Lisa Kirby

Background

At Diversity Lab, where the OnRamp Fellowship was designed, Lisa brings over 20 years of experience in the legal profession to her role. She has served as a practicing attorney, talent management professional, and law firm consultant. After beginning her career as a litigator at two large law firms, Lisa then spent several years in professional development at Goodwin Procter, where her contributions included helping launch and lead the firm’s Women’s Initiative. As a consultant with Edge International, Lisa advised a wide range of domestic and international law firms on strategic and talent management issues.

Having joined Diversity Lab in 2016, Lisa leads the creation and implementation of the needle-moving Mansfield Rule, as well as the current iteration of the OnRamp Fellowship, OnRamp 200. She is a sought-after speaker who has been featured as a keynote speaker, presenter, and panelist on a variety of topics related to diversity & inclusion in the legal profession. Lisa also is a member of the Law360 Data Insights Editorial Advisory Board and is a prolific author, having contributed articles on innovative ideas in diversity and professional development to publications like The American Lawyer, Law Practice, and Professional Development Quarterly.

Lisa received her B.A. in English and French, magna cum laude, from Colgate University and graduated with high honors from The George Washington University Law School.

Publications

• “Annual Reviews are Out, Real-Time Feedback is In,” Law Practice, November/December 2017
• “Leveraging the Power of Technology, Gamification, and Teams to Boost Diversity in Law” (co-authored with Caren Ulrich Stacy), Chambers Diversity, August 2017
• “Client Call for Greater Diversity at a Fever Pitch” (co-authored with Caren Ulrich Stacy), Law.com, July 2017
• “Hacking the Glass Ceiling in Law Firms” (co-authored with Caren Ulrich Stacy), Law Practice, July/August 2017
• “Four Unexpected Career Hacks From BigLaw’s Top Performers” (co-authored with Caren Ulrich Stacy), The American Lawyer, May 2017
• “Hacking the Glass Ceiling” (co-authored with Caren Ulrich Stacy), Professional Development Quarterly, February 2017
• Book Review, “Rethinking Law Firm Culture,” Professional Development Quarterly, Spring 2013
• “The Realities of the Relationship: 5 Mentoring Myths Debunked,” Women’s Bar Review, Winter 2011
• “Creating Connections: Channels and Tactics for Internal Communications,” Professional Development Quarterly, February 2011·
• Internal Communications” (co-authored with Todd Sorensen), Professional Development Quarterly, November 2010