Allison Yacker Shares Tips for Young Attorneys With Bloomberg BNA

New York Financial Services co-chair, Allison Yacker, spoke with Bloomberg BNA about being Katten's youngest capital partner and her experiences as a woman practicing "Big Law." Allison stated, "I think a lot of the barriers to success, whether it's within a law firm or dealing with clients, is listening to people and helping people communicate and collaborate. Being a great lawyer is hearing what the other person is really asking for, helping your client understand whether that's a reasonable ask and helping your client weigh that ask with what they're trying to accomplish." With regards to young attorneys, Allison recommended, "I would tell them to work extremely hard to make it their business to find a team that they can provide value to and that they feel inspired by and to make sure they have the support and feel the support from their colleagues at home to give them the foundation to accomplish whatever they want to accomplish." She also noted that it helps to be at a firm where both parties are mutually invested. "Katten champions talent, and they made an investment in me and they made it clear early on that I would always be able to find that balance. I think the balance is very different for everybody—men and women—and for me personally finding the balance is hard because, like many successful lawyers, we want to be the best we can be and challenge ourselves. But for me, as I tell my seven year old son, 'Work hard, play hard.' So I try to live by that mantra in whatever I’m doing: negotiating a deal, making chocolate chip pancakes with my son's name written in chocolate chips, running or going to a game. I tend to be all-in and completely invested." ("Youngest Equity Partner at Katten Shares Her Tips for Junior Lawyers," May 3, 2016)