By: Laura Phillips
Kat Scott is a partner in Wiley’s TMT and Privacy, Cyber & Data Governance practices but there is much more to her than that. I got to know Kat a bit several years ago when we were among the co-chairs of the FCBA’s Privacy and Data Security Committee, and I thought it was high time for Kat to be featured in this column. It’s no surprise that Kat spends her time assisting and counseling enterprises that need to understand and comply with a range of privacy laws and regulations and if you spend any time and all talking to her about what she does, it is plain that she genuinely enjoys this work. It was a delight to connect and catch up.
Q: What attracted you to the field of communications?
A: I was a Media Studies major in my undergraduate career at UVA. I have always been very interested in how technology and media affects how we lead our individual lives and more broadly how they play a role in shaping society. I spent a couple of years after college canvassing prior to deciding to go to law school. And in law school, I was drawn to regulatory law – so Communications Law was a great fit. I went to the Washington College of Law at American University, where I was able to learn about federal administrative law from professors who had fascinating experience and expertise, including Professor Jeffry Lubbers and Professor Victoria Phillips. The cherry on top was my work at Wiley during my 2L summer, where I was able to work with amazing colleagues and clients in our TMT group. I’m fortunate to have found communications and privacy as my “niche.”
Q: Tell us about the various places you’ve worked through the years.
A: I have had the pleasure of working at Wiley for my entire legal career, starting as a summer associate in my second year of law school. During law school, I was a law clerk at the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), and before law school, I worked for a non-profit running and helping to manage canvass offices. I truly love canvassing, and it gave me a lot of the skills that I still use today in day-to-day practice, including asking and answering tough questions.
Q: Have things unfolded in your career more or less the way you planned?
A: Actually, yes. My goal early on in my legal career was to develop a practice around the issues and topics that interested me most—privacy and cyber. As these topics grew in prominence and complexity across all sectors—including the Communications sector—I have been able to focus my work on this ever-changing space. I appreciate my colleagues at the firm that supported and encouraged me to pursue these areas early on.
Q: What’s the most interesting or challenging thing that you’ve done in your current position?
A: My favorite thing about my job is that most everything I get to do is both interesting and challenging. Top of my list includes: helping companies navigate the growing patchwork of state privacy laws and develop universal policies and practices that can be scaled; helping companies develop cool new products and features that deliver true innovation while remaining compliant with legal and regulatory frameworks—and watching those products and features come to life; and learning about the technical intricacies of the various technologies and tools we provide legal advice on to help bridge the gaps between legal and business and shape meaningful policy. It’s really satisfying to be part of that process, and it is certainly never boring.
Q: Is or was there something interesting or someone who surprised or impressed you during your career and why?
A: What has always impressed me is the willingness of my colleagues—at Wiley and throughout the FCBA—to take time to know and help each other. I certainly have benefited from professional acts of kindness—from informal coffees and check-ins to more in-depth collaboration and mentorship—and I have watched others throughout our bar benefit from the same.
Q: What do you enjoy reading?
A: The short answer: anything that my best friend recommends! The long answer: My best friend and I have known each other since we were 5 years old. We live in different cities and have very different day-to-day lives, so we try to read the same books to stay connected. She is an avid reader and outpaces me significantly, so I just try to keep up! The good news is, I am not picky and I can become engrossed in just about any topic or genre. Two books that have been out a few years but that I really enjoyed and would recommend were The Bee Sting by Paul Murray and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gaberille Zevin.
Q: Is there something (a hobby or other tidbit) people don’t know about you that you are willing to share?
A: I love puzzles. My favorite thing to do is sit around a puzzle table with friends and family, listen to music, and puzzle. The brighter the colors, the better the puzzle. I tend to stick to 1000-piece puzzles and like to do them on my own or with my family. Puzzles are so clear in terms of feedback – the piece either fits or it doesn’t. There’s something quite calming in that for me.
Q: Can you share your perspective on the pitfalls to avoid or other career advice for those who are just getting started in the communications field?
A: Two key principles have guided (and continue to guide) me: consistently do excellent work and build strong and authentic relationships with the people that are around you. While everyone’s career path is unique, I think recognizing the value of and trying to apply these principles in a work setting will serve everyone well.
Q: How has your life changed as a result of COVID-19 and what are you looking forward to doing next?
A: Like so many others, I think that the biggest change for me during the pandemic was my family life merging with my professional life. At the start of the pandemic, I was a senior associate, and my kids were 5, 3, and 2 years old. I spent that time incredibly busy at work, and incredibly busy trying (with questionable success) to fill the void left from daycare and school being closed. I am grateful for the time I got to spend with my kids during that period, and also for the lessons I learned about time management, delegation, and teamwork. And as we have emerged from our cocoons, I am especially grateful for being able to do the fun but exhausting day-to-day activities of parenting—from Girl Scout cookie sales to rec soccer—with a wonderful community.
Q: How long have you been an FCBA member, and what to you is the value of FCBA membership?
A: I joined the FCBA in 2013. Throughout the years, the FCBA has provided me with a wonderful community of colleagues and friends and a valuable source of informative and educational programming. For many years, I have served as a co-chair on the Privacy and Data Security Committee, where I have been able to meet others in the Communications and Tech sectors who focus on privacy and help to put together CLEs on a range of fun topics. I think that the FCBA provides incredible value to its members as a place to learn, to network, and to have some fun.