Blank Rome Achieves ‘Mansfield Certification Plus’ for Mansfield Rule 2.0 and Continues Partnership with Diversity Lab to Pilot Mansfield Rule 3.0
Blank Rome LLP is proud to announce that the Firm has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus after successfully completing Diversity Lab’s yearlong Mansfield Rule 2.0 program. The Firm has also signed on to participate in Diversity Lab’s newest iteration of the program, Mansfield Rule 3.0.
The Mansfield Certification for 2019 recognizes 64 “trailblazing law firms” participating in Mansfield Rule 2.0 that have affirmatively considered at least 30 percent women, minority, and LGBTQ+ lawyers for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities, and senior lateral positions, to boost the representation of diverse lawyers in law firm leadership. In addition to meeting or exceeding the pipeline consideration requirements for certification, Blank Rome and other law firms that achieved Mansfield Certification Plus status have successfully reached at least 30 percent diverse lawyer representation in a notable number of their current leadership roles and committees.
“We are honored to have once again received Mansfield Certification,” said Grant S. Palmer, Blank Rome’s Managing Partner and CEO. “Participating in innovative programs such as Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule is critical to the successful growth of law firms today and makes a meaningful impact towards advancing diversity and inclusion efforts not only at our Firm, but also in the legal industry and beyond. As part of our Firm’s Strategic Plan, we remain committed to identifying opportunities in this important area and honoring our diverse attorneys and professionals.”
Mansfield Rule 3.0, which runs from July 2019 to July 2020, will further enhance the forward-thinking inaugural Mansfield Rule pilot program and Mansfield Rule 2.0 by adding lawyers with disabilities to the pool of candidates that may be considered for the Mansfield Rule’s categories, in addition to women, minority, and LGBTQ+ lawyers. The updated program will also split its “transparency” related categories into two distinct categories: one for adopting leadership job descriptions and one relating to publicizing the processes for election or appointment to these leadership roles.
“We are proud to continue piloting the latest version of the Mansfield Rule as part of our ongoing collaboration with the Diversity Lab team,” said Christopher A. Lewis, Partner and Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Blank Rome. “Our Firm remains committed to cultivating and promoting our diverse professionals, both at Blank Rome and in the legal industry at large, in honor of Blank Rome’s founders who placed welcoming diversity as the foundation of our Firm’s mission. We will continue to identify, implement, and expand upon such important initiatives, and look forward to the advances we will make in the years ahead.”
As a reward for achieving Mansfield Certification, Blank Rome and other Mansfield Rule 3.0 participating firms will be able to send their newly promoted partners from underrepresented groups to one of four upcoming Diversity Lab Client Forum events in Chicago, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and New York. At the client forums, participants will learn from and have an opportunity to connect one-on-one or in small groups with lawyers from more than 60 legal departments from leading companies across the country. As a Certified Plus firm, Blank Rome’s newly promoted minority, women, LGBTQ+ partners, and partners with disabilities will also have the opportunity to pitch their legal talent to a variety of in-house counsel.
