Lane Powell is proud to announce that it has earned Mansfield Rule 7.0 Certification Plus status for 2024 from Diversity Lab. This marks a continuation of the firm’s Certification Plus status achievements in the past three years in Mansfield Rule 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0. The Mansfield Rule program measures how women, attorneys of color, LGBTQ+ attorneys, and attorneys with disabilities are considered in a firm’s recruitment, promotion, pitches, and firm leadership role selection processes. The “Plus” certification indicates that Lane Powell has reached at least 30 percent underrepresented lawyer representation in current leadership roles, including the firm’s Board of Directors, Practice Team Leaders, and Equity Shareholder promotions, in addition to meeting the program’s baseline certification requirements.
Lane Powell President Barbara J. Duffy stated, “We are immensely proud of having achieved Mansfield Rule Certification Plus status for the fourth consecutive program year. We remain firmly committed to participating in the program in the years to come and as we combine our firm with Ballard Spahr LLP in 2025. Inclusivity in firm culture is something that Lane Powell and Ballard Spahr both strive for, and our combined firm will carry those values forward. Now more than ever, there is a need for consistent and tangible efforts from all of us in the legal field in order to foster greater diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our industry. Those same efforts are a vital part of what keeps us thriving.”
Lane Powell Director of Professional Development and Diversity Kelly Jones added, “The Mansfield Rule is one of the premier industry programs when it comes to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in law. Lane Powell and Ballard Spahr wholeheartedly share in that drive, and we are honored to receive Certification Plus status. We look forward to continuing our participation in the Mansfield Rule program.”
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, 5.0, and 6.0 certifications, the firm has also been recognized as a Top Performer by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, as one of the Nation’s Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality by the Human Rights Campaign, and as a member firm in the Bloomberg Law Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Framework.