Littler Earns Mansfield Certification Plus Status from Diversity Lab

(September 15, 2020) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has earned Mansfield Certification Plus from Diversity Lab after completing a 12-month certification program. The firm achieved Plus status for the third consecutive year by considering and attaining at least 30% women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+ and lawyers with disabilities across leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities and senior lateral positions.

“It is rewarding to have earned Mansfield certification every year since the program’s inception in 2017,” said Tom Bender and Jeremy Roth, co-managing directors of Littler in a joint statement. “While we are proud to receive this recognition and the progress made as a firm, we know there is still work to be done. We commend Diversity Lab for their work in this area and we look forward to our continued partnership, as well as our focus on creating meaningful and intentional programs and initiatives to help move us forward.”

Littler was one of nearly 50 firms to pilot the inaugural version of the Mansfield Rule, which was one of the winning ideas from the 2016 Women in Law Hackathon hosted by Diversity Lab in collaboration with Bloomberg Law and Stanford Law School. Named after Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to the practice of law in the U.S., the goal of the Mansfield Rule is to boost the representation of diverse lawyers in law firm leadership by broadening the pool of candidates considered for these opportunities.

“We are incredibly proud of these firms that remained steadfastly focused on inclusivity through the Mansfield Rule as the pandemic and its implications disrupted so many business processes,” said Lisa Kirby, Chief Intelligence & Knowledge Sharing Officer at Diversity Lab. “And the shattering examples of racial injustice we’ve witnessed this summer caused many firms to further deepen their commitment to taking direct action to equalize the playing field in law firm leadership.”

Over the past year, Littler’s advanced diversity initiatives and inclusive culture have garnered a number of notable awards and recognitions. The firm recently received the law firm diversity award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association and earned the California Minority Counsel Program’s prestigious Drucilla Stender Ramey majority-owned law firm award. Additionally, Littler has been recognized by well-regarded associations and publications, including The American Lawyer, Human Rights Campaign, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, The Recorder, Women in Law Empowerment Forum, Working Mother magazine, Vault and Yale Law Women.

About Littler

With more than 1,500 labor and employment attorneys in offices around the world, Littler provides workplace solutions that are local, everywhere. Our diverse global team and proprietary technology foster a culture that celebrates original thinking, delivering groundbreaking innovation that prepares employers for what’s happening today, and what’s likely to happen tomorrow.