Miller Canfield Earns Mansfield Plus Certification for Law Firm Diversity
Miller Canfield is pleased to announce that it has earned Mansfield Plus Certification for 2022.
Law firms earn Mansfield certification by demonstrating that they consider at least 30% historically underrepresented lawyers—women lawyers, underrepresented racial and/or ethnic lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and/or lawyers with disabilities—when hiring and making promotion decisions to leadership roles such as equity partnership, and more. Firms that not only consider, but also achieve, 30% representation in key leadership roles, are awarded Certification Plus status.
Miller Canfield was the first Michigan-based firm, and among the first in the country, to adopt the Mansfield Rule. Miller Canfield is one of only 39 firms to have held Mansfield certification for five years in a row. In addition, Miller Canfield was the only Michigan-based firm, and one of only 27 firms in the country, to obtain Mansfield Plus certification in its first year, a certification Miller Canfield continues to hold.
Mansfield certification is an initiative of Diversity Lab, the leading incubator for innovative solutions to foster diversity and inclusion in law firms. Diversity Lab launched the inaugural pilot of the Mansfield Rule in 2017 with more than 40 large law firms, including Miller Canfield. Versions 2.0 through 6.0 (the current iteration) were launched each year thereafter, with the requirements of each iteration becoming incrementally more challenging based on feedback from an advisory board of law firms and leaders in diversity, equity and inclusion. Nearly 200 firms earned Mansfield certification in 2022, and more than 270 law firms throughout the U.S., Canada and the U.K., plus more than 75 legal departments, are participating in becoming certified.
“When we first adopted the Mansfield Rule, we didn’t know how or if this small, but influential, group would have an impact on the profession and on law firms nationwide,” said Miller Canfield CEO Megan Norris. “We didn’t know whether law firms would be ready to adopt this level of transparency and accountability. We’re pleased to see that the movement is growing and maintaining momentum to create an opportunity for equity in law firms.”
Miller Canfield has committed to pursuing Mansfield Rule 6.0 certification, the most challenging certification to date. Mansfield 6.0 will require law firms to consider at least 30% historically underrepresented lawyers from all four underrepresented groups when appointing to leadership roles and promoting into the equity partnership. Firms must also consider 30% underrepresented talent for C-suite roles. In addition, attainment of “Certification Plus” status will now require internal transparency with respect to the firm’s advancement and compensation processes.
During the 2021-2022 certification period, women and members of underrepresented groups at Miller Canfield account for:
- 50% of attorneys promoted to equity principalship
- 50% of the firm’s nomination committee
- 66% of the firm's C-suite executive leadership
- 50% of the compensation committee
- 42% of resident directors in the firm’s U.S. offices
For more on Miller Canfield’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, please visit this page: Diversity and Inclusion: Law Firm of Miller Canfield.
