Katten announced today that the firm has formally instituted a Remote Work policy as part of a suite of programs encouraging greater attention to mental and physical health for its attorneys and business professionals while maintaining industry-leading client service.
“Katten’s culture of focused client service and legal excellence delivered efficiently will not change,” said Katten Chairman Roger P. Furey. “Many of our attorneys have successfully worked remotely for some time now,” he said. “By formalizing and enhancing this policy, we will continue to attract and retain top talent in a competitive legal landscape while underscoring our commitment to provide a supportive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive professionally and personally.”
The Remote Work program launches this month and is part of Katten’s commitment to help all of its attorneys and other business professionals realize their full potential. Under the program, non-partner attorneys employed at Katten for at least six months and with a minimum of two years of law firm experience will normally be given the option of working away from the office at least one day per workweek, client and team needs permitting.
Katten’s Remote Work program for eligible non-lawyer business professionals launches later this month. It aligns with the practices of many Katten clients that have shown productivity and customer satisfaction can be sustained and even increased by adopting such programs under the right circumstances. Additionally, surveys have shown that reducing the time spent commuting typically results in reduced stress, more productivity and a boost in morale.
Another program the firm has established to encourage attorneys and business professionals to stay healthy is Katten Well-Being 360: Live Well, Work Well, Be Well. As part of this initiative, launched earlier this year, key firm administrators were trained and have been certified in mental health first aid. In addition, enhanced wellness programming has been incorporated into milestone training programs such as Katten’s Mid-Level Associate Academy and Summer Associate Retreat. A Global Wellness Committee, including partners, associates and business professionals from all of the firm’s US, London affiliate and Shanghai offices, has also been formed. Members serve as ambassadors for Katten wellness programming, which is aimed at improving health in eight areas: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social and spiritual. Further, Katten is a signatory to the American Bar Association’s Pledge Campaign, where the goal is to improve the substance use and mental health landscape of the legal profession.
“These programs acknowledge the often unique challenges that come with working in a large law firm setting,” Furey said. “Put simply, we want the lives of our team members to be as balanced as possible because when that happens, we have happier people who are even better equipped to serve our clients’ needs.”
Katten is a full-service law firm with nearly 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm’s core areas of practice include commercial finance, corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, and trusts and estates. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, including a third of the Fortune 100, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For more information, visit www.katten.com.
