Katten announced today that the firm received the 2020 Flex Impact Award from the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance, recognizing the firm for its innovative and comprehensive flexible working initiatives.
"We are very honored to receive the Flex Impact Award because it spotlights Katten's deep commitment to providing policies, programs and resources that let our attorneys know they are valued, assist in their career progression and ultimately empower them to reach their full potential. These offerings help us recruit and retain top talent and boost morale as well as the productivity and creativity of those serving the legal needs of our clients," said Katten Chief Executive Officer Noah S. Heller.
The award honored Katten specifically for its four-week, paid sabbatical program offered to associates as an initiative that demonstrates a significant impact on the culture of workplace flexibility.
"The Associate Sabbatical Program reflects the supportive firm culture and flexible work environment we have developed at Katten. The program is one way we reward our associates for their dedication, and it is a means of enhancing their work-life balance. By offering them the opportunity to temporarily step away from their daily work responsibilities, we give them a chance to recharge and come back to work re-energized," Heller said.
The opportunity to take a one-month paid sabbatical is extended to eligible associates with at least five years of tenure, rewarding them for their hard work and loyalty while enhancing a work-life balance. This initiative, which has been in place since 2012, has allowed associates to take a trip, dive into a personal project or extend a family leave.
"Katten's four-week Associate Sabbatical is a testament to the firm's commitment to its people and their wellbeing," said Manar Morales, President and CEO of the Diversity & Flexibility Alliance. "We were impressed by the fact that all associates offered the sabbatical take it, indicating that firm leadership truly supports the benefits of taking time off to reset. This people-first mentality, endorsed by Katten's leadership, creates a work environment that is flexible, unbiased, creative and empowering."
The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance is a think tank that collaborates with organizations to develop non-stigmatized flexible work policies that promote inclusive work cultures and help to advance more women into leadership positions.
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, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For more information, visit katten.com.
