(CHICAGO) Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP announced today that, for the seventh consecutive year, the firm was chosen by Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers as one of the "50 Best Law Firms for Women." Firms are selected based on their family-friendly policies and business and career development initiatives focused on the advancement and retention of women attorneys.
"Katten has been consistently recognized for our innovative workplace policies and business development programs that help us recruit, retain and promote women attorneys at all levels," said Vincent A.F. Sergi, Katten's Chairman. "Being on the forefront of these initiatives is very meaningful to us because our women attorneys are a vital part of the leadership and success of our firm."
The firm's flexible work policies were specifically noted by Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers, as well as the continuous evaluation of flex programs, leave policies and training by senior management through its Work/Life Development Task Force.
Katten promotes the strategic retention and advancement of women by creating and maintaining an environment that recognizes, cultivates and utilizes the talent of its female attorneys to expand and create business opportunities and achieve long-term success. Women attorneys are offered onsite and online courses in continuing education and are reimbursed for seminars outside the office that they complete to qualify for continuing legal education credit.
Additionally, Katten offers innovative leave and flexibility policies. For example, to ease the transition back to work, Katten offers attorneys the 60/60/80 Program following the firm's three month paid maternity or adoption leave. This includes a 60 percent work schedule for the first two months following maternity leave and an 80 percent work schedule for the third month. In addition, after completing a fifth year of work at the firm, eligible associates at Katten can take a one-month paid sabbatical that can be added onto maternity leave. Attorneys can also request alternative work schedules allowing them the flexibility to meet both client and family needs.
Katten's Women's Leadership Forum works to develop and expand programs related to attorney development, mentoring, and internal and external networking while addressing the needs and ideas of the new generation of women attorneys who are entering the practice of law.
"Katten is constantly seeking ways to bolster and improve our programs that help female attorneys develop and advance to all levels of the firm," said Karin Berg, Insolvency and Restructuring partner, national chair of Katten's Women's Leadership Forum. "The firm provides our women attorneys with the flexibility to seek the mixture of support that works best for them so they can balance work and the individual needs of their lives and families."
Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers created the Best Law Firms for Women Initiative in 2007 to celebrate the law firms that are most successful in retaining and promoting women lawyers. The winning firms lead the industry in supporting flexible work arrangements and offering generous paid parental leave.
Carol Evans, president of Working Mother Media, said, "An amazing abundance of female talent has poured into the field of law. It is critical that this talent is allowed to succeed, and that the culture of the law industry adjusts to the work life needs of women. The Best Law Firms for Women are leading the way for all law firms to follow."
Deborah Epstein Henry, president of Flex-Time Lawyers LLC, stated, "Being a women-friendly workplace today means much more than having the policies and infrastructure in place to enable all lawyers to thrive. It also means having significant work/life usage rates and high representation of women among the equity partner and leadership ranks to demonstrate that such policies are indeed viable."
Working Mother magazine reaches more than two million readers and is the only national magazine for career-committed mothers. This year marks the 29th anniversary of the magazine's signature research initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies.
Flex-Time Lawyers LLC is an international consulting firm founded by Deborah Epstein Henry in the late 1990s, providing advisory, training and speaking services to employers and professionals on work/life balance, retaining and promoting women, and new models of legal practice.
