Updated May 2, 2022:
We are happy to announce Drew Eckl & Farnham received Midsize Mansfield Plus Certification. Midsize Mansfield Certification “Plus” status indicates that, in addition to meeting or exceeding the consideration requirements, the firms have successfully achieved 30 percent diverse representation in current leadership roles, formal client pitches, and staffing on key matters. We completed a rigorous 18-month collaboration with Diversity Lab – beginning in September 2020 – with built-in measurement, transparency, and accountability. Through our trailblazing participation in this inaugural Midsize Certification cohort, we have demonstrated a passionate commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and are making meaningful progress on diversifying law firm leadership.
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We are excited to announce that Drew Eckl & Farnham is one of the trailblazing firms partnering with Diversity Lab to pilot the inaugural Midsize Mansfield Rule. Mansfield Rule certification measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered women, attorneys of color, LGBTQ+ attorneys, and attorneys with disabilities as at least 30 percent of the candidate pool for recruitment, governance roles, equity partner promotions, and inclusion in formal pitches to clients.
Beginning September 15, Drew Eckl & Farnham will work collaboratively with more than 20 midsize law firms throughout the US to pilot a new iteration of the Mansfield Rule. 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.
Throughout our history, it has been important to us to create a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion at Drew Eckl & Farnham. We are excited about the opportunity to engage with the Diversity Lab and other participating firms during the Mansfield Rule certification process to create defined and measurable initiatives that will support inclusivity at our firm and in the legal profession,” said managing Partner, Joseph Chancey.
Similar to the large law firm version of the Mansfield Rule, once Drew Eckl & Farnham successfully completes the Midsize Mansfield Rule criteria, the firm will be designated as “Mansfield Certified” and will have the opportunity to send diverse partners to the Mansfield Rule Client Forums in late 2022 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.
“We are incredibly proud of these firms that remained steadfastly focused on inclusivity through the Mansfield Rule as the pandemic and its implications disrupted so many business processes,” said Lisa Kirby, Chief Intelligence & Knowledge Sharing Officer at Diversity Lab. “And the shattering examples of racial injustice we’ve witnessed this summer caused many firms to further deepen their commitment to taking direct action to equalize the playing field in law firm leadership.”
About Diversity Lab
Diversity Lab is an incubator for innovative ideas and solutions that boost diversity and inclusion in law. Experimental ideas are created through our Hackathons and piloted in collaboration with more than 150 top law firms and legal departments across the country. Diversity Lab leverages data, behavioral science, design thinking, and technology to further develop and test new ideas and research, measure the results, and share the lessons learned. For more information, visit www.diversitylab.com.