(CHICAGO) Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP today announced that it has been named a “Top 50 Company for Executive Women” by the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE). Companies are selected based on their success in areas including female representation, hiring, attrition, promotion rates, and access and usage of key retention and advancement programs.

“As one of the only law firms to garner this distinction, we have proven that there are smart, innovative strategies firms can implement that allow women to not only stay on a legal career path, but to achieve the highest levels of success,” said Vincent A. F. Sergi, national managing partner at Katten.

NAFE specifically touched on Katten’s commitment to women through its Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF). Katten established its WLF in 2004 to further the firm’s commitment to the strategic retention and advancement of women and to provide a forum for women attorneys to discuss issues and share information. The WLF is designed to empower women in the firm at all levels in their careers and focuses on professional development, mentoring, educational outreach, networking, community service and recruitment.

Educational seminars, training sessions and tuition aid for job-related courses are offered to women in the firm as well. NAFE also applauded Katten for celebrating the fifth year of its Leadership Institute for Women of Color which provides activities designed to boost retention of diverse attorneys.

The NAFE Top Companies lead corporate America in recruiting, retaining and advancing women. In conjunction with the “Top 50” ranking, NAFE released a new report conducted by the Working Mother Research Institute showing that women hold nearly one in four positions at the Top Companies (23 percent) overseeing divisions with more than $1 billion in revenue. Additionally, the study showed that women hold 23 percent of all boards of directors seats at the Top Companies compared with 16 percent across the Fortune 500.

Carol Evans, president of Working Mother Media and CEO of NAFE, said, “The NAFE Top 50 Companies are major employers that are committed to hiring, retaining and promoting executive women. They represent a cross-section of companies that go way beyond lip service in helping women succeed. Almost seven out of 10 companies require their managers to receive training on how to hire, advance or manage women. Manager accountability is the main ingredient for success.”

The 2012 NAFE Top 50 Companies application includes more than 250 questions and draws particular attention to the number of women at the highest ranks, and those with profit-and-loss responsibility. To be considered, companies must have a minimum of two women on their board of directors as well as at least 500 employees in the United States.

NAFE was founded in 1972 and serves 20,000 members nationwide with networking, tools and solutions to strengthen and grow their careers and businesses. Working Mother magazine publishes the annual Top Companies and the Women of Excellence lists. NAFE.com provides upto- date information, community for women in business and access to member benefits. NAFE is a division of Working Mother Media, owned by the Bonnier Corporation. 2012 marks the 40th anniversary of NAFE.