Leadership
Noah Heller CEO of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP on Leadership & Relationships
“Everyone deserves to feel like they matter,” says Noah Heller, who as CEO of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP has built a culture of communication and connection
“Everyone deserves to feel like they matter,” says Noah Heller, who as CEO of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP has built a culture of communication and connection, of being consistently authentic and operating with integrity in work and in life. He joins this episode of The Future is Bright to explain how his firm has evolved under his 12-year tenure by seeking to understand the needs of others, making himself genuinely available to those around him, and utilizing the power of personal relationships.
Noah also discusses his observations of the current U.S. legal market and his predictions for the coming decade. He explains his biggest surprise in taking on this leadership role, the greatest compliment he’s been paid and the one issue that keeps him up at night. He will also share his advice about succession planning for law firm executives.
In today’s discussion, you’ll learn how, by taking a genuine interest in people and their motivations, Noah was able to not only understand and meet, but exceed expectations to create a thriving workplace environment.
Episode Player:
Episode Breakdown:
00:02 Noah heller’s unplanned path to law firm leadership
00:42 Background at katten and taking the ceo role
01:18 The shift to a two-leader model and young leadership
02:56 Growth, strategic focus, and firm differentiation
04:26 Navigating feedback, satisfaction, and relationships
07:53 Early leadership challenges as a young ceo
09:09 The pandemic’s impact on leadership instincts
12:58 From law practice to leadership skills and motivating others
15:38 Building real connections and a relationship-driven firm
18:59 Mentoring, firm size, and balancing accessibility
Quotes
“For me, it’s been a recognition that the power of my relationships is something that I should utilize as opposed to be[ing] afraid of.” (6:43 | Noah Heller)
“The thing that carried through really well between my practice and leadership was my ability to appreciate the importance of expectations, the importance of meeting and exceeding expectations, and also my ability to reasonably affect those expectations wherever I could.” (14:05 | Noah Heller)
“I’m so available and I care so much about my partners that I create a real—and it’s not fake, it’s real; it’s a real perception—that I’m there, I’m available and when they need me, they can reach out. And so the fact that so many people feel that they have so much of my attention, really, and my caring is really humbling for me. I try to do this job the way I try to live my life, if that resonates. I don’t put on a different outfit or a different persona the way that I lead this firm and the way I conduct myself in life.” (16:34 | Noah Heller)
“The thing that I’m the most proud of, that’s evolved in the time that I’ve been in this role, is the way people are treated within these four walls has evolved over time, and to me, that is really, really important.” (24:07 | Noah Heller)
Links
Connect with Noah Heller:
Connect with Howard Rosenberg:
Connect with Howard on LinkedIn
Connect with Chris Batz:
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn
Follow Columbus Street on LinkedIn
Follow MergerWatch on LinkedIn
Subscribe to the future is bright podcast
Related Articles & Episodes
Article
In January 2026, McGlinchey Stafford—a 160-attorney, 18-office firm with more than 50 years of history—voted to dissolve.
Article
If you’re leading a mid-size corporate law firm today, you’re likely feeling pressure from two directions.
Article
Most mid-size law firms lack a true strategy. That's not an insult—it's an observation based on hundreds of conversations with…