Katherine Raymond ’18 Featured in MN Women Lawyers’ 50 Years, 50 Voices
Minnesota Women Lawyers
50 YEARS, 50 VOICES
As MWL celebrates its 50th Anniversary, we are pleased to share the stories of 50 diverse women attorneys from across the profession and throughout the state during the coming year. Our goal is to feature individual experiences and achievements; to highlight the tremendous advancement of women attorneys across the profession (and acknowledge how much work is yet to be done); and to demonstrate the significant and meaningful impact that women attorneys have made, and continue to make, throughout Minnesota and beyond. Equally important, our goal is to learn about one another through our stories. To find commonalities, respect differences, and simply be inspired.
Katherine Raymond ’18
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
As a child or young adult, what career did you envision for yourself?
I wanted to be a doctor. Growing up, I had a wonderful pediatrician who was passionate about his profession and showed genuine care at each visit. So, until the day I realized that math wasn’t my strong suit, I dreamt about being just like him when I grew up. Despite leaving this dream behind, what persisted was my desire to help others and have the tools to make a difference in someone’s life. These goals fueled my decision to pursue a career in law from a young age.
Describe your career path. When did you begin your legal career? What positions have you held, leading to and including your current job?
I graduated from the University of Manitoba, in my hometown, Winnipeg, Canada. After graduation, I worked as a legal assistant for a local general practice attorney. Thankfully, this attorney took a chance on me, as I had no prior experience! In this position, I gained exposure to several different types of law (criminal, real estate, family, trusts and estates, general civil), which ultimately solidified my decision to apply to law school.
I attended law school at the University of North Dakota School of Law. Although it’s a small school, this allowed me to develop close relationships with several of my professors. I feel fortunate to have witnessed and learned from the legend that is Professor Patti Alleva, now retired, who was featured as one of only 26 professors in the book What the Best Law Teachers Do (Harvard University Press 2013).
Because I had planned to live and work in Minneapolis after law school, I completed my 3L year at the University of Minnesota Law School as a visiting student to facilitate my networking efforts. After law school, I clerked for the Honorable Peter M. Reyes Jr. at the Minnesota Court of Appeals, which provided valuable insight on advocacy and writing. Judge Reyes also taught me a lot about the human aspect of lawyering and the importance of maintaining connections within the community. As a result of gaining exposure to different types of cases, I decided that I would like to practice in an area focused on science and/or technology. My favorite part about my clerkship, however, was the intellectual challenge. Looking back, it was a joy and a privilege to completely immerse myself in legal issues without any of the extraneous demands commonly found in private practice. I will always recommend clerkships to any law student.
My private practice began at a national boutique product liability firm where I started to learn civil practice for product liability matters in automotive and medical device industries. Now at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, I have a broader civil litigation practice that includes product liability matters in medical device and pharmaceutical, as well as a wider set of complex civil litigation issues from environmental to securities fraud. I enjoy the challenge of learning new industries and areas and the variety of both large and small teams, depending on the nature of the cases.
Looking back on your career, what has brought you the most professional satisfaction? What has kept you coming back to the legal profession day after day? What is your least favorite part about being a lawyer?
The opportunity for continuous learning brings me the most professional satisfaction. I’m perpetually curious about everything. So, I’m grateful to be in a profession where learning new things is integral to what I do.
What would you describe as your biggest career challenge?
Dealing with “imposter syndrome.” It’s both comforting and surprising that many female professionals today, especially those of color, continue to struggle with this well into their careers. Nevertheless, I’m confident it can be overcome, and having supportive mentors and colleagues is essential in this fight. I’m grateful to have had many mentors who have [gently] pushed me towards new opportunities and offered support along the way. Also, having trusted colleagues with whom I can vent and ask “dumb questions” (to be clear, no question is ever really “dumb”), has been a crucial tool when these feelings start to arise.
What is the best career advice you ever received?
The type of law you practice is less important than the people you surround yourself with. Focus on finding people who you like working with and who have the type of career you want, and you’ll end up in a good place.
How have the significant events of 2020 and 2021 impacted your professional life? What “silver-linings” have you identified? What are the ongoing challenges?
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed to me that practicing law is so much more than just the pen-to-paper work lawyers do every day. In the early days of the pandemic, when law offices and other non-essential services shut down, I struggled with the isolation. My silver-lining, however, was the realization that you can’t put a price on in-person mentoring and real-life facetime with colleagues. As we all continue to do our part to regain a sense of normalcy, I am looking forward to getting back in the community.
What legal or community organizations are you involved with and how? Given lawyers’ busy schedules, why do you prioritize and make time for such involvement?
Today, attorneys of color account for less than 15% of all lawyers nationally. I view this as a problem. As someone who experienced the inherent challenges of entering a profession that, on its face, seems like a place that isn’t intended for people who look like me or with backgrounds like mine, I am motivated to change this reality for future lawyers and students. With this goal in mind, I try to be intentional about the organizations to which I devote my time. I am currently a member of the Women’s Committee of the Minnesota Asian Pacific Bar Association, the National Asian Pacific Bar Association, and Minnesota Women Lawyers. Outside of the law, I’m a mentor with Minds Matter Twin Cities, an organization that supports high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds through the college-application process, and I’m a middle-school mock trial coach with UPLIFT: Legal Institutes for Teens. Untapped potential hurts not only the individual, but the greater community. So, I believe that encouraging students (especially women and students of color) to think about futures beyond what they know can make a significant impact on DE&I efforts at the ground level.
On The Lighter Side….
When you’re not working, how do you like to spend your time? I love doing anything related to fitness, particularly weight training. For me, it’s an opportunity to practice mindfulness and goal setting, and it always brightens my mood!
Last book read? Favorite book? What books are on your night table? I recently finished Scout Mindset: Why Some People See Things Clearly and Others Don’t by Julia Galef and Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. I’m currently reading 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson and Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss. My favorite book will always be The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
If you could spend a day in someone else’s shoes, whose would they be? Any experienced neurosurgeon. Surgery fascinates me, and I often wonder what it’d be like to go to work in both a tactile and high-stakes environment.
Favorite professional development or law-related podcast? WorkLife by Adam Grant and On the Merits by Bloomberg Law.
Favorite non-work-related podcast? It’s hard to name favorites, but probably Radiolab from WNYC Studios and Making Sense by Sam Harris.
What is your superpower? Introspection. A major component of growth is the ability to observe and reflect on how our past experiences and personal narratives may be influencing our efforts.
Favorite quote? “In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher.” – The Dalai Lama
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