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RReeccrruuiittmmeenntt | Advancement | Retention Investing in Our Talent Through
Leadership Coaching
Vince Sergi served as the firm’s National Managing Partner for 18 years
and then as the first Chairperson of the firm for three years. He is now
taking on a new role as a leadership coach, a role for which is well-suited
since he is a consummate leader who made it his personal goal to mentor
attorneys on building successful career paths from day one.
He joined the firm as part of the first associates’ assessment of how the plan is being implemented.
class in 1974, focused his commercial “These attorneys first need to determine what their
finance and real estate finance practices
on counseling lenders in all types of financing goals are—what they want and why they want
transactions, and rose to become national it—and think about their collection of personal,
managing partner, then Chairman. During professional and social skills and determine how
Vince’s tenure, Katten grew dramatically
through a merger, lateral additions and they can move the ball forward, and create
international expansion. He has been their own path toward achieving these
instrumental in recruiting talent to the goals,” explained Vince. He collects
firm, which has nearly doubled in size their history: who are the people
since he took the helm. Now focusing they’ve met, with whom do they
his efforts on the continued strategic work well and with whom can they
growth of the firm as Chairman continue to build relationships; and
Emeritus, Vince was approached then they collaborate on and commit
by Chairman Roger Furey and to a certain action plan. Vince
Chief Diversity Officer Leslie believes that the development of
Minier with the idea to serve as a a simple action plan is key. “If the
leadership coach to high-potential, goal is to become an equity partner
diverse income partners. Vince, a fervent then the plan should include their
advocate for building a diverse and inclusive list of internal and external contacts and
environment at Katten, who spearheaded
many of the forward-thinking policies that have outline ways they’re going to stay involved
earned the firm national recognition as a top law with them, containing both substantive
firm for women and a leader in diversity efforts, and social components as well as ideas for
quickly jumped on board. building business and areas they can leverage
to create opportunities for the firm and for
Coaching Components themselves,” he said. “Then I prod them to
stay on top of executing the plan to keep it
Vince views his role as a coach as providing moving.”
confidential one-on-one guidance through engaged,
honest discussions followed by the development of an Vince recognizes that one size does not fit
action plan for career development and the on-going all and that there may be unique challenges
with being a diverse attorney. That is why Vince
mentors only a few attorneys at a given time in order to
provide tailored advice and encouragement. “Everyone
2 Katten Annual Diversity Review – 2017