Carl Kennedy Profiled in Law.com's 'How I Made Practice Group Chair' Series

Partner and Financial Markets and Regulation Co-Chair Carl Kennedy was recently featured in Law.com's series "How I Made Practice Group Chair." The article highlights Carl's career path and how that has led him to become a successful derivatives regulatory attorney, a practice group leader and a champion for diversity at Katten. Becoming Financial Markets and Regulation co-chair has helped Carl grow and create opportunities for his junior colleagues to grow. He stated, "I am motivated to be the best manager that I can be by leading with empathy, being understanding and showing grace, especially when mistakes are made. I work with really smart people, but we are human. When things don't go according to plan, rather than pointing fingers, I try to turn these situations into learning experiences for all involved, which I believe builds trust among my colleagues and promotes a more collegial work environment."

In order to be an "effective" practice group leader, Carl relies on his industry knowledge, his business mindset and his emotional intelligence, which "is critical when managing teams and handling conflicts." He also indicated that being flexible, delegating when necessary and finding time to prioritize his mental health and well-being aid in his ability to balance client and management demands.

Improving diversity at Katten is immensely important to Carl. "As co-chair of Katten's Partner Collective on Racial and Ethnic Diversity (PCRED), I have the opportunity to organize programs, working in conjunction with our DEI team, to enhance relationship building among senior attorneys at the firm and influence recruiting and retention of attorneys of color. Through PCRED and as a practice group leader, I value being a resource and mentor for others, and making myself available to offer career advice ranging from work assignments to brand building. I'm pretty outspoken about my views on supporting diverse attorneys."

"How I Made Practice Group Chair: 'Having Emotional Intelligence Is Critical' Says Carl Kennedy of Katten," Law.com, February 28, 2024

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