Toronto (Canada) – Fasken has achieved Mansfield 7.0 Certification Plus, the most recent certification level. It confirms that for leadership and committee appointments, senior associate and partner hiring, and partner promotions, the Firm considered at least 30 per cent underrepresented lawyers. The “Plus” designation indicates that Fasken has not only taken steps to increase inclusivity in leadership but has also made measured progress in doing so, voluntarily reporting the outcomes of the Firm’s inclusive processes. The Firm has also been named a “True Trailblazer” as a firm that has achieved certification and remained committed for 7–8 years, since the projects inception.
“Since the beginning of the Mansfield Rule project, we have been strong proponents of its objectives,” remarked Martin Denyes, Firm Managing Partner. “Receiving this certification again is both a privilege and a recognition of our ongoing efforts, and it serves to strengthen our commitment to fostering a more inclusive environment within our firm and the wider legal profession.”
Diversity Lab works with Mansfield Rule participating firms to annually measure outcomes and iterate the program based on those outcomes to ensure the firms are moving toward the goal to increase and sustain diversity both in leadership and the pipeline to leadership. The focus is on “opening the door wider” and ensuring that opportunities for advancement are transparent and inclusive for everyone. Since the Mansfield Rule launched in 2017, it has grown from 35 plus to more than 360 participating firms in the US and Canada.
About Mansfield Rule
The Mansfield Rule program was inspired by a winning idea at the 2016 Women in Law Hackathon, hosted by Diversity Lab in collaboration with Stanford Law School and Bloomberg Law. The Mansfield Rule aims to boost diversity in leadership by broadening the pool of talent through “consideration goals” – not quotas. It is named after the first American woman admitted into the legal profession in 1869, Arabella Mansfield.
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 our Hackathons and piloted in collaboration with more than 300 top law firms and legal departments across the country. Diversity Lab leverages data, behavioral science, design thinking, and technology to further develop and test the ideas, measure the results, and share the lessons learned.
About Fasken
As the premier law firm with over 950 lawyers worldwide, Fasken is where excellence meets expertise. We are dedicated to shaping the future our clients want, precisely when it matters most. For more information, visit fasken.com.