Mansfield Rule Certification

In business, and in the law, diverse and inclusive teams consistently make better decisions. Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace is about creating and fostering a space where people from different backgrounds and life experiences are empowered to contribute in meaningful and intentional ways. At Kean Miller we are committed to building diverse teams and promoting a culture of inclusion.

“Diversity and inclusion are a cornerstone of our Firm’s culture. We are proud to be recognized by the premiere legal diversity program as a Firm that actively supports and advances attorneys who have traditionally been unrepresented in the legal profession. We look forward to continuing our involvement with Diversity Lab and participating in Mansfield 7.0.,” Vic Suane, Diversity and Inclusion Council

In October 2023, Kean Miller achieved Mansfield 6.0 certification. Mansfield Rule certification recognizes law firms that actively work to close gender and diversity gaps in the legal profession.  The program measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered at least 30 percent women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+, and lawyers with disabilities for mission critical operations and decision-making, such as executive leadership, recruitment, and business development activities. The goal of the Mansfield Rule is to increase the representation of diverse lawyers in law firm leadership by broadening the pool of candidates considered for these opportunities.

“Kean Miller is proud of our historical commitment to diversity and inclusion as a Firm. Participating and achieving Mansfield Rule Certification for the fourth year furthers this long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion in the legal profession,” Linda Perez Clark, Managing Partner

The Mansfield Rule is named for Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to the practice of law in the United States, 150 years ago. The concept of the Mansfield Rule and certification process evolved from the Rooney Rule of 2003 – an initiative from the National Football League to encourage the hiring of diverse head coaches and staff. At the 2016 Women in Law Hack-athon, the legal community, in collaboration with Bloomberg Law and the Stanford Law School parlayed this concept into the Mansfield Rule. Since its inception, over 50 of the country’s premier corporations have adopted the policies of the Mansfield Rule within their own in-house legal departments.

Mansfield Rule certification is managed by Diversity Lab. Diversity Lab is an incubator for innovative ideas and solutions that boost diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. Ideas are created through collaboration with more than 360 top law firms and more than 75 legal departments across the country. They leverage data, behavioral science, design thinking, and technology to further develop and test the ideas, measure the results, and share the lessons learned.