Our Values Remain: A Message on the Closing of Diversity Lab

Stark & Stark is saddened and disappointed to learn that Diversity Lab, the organization that created and manages the Mansfield Certification program, will be closing. As we reflect on this news, it is important to recognize that our commitment to fostering an inclusive and welcoming workplace has never been dependent on any one organization, certification, or external framework. The values that guide our efforts remain unchanged, and our responsibility to create opportunities, promote belonging, and ensure that every member of our firm has the ability to succeed continues. 

Mansfield Certification provided a meaningful, data-informed framework that encouraged law firms to broaden access to opportunity by considering a wider pool of qualified talent for leadership roles and advancement. It was grounded in transparency, fairness, and equal access principles that have long shaped how we recruit, develop, and advance the people of our firm. Stark & Stark earned our Mansfield Certification through that same commitment to fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity, and our current certification extends through 2026. We will continue to display the Mansfield badge on our email signatures and website until the current certification period ends. 

“The closing of Diversity Lab is a loss for our profession, but it does not change who we are or how we operate,” said Michael Donahue, Esq., Managing Shareholder of Stark & Stark. “Fairness, transparency, and equal access to opportunity are principles our firm has long embraced, and they will continue to guide us. Our people, our clients, and our communities deserve nothing less, and that commitment will endure no matter which organizations are leading the conversation.” 

“The strength of any firm comes from the people inside it and the opportunities we create for them to succeed,” said Bhaveen Jani, Esq., Shareholder at Stark & Stark. “Our commitment to that has never been about a certification. It is about the kind of firm we want to be, today and in the years ahead.” 

While the Mansfield program is ending, the work behind it is not. Stark & Stark remains committed to building a workplace where every attorney and staff member has a fair opportunity to contribute, grow, and lead — and we will continue that work with the same intention, transparency, and accountability that earned us this recognition.