Katten Named Among Best Companies for Working Mothers

(CHICAGO) For the 12th consecutive year, Working Mother magazine has named Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP as one of the "100 Best Companies" based on the firm's strong leadership in the areas of female career advancement, paid parental leave, childcare assistance, benefits and flexible work schedules. Partner Allison C. Yacker, co-chair of Katten's New York Financial Services group and a member of the firm's Board of Directors, was named a 2018 Working Mother of the Year for her continuing efforts to mentor other women.

"It is quite an honor to receive this recognition from Working Mother for 12 years straight. Allison serves as a role model to many, and we congratulate her on this well-deserved acknowledgement of her efforts," said Katten Chairman Roger P. Furey. "Katten strives to be a leader in creating new approaches that attract and retain talented women, who, like Allison, succeed in their personal and professional lives."

Katten was one of only four law firms recognized on the list. In addition to the Women's Leadership Forum, Katten's flagship initiative for advancing and retaining women attorneys through mentoring, networking and career development programs, the firm was also acknowledged for expanding its paid primary and secondary caregiver leaves and remote working arrangements. Moreover, Katten has placed a high priority on diversity initiatives over the past 18 months such as pledging its commitment to the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion initiative, the largest CEO-driven business commitment to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and earning certification for completing the Mansfield Rule pilot program, which measures law firm efforts to increase the number of female and diverse attorneys among the ranks.  

"At Katten, recruiting, retaining and advancing women is critical to creating an environment that enables working parents to thrive," said Laura Keidan Martin, national chair of the firm's Women's Leadership Forum. "Allison exemplifies the passion, hard work, dedication and leadership it takes to have a meaningful career and a fulfilling family life. As a result, she's become a valued mentor to both women and men in the legal profession."

Yacker, Katten's Working Mother of the Year, joined the firm in 2001 as a summer associate in the Corporate practice. Today, as a capital partner, she juggles a number of leadership positions within the firm along with a client list once described as "some of the world's most established asset managers." While climbing the ladder at Katten, Yacker worked full time as she raised her two young sons. Knowing that a critical element to being a successful attorney is to thrive on challenge and strive for excellence, Yacker applies those principles to her professional and personal endeavors in her roles as manager, attorney and mother.

"The many women currently serving Katten in leadership roles, especially those like me that have spent their entire career at the firm, is a testament to the fact that Katten is doing something right," said Yacker. "I have no doubt that the personal and professional investment that Katten made in me, and the environment Katten fosters is directly attributable to my success."

A member of Katten's National Mentoring Panel, Yacker provides guidance to the firm's women attorneys on how to manage work-life balance, create cohesion with team members, establish relationships with firm leadership and navigate the partnership track. She is also an advisor, supervisor, coach, counselor and advocate for more than 30 attorneys and staff in her practice plus a revolving door of young lawyers, both male and female, in and outside Katten.

The "100 Best Companies" are featured in the October/November issue of Working Mother and on workingmother.com. In July, Katten was named one of the "50 Best Law Firms for Women" by Working Mother in collaboration with the ABA Journal for the 11th consecutive year.

Working Mother Media (WMM), a division of Bonnier Corp., publishes Working Mother magazine and its companion website, workingmother.com. The Working Mother Research Institute, the National Association for Female Executives and Diversity Best Practices are also units within WMM. WMM's mission is to serve as a champion of culture change, and Working Mother magazine is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers.