(CHICAGO) Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP announced today that the firm has been named one of the 2019 NAFE Top Companies for Executive Women by the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE).
This list, featured in the April/May issue of Working Mother magazine, recognizes 70 corporations in the United States that demonstrate some of the best practices that help advance women to senior ranks, including mentoring, sponsorship, involvement in employee-resource groups and leadership-development training. The list highlights companies that offer successful policies and programs aimed at career advancement for women.
"At Katten, we are truly committed to providing more opportunities for all of our attorneys and business professionals to grow because we realize that there is value in the knowledge, skills, and different perspectives that everyone brings to the table," said Katten Chairman Roger P. Furey.
NAFE specifically highlighted Katten's Partner Pipeline Committee, which identifies women and minority attorneys who are rising stars and offers them additional mentoring, coaching and training needed to help overcome potential obstacles for advancement, thereby better equipping them for success.
"We are delighted to be named among the list of companies raising the bar when it comes to giving talented women the support and resources," said Katten Chief Diversity Partner Leslie D. Minier. "Katten has shown great dedication toward removing any barriers so women can thrive and succeed at the firm."
Last year, Katten also achieved certification for completing the Mansfield Rule pilot program, which measures law firm efforts to increase the number of female and diverse attorneys among their ranks.
Additionally, the Katten Women's Leadership Forum (WLF) helps female attorneys advance and achieve both their professional and personal goals through mentoring, networking, career development and other support. The group also serves as a sounding board to address work-life balance concerns, professional development hurdles and other issues that women face in the workplace.
"We want to empower our female attorneys at various stages in their careers so they see an attainable, upward trajectory at Katten," said partner Laura Keidan Martin, national chair of the WLF and member of the firm's Board of Directors and Executive Committee.
The 2019 NAFE Top 70 Companies application included more than 200 questions on topics including female representation at all levels, but especially the corporate officer and profit-and-loss leadership ranks, as well as programs and policies that promote advancement of women. To be considered, companies must have a minimum of two women on their boards of directors, a US-based CEO, and at least 1,000 US employees.
"In 2019, a woman's journey up the corporate ladder still differs from a man's, but the Top Companies stand out in their application of remedies," said NAFE president Betty Spence. "They are models of how to progressively move women into senior roles, as reflected in their strong representation in the leadership ranks."
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