Veteran Client Strategy Executive and “Super-Connector” to Help Deepen Relationships with Technology and Life Sciences Leaders
Contact:
Kimberly Brooks
212-453-2881
kbrooks@wsgr.com
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — September 24, 2026 — Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, today announced that Catherine Zinn has joined the firm as chief client officer, based in the San Francisco office. A nationally recognized client strategy executive with 30 years of experience spanning the legal, technology, and financial services industries, Zinn brings a distinctive ability to make connections across markets, understand what drives business leaders, and turn those insights into action.
“Catherine has a special ability to walk into a room, grasp what matters, and see where the conversation could go next,” said Caz Hashemi, chief executive officer at Wilson Sonsini. “She is intellectually curious, commercially minded, and genuinely interested in how people and businesses operate. That combination makes her a unique addition to our leadership team and a valuable asset for our clients and markets.”
Often described as a “super-connector” across the technology, energy, legal, and financial services industries, Zinn has advised high-growth companies, connected entrepreneurs with capital, and worked with executives from some of the world’s largest companies to develop partnerships, consortia, advisory boards, and other strategic initiatives. Her cross-industry perspective has given her a nuanced understanding of how leaders make decisions, respond to change, and position their organizations for long-term growth.
“The legal issues facing businesses rarely exist in isolation,” said Megan Baier, chief executive officer at Wilson Sonsini. “A company’s next move can be shaped by its market, its investors, its talent, its technology, or a shift in the competitive landscape. Catherine understands those intersections and brings a broad lens to the conversations we have with clients. She will help us anticipate where they are headed, not simply respond to where they are today.”
Before joining Wilson Sonsini, Zinn served as Baker Botts’ inaugural chief client officer and, previously, Orrick’s inaugural chief client officer, leading global teams responsible for strategy, growth, sales, communications, talent, and brand.
“What sets Catherine apart is execution,” said Kate Stonestreet, chief operating officer at Wilson Sonsini. “She doesn’t just identify an opportunity; she builds the internal alignment to act on it, working across practice groups, offices, and functions to make sure the right people are in the room at the right time. That discipline is what turns a good client relationship into a lasting one.”
Zinn also serves as a board member and advisor to several for-profit and nonprofit organizations, including the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, Legal Momentum, Silicon Valley Directors’ Exchange, Tronic, Goldcast, The Fitness Furniture Company, and Shatter Fund.
Zinn’s leadership and contributions have earned numerous accolades, including the NACD Directorship 100™ from the National Association of Corporate Directors; “Woman of Influence” from the Silicon Valley Business Journal; “Woman of Achievement” from Legal Momentum; recognition as one of the “Top 100 Women in Law” by Women Who Lead; and recognition as one of the “Top 50 Women Leaders of San Francisco” by Women We Admire. She was inducted into the International Women’s Forum in 2015 and named a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum in 2016. Zinn earned a B.A. from Hamilton College.
“I feel as though my entire career has led me to this moment,” said Zinn. “For 30 years, I’ve worked for top-tier professional services firms that admired Wilson Sonsini and what it represents in the market. I have literally sat in rooms where someone would say, ‘Well, it’s not like we’re Wilson Sonsini,’ a reflection of the extraordinary position this firm has earned as the go-to advisor to the technology industry and to generations of companies and leaders who have built—and continue to reinvent—Silicon Valley and the global innovation economy. Now I get to say: we are Wilson Sonsini. I have the opportunity to work for this remarkable firm, and that is incredibly meaningful—it’s a really big deal to me.”
Zinn continued, “I also can’t imagine a more consequential time to join this impressive, high-performing leadership team. Technology is changing at an unparalleled pace, and the companies and leaders driving that change need advisors who understand not only the law, but also their businesses, their ambitions, and the markets they are creating. Wilson Sonsini has been at the center of those moments for more than six decades. I’m thrilled to bring everything I’ve learned—and the relationships I’ve built over my career—to help our lawyers and clients capitalize on what comes next.”
About Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
For more than 65 years, Wilson Sonsini’s services and legal disciplines have focused on serving the principal challenges faced by the management and boards of directors of business enterprises. The firm is nationally recognized as a leading provider to growing and established clients seeking legal counsel to complete sophisticated corporate and technology transactions; manage governance and enterprise-scale matters; assist with intellectual property development, protection, and IP-driven transactions; represent them in contested disputes; and/or advise them on antitrust or other regulatory matters. With deep roots in Silicon Valley, Wilson Sonsini has more than 1,000 attorneys and 17 offices in 16 technology, business, and regulatory markets across the United States, Asia, and Europe. For more information, please visit www.wsgr.com.