FTC Warns 42 BigLaw Firms Over Antitrust Risks Tied to Mansfield DEI Program

Overview

• FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson sent warning letters Friday to 42 major firms, citing potential collusion linked to their participation in the Mansfield program.
• The letters highlight the program’s 30% candidate-pool pledge and monthly knowledge-sharing calls as coordinated practices that could affect hiring decisions, pay, and promotions.
• The FTC referenced Section 1 of the Sherman Act and Section 5 of the FTC Act, stressing the notices are not accusations but advisories to review compliance.
• Diversity Lab runs Mansfield as a for‑profit certification modeled on the NFL’s Rooney Rule, with more than 360 firms certified though only a subset received letters.
• The action tracks a broader Trump administration focus on DEI policies in the legal sector, following earlier Title VII scrutiny of large firms.