Midsize Mansfield Rule
Mansfield Rule for Midsize Law Firms Continues Boosting Diversity in The Legal Community
As we reaffirmed in our recent statement of action, our team at Diversity Lab is constantly exploring ways to work with our partners to build a stronger and better legal community through diversity and inclusion. To that end, we are incredibly excited to announce a new addition to our successful Mansfield Rule initiative: The Mansfield Rule for Midsize Law Firms.
We are currently partnering with more than 20 midsize law firms to pilot a new iteration of the Mansfield Rule developed for firms with between 25 and 150 lawyers in the U.S. The Midsize Mansfield Rule certification process, modeled after the original version, has been fine-tuned to boost diversity in leadership for firms with smaller lawyer populations, fewer office locations, and leaner firm leadership structures. The certification period for the Midsize version is 18 months (for the current cohort, September 15, 2020 to March 15, 2022) to provide ample time for the participating firms to take action on the required hiring, promotion, and leadership transition activities.
Similar to the large law firm version, firms that successfully complete the Midsize Mansfield Rule criteria will be designated as “Mansfield Certified” and will have the opportunity to send their diverse partners to the Mansfield Rule Client Forums to build relationships with and learn from Diversity Lab’s in-house counsel collaborators. To date, more than 80 legal departments have contributed to or hosted Client Forums, including Barclays, Facebook, Fannie Mae, Ford Motor Company, Google, McKesson Corp, MetLife, Pfizer, PNC Bank, Uber, and US Bank.
In response to the exciting interest this new Mansfield pilot has generated, we will be launching a second cohort of the Midsize Mansfield Rule on September 15, 2021. So far, over 30 firms have registered to participate in this second wave of the Midsize Mansfield Rule. Registration for this group will remain open through August 6, 2021. If your midsize firm is interested in learning more or joining the 2021-2023 cohort, please contact Kate Johnston Ryan at kate@diversitylab.com or Alyssa Jarvis at alyssa@diversitylab.com.
The Goal
The overall goal of the Midsize Mansfield Rule is to increase the representation of diverse lawyers in leadership by broadening the pool of women, LGBTQ+ lawyers, lawyers with disabilities, and/or racial/ethnic minority lawyers who are considered for entry-level and lateral attorney job openings, leadership opportunities, equity partner promotions, and opportunities to connect with clients.
How It Works
To be Mansfield Certified, legal departments are asked to consider at least 30% historically underrepresented lawyers for 60% or more of the leadership roles and activities identified below.
- All lawyer hiring searches/openings (partners and associates at all levels)
- Equity partner promotions
- Election or appointment to Managing Partner/Chairperson
- Election or appointment to other high-level firm governance positions, including:
- Management/Executive Committee and/or Board of Directors
- Practice Group Leader and/or Office Head
- Partner Promotions/Nominations Committee
- Compensation Committee
- Transparent job responsibilities for governance roles
- Transparent processes for governance appointments/elections
- Participation in formal client pitches and formal client meetings
Midsize Mansfield Rule — Participating Firms 2020-2022
Some of the trailblazing firms piloting the inaugural Midsize Mansfield Rule include:
| Bailey & Glasser LLP | Marshall Gerstein & Borun LLP | Patterson + Sheridan, LLP |
| Brooks Kushman P.C. | McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd. | Severson & Werson |
| Brinks Gilson & Lione | McDowell Hetherington LLP | Starnes Davis Florie LLP |
| The Cook Group | Merchant & Gould P.C. | Stotler Hayes Group, LLC |
| Drew Eckl & Farnham | Meunier Carlin & Curfman LLC | Summit Law Group, PLLC |
| Hausfeld LLP | Moye White LLP | Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP |
| Ivins, Phillips & Barker | Much Shelist PC | ZwillGen PLLC |
| Keesal, Young & Logan | Murphy & McGonigle | |
| Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O. | Osha Bergman Watanabe & Burton LLP |
Midsize Mansfield Rule — Currently Registered Firms 2021-2023
The firms joining our second cohort of the Midsize Mansfield Rule include:
| Barton Gilman LLP | Hinckley Allen | Phillips Nizer LLP |
| Bressler, Amery & Ross, P.C. | Hurwitz & Fine, P.C. | Plunkett Cooney |
| Cantor Colburn LLP | Irwin Fritchie Urquhart and Moore LLC | Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP |
| Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP | Jackson Kelly PLLC | Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt PC |
| Collins Einhorn Farrell PC | Klarquist Sparkman, LLP | Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner |
| Davis and Gilbert LLP | Lewis Thomason, P.C. | Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, PLC |
| Farella Braun + Martel LLP | Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC | Smith Anderson |
| Finn, Dixon & Herling LLP | McAnany, Van Cleave & Phillips | Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox |
| Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery LLP | McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP | Swift, Currie,McGhee & Hiers |
| Foley & Mansfield, PLLP | McGinnis Lochridge LLP | Tiber Hudson LLC |
| Foster Swift Collins & Smith PC | McGlinchey Stafford | Winget, Spadafora & Schwartzberg, LLP |
| Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C. | Meagher & Geer | Wyrick Robbins |
| Hartline Barger LLP |
Miller & Chevalier Chartered
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If your midsize firm is interested in learning more or joining the 2021-2023 cohort, please contact Kate Johnston Ryan at kate@diversitylab.com or Alyssa Jarvis at alyssa@diversitylab.com.