For the fourth year in a row, Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP has received a significant recognition for its diversity efforts. MMM is one of only 118 U.S. law firms to achieve the Mansfield 4.0 certification.
The Mansfield Rule measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered at least 30 percent women, underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities and senior lateral positions.
“The Mansfield 4.0 certification is significant to MMM,” said MMM Managing Partner Simon Malko. “The criteria get tougher every year and we are proud that we have continued to achieve these benchmarks for four years running. Making certification will remain a priority for us as we continue our efforts to improve diversity in our firm and within the legal community.”
The inaugural Mansfield Rule certification process, launched in 2017, required firms to measure and confirm that they considered candidate pools that are at least 30% diverse. LGBTQ+ lawyers and lawyers with disabilities were added in the 2.0 and 3.0 versions.
“Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, the Mansfield Rule certified firms have not deviated from their goal of ensuring that law firm leadership reflects the rich diversity of the profession,” said Natalia Marulanda, Mansfield Rule Director at Diversity Lab. “We are enormously proud to work with such a committed group of firms.”
The Mansfield Rule is named for Arabella Mansfield, the first female lawyer in the U.S. It was inspired by the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires every NFL team to interview at least one minority candidate for head coach vacancies.
Diversity Lab, which bestows the certifications, is an incubator for innovative ideas and solutions that boost diversity and inclusion in law. Law firms piloting the Mansfield Rule since its inception have grown the racial and ethnic diversity of their top leadership, including diversifying their Management Committees by more than 30 times the rate of non-Mansfield firms. For more information, visit www.diversitylab.com