Katten announced today that the firm was named by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) as a Top Performer and recipient of the 2019 Compass Award.
“We are honored to be recognized among the select group to earn both of these distinctions for the second year in a row,” said Katten Chairman Roger P. Furey. “These signify our continued commitment to building greater diversity and inclusivity, not only at our firm but also in the broader legal industry, particularly in the leadership ranks.”
The Top Performer distinction recognizes the corporations and law firms that are the most active participants in LCLD programs over the course of the year. The Compass Award honors law firms and other businesses that attend LCLD’s annual meeting and participate in the Fellows, Pathfinder and other pipeline programs.
“As firm leaders, we are personally invested in attracting and retaining diverse talent and ensuring that our attorneys have every opportunity to grow, reach their full potential and hold leadership positions. That’s why we are proud to partner with LCLD and participate in LCLD’s professional development training programs,which aim to help advance the career paths of our attorneys,” said Chief Diversity Partner Leslie D. Minier.
This year, Katten’s Structured Finance and Securitization partner Claudine A. Chen-Young joined the landmark Fellows program, which sets high-potential, mid-career diverse attorneys on a fast track to leadership through a year-long professional development regimen that includes in-person conferences, peer-group projects to foster collaboration and networking, and meetings with LCLD’s top leadership.
Commercial Finance associate Alana M. Ibarra and Transactional Tax Planning associate Sarah Ma were selected for the Pathfinder program for high-potential, early-career diverse attorneys, providing them with practical tools, including training in foundational leadership skills, career development strategies, and tips on building relationships and professional networks.
Katten also participates in the 1L LCLD Scholars program, which bolsters the legal pipeline by training diverse first-year law students selected for summer internships. The scholars attend an intensive three-day professional development summit that emphasizes legal skills, networking, and lessons from industry experts and LCLD members and Fellows alumni.
Katten is a full-service law firm with nearly 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm’s core areas of practice include commercial finance, corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, and trusts and estates. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For more information, visit katten.com.
