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October 2, 2024
Hill Wallack Achieves Mansfield Certification 2023-2024
More than 360 Law Firms Achieve Mansfield Certification for 2023–24, Marking a Double-Digit Increase in the Push for Leadership Diversity
As other industries backtrack or remain quiet, a record number of newly Mansfield Certified law firms continue to proudly advance inclusive practices and report measurable progress.
SAN FRANCISCO (October 2, 2024) — Over 360 law firms earned Mansfield Certification for the 2023–24 period, marking a 13% increase from the nearly 320 firms certified the previous year. This accomplishment, along with their public celebration of it, underscores these firms’ steadfast dedication to promoting inclusive and equitable workplaces. Additionally, the majority of these firms, along with 19 others, are already pursuing certification for 2024–25.
Mansfield is a year-long structured certification process designed to ensure all qualified talent at participating law firms have a fair and equal opportunity to be considered for advancement into leadership roles. The focus is on “opening the door wider” and ensuring that opportunities for advancement are transparent and inclusive for everyone. Mansfield expands opportunities, fostering growth without imposing limitations.As Mansfield’s certification criteria grow increasingly challenging each year, firms have consistently recommitted to the core principles of transparency, accountability, and knowledge sharing, including:
- Contributing to monthly group knowledge-sharing meetings and attending expert-led legal workshops to ensure the lawful implementation of Mansfield’s principles.
- Drafting and making advancement processes and leadership role descriptions transparent and accessible to all lawyers.
- Broadening the pool of talent considered for dozens of leadership roles and activities, with at least 30% of the lawyers considered consisting of underrepresented lawyers across 75% of opportunities.
- Engaging in individual firm check-ins at the six-month mark (even more frequently for new firms) to support the adoption of legal and effective processes.
- Submitting certification data, transparent processes, and a signed affirmation from the managing partner at the end of each certification year.
This data-driven process has transformed how many participating firms operate. Before Mansfield, fewer than half had transparent leadership job descriptions or advancement processes and less than a quarter tracked the diversity of their leadership pipelines. Mansfield’s framework has introduced greater transparency and accountability, which has produced striking results:
- Over 75% of the firms have significantly increased diversity in client pitch teams, lateral partner hires, and equity partner promotions.
- Firms with five or more years of Mansfield Certification have doubled the racial and ethnic diversity in their management committees.
- Mansfield Certified firms lead the way with a 41% growth rate in underrepresented racial and ethnic equity partners, compared to just 16% at non-Mansfield firms.
- The number of women equity partners at Mansfield Certified firms is growing at nearly three times the rate of non-Mansfield firms (20% vs. 7% growth rate).
Recent studies, including the data analysis published in The American Lawyer and the New York State Bar Association Task Force on Advancing Diversity Report, praise Mansfield for its effective and lawful method for enhancing transparency and diversity in leadership.
“Our firm has participated in Mansfield Rule Certification since its inception, and we have made significant strides over the past seven years to create positive change through our internal initiatives and industry partnerships. At Nixon Peabody, we believe that diversity of people, backgrounds, and experience leads to exceptional client service and stronger results for our clients and our firm. We are proud of the progress we have made, and remain committed to our continued efforts to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive legal profession." – Stephen D. Zubiago, CEO & Managing Partner, Nixon Peabody
Listed below are the US, Canada, and UK large and midsize law firms that achieved Mansfield
Certification in 2023–24. Firms marked with an asterisk also earned the “Certified Plus” designation. Renewing and additional firms that joined for the 2024–25 period can be found here.
Recent Innovators – Firms That Have Achieved Certification Most Recently
(Adopted Mansfield in 2023–2024)
Atheria Law* Fox Swibel Levin & Carroll Moore & Van Allen* Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider Franklin & Prokopik* Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr Blue Williams Gilbert Nossaman* Cadwalader, Wickersham &
TaftGlenn Agre Bergman & Fuentes* Reilly, McDevitt and Henrich Caplin & Drysdale Goldberg Segalla Segal McCambridge Singer and
MahoneyCarter Ledyard & Milburn Goodwin Procter (UK) Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick Chartwell Law Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani Spilman Thomas & Battle Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi Gowling WLG (Canada)* Stites & Harbison Christian & Small* Groombridge, Wu, Baughman &
Stone*Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth Cohen & Gresser Hill Wallack* Swanson, Martin & Bell Cole Schotz P.C. Lee & Hayes Tyson & Mendes F3 Law Linklaters (UK)* Warner Norcross + Judd Fahey Schultz Burzych Rhodes Maron Marvel Winthrop & Weinstine Fennemore McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce Wise Carter Child & Caraway Fletcher Yoder McCarter & English Withersworldwide (US & UK)*
