Burr & Forman is pleased to announce it will pursue Mansfield Rule certification from Diversity Lab, which aims to diversify leadership in the legal industry. The certification process for the newest iteration, Mansfield Rule 6.0, will run from July 2022 to July 2023 and has been called by Diversity Lab the toughest version to date as it expands the scope of parameters considered.

“Mansfield Rule certification aligns with our firm’s commitment to promoting and cultivating a culture of diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities within leadership and at all levels of our firm,” said Tamika Walters, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Burr & Forman. “We are excited about the strides we have made within our firm and community in recent years, and we look forward to rising to the challenges posed by Mansfield Rule 6.0 certification to continue effecting important change in our industry.”

Diversity Lab launched the Mansfield Rule certification in 2017 with the primary requirement being for firms to consider at least 30% women lawyers and underrepresented racial and ethnic lawyers for leadership roles. In the versions that followed, parameters were steadily broadened each year to include LGBTQ+ lawyers and lawyers with disabilities, as well as implementing critical pipeline activities, such as pitch teams, senior-lateral hiring and more.

The 6.0 version requires law firms to consider at least 30% historically underrepresented lawyers from all four groups when appointing leadership roles and promoting into equity partnership, along with a dozen other activities focused on leadership pipeline. Firms must also consider 30% underrepresented talent for C-suite roles, along with partaking in a range of other activities to promote long-term success within the firm and industry.

The firm’s participation with the Mansfield Rule certification process is the latest milestone in its commitment to DE&I. Most recently, the firm was recognized by the Wells Fargo legal department with its 2021 Outside Counsel Diversity Award. This recognition acknowledged several actions taken by the firm in the past year, including the addition of Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer Tamika Walters in January 2021, an in-depth training series on unconscious bias and anti-racism, as well as crediting 50 hours of DEI activities towards annual billable hour requirements. The firm also enhanced recruiting efforts in 2021 by conducting campus workshops for diverse law student groups, as well as awarding two $10,000 scholarships for diverse law students and leading multiple initiatives for diverse and underrepresented students. Wells Fargo also recognized the firm for having 50% or more women in its new partner class in 2021 and its commitment to seeking Mansfield Certification in 2022.

More information about Burr & Forman’s DE&I commitment is available here, and more information on Diversity Lab’s latest Mansfield Rule certification process is available here.

About Burr & Forman LLP

For more than a century, Burr & Forman LLP’s experienced legal team has served clients at the intersection of business and government. With 350 attorneys and 19 offices across Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, Burr & Forman draws from a diverse range of industry experience and practice knowledge to help clients address their legal needs and achieve their goals.