities, learning together with other law firms and legal departments. By sharing best practices and resources, this opportunity pushes the dialogue forward and helps develop actionable steps to make the legal profession more diverse.” Katherine A. Tapley | Partner & US Chief of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion | Norton Rose Fulbright
“The Mansfield Rule is a great way for firms to bring about concrete changes to the legal profession. We are proud to be a part of that change. Since we decided to renew our Mansfield Certification we’ve benefited greatly from the knowledge sharing calls and resource library. The resource library has allowed us to accelerate our response time for client and partner inquiries. As the firm’s first chief diversity officer, it is my hope that through being a Mansfield participating firm that we can continue to open doors for lawyers from diverse backgrounds.” Shauna Bryce | Chief Diversity Officer and Chief Legal Talent Officer | Steptoe and Johnson LLP
Why Multi-Year Participants Stay Committed to Mansfield
“Arnold & Porter is proud to have been a member of the inaugural Mansfield Certification cohort and among the very first firms to become Mansfield Certified Plus,” said Richard M. Alexander, Chairman of Arnold & Porter. “Collaborating with Diversity Lab has been instrumental in our on-going efforts to advance our D&I strategy and share our progress with internal and external stakeholders, including our clients and our current and future Arnold & Porter colleagues.” Richard M. Alexander | Chairman | Arnold & Porter
“As a member of the inaugural Mansfield Rule group and each subsequent iteration, we are proud and honored to continue our partnership with Diversity Lab,” said Grant S. Palmer, Managing Partner and CEO at Blank Rome LLP. “Diversity Lab’s strategic and unique approach to diversifying leadership year over year has been impressive and effective and aligns with our goals and ongoing efforts at Blank Rome. It is wonderful to see that more than 180 large firms are now participating in the current Mansfield certification and we look forward to knowledge sharing opportunities and continued progress at our firm and across the legal industry.” Grant S. Palmer | Managing Partner and CEO | Blank Rome
“When we first chose to participate in the Mansfield certification process, we recognized that it would be a catalyst for creating more structured processes around our diversity efforts, which have long been important to the firm. We remain committed because our participation has solidified our ability to track the data essential to refining and renewing those efforts, putting us in the best possible position to achieve equitable outcomes in the promotion and elevation of diverse attorneys while ensuring that all attorneys have the opportunity to take their careers to the next level.” Sigrid McCawley | Managing Partner | Boies Schiller Flexner
“We are once again very proud to have met this challenge,” said Jim Flynn, Managing Partner at Bricker. “It’s a notable accomplishment for a midsize firm like Bricker to achieve both certification and certification plus status in our first two years. Operationalizing diversity, equity and inclusion continues to be important to us and our clients.” Jim Flynn | Managing Partner | Bricker & Eckler
“We are proud to have participated in the inaugural version of the Mansfield Pledge in 2018 and each year since. We believe that meaningful and lasting change requires sustained, relentless effort and focus. The Mansfield framework has allowed us to broaden and deepen our commitment to fostering an equitable, diverse and inclusive firm and legal industry. While our efforts have yielded substantial results to date, we look forward to continuing our efforts in collaboration with the Diversity Lab through the Mansfield Certification to achieve even greater results into the future.” Ali Metzl | Chair of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck
“Mansfield helps our I&D leadership set benchmarks for other I&D programs within the firm, because we can challenge ourselves to go beyond the requirements that the certification puts in place. We view Mansfield’s certification as a floor and then challenge the firm’s management to set policies that go above the bar that Mansfield Certification sets. Our firm wants to be an industry leader in the I&D space and Mansfield gives us a platform to compare ourselves to other firms, and to exceed our peers where possible. It is of great value to speak to clients and potential clients and tell them about our history of Mansfield Certification. Because we have been a certified firm since the inception of the program we have been given the opportunity to educate clients, peer firms, and younger lawyers about the certification process, the benefits of certification, and the reasoning behind it. Teaching others about the importance of inclusion and diversity in the legal profession, has also served to reinforce the benefits to our partnership. It allows Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner to truly stand out as a leader in the I&D space and to show our firm’s commitment to this movement.” Meridyth Andresen | Partner and Co-Chair I&D Global Action Board | Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner
