Haynes Boone has achieved Mansfield Rule 4.0 certification after completing a rigorous 12-month collaboration with Diversity Lab. The firm has also achieved Mansfield Certification Plus status, which shows even greater success in diversifying law firm leadership.
The Mansfield Rule aims to boost the representation of diverse lawyers in firm leadership by broadening the pool of candidates considered for such opportunities. The Mansfield Rule Certification measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered at least 30% women, underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities, and senior lateral positions.
By achieving the additional Mansfield Certification Plus status, Haynes Boone shows it has met or exceeded the baseline requirements and also reached at least 30% underrepresented lawyer representation in a notable number of current leadership roles.
"We are thrilled to celebrate these firms that have worked so tirelessly to implement the Mansfield Rule principles and create inclusive workplaces where every lawyer has the ability to thrive and the opportunity to lead,” Natalia Marulanda, Mansfield Rule director at Diversity Lab, stated in a press release. “Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, the Mansfield Rule certified firms have not deviated from their goal of ensuring that law firm leadership reflects the rich diversity of the profession."
Now entering its fifth year, the Mansfield Rule has become the standard by which law firms track and measure that they have affirmatively considered diverse lawyers for leadership roles.
“The Mansfield Certification is an important indicator of our firm’s commitment to being a market leader in diversity, equity and inclusion. By assigning client responsibilities and managing leadership and professional development in a fair and equitable manner, we believe that we can take positive steps toward increasing participation at all levels by historically underrepresented lawyers,” said Haynes Boone Managing Partner Taylor Wilson.
To receive the 4.0 certifications, firms must:
- Consider at least 30% women, lawyers of color, lawyers with disabilities, and/or LGBTQ+ lawyers for 70% or more of the firm’s leadership roles, committees, and activities during the review periods.
- Complete the three-month, six-month, and annual check-in surveys and data collection requests during the review period.
- Engage in community building and knowledge sharing with participating firms (i.e., participate and share knowledge/best practices on at least three “Knowledge Sharing” calls).
Haynes Boone is currently pursuing the latest Mansfield certification, Mansfield 5.0, which includes new criteria such as requiring firms to:
- Consider at least 30% underrepresented lawyers for nominations to Chambers USA to increase the external visibility of underrepresented lawyers with clients and in the marketplace more broadly.
- Consider 30% underrepresented individuals when hiring and promoting C-level or other senior-level professional staff roles.
Haynes Boone is an international corporate law firm with offices in Texas, New York, California, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., London, Mexico City and Shanghai, providing a full spectrum of legal services in energy, technology, financial services and private equity. With more than 575 lawyers, Haynes Boone is ranked among the largest U.S.-based firms by The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer and The Lawyer. The firm has also been recognized across the board for excellence in the BTI Consulting Group’s 2020 “A-Team” report, which identifies the law firms that in-house counsel commend for providing superior client service.
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