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Thompson Hine Achieves Diversity Lab's Mansfield Rule 3.0 Certification; Pursuing 4.0 CertificationThompson Hine LLP is pleased to announce that it has achieved certification in Diversity Lab's Mansfield Rule 3.0 initiative and is pursuing Mansfield 4.0. The firm's participation in the Mansfield certification process is one element of its multi-faceted plan to move the needle on diversity, equity and inclusion. Achieving Mansfield 3.0 certification advances the Firm's continued efforts to actively recruit, retain, develop and advance diverse lawyers. The Mansfield Rule is named for Arabella Mansfield, the first woman admitted to practice law in the United States. Its goal is to boost the representation of diverse lawyers in law firm leadership by broadening the pool of candidates considered for these opportunities. Under this initiative, firms are measured on whether they affirmatively consider female attorneys, LGBTQ+ lawyers, attorneys of color and lawyers with disabilities ("diverse lawyers") for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities and senior lateral positions. "This program is one of the more promising and innovative strategies we've seen in the legal industry and being a part of it aligns with our core commitments and objectives," said Deborah Z. Read, Thompson Hine's Managing Partner. "We are reiterating ourlong-standing commitment to building and supporting a diverse, equitable and inclusive firm, where we value and embrace our differences and recognize that we are richer because of them, we treat each other with fairness and respect, and we invite each other's contributions and participation," she added. "We continue to focus on increasing opportunities for diverse lawyers and promoting equity in the legal profession and within our firm." More than one-third of Thompson Hine's Executive Committee members identify as women, twenty-five percent identify as Black, and a woman serves as the firm's Managing Partner. The firm's Lawyer Personnel Committee is chaired by a female partner and half of the committee members include partners who identify as women, LGBT and persons of color. The firm has increased the representation of diverse partners in our practice group leadership to 25% in the past year. The structural elements of Diversity Lab's certification process - including accountability through frequent firm-specific check-ins and data collection, ongoing collaboration through monthly group knowledge-sharing meetings, and the transparency of public certification - are key to this effort. About Thompson Hine LLP. Thompson Hine LLP, a full-service business law firm with approximately 400 lawyers in 8 offices, was ranked number 1 in the category "Most innovative North American law firms: New working models" by The Financial Times (News - Alert) and was 1 of 7 firms shortlisted for The American Lawyer's inaugural Legal Services Innovation Award. Thompson Hine has distinguished itself in all areas of Service Delivery Innovation in the BTI Brand Elite, where it has been recognized as one of the top 4 firms for "Value for the Dollar" and "Commitment to Help" and among the top 5 firms "making changes to improve the client experience." The firm's commitment to innovation is embodied in Thompson Hine SmartPaTH® - a smarter way to work - predictable, efficient and aligned with client goals. For more information, please visit ThompsonHine.com and ThompsonHine.com/SmartPaTH.
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