Plunkett Cooney, one of the oldest and most accomplished law firms in the Midwest, is seeking to become a Mansfield Rule Certified law firm for diversity and inclusion.

Mansfield Rule Certification measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered women, attorneys of color, LGBTQ+ attorneys, and attorneys with disabilities – at least 30 percent of the candidate pool – for recruitment, governance roles, equity partner promotions, and inclusion in formal pitches to clients.

“We are extremely proud to be selected for inclusion in the 2021 class of law firms seeking to obtain this prestigious certification,” said Plunkett Cooney President & CEO Thomas P. Vincent. “Under the leadership of our Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Laurel McGiffert, we are embracing the challenging process of becoming Mansfield Certified, which is consistent with our longtime commitment to improving our firm’s diversity and creating an even more inclusive environment for our employees.”

Sponsored by Diversity Lab, an incubator for innovative ideas, 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 roles and opportunities. This 18-month process, which officially begins for Plunkett Cooney today, has allowed a number of firms nationally to significantly increase opportunities for attorneys from traditionally under-represented backgrounds and to build the institutional framework necessary to ensure each firm’s continued forward progress with regard to increased diversification.

According to data supplied by Diversity Lab, Mansfield Rule participating law firms have achieved the following results after three years in the program:

• 66% of firms reported a higher percentage of diverse attorneys participating in formal pitches.
• 55% of firms reported a higher percentage of diverse attorneys elected or appointed to their management/executive committee.
• 53% of firms increased the percentage of underrepresented lawyers in office head positions.
• 50% of firms promoted a higher percentage of diverse lawyers into equity partnership.

“Obtaining Mansfield Certification won’t be easy, but this effort aligns with our core values” said McGiffert. “We have the full backing of Plunkett Cooney’s partners and Board of Directors to achieve this goal. We have also assembled an outstanding internal team of attorneys and staff to spearhead our efforts and measure our progress over the next 18 months. We’re excited to get started!”

Established in 1913, Plunkett Cooney is a leading provider of business and litigation services to clients in the private and public sectors. The firm employs approximately 150 attorneys in seven Michigan cities, Chicago, Illinois, Indianapolis, Indiana and Columbus, Ohio. Plunkett Cooney has achieved the highest rating (AV) awarded by Martindale-Hubbell, a leading, international directory of law firms. The firm was also selected by Crain’s Detroit Business as its inaugural Law Firm of the Year and has been honored as one of metro Detroit’s Great Places to Work.

For more information about Plunkett Cooney’s pursuit of Mansfield Rule Certification, contact the firm’s Director of Marketing and Business Development, John Cornwell, at (248) 901-4008; jcornwell@plunkettcooney.com.

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