September 15, 2025
In an interview with the New York State Bar Association (“NYSBA”), BLB&G Managing Director and Senior Counsel Catherine van Kampen discusses her role as Co-Chair of the Committee on Leadership Development and her commitment to fostering the next generation of top legal minds. Appointed by former NYSBA President Scott Karson in 2020, Catherine reflects on her journey with the Committee and her vision behind creating the Leadership Academy—a program designed to train future NYSBA leaders within the Association. She emphasizes the importance of fostering a sense of belonging, saying:
You might go to a bar association and feel there isn’t a place for you because you don’t look like everybody else...[E]veryone has a place here. If you care, are competent and committed, coming with the best intensions for the association, you belong here. Every single member has the opportunity to become a leader and to develop their capacity for leadership.
The interview also highlights Catherine’s advice for new lawyers and the benefits of NYSBA membership, including professional development and community building.
Catherine manages BLB&G’s staff attorneys, with extensive experience in complex litigation and settlement administration. She has earned numerous honors for her international pro bono work advocating for immigrant and refugee women and children, including recognition as a Global Goals Ambassador by the United Nations Association of the USA. Catherine is also an active leader in several legal organizations, serving on advisory boards and committees focused on advancing leadership, human rights, and gender equity.
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