Lightfoot Achieves Midsize Mansfield Certification Plus Status

May 23, 2023

Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC is pleased to announce the firm has received Diversity Lab’s Midsize Mansfield Certification, as well as Certification Plus status as part of the second midsized law firm cohort. 

The process for certification measures whether midsize firms have considered at least 30% women lawyers, underrepresented racial and ethnic lawyers, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitches, lateral lawyer hiring and more.

“While diversity, equity and inclusion has always been an important tenet at Lightfoot, our inclusion in the second Midsize Mansfield cohort has served to bring our efforts to the next level with more intentional, measurable and transparent processes that will serve the firm and ultimately, our clients,” said Melody Eagan, the firm’s managing partner. “We are also honored to receive Plus status as a recognition that our efforts have led to tangible results within the firm.”

To become Midsize Certified, firms between 25 to 150 lawyers complete a rigorous 18-month collaboration with Diversity Lab to track, measure and achieve diversity in leadership. Certified midsize firms must also embed transparency in their advancement processes through written leadership role descriptions and clearly defined pathways to promotion. Firms for this year’s cohort were evaluated from September 2021 to March 2023. 

Lightfoot has also achieved Certification Plus status, which recognizes that, in addition to the consideration and transparency requirements, the firm has already achieved 30% diverse representation in current leadership roles and pipeline. Nearly one-half of the firms in this year’s cohort have achieved Plus status.