Akin Gump Earns Mansfield 3.0 Certified Plus Certification from Diversity Lab

(New York) – Akin Gump is pleased to announce that it has earned Mansfield 3.0 Certified Plus certification from Diversity Lab following completion of its 12-month certification program.

This certification confirms that Akin Gump affirmatively considered at least 30 percent women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+ lawyers and lawyers with disabilities in the candidate pools for firm leadership governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities and senior lateral positions. “Plus” status indicates that, in addition to meeting or exceeding the candidate pool consideration requirements for certification, Akin Gump successfully reached at least 30 percent diverse lawyer representation in a notable number of its current leadership roles and committees.

Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith commented, “This achievement validates our efforts to build a diverse and inclusive firm where all can succeed. While our work remains unfinished, this certification provides crucial momentum to continue our important efforts to cultivate and develop a pipeline and ensure representation of diverse talent at our firm.”

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. Diversity Lab notes that the efforts have been successful, with most participating firms seeing year-over-year positive progress with regard to diversity in hiring, promotions, pitches and leadership representation. More information about Mansfield Certification may be found here.

The Mansfield Certification is part of Akin Gump’s efforts to further diversity and inclusion efforts, both within the firm and throughout the broader community.

Examples of some of these other efforts include welcoming our largest-ever class of Strauss Diversity & Inclusion Scholars, which program provides a two-year summer experience at the firm for diverse law students. In the wake of the calls for racial justice following the killing of George Floyd and others this summer, among numerous other actions, Akin Gump helped launch the Law Firm Antiracist Alliance, which seeks to amplify the voices of communities and individuals oppressed by racism, to better use the law to seek change that benefits communities of color, and to promote racial equity in the law. Additionally, in London, the firm joined Stonewall’s Diversity Champions Programme, which is the leading U.K. employers’ program for LGBT employees.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers and advisors in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Founded in 1945, the firm is proudly celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2020. #AkinGump75

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