“As an early adopter of the Mansfield Certification, we have seen increases in diverse representation at all levels of the firm. It has been an important tool in creating benchmarks for successful diversity and inclusion efforts, and our focus on data has helped us to stay intentional in our strategy for creating a more inclusive law firm.” Joe Dougherty | Chairman and CEO | Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
“At Butler Snow, we strive to be a champion of diversity and inclusivity, fully embracing the diversity of talent, culture and thought to drive innovation and creativity. Achieving Mansfield Certification Plus in our first year, along with our continued participation in Mansfield Rule 6.0, the most rigorous iteration to date, is essential to our commitment to increasing and sustaining a diverse and inclusive team.” Christopher R. Maddux | Chair | Butler Snow
“As a pioneering firm for the inaugural Mansfield program in 2017, we continue to see the cumulative benefits in the Firm – our participation has certainly led to an increase in the percentage of associates, partners and Business Professionals we’ve hired from historically underrepresented groups since we became involved, including lateral hires.” Evan Cohen | Regional Managing Partner for the Americas | Clifford Chance US
“We have continued to prioritize diversity and inclusion initiatives at Covington and we are proud of our continued commitment to achieving Mansfield Rule certification,” said Doug Gibson, Covington’s chair. “The Management Committee, along with our Diversity and Inclusion team, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Affinity Group Leaders have their eye on analyzing our progress, enhancing our efforts, and searching for new approaches to increase the firm’s diversity and maintain an inclusive workplace.” Doug Gibson | Chair | Covington & Burling
“Dentons US LLP continues its strong commitment to the Mansfield Rule, which has guided us to welcome an 86% Mansfield-compliant 2022 Summer Class and 59% 2022 Entry Level Class. We also continue to add diverse members to firm leadership.” Sonia Martin | CEO | Dentons US
“As a Move the Needle Fund firm, Eversheds Sutherland has committed to almost every initiative Diversity Lab provides, and their dedication is why we stay committed. The breadth and scope of what is available to us, from Mansfield to the bespoke goal-tracking dashboard created for us to the Ally Action Pledge, Inclusion Blueprint (including the Focused Five program), and 1L Underrepresented Pipeline Collective programs, show that the Diversity Lab team, working in conjunction with the many talented DEI professionals and attorneys at each of the participating law firms who make this work their passion, is focused on transforming the legal industry into one that works for everyone.” Mark Wasserman | Co-CEO and Managing Partner | Eversheds Sutherland US
“At Fox Rothschild, we are committed to actionable and intentional steps that cultivate a more just, equal and equitable world within our firm, the legal profession and the community. For us, participation in the Mansfield Rule certification process is a long-term journey to which we have resolutely committed ourselves. We appreciate that each year, the Mansfield Rule sets the bar higher for certification. By measuring results and holding ourselves accountable to meet these stretch goals, we make strides in our work to integrate DEI at all levels of the firm, its operations and our culture.” Kimberly Bullock Gatling | Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer | Fox Rothschild
“Establishing diversity throughout our ranks, and notably within leadership, is a top priority of Hogan Lovells. Participating in the Mansfield Rule certification process keeps us accountable and provides an invaluable well of knowledge that helps ensure our DEI efforts are aligned with best practices in the industry. We’re proud to have participated in Mansfield these past four years and are excited to continue being a part of the growing community of law firms working toward an equitable legal profession.” Rosevelie Márquez Morales | Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director – Americas | Hogan Lovells
