Robinson+Cole has achieved Mansfield 3.0 Diversity and Inclusion Certification after completing a year-long process, that began in July 2019, developed to increase the representation of diverse lawyers in leadership positions.
“Our participation in the Mansfield Rule 3.0 reinforces Robinson+Cole’s commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where the diverse backgrounds of all of our lawyers and other professionals are respected and each individual is empowered to succeed,” said Robinson+Cole Managing Partner, Stephen E. Goldman. “The tools and resources provided by Diversity Lab allow us to continue to build on the initiative we started several years ago with our Diversity Action Plan. Our participation in the Mansfield Rule 3.0 will enhance our ability to continue to cultivate a culture in which our increasingly diverse group of lawyers and other professionals can bring their unique ideas and perspectives to the practice of law. The timing of this initiative is especially meaningful as we celebrate the 175th year of the firm’s history of service to our clients and the community.”
Facilitated by Diversity Lab, the certification affirms that Robinson+Cole has considered at least 30 percent women, lawyers of color, lawyers with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ lawyers (“historically underrepresented lawyers”) among its field of candidates for significant leadership roles and activities in the firm. Participating law firms are also encouraged to create and post job descriptions for these leadership roles, and ensure that the processes for election and/or appointment to these roles are transparent and accessible to all lawyers.
Robinson+Cole has already recommitted to Mansfield Rule 4.0 and is undergoing its second evaluation process in an effort to maintain certification. In addition, as part of the firm’s ongoing efforts to promote diversity and inclusion and challenge racial and social inequities, Robinson+Cole joined the newly-established Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA), an organization that is facilitating the coordination of its member firms to best enable legal services organizations, and the LFAA, to create large-scale, coordinated pro bono projects that address systemic racism.
The Mansfield Rule was one of the winning ideas from the 2016 Women in Law Hackathon hosted by Diversity Lab, an incubator for innovative ideas and solutions that boost diversity and inclusion in law, in collaboration with Bloomberg Law and Stanford Law School. The certification is named after Arabella Mansfield, who in 1869 became the first woman to be admitted to practice law in the United States. For more information about the Mansfield Rule, visit Diversity Lab.
About Robinson+Cole
Robinson+Cole is an AmLaw 200 law firm established 175 years ago with a deeply-rooted culture of collaboration, civility, and inclusion. With more than 200 lawyers in eleven offices throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Florida, and California, we serve regional, national, and international clients, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Robinson+Cole is a service mark of Robinson & Cole LLP. For more information, please visit www.rc.com.