Arnold & Porter Again Receives Mansfield and Mansfield Plus Certification
Arnold & Porter has once again achieved Mansfield Certification, earning Mansfield 5.0 Certification Plus after completing the twelve-month Mansfield Rule program. The Mansfield 5.0 Certification program measures how law firms affirmatively consider women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities for significant leadership roles. Arnold & Porter also maintained its Mansfield Certification Plus rating, a status that recognizes firms with at least 30 percent of women or diverse lawyers in leading roles.
Richard M. Alexander, Chairman of Arnold & Porter, said: “Arnold & Porter is proud to have been a member of the inaugural Mansfield Certification cohort and among the very first firms to become Mansfield Certified Plus. Collaborating with Diversity Lab has been instrumental in our on-going efforts to advance our D&I strategy and share our progress with internal and external stakeholders, including our clients and our current and future Arnold & Porter colleagues.”
This year for the Mansfield 5.0 Certification, firms were asked for the first time to consider at least 30 percent underrepresented lawyers for hiring and promoting to C-level and other senior level roles.
The goal of the Mansfield Rule is to boost the representation of lawyers from underrepresented groups in law firm leadership by broadening the pool of candidates considered for these roles and opportunities. For participating firms to achieve certification, the Mansfield Rule 5.0 requires that women, minority attorneys, LGBTQ+ attorneys, and lawyers with disabilities make up 30 percent of the candidate pool for recruitment, leadership roles, promotions, awards, and more.
Diversity and inclusion are core values at Arnold & Porter. The firm is committed to cultivating an inclusive environment where everyone is supported and accorded dignity and respect. Arnold & Porter joined the inaugural cohort of leading employers committed to becoming MLT Black Equity at Work Certified. Arnold & Porter’s formal plan to become Black Equity at Work Certified was approved in January 2022. The firm also is implementing diversity initiatives that include partnerships with the National Bar Association to support the retention and advancement of Black attorneys at law firms, with A Better Chance to promote interest in legal profession among students of color, and with the Advancement Project National Office to address equity in education.