Will be Recognized at Corporate Counsel’s 2022 Women, Influence and Power in Law Awards
NEW YORK, September 19, 2022 – Proskauer, a leading international law firm, is delighted to announce that partner Kathleen McKenna is a recipient of Corporate Counsel’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the 2022 Women, Influence and Power in Law (WIPL) Awards. The WIPL awards honor general counsel, in-house leaders and law firm partners who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the empowerment of women in law.
“Kathleen is a leader in and out of the courtroom. Her ability to connect with others and understand their challenges is as unrivaled, as is her legal acumen,” said Proskauer Chairman Steven M. Ellis. “I am extremely proud to count her among my colleagues and delighted to congratulate her on this well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Throughout her more than 40-year career in employment law, Kathleen has become a leader in the field by building a reputation for success in the most high-profile and delicate employment matters. She has extensive experience litigating employment disputes of all types as well as conducting high-profile investigations.
“Kathleen is an extraordinary attorney. I have worked with her on some of the most difficult, complex, interesting and sensitive cases, and have watched her navigate these situations with unparalleled ease and grace. She is a trailblazer, role model and leader in the profession and legal community. I can’t think of anyone more worthy of this recognition,” said Labor and Employment Partner Keisha-Ann G. Gray.
At the start of her career, Kathleen worked on traditional labor matters. She litigated the full range of labor proceedings and also served as the chief spokesperson or advisor in numerous collective bargaining agreements.
As her career progressed, she focused on employment matters, which expanded to include defending employers on high-stakes trials involving workplace discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation. She was also one of the first employment litigators to be called upon to support clients with strategies, counseling and training to help them avoid litigation and incorporate best practices. Kathleen’s clients include major multinational companies, such as global media networks, leading cultural institutions, international retailers and many law firms.
“Kathleen has always been a force to be reckoned with. Since the start of her career, she built a strong reputation among her peers – often referred to as “the lawyer’s-lawyer”, and going toe-to-toe with union leaders and company management in a very male-dominated field. It’s not easy to carve your own path, but Kathleen has done it with such skill and determination. I congratulate her on this well-deserved honor,” said Labor and Employment Partner Bernard Plum.
The 2022 class will be recognized at an awards dinner on October 18th as part of Corporate Counsel’s Women, Influence & Power in Law Conference in Washington, D.C.
About Proskauer
We are 800+ lawyers serving clients from 12 offices located in the leading financial and business centers in the Americas, Europe and Asia. The world’s leading organizations, companies and corporations choose us to be their representatives in their most critical situations. But more, they consider Proskauer a strategic partner to drive their business forward. We work with asset managers, major sports leagues, Fortune 500 companies, entertainment industry legends and other industry-redefining companies.
With top-tier litigation and labor & employment practices, Proskauer lawyers are at the cutting edge of contentious matters with extensive trial experience in virtually every major forum across the globe and winning make-or-break cases, changing laws and establishing precedents.