Boston, MA. Nixon Peabody has been selected as one of five law firms to pioneer the Move the Needle Fund (MTN). Created by Diversity Lab, MTN is a collaborative effort among law firms, in-house counsel, and community leaders to create a more diverse and inclusive legal profession.
Nixon Peabody joins Eversheds Sutherland (U.S.), Goodwin, Orrick, and Stoel Rives in this ground-breaking effort. Together, these firms will work with more than 25 general counsel and community leaders to create a first-of-its-kind experimental “laboratory,” investing $5M+ over the next five years to test research and data-driven ways to effect positive change through the legal profession.
“As a law firm that is focused on the future, we continue to seek bold and meaningful ways to create an environment that is increasingly diverse, equitable, and inclusive,” said Andrew Glincher, Nixon Peabody’s CEO and managing partner. “We see MTN as a unique opportunity to collaborate with a core group of innovative leaders in a new approach to diversity and inclusion, one that is grounded in research, data, and behavioral science.”
Nixon Peabody’s main focus will be to increase the representation of women, racial and ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ+ attorneys in the equity partnership ranks. Industry statistics show that the equity partnership consists of 21% women, 9% racial and ethnic minorities, and 2% LGBTQ+ lawyers in AmLaw200 firms.
Nixon Peabody aims to surpass the national averages and become one of the most diverse and inclusive AmLaw 200 partnerships. By 2025, Nixon Peabody’s equity partnership will consist of 30% women attorneys, 12% racially/ethnically diverse attorneys, and 6% LGBTQ+ attorneys. Currently, 17% of Nixon Peabody's equity partners are women, 7% are racially/ethnically diverse, and 3% are LGBTQ+ attorneys.
MTN used a blind application process to evaluate a cross section of law firms including boutiques and large AmLaw 200 firms. Nixon Peabody stood out for the boldness of its diversity goal and its willingness to devote critical resources, experiment with new ideas, and share the outcomes.
“We are thrilled to have Nixon Peabody as our fifth firm,” said James Chosy, EVP & General Counsel, U.S. Bancorp, and one of the MTN founders. “Their goal represents the type of bold thinking and action that MTN was built on. Our hope is that other law firms follow the lead that these five firms have set for the profession.”
The five founding firms of MTN will publicly report their progress, including what works and doesn’t work, with the hope that this approach used by these law firms and general counsels will become the industry model.
About Diversity Lab
Diversity Lab is an incubator for innovative ideas and solutions that boost diversity and inclusion in law. Experimental ideas—such as the OnRamp Fellowship and the Mansfield Rule—are created through our Hackathons and piloted in collaboration with more than 100 top law firms and legal departments across the country. Diversity Lab leverages data, behavioral science, design thinking, and technology to further develop and test new ideas and research, measure the results, and share the lessons learned. For more information, visit www.diversitylab.com.