Vorys Earns Mansfield 5.0 Certification
Vorys announced today that the firm has earned the Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certification. To become “Mansfield Certified,” participating firms are asked to affirmatively consider at least 30% historically underrepresented lawyers - including women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities - when making decisions on leadership and governance positions (including firm management roles and certain committee roles), formal pitch opportunities, senior associate and lateral partner openings, equity partnership promotions and succession planning.
“We are extremely proud of our second consecutive Mansfield certification,” said Jolie Havens, Vorys partner and chief diversity and inclusion officer. “Our participation in the Mansfield Rule program has helped us enhance our internal processes, have additional, important conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion, and develop new frameworks designed to better support our diverse lawyers.”
Diversity Lab launched the inaugural Mansfield Rule in summer 2017 with nearly 50 law firms. Participation has grown steadily since then. The primary goal of the Mansfield Rule is to increase diversity in law firm leadership by broadening the pool of lawyers who are considered for significant governance roles, lateral openings and promotions.
Vorys earned Mansfield 4.0 certification in 2021 and was one of more than 160 law firms piloting the Mansfield Rule 5.0 from July 2021-June 2022. The firm will participate in the pilot group for the Mansfield Rule 6.0 in 2022-23.
According to Diversity Lab, studies show that it takes at least a 30% diverse candidate pool for any position in order to eliminate or decrease tokenism and perceived stereotypes. For Mansfield-certified firms, 40% have increased the representation of diverse lawyers in leadership and governance roles; 33% increased the number of diverse senior associates hired; 35% increased the number of diverse partners hired; and 38% increased the number of diverse lawyers promoted to partner.
To read Diversity Lab’s announcement about the Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certifications, click here.
About Vorys: Vorys was established in 1909 and currently has nearly 375 attorneys in nine offices in Ohio, Washington, D.C., Texas, Pennsylvania, California and London. Vorys currently ranks as one of the 200 largest law firms in the United States according to American Lawyer magazine. To learn more about Vorys’ diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, click here.
About Diversity Lab: Diversity Lab is an incubator for innovative ideas and solutions that boost diversity and inclusion in law. Experimental ideas are created through Hackathons and piloted in collaboration with more than 150 top law firms and legal departments across the country. Diversity Lab leverages data, behavioral science, design thinking, and technology to further develop and test new ideas and research, measure the results, and share the lessons learned. For more information, visit www.diversitylab.com.