Overview
CHICAGO (September 25, 2017) — McDermott Will & Emery is pleased to announce that it will participate in the “Mansfield Rule” pilot program, hosted by Diversity Lab, as a way of reinforcing the Firm’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Participating firms commit to tracking and measuring diversity as part of their hiring process, with a goal of at least 30 percent of the candidate pool being gender or ethnically diverse for key leadership and governance positions.
“Diversity and inclusion are essential to McDermott’s continued success, and the Mansfield Rule is yet another way for us to reinforce our commitment to hiring, retaining and promoting a greater number of women and minority lawyers,” said Firm Chair, Ira J. Coleman. “While we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, we also know we need to do more—indeed, our industry as a whole needs to do more. We’re proud to be a leading voice in encouraging this change.”
McDermott’s adoption of the Mansfield Rule comes on the heels of the Firm’s recent appointment of Anthony (Tony) Upshaw to serve as the Firm’s Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion. In this role, Mr. Upshaw will work to reinforce the Firm’s steadfast belief that diversity (in all forms) is essential to continued success.
“We realize the need to continue developing and implementing comprehensive policies and programming to ensure that McDermott attracts and nurtures top talent from a variety of diverse backgrounds,” said Mr. Upshaw. “I believe that the Mansfield Rule will help us along the path to an ever more inclusive work environment by considering the need for diversity at all levels, but especially within the ranks of our Firm’s leadership.”
As part of McDermott’s focus on diversity, the Firm held its inaugural Racial & Ethnic Diversity Summit in June 2017. The Summit brought together 120 attorneys and in-house counsel for two days of productive and inspiring discussions.
Earlier this year, McDermott also held its first ever Women’s Summit as a way for women Capital Partners to gather for a frank discussion about how McDermott can become a better place for women, and, ultimately, all of its lawyers and staff. The Summit encouraged an open and honest dialogue, including hearing from clients, about some of the challenges women face in the legal industry and the ways in which McDermott can support women on their paths to success.
About McDermott Will & Emery
McDermott Will & Emery is a premier international law firm with a diversified business practice. Numbering more than 1,000 lawyers, we have offices in Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Silicon Valley and Washington, DC. Further extending our reach into Asia, we have a strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices in Shanghai.
