Foley & Lardner Announces Participation in Diversity Lab's Mansfield Rule 5.0
Foley & Lardner LLP is proud to announce that the firm is participating in Mansfield Rule 5.0, a program overseen by Diversity Lab that aims to diversify law firm leadership by ensuring that historically underrepresented lawyers (women, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities) are being considered for significant governance roles, lateral openings and promotions.
“Foley’s participation in Mansfield Rule 5.0 publicly formalizes the firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion,” says Eileen Ridley, Foley’s Chief Diversity & Inclusion Partner. “But we have already routinely and regularly met the Diversity Lab’s goal of considering diverse candidates for leadership positions.”
Through a 12–month certification process, Foley and other participating firms agree to consider at least 30 percent of these underrepresented lawyers for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities, and senior lateral positions. The certification process includes accountability through frequent check-ins and data collection, ongoing collaboration through monthly group knowledge sharing meetings, and transparency of publicly certifying data.
“Diversity is both a moral imperative and a competitive advantage. We strongly believe that the strength and success of our law firm requires the inclusion of people with different insights and experiences, which results in more creative and innovative solutions to our clients’ legal and business challenges,” says Jay Rothman, Foley’s Chairman and CEO.
The Mansfield Rule is named for Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to practice law in the United States, and inspired by the NFL’s Rooney Rule, named for the late Dan Rooney, which requires every NFL team to interview at least one minority candidate for head coach vacancies.
Read more about Foley’s Diversity & Inclusion initiatives here.
Read more about Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule 5.0 here.
About Foley & Lardner LLP
Foley & Lardner LLP looks beyond the law to focus on the constantly evolving demands facing our clients and their industries. With approximately 1,100 lawyers in 24 offices across the United States, Mexico, Europe and Asia, Foley approaches client service by first understanding our clients’ priorities, objectives and challenges. We work hard to understand our clients’ issues and forge long-term relationships with them to help achieve successful outcomes and solve their legal issues through practical business advice and cutting-edge legal insight. Our clients view us as trusted business advisors because we understand that great legal service is only valuable if it is relevant, practical and beneficial to their businesses.