In recognition of Venable's Mansfield Certification status, Kelly DeMarchis Bastide, a co-chair of the Privacy and Data Security Group, and Xochitl Strohbehn, a partner in the Commercial Litigation Practice, attended Diversity Lab's Mansfield Client Forum on April 27, 2023.
These forums are designed to provide newly promoted underrepresented partners with the opportunity to meet and learn from influential in-house counsel from Fortune 1000 companies. The forums consist of TED-style talks by in-house leaders about what they look for in their outside counsel relationships along with networking sessions during which new partners can make connections with legal department attendees. Past attendees have shared that they acquired helpful insight and made new connections – even leading to new business – as a direct result of meeting in-house counsel at the forums.
Venable achieved Mansfield Rule 5.0 certification in 2022, building on the firm's ongoing commitment to increase and sustain diversity, advance the inclusion of historically underrepresented lawyers at all levels, and expand the firm's efforts to integrate diversity and inclusion across its business practices.