Lane Powell is pleased to announce that it has earned Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certification Plus status for 2021 from Diversity Lab. The Mansfield Rule is a program that measures how women, attorneys of color, LGBTQ+ attorneys, and attorneys with disabilities are considered in a firm’s recruitment, promotion, pitches, and leadership role selection processes. The “Plus” certification indicates that Lane Powell has reached at least 30 percent underrepresented lawyer representation in these key areas, including the firm’s Board of Directors, Practice Team Leaders, and Equity Partner promotions, in addition to meeting the program’s baseline certification requirements.
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are core tenets of our firm vision, and the progress being made through the Mansfield Rule made it clear to us that we wanted to commit our firm to its efforts,” said Lane Powell President, Barbara J. Duffy. “This certification reflects the importance we place on fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion at Lane Powell, and in the legal industry as a whole.”
Lane Powell's Director of Professional Development and Diversity Melissa Berry stated, “We are proud to be recognized with Certification Plus status in our first year of the program, as this innovative initiative is vital to changing the landscape of the legal profession to be more diverse and to ensuring the ongoing success of our firm. We are excited to continue our participation in Mansfield Rule 5.0 in the coming year.”
Lane Powell has routinely been recognized by industry groups for cultivating a diverse and inclusive work culture. In addition to the Mansfield Rule 4.0 certification, the firm has been recognized as a Top Performer by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity for four years, as one of the Nation’s Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality by the Human Rights Campaign for five consecutive years, and as one of the Best Law Firms for Women by Seramount.