Media
July 2, 2020 / Press Release

Porter Wright joins diversity in leadership program for a second year

Porter Wright is proud to announce it signed on for a second year to a national program aimed at increasing the representation of diverse lawyers in law firm leadership. The Diversity Lab shared an open letter from the managing partners of participating law firms today with exciting data from the third cycle.

The program has prompted Porter Wright to make important improvements including working to diversify our associate and partner hiring pool, client pitch teams and promotion considerations.

“We have actively dedicated ourselves to the philosophy and ideals of the Mansfield Program and they now inform our firm practices and policies,” said Bob Tannous, managing partner. “During our first year, we proudly elected our first female Chief Operating Partner, Deb Boiarsky, half of our firm offices are now led by women partners, and our new lawyers and summer associates are more diverse than they ever have been. However, our work is not over and we look forward to continuing our participation to become an even more diverse and inclusive firm through this collaborative effort.”

Porter Wright joins 117 major law firms that signed onto the Mansfield Rule Pilot Program 4.0. The firm joined the third cycle of the Mansfield Rule Program in July 2019, which is named after Arabella Mansfield, the first female lawyer in the U.S. The program was developed by the Diversity Lab, and requires firms to track the consideration of at least 30 percent women, lawyers of color, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities, and senior lateral positions.

If a participating firm meets this goal, they receive certification. The Diversity Lab is expected to announce in September the firms that will receive certification from the third cycle.