“As an inaugural Mansfield Rule participant firm, we have witnessed the benefits of our partnership with Diversity Lab firsthand. Not only has it strengthened our resolve to support an even more inclusive workplace at our firm, it also has enhanced our relationships and led to additional business opportunities with clients who share our unwavering commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.” Kelly-Ann Cartwright | Directors Committee Chair | Holland & Knight
“Our ongoing Mansfield certification has become a source of great pride across our firm. We are committed to doing all that we can to ensure our recruiting, talent development and succession processes are as inclusive and equitable as possible.” Amanda Garcia-Williams | Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer | Husch Blackwell
“As we continue our journey to becoming a more inclusive and diverse firm, this initiative is one more tool to help us grow and manage our talent pipeline to ensure our firm reflects the diversity of our clients and communities. Continued participation in the Mansfield Certification process is one way we can continue to demonstrate our commitment to diversity and inclusion and stay focused on diversifying our leadership ranks at Ice Miller.” Michael Millikan | Chief Managing Partner | Ice Miller
“Jenner & Block is committed to elevating the extraordinary diverse talent in our firm. Participating in the Mansfield Rule initiative since its pilot and being Mansfield Plus certified since 2019 has helped us translate our core value of diversity, equity, and inclusion into action and diversify the current and future leaders of the firm.” Katya Jestin | Co-Managing Partner | Jenner & Block
“We continue to participate in the Mansfield process because we believe in putting our words into action. Our work with Diversity Lab serves as an important component of our diversity initiative that allows us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the diversity that exists at Lewis Brisbois, to design strategies for supporting and promoting attorneys from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, and to rise in diversity rankings – including in the 2022 Law360 Diversity Snapshot – as a result.” Rima M. Badawiya | Chief Diversity Partner & Co-Chair National Healthcare Practice | Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith
“As a firm committed to promoting inclusion, equity and diversity across the legal industry, Littler has been a proponent of the Mansfield Rule since it was first pitched at the Hackathon in 2016. We continue to focus on providing meaningful and impactful programs to advance our diverse attorneys, and through our participation in the Mansfield Rule, we’ve been able to measure our progress across new metrics. We look forward to our continued collaboration with Diversity Lab as we keep moving the needle for inclusion, equity and diversity.” Paul Bateman | Chief Inclusion, Equity & Diversity Officer | Littler Mendelson
“As an early adopter of the principles behind the Mansfield Rule, Morgan Lewis is honored to have been included on every Diversity Lab Mansfield Rule Certification since the program’s inception. Over the years, we have seen a broader commitment from the legal industry to increase overall diversity in leadership, and we remain committed to supporting this effort both within our firm and among our peers. Diversity Lab’s investment in spotlighting what firms are doing well in this important area provides us with opportunities to continue to learn from and grow with one another, which benefits the legal community as a whole.” Jami McKeon | Chair | Morgan, Lewis & Bockius
“An early adopter of the Mansfield Rule, MMM continues to learn and evolve through the certification process each year. As leaders in the industry, we have the opportunity to apply the knowledge and benchmarking created by MR to support the pipeline of diverse legal talent which includes expanding our reach to talent in law school, college and even high school students. We are seeing marked improvement in the diversity of our attorneys at every level, including a new summer associate class that is 50% racially diverse and 83% women. We look forward to continuing our growth, using MR as our foundation.” Dan Huynh | DEI Chair | Morris, Manning & Martin
“Inherent in our DEI goals – as a firm and a profession – is a relentless focus on improvement that is both continual and measurable. Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule provides a platform to evaluate our progress – adding new and measurable areas of focus each year. Equally important, it offers a community with whom to learn and benchmark and a forum for inhouse counsel and outside firms to collaborate on concrete opportunities for rising star diverse lawyers. It has become a fundamental part of our DEI plan and we look forward to diving into Mansfield 6.0.” Mitch Zuklie | Chairman | Orrick
“Fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment is integral to Robinson+Cole’s core values of collaboration, civility, and inclusion. Our continued participation in Mansfield Rule certification provides us with measurable benchmarks to ensure we are diversifying the leaders of our firm in accordance with those core values.” Rhonda Tobin | Managing Partner | Robinson+Cole
“As an original Mansfield Rule adopter, Seyfarth values certification as a key benchmark and true compass on our continuous journey to becoming a more inclusive workplace. We’re ready to begin another year as an active participant in this critical program for the industry.” Kori Carew | Chief Inclusion & Diversity Officer | Seyfarth Shaw
“As Diversity Lab sets the bar for Mansfield Rule certification higher and higher, we at Shearman & Sterling do as well. Ensuring that we are developing a pipeline of diverse and talented people at all levels across our firm has long been a key area of focus for us. Each year, we strive to build a more diverse and inclusive workplace for ourselves and our clients. This strong commitment drives our culture and success. We look forward to continuing our participation in Mansfield as part of our strategy to promote diversity and inclusion within our firm, our industry and the communities we serve.” David Beveridge | Senior Partner | Shearman & Sterling
“We believe diversity, equity and inclusion should be business priorities and key to our future success and growth. We were early adopters of Mansfield Rule and received 2.0 certification in 2019, and look forward to renewing this commitment in 2022. Since our early adoption, we have measurable results, with 50% of the firm’s office and practice leadership now diverse, our business services chiefs diverse, and our chair a woman. We have work to do and Mansfield will help us continue moving forward.” Gwen Renigar | Chair | Steptoe and Johnson LLP
“We have found it incredibly beneficial for Stoel Rives to have been involved in the Mansfield process from the beginning,” DE&IC Chair Karen O’Connor said. “We’ve been able not just to track data over those years, but hindsight has enabled us to refine what data we focus on and how we do so, with the ultimate goal of continuing to progress and evolve.” Karen O’Connor | DE&IC Chair | Stoel Rives
“We quickly signed up for Mansfield, because we immediately recognized the program’s benchmarks matched our firmwide commitment to developing more diverse pools of candidates for hiring and promotion. We’ve renewed our commitment each year since joining because, simply put, Mansfield spurs meaningful results. It has provided a strong pathway for us to strengthen the diversity of our job candidates and up and coming leaders. Our clients also recognize the power of the Mansfield program and have responded positively to our renewed commitment to the Mansfield standards.” Roman Wuller | Firm Chair | Thompson Coburn
“As an early adopter of the Mansfield Rule, we have seen firsthand the positive change that happens when law firms and the greater legal community work together to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry. Our people, clients, and firm have benefited greatly from participating each year, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to DEI.” Tom Cole | Managing Partner | Troutman Pepper
“Participating in Mansfield certification is an important part of Winston’s DEI tool kit. Our lawyers have participated in the Client Forums every year and have benefited immensely from the opportunity to flex their business development muscles, gain valuable exposure, and develop lifelong relationships. Last year, our partners were invited by a Fortune 50 company to present a CLE course to its legal department as a result of their presentation.” Sylvia James | Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer | Winston & Strawn
Why New Firms Join Mansfield
”As Armstrong Teasdale continues to refine our internal accountability around DEI, we look forward to sharing highlights and lessons from our Mansfield journey with a broader community of firms on this same path.” Sonji Young | VP, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Armstrong Teasdale LLP
“Barnes & Thornburg already had processes in place to diversify candidate pools but signing onto Mansfield 5.0 strengthened these processes even further. Monthly Mansfield task force meetings and formal guidelines only cemented the firm’s top-down commitment to change.” Dawn Rosemond | Firm Diversity Partner | Barnes & Thornburg
“The Mansfield Certification Program aligns perfectly with our longstanding commitment to become a more diverse and inclusive firm. Participation in the certification process has already strengthened our focus on increasing the pool of underrepresented lawyers in the hiring process and when assembling client pitch teams. In addition to participating in the Mansfield Certification Program, we hired a manager of DEI and talent to enhance our initiatives on attracting and retaining diverse talent and to mentor and encourage all individuals to become great leaders within our firm.” Carrie Leahy | Chair | Bodman PLC
