For over 40 years, MoFo has been committed to creating a culture that respects and celebrates differences, while providing an inclusive environment where everyone’s contributions are valued. That’s why we’re proud to announce the achievement of “Mansfield Certification Plus” status for 2021, making us one of 23 firms to receive the honor since the launch of the Mansfield Rule in 2017. To continue moving the needle forward, the firm is also joining a number of the country’s leading law firms for version 5.0 of the Mansfield Rule, set to run from July 2021 to July 2022.
The concept of the Mansfield Rule was born from a winning pitch at Diversity Lab’s inaugural 2016 Women in Law Hackathon event, hosted by Stanford Law School, in which MoFo’s team took third place. The Mansfield Rule was designed to explore new ways to close the gender gap and increase diversity in law firms. The rule was named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to practice law in the United States, and is a modified version of the NFL’s “Rooney Rule,” requiring all NFL teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head coach positions.
The rule measures a firm’s commitment to considering a diverse group of candidates for leadership and governance roles, with women, LGBTQ+, and attorneys of color accounting for at least 30 percent of those roles. Diversity Lab continues to expand upon the original criteria; for example, due to growing interest from firms, Version 5.0 will launch a category for midsize law firms and expand into the UK in September 2021.
By successfully demonstrating its adherence throughout the year and earning the distinction of “Mansfield Certification Plus,” MoFo will be given the opportunity to send newly hired diverse partners to one of several two-day client forums where they will be able to pitch innovative ideas, seek mentorship, and network with a variety of in-house council.
This past year, the firm sent six partners to the virtual client forums. The partners were invited to attend intriguing TED-style talks, small group professional networking breaks designed to facilitate business connections, and small group pitch meetings with select in-house counsel. The client forums present a unique opportunity to network with other diverse attorneys and meet with high-level in-house counsel representing companies such as American Express, Boston Children’s Hospital, DaVita, U.S. Bank, and PepsiCo, among others.
We are excited to have been a successful participant in Mansfield Rule 4.0 and look forward to once again partnering with Diversity Lab and completing Mansfield Rule 5.0.
Learn more about our participation in the Mansfield Rule.