38 | July/August 2023 | BAEC Bulletin
THE LAW FIRM IS THE FIRST BUFFALO-BASED FIRM TO ACHIEVE THIS NATIONAL DIVERSITY CERTIFICATION Hurwitz Fine Achieves Midsize Mansfield Certification “Plus” Hurwitz Fine P.C. has achieved Midsize Mansfield Certification “Plus” Status after a rigorous 18-month collaboration with Diversity Lab to track, measure and achieve diversity in leadership. Hurwitz Fine is the first Buffalo-based law firm to achieve this national certification. To become Mansfield Certified, law firms are asked to consider at least 30% historically underrepresented lawyers for leadership roles, while also being transparent in recruitment and advancement opportunities identified below: • Equity partner promotions • Election or appointment to Managing Partner/Chairperson • Election or appointment to other high-level firm governance positions, including: Management/Executive Committee and/or Board of Directors, Practice Group Leaders, Office Heads, Partner Promotions/Nominations Committee, and Compensation Committee • Participation in formal client pitches and formal client business meetings • Lawyer recruitment • Transparent job responsibilities for governance roles • Transparent processes for governance appointments/elections In addition to Midsize Mansfield Certification, Hurwitz Fine went a step further and received Certification “Plus” status, which indicates that the law firm has successfully achieved 30% diverse representation in current leadership roles and pipeline activities. “Mansfield Certification is the highest diversity recognition a law firm can achieve, and I am proud of the collaboration between our attorneys, human resources, business development teams, and leadership group who all worked with intentionality to achieve our goals in recruitment, advancement and with clients,” said Hurwitz Fine President/Managing Partner Jody E. Briandi. “Participating in the Mansfield Certification process helped us analyze our current processes, find ways to improve and be more inclusive moving forward and really held us accountable.” Hurwitz Fine began this process in September 2021. For 18 months, the firm tracked and analyzed its recruitment efforts, advancement processes, role descriptions and attorney pitch teams; completed check-in meetings and knowledge sharing calls with the certifying organization, Diversity Lab, and other law firms; and submitted metrics to Diversity Lab this spring. Hurwitz Fine will be renewing its Mansfield Certification diversity commitment by participating in the 2023 – 2024 Midsize Mansfield Certification class, beginning in July.
About Mansfield Rule Certification:
Mansfield Rule Certification is a nationally recognized law firm diversity certification, which measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered at least 30% women, attorneys of color, LGBTQ+ and lawyers with disabilities for leadership and governance roles, partner promotions, formal client meeting opportunities, and senior lateral positions. The initiative also includes a commitment by the firm to be transparent in internal governance, job descriptions and advancement criteria. The overall 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.
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