Maynard & Gale joins the field of leading law firms in seeking and achieving certification under the Mansfield Rule by Diversity Lab. Modeled after the NFL’s Rooney Rule, and named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman lawyer in the United States, the Mansfield Rule measures and rewards firms who are truly committed to improving diversity and inclusion. The year-long Mansfield Rule Certification process requires increasing diversity in lateral recruitment, promotions, pitch opportunities, governance, and leadership roles, and that a minimum of 30% of candidates considered for these roles be from underrepresented groups, including women, underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, lawyers with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ lawyers. This initiative will make us more collaborative, and more competitive.

We strive to create and sustain an environment that promotes teamwork, collaboration, diversity, inclusivity, and an environment that encourages interactive group input, ideas, listening, and constant progress. In addition, we are joining our clients and potential clients who have sought this certification, and who also hold us accountable for our DE&I efforts. Mansfield builds on our current lateral hiring policy and strengthens our client and community relationships. By recruiting, promoting, developing, and retaining diverse and distinctive teams, we ensure we have the best talent for our current and future leadership positions at the Firm and the next generation of Firm leaders. As we pursue the Mansfield Certification and reflect on our internal processes for management appointments, lateral hiring, and promotions, we will work to ensure those decisions are as transparent and inclusive as possible.

About Diversity Lab's Mansfield Rule

About the Mansfield Rule: In 2016, The Diversity Lab, in collaboration with Bloomberg Law and Stanford Law School hosted a Women in Law Hackathon and the Mansfield Rule was the winning idea. It is named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to the practice of law in the United States.

If you have any questions please contact:

mansfieldtaskforce@maynardcooper.com