“At Bradley, we view workplace diversity and inclusion as essential to our business strategies, professional ideals, and relationships with the clients and communities that we serve. Our participation in the Mansfield certification process is an intentional effort to diversify firm leadership and further opportunities for historically underrepresented lawyers. Diverse perspectives are key to achieving the success that our clients demand.” Jon Skeeters | Managing Partner & Chairman of the Board | Bradley Arant Boult Cummings
“Participating in the Mansfield Rule 5.0 certification process has encouraged Calfee’s leaders to adopt an additional layer of intentionality about key hiring, promotion, and inclusion decisions. Implementing even subtle changes in our firm’s collective thought processes has resulted in initial positive outcomes, including a heightened sense of accountability and commitment across the firm.” Kimberly Moses | Partner and Chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee | Calfee, Halter & Griswold
“We are pleased to achieve Mansfield certification for the 2020-2021 calendar year. Although this is an important step, it is an early step. There is more work to be done, and we stand firm in our commitment to create a more equitable and inclusive community. We are committed to doing the hard work necessary to bring about meaningful change and to doing this with the urgency it requires.” Michael A. Gerstenzang | Managing Partner | Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
“One of the benefits that Mansfield offers is that it has created a new framework for intentionality around the work. Very often, firm leaders reference the Mansfield Rule as they make decisions and consider opportunities – that is an invaluable outcome.” Yusuf Zakir | Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer | Davis Wright Tremaine
“Dykema joined the Mansfield Rule certification process knowing it would enhance the firm’s efforts to promote diversity and create more opportunities for diverse lawyers to be elevated to leadership roles. Less than a year into the process, we are already seeing benefits as we align our focus on continuous improvement toward a more dynamic, diverse and collaborative workplace.” Leonard C. Wolfe | CEO and Mansfield Task Force Manager | Dykema
“Our firm’s D&I targets and commitments are underpinned by a recognition of the importance of leadership, accountability, data and transparency. Aligned to this, our involvement in Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule certification process, in both the US and UK this year, has enabled further discussion, collaboration and engagement with colleagues across locations as we continue to drive our strategy forward.” Helen Ouseley | Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion | Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
“Cultivating a diverse workforce is integral to our success and our vision for the future. We remain dedicated to continually increasing the representation of historically underrepresented lawyers in leadership roles. Working toward Mansfield certification over the coming months will be vital to the development of a strategic plan that further improves our transparency, communication, and policies and practices with regard to promoting our attorneys and diversifying our leadership.” Peter J. Torcicollo | Managing Director | Gibbons
“As a newly participating firm in 2021, we were thrilled to surround ourselves with fellow thought leaders and legal professionals who share our passion for D&I in the workplace. We are proud of the new tools, processes and programs that will continue to further Greenspoon Marder’s dedication to diversity and inclusion.” Myrna Maysonet | Chief Diversity Officer | Greenspoon Marder
“Years before signing on to the Mansfield Rule, Hanson Bridgett adopted a policy for leadership positions which was spearheaded by two of our internal committees: the Diversity & Inclusion Network and the Women’s Impact Network. The stated target of that leadership position policy was to meet or exceed the standards for becoming Mansfield Certified. We are proud to have achieved the most recent iteration of the certification and are vigorously working on the next. Our continued commitment to the Mansfield Certification initiative keeps us accountable.” Jennifer Martinez | Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer | Hanson Bridgett
“Mansfield Certification has helped Haynes Boone build on its long history of focusing on DEI by validating our efforts and recognizing industry benchmarks. This in turn allows us to meet or exceed our DEI goals and aligns our firm with clients similarly focused on these important initiatives.” Taylor Wilson | Managing Partner | Haynes and Boone
