Diversity & Inclusion

As a leader in the field of legal services, Connell Foley promotes diversity as an opportunity to enrich our workplace and better serve our clients.

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We believe our ongoing success hinges on an inclusive environment that values multiple perspectives, experiences, lifestyles and cultures. By embracing a dynamic culture, we are better equipped to relate to the needs of our clients and to draw on the broadest possible pool of knowledge, skills and talent. 

Diversity Strategy

To advance Connell Foley’s commitment to diversity, we seek to:

Diversity Committee

Our longstanding Diversity Committee ensures that time, budget and resources are appropriately committed to enhancing the firm’s diverse culture. The group reports to the firm’s Executive Committee and works with management and the Hiring Committee to develop policy and address personnel issues, as well as to promote the recruitment, hiring, retention and advancement of a talented and diverse workforce.

Recruitment, Training & Mentoring

Connell Foley’s recruitment programs have expanded hiring criteria beyond traditional law-school indices. We recognize qualities such as superior character and capacity for growth as indicators of one’s ability to succeed. For many years, we have actively expanded the number of minorities and women in summer programs and as new lawyer hires.

Mansfield Certification

Connell Foley achieved Mansfield Rule 6.0 Certification status, a prestigious designation awarded to law firms with a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. When reviewing which law firms qualify for Mansfield Certification status, the Diversity Lab, a developer of methods for boosting diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, evaluates firms based on the structural changes and steps taken over the past year to ensure lateral hiring, client pitch teams, promotions, and appointments, are more transparent and open to all qualified attorneys.

Connell Foley met the rigorous criteria for the latest Mansfield Certification, Class 6.0 version. The firm increased internal advancement and compensation transparency, shared information through regular forums, established job descriptions for leadership roles, and followed Mansfield's framework to take an inclusive, structured, and data-driven approach to leadership advancement consistent across offices and practice groups.

You can learn more about the Mansfield Rule and Connell Foley’s participation here: https://www.diversitylab.com/pilot-projects/mansfield-rule-5-us-uk-canada/.

Affiliations

We cultivate relationships with legal, business and community associations that are dedicated to connecting people with common interests and backgrounds. To promote racial, ethnic and gender diversity in the legal profession, our lawyers work with numerous notable organizations, including:

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