Partnering up – Minneapolis firms working together toward different goals 

Posted: 1:00 am Mon, March 8, 2010
By Patrick Thornton

Foley Mansfield wanted to add minority lawyers to its ranks and Herbert Igbanugo wanted to grow his firm to bring on more corporate clients.

The two firms recently decided to work together on those goals in what they hope will be a leading example of how minority-owned firms can grow and how established firms can add and retain minority attorneys.

Igbanugo started a small firm a few years ago that focuses on immigration law and international trade law, specializing in sub-Saharan Africa. He said he wants to add more corporate clients, but he ran into roadblocks because of stereotypes associated with his minority owned firm.

The partnership with Foley Mansfield means that attorneys at Igbanugo Partners can use Foley’s resources, background and expertise when working with Fortune 500 Companies in several areas of law including commercial litigation and general liability. Should a case go to trial Igbanugo’s lawyers can tap Foley’s trial team experience. The partnership will give Igbanugo’s firm instant credibility and he hopes a foot in the door-or corner office.

“This is a way for us to say to corporate America, ‘We have the backup to succeed,” Igbanugo said. “There is so much potential for this alliance, but we need the support of the business community.”

Conversely, Foley Mansfield has tried for many years to become more diverse in its workforce with varying levels of success, said founding partner Kyle Mansfield. The firm has offices in Minneapolis and other cities across the U.S.

“The world is becoming more diverse and we need diversity in our firm to serve our clients,” Mansfield said. “I don’t know the keys to diversity and I don’t know if anyone does, but that’s our goal. Our association with [Igbanugo Partners] hopefully gives us some insight on how to reach that goal and retain the attorneys we hire.”

The partnership will also help Foley Mansfield expand its base of potential clients, Mansfield said.

The problem for large, well established firms across the U.S. is not finding qualified minority attorneys, it’s keeping them. Many attorneys of color don’t feel comfortable at “white shoe” firms with big-time reputations and move on after a few years, Igbanugo said. He said Foley’s plan to build a long-term relationship with minority hires is a good one. The key, he said, is mentoring young attorneys and making them feel comfortable.

“You can always buy a lawyer, but if you look at the minority lawyers who are the rising stars at big firms, those are the ones who have mentors helping them along,” he said. “You need someone to take you under their wing coming out of law school; otherwise you will dangle in the wind.”

Igbanugo said the benefit to current and potential clients from the partnership is that clients will now have wider pool of diverse attorneys to draw from.

The ability to pick the right attorney for a certain case can go a long way toward a favorable opinion, he said.

“Say [a client] has an asbestos problem in Alabama. You are going to want to send someone from the south who can relate to the jury, has the same mannerisms, speaks the same language. If you have a well trained black attorney that you can send your chances are better with a jury,” he said. “That’s just the truth.”

While Foley Mansfield will be providing resources for Igbanugo’s growing practice, Igbanugo and his staff will help recruit and mentor new minority hires for Foley Mansfield. The two firms are in the same office building on Marquette Avenue.

“We’ve known each other for quite a few years and the two firms compliment each other,” Foley said. “Our focus might be different with this partnership, but hopefully we can accomplish our goals together.”