Name: Katharine "Katie" Martin
Firm Name: Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Address: 650 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304
Phone: 650-493-9300
Nominated by Martha Fay Africa
Practice area: Corporate and Securities

Katharine “Katie" Martin is a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where she practices corporate and securities law in their Palo Alto office. She is a member of the firm's board of directors, its governing body, and previously served as the leader of the firm's business law department.

Katie has extensive experience in representing public companies. Her practice includes all aspects of company representation, including corporate governance, SEC compliance, 1934 Act issues, public offerings, private placements, and mergers and acquisitions. She has also represented underwriters in public offerings and issuers and investors in private equity financings.

Most successful/favorite rainmaking tip:

First, be yourself. Let people know who you are. Keep it professional, but let your personal style shine through. People need to know who you are, that you are someone they can trust. Second, have an area of expertise. That area of expertise is the basis for a client to hire you or a public-speaking opportunity. Nurture your clients and your network will just grow naturally. Do not ever take them for granted.

Biggest influence on career:

I would say the technology industry has been the biggest influence for me. My father is an engineer; he worked for IBM and many other technology companies, including several start-up tech companies beginning in the 1980s. When I was in second grade I knew I wanted to be a lawyer, and by law school I knew I wanted to be a corporate lawyer for technology companies. I really enjoy learning about the businesses of our clients. I also believe that the diversity among our clients drives the diversity of Wilson Sonsini, and I really appreciate that about our firm. I think being in Silicon Valley helped me as a woman lawyer. This culture is open-minded, innovative, and unpretentious. Quality trumps other considerations here.

Percentage of time devoted to marketing:

It really varies, but marketing is always top of mind. I am very involved in drafting and reviewing our client alerts and board presentations describing changing areas of corporate governance and corporate securities laws. I have always been, and will continue to be, focused on substance and the detail of the law.

Serving on boards is also helpful for visibility, as is speaking on panels and writing articles. I am on several nonprofit boards and also on the board of a publicly traded company. That participation helps me understand what my clients are dealing with.

Proudest accomplishment:

There is no one thing; it is really the whole path, the entire journey. I checked my ego at the door and just focus on being the best lawyer and partner that I can be and taking care of the clients every day. We have a wonderful client base. I feel like a kid in a candy store.

Knowing what you know now, if you were starting out as a lawyer today, what would you do differently?

The one and only thing I would do differently is I would have had my children earlier in life. .

What has been your greatest frustration about trying to get new business or new clients?

It is still something of a man’s world. I haven’t personally suffered from this, but the number of women who are choosing to make long-term careers in law firms seems to be going in the wrong direction. I wish we could do something to reverse this trend.

If you were mentoring a young woman lawyer, what advice would you give her regarding rainmaking?

When you are first starting out, treat the partners and senior associates you work with as your clients. Try to build a great reputation for quality, responsiveness, attitude, etc., right off the bat. Otherwise they may not ask you to work with them again. Begin thinking about how you will interact and work with clients right away. Bring an open attitude and a genuine desire to learn from the partners and associates more senior than you. Watch how they forge bonds with clients and gain business, and see what works with your personal style.

Did you ever have a mentor who made a genuine difference in how your career turned out?

I am very lucky. I have had several very important mentors. Since I’ve been with Wilson, I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with Larry Sonsini, and he’s been tremendous. He is a great lawyer, has a phenomenal style and unique way of approaching business issues. I’ve learned so much from him.

When you think back to when you started out as a lawyer, then think about young women just beginning their law firm careers, what is different now compared with when you started?

The biggest change I’ve seen is the lengthening of the partnership track. In fact, it may be one of the key reasons women leave private practice. If the perception still is that you have to wait until you make partner to have children, we need to change that perception. My advice to younger women is to have children when they are ready in life, regardless of when that time frame falls in your career. It is okay if you take a longer maternity leave or work part time. Even if it takes you longer to make partner, it is okay. Plan for the long term.