With these inspirations, we hope not only to share information about the “why” of diversity and inclusion, but also the “what” – including “what YOU can do about it”. Today’s inspiration provides more information about one such opportunity.
The Mansfield Rule, an initiative of Diversity Lab, is one of the latest and most promising efforts to advance diversity and inclusion in law firms. The Mansfield Rule is a program in which law firms certify that they have considered at least 30% women, minority, and LGBTQ+ lawyers for significant leadership roles and – of relevance to legal marketing and business development professionals – inclusion on formal new business pitches. 65 law firms are piloting the Mansfield Rule 2.0 initiative, and more than 70 legal departments have signed on to support the effort by attending a Client Forum.
Given the unique role legal marketers and business developers play in our firms, not only leading brand, business development, and client service efforts, but also as “connectors” between marketing, business development, recruiting, diversity, inclusion, succession planning, strategy, and more, we need to understand efforts like the Mansfield Rule and calibrate our firms’ participation.
To this end, Caren Ulrich Stacy (Diversity Lab’s Founder and CEO), Lisa Kirby (Diversity Lab’s Managing Director for Research and Knowledge Sharing) and Marc Kornegay (Diversity Lab’s Marketing and Events Strategist) led an informational/Q&A call for LMA members in November 2018 to explain the Mansfield Rule and how law firms can participate. We have posted the audio replay of the call on the LMA D&I SIG page:
LMA members can listen to the 39-minute audio of the informational call/Q&A with Diversity Lab leaders. https://www.legalmarketing.org/p/do/sd/sid=8535
Even better, Diversity Lab has generously made its leaders available to the LMA community for questions and as resources for nurturing diversity and inclusion conversations and initiatives. For more information on the Mansfield Rule, please contact Lisa Kirby or Caren Stacy. As noted on the call, the Mansfield Rule 2.0 initiative began in July 2018. Firms not currently part of the 2.0 initiative can join in July 2019 – please contact Lisa Kirby to learn more about the process to join.
NOTE: Diversity Lab is the owner of the service mark rights for MANSFIELD RULE and MANSFIELD RULE CERTIFIED, and Diversity Lab is the sole entity that can use and authorize other parties to use these service marks in connection with diversity programs. These terms should not be used unless a law firm or other entity is registered and participating in the Mansfield Rule certification process administered by Diversity Lab.