“Our firm has had a long tradition of implementing DEI programs, but commitment to Mansfield Certification truly took our intentionality to a new level. We were thrilled to report significant improvement across leadership, hiring and governance practices as a result of our participation. Most importantly, we created new infrastructure, tracking measurements, and policies that we are confident will benefit the entirety of our firm for years to come as we proactively advance our DEI goals internally and with client partnerships.” D.L. Morriss | DEI Partner | Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP
“Our participation in Mansfield 5.0 over the past year has resulted in thoughtful and intentional conversations throughout the firm, particularly among the firm’s leadership, and, as a direct result, we are ready to transition to Mansfield 6.0. Our increased effort focusing on diversity at the leadership level has assisted with our growth and demonstrated to firm members, our clients and the market our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our organization.” Ken Van Winkle | Managing Partner | Lewis Roca
“As a first-generation college graduate, a working mom and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I recognize the challenges facing those who come from diverse backgrounds. I am proud that Manatt is a member of the Mansfield Certification, which is an opportunity for the legal industry to create systemic change and open more doors for future lawyers and leaders, as well as help our Firm continue to build a more diverse and inclusive community.” Donna Wilson | CEO and Managing Partner | Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
“Fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion is not only a moral imperative, it is one of Ogletree Deakins’ core values and is essential to the success of our firm. For many years, we’ve been evaluating our diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and deliberately focusing on improvement in this area. The Mansfield initiative has provided a framework that helps us to be more intentional in ensuring that we have a diverse pool of qualified candidates when making new leadership decisions. We are committed to making meaningful change to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion remains a cornerstone of our firm.” C. Matthew Keen | Managing Shareholder | Ogletree Deakins
“Participating in the Mansfield Rule certification process requires extreme transparency and holds us accountable to our DE&I goals. We are diligent in the steps we are taking and the changes we are making, and we will continue to push the envelope when it comes to elevating the diversity of our hiring practices and inclusivity of our workplace. The challenging work will continue.” Karim Ali | Partner and Chief Diversity Officer | Porter Wright Morris & Arthur
“As a Mansfield Rule participant, our goal is to propel our firm forward in being the most welcoming, diverse place possible to work and do business with. Improving the recruitment, retention and promotion of underrepresented attorneys allows us to attract the best talent, enhance client services and enrich our workplace and communities.” Joyce Edelman | Partner | Porter Wright Morris & Arthur
“Recruitment for a midsize firm requires different inducements from those of BigLaw. We look forward both to meeting the challenges of Mansfield 6.0 and continued success that has marked our recruitment efforts.” Ronald Shechtman | Managing Partner | Pryor Cashman
“Participation in Mansfield Certification has served to further codify and reinforce our firm’s already strong commitment to the principles and ambitions of DEI. By adopting its clear guidelines, we have elevated the consistency and effectiveness of our efforts across recruiting, mentorship, promotion and leadership.” Albert S. Orr. | CEO | Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren
“I am proud of our firm for obtaining Mansfield 5.0 Certification and believe it is a worthwhile initiative that will help move the needle on diversity within our firm and the legal industry. Some of the positive results stemming from our participation are we now approach firm leadership and structure changes with increased intentionality and transparency, and more stakeholders across the firm are engaged in our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. As this was Robinson Bradshaw’s first year pursuing Mansfield Certification, we found the monthly knowledge-sharing calls and resource library invaluable as we adopted new internal processes.” Allen Robertson | Managing Partner | Robinson Bradshaw
