Katten plays Santa to children

Katten Muchin Rosenman attorneys and staff have geared up for their usual strong holiday season support of their local communities. Around the firm’s offices, “elves” can be seen wrapping presents, assembling bikes and making donations of time, money and toys.

In Katten’s Chicago office, the firm’s annual “Letters to Santa” program with Direct Effect Charities has officially launched. Children from Chicago’s neediest schools, from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, write letters to Santa. Katten attorneys and staff answer the letters, granting their holiday wishes.

More than 95 percent of the children in the program live at or below poverty level, and the holiday gifts they receive from Katten are just a small way to brighten their season. Direct Effects has asked members of the firm to purchase gifts at the $25 price point and make an additional $5 donation to the charity to help defray the administrative costs of the program.

Rachel M. Vorbeck, a litigation partner at Katten, helps coordinate the firm’s involvement in the “Letters to Santa” program. This is her fourth year doing that, and since she started between 1,000 and 1,200 children have been helped.

“If you see some of the these letters from these kids, they are heart-breaking,” Vorbeck said. “These kids might otherwise be asking for anything in the world for Christmas, but they are asking for gloves and coats to keep them warm. … They always ask how Santa is doing. They send little paper drawings in. These are kids that don’t have anything to help themselves out of the situation they are in. If they don’t have gloves, hats and coats they just are cold.”

Vorbeck said she coordinates the program with Cathleen A. Booth, a corporate partner at Katten, and their assistants Dawn Sykes and Rosie Gradilla.

Mayer Brown’s parenting group

About three years ago lawyers at Mayer Brown decided to start an internal parenting group that brings together lawyers with children  to share information, network and socialize.

The Attorney Parenting Resources Group “is a great resource for attorney parents,” said Jennifer Rakstad, the firm’s career development attorney and one of founders of the group.

The group does programming throughout the year in the form of speakers and networking events. The eight-person steering committee maintains an e-mail list of about 40 people, and those on the list get information about programs and share knowledge about such topics as vaccines and  stroller recalls.

“We really want to help create a network of attorney parents,” she said. “A lot of us are working long hours and may not be able to access some of the resources other parents may have. Mom groups meet during the day, and that’s not convenient for attorney parents. Our goal with programming is to hit on topics of real interest.”

She said the group’s participants are about two-thirds women and represent all levels at the firm. The group receives a small budget from the firm, she said.

The Attorney Parenting Resources Group recently hosted Dr. Joel Schwab of the University of Chicago Medical School and Lara Field of Forming Early Eating Decisions (FEED) for a discussion on healthy lifestyles for children.

Some programs they like to do regularly, such as panels on the school selection process, childcare and summer camps.

“I think it helps a lot with morale,” she said. “The nice thing about having these planning meetings or informal lunches is you can have conversations with people about things not related to work and things you have in common. … It is a safe place for people to connect. Parents are dealing with similar issues of working long hours, but they still want to be involved parents.”

Q & A with Kenneth F. Berg

Kenneth F. Berg, the partner-in-charge of Ulmer & Berne’s Chicago office, has been practicing since 1979.

What do you find the most interesting about your practice?

I serve dual roles at Ulmer & Berne, both as a partner focusing on commercial litigation matters for the securities and commodities industries, and as partner-in-charge of our growing Chicago office.  To me, interacting with the colorful professionals in the securities and commodities industries and helping them to creatively address their business challenges is the most interesting part of my legal practice.

As partner-in-charge of the Chicago office of Ulmer Berne the most interesting part of my job is introducing our firm, a 175-lawyer, NLJ 250-firm based in Cleveland, to the Chicago business community.  We have undertaken a significant expansion of our Chicago office in the last year and expect to continue this growth in the next few years by leveraging existing capabilities and adding new lateral talent to provide Chicago companies with the resources of a large firm at a much better value than they have traditionally received from outside counsel.

What makes a good lawyer?

Today there is no such thing as a generalist.  A good lawyer must know his or her area of the law thoroughly.   Lawyers, including litigators, must communicate to clients alternatives that make good business sense, even if they are not what the client wants to hear.  Then, the lawyer has to implement the client’s plan passionately and in a value-oriented way.

What is the biggest legal news right now, and what is its impact?

The impact of the economy on the practice of law is the biggest news.  At this point it is no secret that clients are gravitating to law firms that deliver excellent legal services at competitive rates and provide outstanding value.  The firms that are able to adapt to this changing paradigm will thrive, while those committed to older, outdated business models will find the going much more difficult.