Firm earns 2022 Mansfield rule recognition

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner has again in 2022 been named a Mansfield Rule Certified Plus law firm. BCLP participated in the US 5.0 and UK 1.0 pilot reporting periods, achieving Certified Plus status in both.

Diversity Lab, which oversees Mansfield, annually audits participating firms to measure whether they have effectively considered, complied and achieved the certification requirements. The Plus designation indicates firms that have achieved 30% diverse attorney representation in many of the Mansfield Rule’s categories. BCLP continues to diligently implement and move beyond the Mansfield Rule requirement as part of the firm’s ongoing commitment to inclusion and diversity.

“Since joining the inaugural group, the Mansfield Rule has become embedded into our culture. Not only do we openly talk about our commitment to becoming an increasingly diverse organization, our Mansfield participation brought concrete action items and goals to those conversations,” said BCLP Director of Recruitment Jen Sloop.

Named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to the practice of law in the United States, the Mansfield Rule seeks to boost the representation of diverse lawyers in law firm leadership by broadening the pool of candidates considered for these opportunities. Established by Diversity Lab in 2017, Mansfield Rule Certification has grown into one of the industry’s top I&D benchmarks, involving over 300 law firms and legal departments across the US, UK and Canada.

BCLP helped pilot Mansfield Rule 1.0 in 2017 as a founding signatory and has achieved consecutive Certified Plus recognition each year. For Mansfield 5.0, which ran from July 2021 to July 2022, firms were asked to consider at least 30% women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ* lawyers and lawyers with disabilities for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities and senior lateral positions. Last year, Diversity Lab launched the Mansfield Rule UK 1.0, and BCLP was one of 14 leading law firms to participate in the pilot.

“Having implemented the Mansfield Rule in our US offices five years ago, we were determined to participate in the UK pilot. Mansfield has cemented the focus on proactively tracking our progress and ensuring opportunities are distributed fairly. This framework is invaluable as we continue to build a strong pipeline of talent and provide an inclusive, equitable workplace for all our people. Mansfield ensures there is no room for complacency – a commitment BCLP stands behind,” said Segun Osuntokun, UK Managing Partner and Co-Chair I&D Global Action Board.

“Mansfield helps our I&D leadership set benchmarks for other I&D programs within the firm, because we can challenge ourselves to go beyond the requirements that the certification puts in place. We view Mansfield’s certification as a floor and then challenge the firm’s management to set policies that go above the bar that Mansfield Certification sets. Because we have been a certified firm since the inception of the program we have been given the opportunity to educate clients, peer firms, and younger lawyers about the certification process, the benefits of certification, and the reasoning behind it,” added Meridyth Andresen, Partner and Co-Chair I&D Global Action Board.

This year, BCLP is participating in Mansfield Rule 6.0 in the US and Mansfield Rule 2.0 in the UK, both of which run July 2022 through July 2023.

Please contact the Diversity Team with any questions about the Mansfield Rule or BCLP’s inclusion and diversity work. Visit the Diversity Lab website to learn more about the Mansfield Rule.