“Roetzel & Andress is tremendously proud of its recent Mansfield certification and the commitment to diversifying leadership at the firm that is represented by the achievement. We commend our industry peers and those who have committed to the multi-year, multi-disciplinary process needed to obtain, and maintain, this important certification, and look forward to strengthening the momentum behind the movement, together.” Robert Blackham | Chairman | Roetzel & Andress
“As a values-driven organization, participating in Mansfield 5.0 was a natural fit for our firm. In recent years, we have placed more strategic thought, resources, and investment into bettering our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Mansfield 5.0 gave us a clear way to collect, track and report on our data in a way that allows firm members to celebrate successes, identify areas of improvement, create a roadmap for the future, and most notably, show the positive impact a diverse workplace has on firm culture.” Bhavik Patel | Managing Partner/CEO | Sandberg Phoenix
“Shipman has always been committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Since adopting Mansfield, we have been more intentional and unceasing about our investment given that the certification process marries our desire for diversity with measurable action and holds us accountable for achieving our goals. As a Black woman, I am aware that, in stepping into the Managing Partner role at Shipman, I represent a rare but promising step forward. Like many in the legal industry, I look forward to the day when there will be fewer “firsts” for women, people of color and other groups underrepresented in law. We are proud to be part of the effort to revolutionize law firms by insisting on diversity, equity and inclusion, every day, and in every decision we make.” Leander A. Dolphin | Managing Partner | Shipman & Goodwin
“Shook had informally met or exceeded many of the Mansfield requirements in the past, but this specific commitment has resulted in our creating more robust tracking mechanisms and engaging many more stakeholders, ensuring that we consistently cast wider nets, expand our circles, and measure greater progress as we move forward.” Madeleine McDonough | Chair | Shook, Hardy & Bacon
“I am honored that Steptoe is one of the more than 270 firms participating in the Mansfield initiative. We’ve launched a number of initiatives in the last two years and we have invested in a Diversity department led by a Chief Diversity Officer and supported by a data analytics team. We will measure our progress and identify areas where more is needed.” Gwen Prothro Renigar | Chair | Steptoe and Johnson LLP
“Stradley Ronon has made Mansfield Certification a priority because as a firm, we recognize its importance to not only our clients but also to the members of our community. We want to do everything we can to ensure Stradley is an inclusive work environment, and Mansfield is an important and innovative part of that effort. There are layers of accountability provided by Mansfield that ensure this is a culture-changing effort.” Brian Seaman | Chief Diversity Officer and Counsel | Stradley Ronon
“We value our commitment to the Mansfield Rule. Equity, diversity, and inclusion have always been important to Tucker Ellis, and the Mansfield Rule inspires us and gives us specific and measurable goals to meet. Through our firm’s collective efforts, we have made a positive cultural shift, where every Tucker Ellis leader is educated and invested in the Mansfield Rule process. Regardless of the strides we have made, we recognize that there is always more work to be done as we strive to improve our programs and mindsets to reach the next level.” Joe Morford | Managing Partner | Tucker Ellis
“We are proud to join the Mansfield Rule initiative to further the mission of boosting diversity in leadership. Reflecting our longstanding commitment to DEI at Willkie, our goal is to be even more intentional in diversifying our ranks and to engage in collaborative efforts within the industry to achieve the same.” Thomas Cerabino | Chairman | Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
“To build a workplace and profession where people from all backgrounds can reach their full potential, organizations must establish a strategic plan and measurable outcomes that hold individuals within their own ranks accountable. We applaud Diversity Lab for continually resetting the bar and challenging law firms across the nation to make DEI a guiding principle and a conscious business priority in diversifying their leadership ranks.” Susan Murley | Co-Managing Partner | WilmerHale
“Participation in Mansfield Rule has helped Wilson Elser quantify with objective data our long-standing commitment to diversifying our leadership ranks. The Mansfield Rule criteria provided a framework from which we measured our current status, and expressed goals for areas of continued progress. Participation in Mansfield Rule has provided a well-recognized validation of our historical approach as a firm, and has been a positive experience as we look forward to continued engagement with Diversity Lab.” Daniel J. McMahon | Chair | Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker
