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Press Release: Kaufman Dolowich Names Katherine Catlos Its First Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer

Posted Mar 8, 2019

(March 8, 2019, Woodbury, NY) — Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck LLP (KD) today announced that Katherine S. Catlos has been named the firm’s first Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. In September, the firm announced it was participating in the Mansfield Rule 2.0 certification program to support diversity among its leadership.

Catlos, a labor and employment partner, is also a member of the leadership committee of the firm’s Women’s Initiative, which focuses on continuing education programs, client-focused presentations, networking events and association with leading professional organizations geared towards women in business. After managing the office for twelve years, Catlos will be stepping down to assume this new role, and Arif Virji will be assuming the role as managing partner of the San Francisco office.

“I am very thankful that the infrastructure provided by Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule has led KD to create a Diversity & Inclusion Officer Role,” said Catlos. “I am thrilled that KD is supporting this effort in an authentic way to boost diversity and bring a new type of focus to opportunities for advancement to partnership, leadership roles, and marketing opportunities for our women, attorneys of color, and LGBTQ+ lawyers. We are dedicated to working hard to achieve Mansfield Certification.”

She has committed firm leaders to meet regularly to identify and implement initiatives that promote opportunities for diverse attorneys and staff throughout the firm and maintain an inclusive work environment.

The Mansfield Rule certification measures whether law firms have affirmatively considered at least 30 percent women and attorneys of color for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions and senior lateral positions. Mansfield 2.0, which runs from July 2018 to July 2019, includes LGBTQ+ lawyers as well as women and attorneys of color as part of the diverse candidate pool. Mansfield 2.0 also measures consideration for roles in client pitch meetings and asks participating firms to make appointment and election processes transparent to all lawyers in the firm.

KD’s Women’s Initiative brings together women attorneys throughout the firm to exchange ideas, develop and expand business contacts and opportunities, and enhance overall attorney development. KD’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee,  whose mission is to provide a diverse workforce to better serve clients and the firm, has been working with firm leadership to work under the Mansfield Rule over the past year.

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