Programs and Partnerships

We are committed to collaborating with diversity-related organizations, our clients and communities to increase diversity in the legal industry. 

Affinity Groups

Our affinity groups provide a platform for creating a sense of community across the firm.  These groups support networking, mentorship and professional development.  Each group identifies goals specific to the challenges the community feels are most important to them. Groups meet to share concerns, discuss best practices and provide two-way communication with firm leadership. The Diversity Committee collaborates with affinity groups to help create and enhance awareness among partners and associates through programs and initiatives.

Biennial Diverse Attorneys Leadership Summit

Our national Diverse Attorneys Leadership Summit brings together our LGBTQ+ attorneys and attorneys of color for two days of professional development and networking opportunities.  The Summit is an opportunity to assemble firm leadership, clients and industry consultants to: (1) share strategies for building a successful career; (2) examine the core aspects of sponsorship; (3) provide concrete branding, networking and business development fundamentals; (4) demonstrate key techniques to utilize during a pitch meeting; (5) provide insights on client service and the differences of working at a law firm versus in-house at a company; (6) highlight the latest trends seen by outside counsel in the legal market; (7) help shape the ability to deliver and receive feedback; and (8) reveal the pertinent skills and criteria needed for an attorney to thrive and advance at Katten. 

LGBTQ+ Retreat

In conjunction with our sponsorship of the National LGBT Bar Association and Lavender Law Conference, we host an LGBTQ+ retreat for those attorneys participating at the conference.  At the retreat, attorneys convened to share ideas on new ways to help foster a welcoming, supportive environment for LGBTQ+ attorneys at Katten and to identify future programs and initiatives.

Perspectives Speaker Series

The Perspectives Speakers Series is open to all attorneys and staff, and brings distinguished speakers to the firm to discuss and explore topics and diverse viewpoints that shape and impact our internal and external community.

Partnerships

We are committed to cultivating a more inclusive legal industry through our partnerships focused on the retention and acceleration of diverse attorneys.

One of our key partnerships is with the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), an organization of corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners who have dedicated themselves to creating a truly diverse US legal profession. Through this partnership, the firm has sponsored firm partners, associates and/or summer associates in a variety of pipeline programs that provided leadership training, development and mentoring for high-potential diverse talent.

As part of our commitment, we signed on to Diversity Lab's OnRamp Fellowship program, a partnership that helps female attorneys overcome the challenges that exist when returning to the practice of law after a career hiatus from the legal workforce. Diversity Lab, which also launched the Mansfield Rule program, is partnering with law firms like ours with a goal to return 200 women to the legal profession by 2025. The fellowship provides us access to a pool of untapped, high-performing diverse legal talent and strengthens our pipeline of future leaders while supporting the attorneys' return to practice and advancement of their careers. Katten is also proud to have achieved Diversity Lab's Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certification Plus status.

Community Programs

Katten is committed to giving back to the communities in which we operate. We are a proud sponsor of a variety of programs that enrich communities and, in turn, enrich the lives of our attorneys and staff. In particular, our partnerships with local schools help students from diverse backgrounds succeed academically and prepare them for continued success in the future. These initiatives include work-study and internship programs aimed at low-income and minority youth in Chicago, Washington, DC and Los Angeles; a mentorship relationship with a moot mock trial team at a diverse high school in New York; and other volunteer opportunities for firm attorneys and staff.