Signed,
Law Firm Leadership
On Behalf of the Mansfield 5.0 Certified Firms
Adams and Reese* | Foley & Lardner | Ogletree Deakins* |
Akerman* | Foley Hoag* | Orrick* |
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld* | Fox Rothschild* | Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler |
Allen & Overy* | Fredrikson & Byron* | Paul Hastings* |
Alston & Bird* | Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US* | Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison* |
Archer & Greiner* | Frost Brown Todd* | Perkins Coie* |
ArentFox Schiff* | Goodwin Procter* | Phelps Dunbar* |
Arnold & Porter* | Goulston & Storrs* | Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman* |
Baker Botts* | Greenberg Traurig* | Polsinelli* |
Baker McKenzie* | Greenspoon Marder* | Porter Wright Morris Arthur* |
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz* | Hanson Bridgett* | Potomac Law Group |
BakerHostetler* | Haynes and Boone* | Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch* |
Ballard Spahr* | Hinshaw & Culbertson* | Quarles & Brady* |
Barnes & Thornburg* | Hogan Lovells US* | Reed Smith* |
Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff* | Holland & Hart* | Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren* |
Beveridge & Diamond* | Holland & Knight* | Robins Kaplan* |
Blank Rome* | Honigman* | Robinson+Cole* |
Boies Schiller Flexner* | Hunton Andrews Kurth* | Robinson Bradshaw* |
Bricker & Eckler* | Husch Blackwell* | Roetzel & Andress* |
Brown Rudnick* | Ice Miller* | Sandberg Phoenix & Von Gontard* |
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck* | Jackson Lewis* | Saul Ewing* |
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner* | Jackson Walker* | Seyfarth Shaw* |
Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney* | Jenner & Block* | Shearman & Sterling* |
Butler Snow* | K&L Gates* | Sheppard Mullin Richter Hampton* |
Calfee, Halter & Griswold* | Katten Muchin Rosenman* | Shipman & Goodwin* |
Chapman and Cutler* | Kaufman Dolowich and Voluck* | Shook, Hardy & Bacon* |
Clark Hill* | Kean Miller* | Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom* |
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton* | Kennedys* | Squire Patton Boggs* |
Clifford Chance US* | Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel* | Steptoe & Johnson PLLC* |
Clyde & Co US* | Lane Powell* | Stinson* |
Connell Foley* | Latham & Watkins* | Stoel Rives* |
Cooley* | Lathrop GPM* | Stoll Keenon Ogden* |
Covington & Burling* | Lewis Brisbois* | Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young* |
Cozen O’Connor* | Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie* | Sullivan & Cromwell* |
Crowell & Moring* | Littler Mendelson* | Sullivan & Worcester* |
Davis Polk & Wardwell* | Locke Lord* | Taft Law* |
Davis Wright Tremaine* | Loeb & Loeb* | Thompson Coburn* |
Day Pitney* | Lowenstein Sandler | Thompson Hine* |
Debevoise* | Manatt, Phelps & Phillips* | Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders* |
Dechert* | MG+M The Law Firm* | Tucker Ellis* |
Dentons* | Mayer Brown* | Varnum* |
Dentons Canada* | McDermott Will & Emery* | Venable* |
Dinsmore & Shohl* | McGuireWoods* | Vinson & Elkins* |
DLA Piper* | Miller Canfield* | Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease* |
Dorsey & Whitney* | Miller Nash* | Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis* |
Duane Morris* | Morgan, Lewis & Bockius* | Weil, Gotshal & Manges* |
Dykema* | Morris, Manning & Martin* | White & Case* |
Epstein Becker & Green* | Morrison & Foerster* | Williams & Connolly* |
Eversheds Sutherland (US)* | Munger, Tolles & Olson* | Willkie Farr & Gallagher* |
Faegre Drinker* | Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg* | WilmerHale* |
Fasken* | Nexsen Pruet* | Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker* |
Fenwick & West* | Nixon Peabody* | Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati* |
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner* | Norton Rose Fulbright* | Winston & Strawn* |
Fish & Richardson* | Nutter, McClennen, & Fish* | Womble Bond Dickinson (US)* |
Fisher Phillips* | O’Melveny & Myers |
*6.0 Renewing Firms – the full list of 2022-2023 Mansfield participating firms, including those listed above with an asterisk and 20+ new firms, can be found here. The list of midsize firms participating in Mansfield can be accessed here.
Certified Plus Firms (in italics) – Mansfield Certification Plus status indicates that, in addition to accomplishing the baseline certification requirements, the firm has successfully achieved at least 30% underrepresented lawyer representation in a notable number of current leadership roles.