Meet Katy Wells
Katy’s experience as a legal counsellor to the technology industry spans more than 20 years, including serving as a member of a Fortune 500 executive management team, an advisor to multiple technology CEOs and boards, a founding board member of a global semiconductor manufacturing company and a lawyer in private practice at WilmerHale and Baker Botts. She uses her experience to help lawyers integrate proven BD processes into their daily practice and, when career choices dictate, transition smoothly from law firms to in-house positions. Texas-born and raised, Katy enjoys traveling the world for business while maintaining a home base in Austin near her close-knit family.
What excites you about working with lawyers and law firms?
I enjoy developing relationships – getting to know fascinating people during an exciting and important time of their life and having the privilege of a window into their dynamic careers.
What advice would you give to an associate who’s about to make partner?
Develop and enhance your firm network — get to know as many people in the firm as possible —including and perhaps especially those in other offices. Have 20-30 minute conversations about their practices — the challenges they face, what excites them, what they like to do outside the office. Be intentional about getting to know a broader cross-section of your firm. It is often your best network.
How does your past experience help you in your job?
Years of experience providing strategic business and legal advice to public and private international technology boards, CEOs, and CFOs and business unit leaders; managing an international Fortune 500 law department; and advising more than 60 lawyers from multiple firms on BD and/or career transition challenges — all of it allows me to give meaningful counsel to lawyers in their law firm and in-house practices.
Describe a unique moment in your career.
In my early career I had the opportunity to work on the team that researched and drafted the extensive briefing materials Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg used to prepare for her Supreme Court confirmation hearings and to attend part of the hearings.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
I rode the world’s fastest roller coaster (at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi) with my company’s CFO after closing a transformative financing and divestiture transaction with Abu Dhabi. The roller coaster ride was like the deal – exhilarating and sometimes scary highs and lows, twists & turns, raw acceleration & hard stops.
Education
Yale Law School, J.D.
Lamar University, B.S. summa cum laude
Austin | Boston | Chicago | London | Minneapolis | Seattle | Washington D.C.
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