US – Crowell & Moring Commits To Mansfield Certification Process For 2024-2025.
Crowell & Moring has reconfirmed its dedication to the Mansfield Certification for 2024-2025. This certification assesses whether law firms have actively taken into account women, lawyers of colour, and LGBTQ+ lawyers.
Since becoming part of Mansfield in 2018, the firm has taken significant steps to enhance transparency and accessibility in its progression procedures. By widening the scope of opportunities, it aims to provide every individual with a just and equal chance to be evaluated for leadership roles and engagements within the firm. Crowell achieved Mansfield Certification Plus status for 2023 for the second consecutive year, along with Mansfield Certification for the fifth consecutive year. Achieving the Certification Plus recognition signifies that the firm has “not only considered, but achieved 30 percent representation of underrepresented lawyers in many of the Mansfield Rule’s categories.”
“Crowell & Moring is devoted to advancing diversity and inclusiveness. A fundamental aspect of this is making sure that women and diverse lawyers have real and meaningful opportunities for leadership and career progression,” said Agustin Orozco, Crowell’s newly appointed partner champion for the Mansfield certification process. “That’s why we are proud to adhere to the principles of the Mansfield Rule and do whatever is necessary to expand our DEI efforts.”
The Mansfield Rule, named in honour of Arabella Mansfield, the pioneering woman who became the first female attorney in the United States, draws inspiration from the “Rooney Rule” in the NFL. This rule mandates that each NFL team must interview at least one minority candidate for head coach positions.
To complement Mansfield, the firm introduced the Crowell Rule in 2021, exceeding Mansfield’s diversity objectives to ensure the consideration of top talent in its recruitment efforts. Specifically, the firm evaluates a varied pool of candidates for each lateral associate, counsel, and partner role, necessitating that 30% of the interview pool represent racial/ethnic and LGBTQ+ diversity, and at least 50% comprise women and attorneys from diverse backgrounds. To uphold transparency, this information is regularly submitted to Crowell’s Executive Committee Chairperson, Chahira Solh, on a quarterly basis.
To learn more about Crowell’s commitment to diversity, visit: https://dei.crowell.com/
