Associates gave this Chicago native a (Kat)ten out of ten for its blend of financial practices with a “very friendly and very Midwestern” culture.
Katten Lateral Profile 2024
If you’re looking to kick off your BigLaw career in the Windy City, we’re sure you would have caught wind of Katten. “Just being around the legal industry in Chicago, it’s very apparent that Katten’s recognized as a prestigious firm,” said one interviewee, but the firm’s also got its paws in pies across the US. When you come across a firm with such shiny accolades to its name, as one junior articulated, “you hear horror stories about being a cog in a large machine, but people here are invested in my development and success as a learning and practicing attorney.” In fact, a sense of community was something many of our sources gratefully found at Katten, noting how “they weren’t putting on a façade when I interviewed. I saw a group of people that really got along well and seemed to enjoy what they do.” This remains true post-pandemic, as the firm has settled into a hybrid work environment while still allowing even the most junior associates to “feel connected with the people I work with on a day-to-day basis.”
View the firm’s Chambers USA rankings
Read the firm’s Inside View feature on junior associate life
Why did you join your firm? Associates say…
“Everyone is really close. There is not a lot of turnover or a high attrition rate. You can tell people like working here even after years.”
“I like how decentralized the practice groups are – it allows the practice group to feel like its own team and promotes relationships within it.”
“It was immediately apparent that the people were genuine and displayed their full personalities. I did not get the perception that people were not afraid to show their true selves or that they were afraid to be colorful.”
Career Development & the Path to Partnership
|
19 |
0.7 : 1 |
74% |
||
|
partners made in 2023 |
associate : partner gearing |
of associates intend to make partner |
||
|
77% |
72% |
88% |
||
| felt partnership was achievable for attorneys with children | felt partnership was achievable at the firm | agreed partners are nurturing future leaders |
||
The view from the firm: Katten offerscomprehensive onboarding and integration programs; both formal and informal mentoring and training opportunities at every level of your career (new associate, junior associate, mid-level associate, senior associate, new income partner).
Hours & Compensation
|
2,000 |
8.1 |
48.1 |
|
billable hours |
average number of vacation days associates took in one year |
average number of hours associates worked in one week |
|
68% |
80% |
76% |
| agreed they had a good work-life balance |
said the benefits package makes the workload worthwhile |
found the bonus allocation fair and transparent |
Salaries
1st year: $225,000
2nd year: $235,000
3rd year: $260,000
4th year: $310,000
5th year: $365,000
6th year: $390,000
7th year: $420,000
8th year: undisclosed
The view from the firm: Katten offers a set lock-step system; additional bonuses awarded to associates who have exceeded the minimum billing targets; billing bonuses for business development; discretionary bonuses for associates that have been identified as performing in the top of their class. A certain number of Pro Bono, firm legal work, firm citizenship activities, and work shadowing hours may count towards billing goals.
Is Katten the right firm for you?
|
94% |
89% |
87% |
|
were happy in their current role |
agreed the work is interesting |
felt comfortable being themselves at work |
The view from the firm: Katten is an innovative, entrepreneurial firm that is committed to top notch client service. We welcome like-minded, experienced attorneys to consider joining us. When seeking lateral associates, Katten looks for excellent academic credentials, strong drafting and writing skills, and a client-team focused work ethic.
Here's what survey respondents had to say about the firm's culture...
“A warm and collaborative community where the upper management honestly seems to care about the wellbeing of the team. It’s not at all what I expected from BigLaw.”
“There is a family feeling at Katten and a culture of collaboration and development. People treat each other with more than respect. They care for each other.”
“The community here is really amazing. Everyone is always willing to take time out of their day to help each other work through issues that come up, and people actually seem to be friends, not just coworkers.”
Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing
|
67% |
25% |
31.1% |
||
|
reported diverse staffing on teams/cases/matters |
of partners are women |
identify as ethnically diverse |
||
The view from the firm: Strengthening our firm’s commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion remained a top priority in 2023:
- Katten’s Perspectives Speaker Series invites external speakers to the Firm to introduce ideas and perspectives that will increase our understanding of the value of diversity and enhance our firm's efforts to foster an inclusive environment. In 2023, we welcomed author, writer and educator Dr. Jelani Cobb in recognition of Black History Month; founding director of the LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic at Harvard Law School, Professor Alexander Chen, for Pride Month; Professor Kelly Lytle Hernández for Hispanic Heritage Month, and award-winning author, historian, and broadcaster David Olusoga for a special UK Black History Month program in our London office.
- During the summer, we invited our attorneys of color and LGBTQ+ attorneys to convene for our Biennial Diversity Summit under the theme ‘Unlocking Our Power & Purpose.’
- Our affinity groups continued to host events to build connections, spread awareness, promote professional development, and celebrate cultural diversity. We also continued to strengthen our talent pipeline by offering positions, scholarships, and opportunities to underrepresented law students and attorneys through the LCLD Scholars Program and Charlotte Legal Diversity Clerkship. New in 2023, we participated in the SEO Law Fellowship Program, which helps historically underrepresented law students prepare for law school and to work at corporate law firms. We also continued to expand our Kattalyst Sponsorship Program, which provides tailored professional and business development coaching to senior attorneys who are traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession, and pairing them with senior Capital Partners and Leaders as their Sponsors to support their professional growth. In 2023, we expanded the program to include Counsel in the program.
- Katten again achieved Mansfield Plus Certification status for increasing opportunities for advancement of underrepresented attorneys, strengthening the pipeline of diverse firm leaders and being inclusive with respect to pitch teams and staffing.
Pro Bono
|
42.6 |
85% |
|
average pro bono |
agreed the firm is committed to pro bono |
Pro bono highlights: Global Action Against Gun Violence; Council for Children’s Rights; Sentoma Centre/New Star (serving people with intellectual/developmental disabilities and living with mental illness); Legal Aid Chicago; National Immigrant Justice Center.
Contact
Learn more about opportunities at the firm
Recruitment contact: Charlotte: clt.recruiting@katten.com; Chicago: chi.recruiting@katten.com; Dallas: dal.recruiting@katten.com; Los Angeles: lax.recruiting@katten.com; New York: nyc.recruiting@katten.com; Washington DC: was.recruiting@katten.com