Adrian D. Thompson, Taft’s chief diversity officer and Cleveland office co-partner-in-charge, is featured in the Cincinnati Business Courier article, “Taft sets new high bar for boosting representation of women,” published on Jan. 22, 2021.

Thompson explains the firm’s process for applying for the Mansfield Rule Certification, which honors Arabella Mansfield, who in 1869 became the first woman admitted to the practice of law in the United States. The certification process rigorously measures whether law firms affirmatively considered at least 30% women, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ lawyers, and lawyers with disabilities for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, formal client pitch opportunities, and senior lateral positions.

When posed the question, “What advice would you give other law firms who would like to see greater diversity amongst their leadership?” Thompson replied, “Ensure that equity, inclusion and diversity are fully endorsed at the top; create an environment where every attorney feels confident to bring their authentic self to work so that they can fully contribute to client solutions, and do not expect your diverse attorneys of color to lead your equity and inclusion discussions and efforts.”

Taft earned Mansfield Certification Plus status, as announced by business incubator Diversity Lab on Sept. 15, 2020. Diversity Lab is an incubator for innovative ideas and solutions that boost diversity and inclusion in law. It leverages data, behavioral science, design thinking, and technology to further develop and test the ideas, measure the results, and share the lessons learned.