Diversity Lab Honors Latham for Its Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Latham is honored to have been awarded Mansfield Certification Plus status from Diversity Lab for the third year in a row. In 2017, a coalition of law firms and corporate legal departments created the Mansfield Rule to increase diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the legal industry, in conjunction with Diversity Lab, an incubator for innovative D&I solutions and ideas.

Named for Arabella Mansfield, the first American woman admitted to the practice of law, the Mansfield Rule evaluates “whether law firms affirmatively considered at least 30 percent women, attorneys of color, LGBTQ+ and lawyers with disabilities for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities, and senior lateral positions.” This data-driven rule is a modified version of the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires football teams to interview at least one ethnic/racial minority candidate when filling coaching vacancies and manager positions. Only firms that have achieved or exceeded the goal of 30% diverse lawyer representation in a notable number of their current leadership roles earned Certification Plus status.