Beveridge & Diamond is proud to announce that the firm has achieved Mansfield Plus Certification for 2019, indicating that we not only consider at least 30% women, LGBTQ+, and minority lawyers for significant leadership roles, lateral recruiting, and business development opportunities but also actually achieve 30% representation in that area. B&D participates alongside more than 65 of the country's leading law firms that partnered with Diversity Lab to pilot the Mansfield Rule 2.0 program that concluded in July 2019, which aims to boost the representation of diverse lawyers in law firm leadership by broadening the pool of candidates considered for these opportunities.

Diversity and inclusion are core values at B&D, and we strive to foster an inclusive culture that encourages and supports a diverse workplace by attracting, developing, retaining, and promoting to leadership diverse talent and by creating equal opportunities for individuals to live up to their potential. The firm participates in a number of diversity and inclusion efforts in addition to the Mansfield Rule, and we have been recognized for our leadership by organizations such as the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, and the National Association of Women Lawyers. Chairman Ben Wilson (Washington, DC) is also a leading advocate for diversity in the legal profession, having established the African American General Counsel and Managing Partner Networks in 2012 and founded the Diverse Partners Network in 2008.

"We are deeply committed to our continued leadership in advancing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession and to partnering with our clients and organizations such as Diversity Lab to accomplish this goal," said Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair Nessa Coppinger (Washington, DC). "We appreciate this latest recognition of our commitment to diversity and inclusion.”

Law firms participating in the Mansfield Rule program must consider a diverse slate of candidates for leadership roles, committees, and activities. They are also encouraged to generate and post job descriptions for these leadership roles and ensure that the processes for election and/or appointment to these roles are transparent and accessible to all lawyers. Firms that consider diverse lawyers for 70% or more of their leadership committees/roles that exist at the firm and are open during the review period qualify to become Mansfield Certified. Mansfield Certified Plus status indicates that a firm considered at least 30% women and minorities for leadership positions and senior-level recruiting over the year has achieved representation of at least 30% women and minorities in a large number of key leadership roles and with lateral hires. 

The Mansfield Rule was inspired by the NFL’s 2003 Rooney Rule, which requires every NFL team to interview at least one minority candidate for head coach vacancies. In the years following its implementation, the number of minorities hired to fill head-coach roles doubled. “The Rooney Rule was revolutionary. We now benefit from standing on the shoulders of giants with the Mansfield Rule,” said Diversity Lab CEO Caren Ulrich Stacy. “Leveraging lessons learned from the NFL and research that shows it is important to interview more than one diverse candidate, we are incredibly well-positioned to diversify the top ranks of the legal profession.”

Learn more about our diversity and inclusion efforts and accomplishments or click here to read Diversity Lab's full press release.