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October 17, 2017
Foster Swift attorney Katila Howard is one of the five recipients for the "Five Under Ten" Young Alumni Recognition Award for the 2017 Black Alumni Association of the University of Michigan (UMBA) awards gala. The award is given annually to five recent University of Michigan graduates who are recognized by their peers for achievements in their respective professional fields and contributions in the community. To be eligible, the alums must have received an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan within the last ten years. The 41st Annual Reunion of Black Graduates will take place on Friday, October 27 at 7:00 p.m.
Katila is a member of Foster Swift's Business & Corporate practice group, where she focuses on matters of employee benefit and Internal Revenue Code compliance. She also works with nonprofit & tax exempt organizations, assisting in matters such as exempt status attainment and drafting/negotiating contracts among other challenges.
In addition to her practice, Katila is a zealous advocate for diversifying the legal profession and mentors minority law students and helps prepare them for their interviews and the Bar Exam. She also speaks to elementary and middle school students from disadvantaged communities regarding the importance of education and perseverance.
Furthermore, Katila is dedicated to increasing access to quality legal and business resources to organizations that may not otherwise have access. In this capacity, she serves on the board of two nonprofits where she volunteer and assists with compliance, fundraising, planning.
Katila has acted as a volunteer for former Michigan House of Representatives member, Rashida Tlaib to help raise voter awareness in the Detroit community. Katila earned both her bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Michigan and prior to attending law school, Katila started as an elementary school teacher with Teach for America in Detroit.