Ballard Spahr has achieved 2022-2023 Mansfield Certification for its efforts to diversify firm leadership, Diversity Lab, an incubator for innovations that boost diversity and inclusion in law, announced.
The Mansfield Rule is a structured certification process designed to ensure all talent at participating law firms has a fair and equal opportunity to advance into leadership. Mansfield is focused on broadening the talent pool for consideration, including those historically underrepresented in the legal profession, to facilitate transparent pathways to leadership. Ballard Spahr is one of more than 240 firms to achieve certification in the 2022-2023 cohort.
Focused on opening the door wider and ensuring that opportunities are inclusive, certified firms considered broad slates of qualified talent for leadership roles that included at least 30 percent historically underrepresented lawyers—such as women lawyers, lawyers from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities.
“Ballard Spahr’s commitment is to ensure that resources are accessible to everyone at the firm, and that everyone has the opportunity to succeed, advance, and be their best,” said Virginia G. Essandoh, Ballard Spahr’s Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. “A culture of inclusion make us a stronger firm, better able to address our clients’ real-world challenges and needs.
Mansfield Certification helps us focus our efforts and track progress. We’re proud to work with Diversity Lab to continuously improve.”
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