Miller Canfield Earns Mansfield Rule Certification
DETROIT (August 20, 2018)—Miller Canfield announced today that it is the only firm in Michigan to be named among 41 major law firms nationwide that have earned Mansfield Certification from Diversity Lab, the national incubator for innovative ideas and solutions to boost diversity and inclusion in law, and is one of just 27 to earn the Mansfield Certified Plus designation for 2018.
Law firms earning Mansfield Certification met or exceeded goals for law firm diversity and inclusion by adopting and complying with the Mansfield Rule, which was inspired by the NFL's Rooney Rule and named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to the practice of law in the United States. The rule was piloted in 2017 by more than 30 top firms nationwide, including Miller Canfield, and measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered women and attorneys of color—at least 30 percent of the candidate pool—for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, and lateral positions. Those meeting the requirements for Mansfield Certified Plus successfully reached at least 30 percent women and minority lawyer representation in a notable number of their current leadership roles and committees.
"It's not surprising that Miller Canfield is the only Michigan-headquartered firm to attain Mansfield Certification. We have always been leaders in fostering a culture of inclusiveness and have long benefitted from the leadership of women and minority attorneys," said CEO Michael McGee. "The Mansfield Rule strengthens this aspect of our culture by ensuring that we are identifying a diverse group of emerging leaders, and actively taking part in helping them to achieve, succeed and lead."
Law firms are increasingly being asked by clients to provide proof that their ranks are representative of the diverse communities in which they do business. More than 55 legal departments from large global companies, including Target, Google, Facebook, Microsoft and PepsiCo, signed on to support the Mansfield Rule and the law firms that piloted it. Saying that diverse companies—and the law firms that serve them—deliver better results, are more competitive, and are more innovative if they are more diverse, the companies stated that they are eager to work with firms that foster a culture of diversity and inclusion.
"Large law firms have struggled to move the needle to make meaningful culture changes regarding diversity and inclusion," said Miller Canfield Diversity and Development Principal, Michelle Crockett. "Programs like Mansfield Certification take a firm's efforts beyond training and planning and turn it into data-driven action. It's just one of the initiatives the firm has implemented to advance diversity and ensure true inclusion of women and minorities."
Mansfield Certified firms made significant progress in diversifying, following adoption of the Mansfield Rule, specifically:
- 40 percent of the firms increased representation of women and diverse lawyers in leadership and governance roles
- 33 percent increased the number of women and diverse senior associates hired
- 35 percent increased the number of women and diverse partners hired
- 38 percent increased the number of women and diverse lawyers promoted to partner
Miller Canfield is one of the 65 firms nationwide piloting Mansfield 2.0 through 2018, which expands on the Mansfield Rule to include LGBTQ attorneys.
