Sullivan & Worcester Achieves 2022 Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certification
Boston – International law firm Sullivan & Worcester LLP announced today that the firm’s commitment to expanding diversity in law firm leadership has earned it Mansfield Certification status for Mansfield Rule 5.0 from Diversity Lab, an organization working to support law firms’ efforts to increase leadership diversity. The firm has also committed to Mansfield 6.0 Certification and its more stringent certification criteria.
"As a firm, we are dedicated to bringing together a diverse workforce," said David Nagle, Co-Managing Partner of Sullivan. "We are very proud to have achieved Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certification and will continue fostering the kind of inclusive and diverse culture that contributes to achieving uniformly excellent client results."
Mansfield Rule 5.0 requires law firms to consider at least 30% historically underrepresented lawyers – including women lawyers, underrepresented racial and ethnic lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities – when promoting or appointing lawyers to leadership roles, among a dozen other actions that focus on the path to leadership. Legal departments are asked to consider 50% diversity for top internal roles and outside counsel. The Mansfield Rule is named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to practice law in the U.S.
The Mansfield Rule 6.0 certification requires law firms to consider at least 30% historically underrepresented lawyers from all four groups when appointing lawyers to leadership roles and promoting lawyers to equity partners, among a dozen other activities that focus on the path to leadership. Firms must also consider 30% underrepresented talent for C-suite roles.
"Supporting diverse lawyers in leadership is an ongoing process, one we are committed to achieving," said Angela Gomes, co-chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. “Diversity Lab’s Mansfield program provides a critical structure to enhance diversity in law firms and offers a pathway to achieving our Firm’s DE&I goals,” said Avi Rao, co-chair of the firm’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
Diversity Lab works with law firm participants to measure the outcomes and iterate the requirements to push boundaries every year. The structural elements of the certification process are key to this effort, including: accountability through frequent check-ins with participants, data collection and reporting; participants’ ongoing collaboration through monthly group knowledge sharing forums; and the transparency of public certificaton.
About Sullivan
Sullivan & Worcester (Sullivan) is a leading AmLaw 200 law firm with over 200 attorneys in Boston, London, New York, Tel Aviv and Washington, DC. Sullivan’s clients, including Fortune 500 companies and emerging businesses, rely on Sullivan’s strategic vision, comfort with complexity and intense focus on results. As a global law firm, Sullivan’s reach extends beyond the United States. Sullivan has represented clients around the world and has a deep bench for working on a variety of matters and issues affecting clients globally.