2018 Women in Construction: Katharine Kohm, Pierce Atwood LLP

Name: Katharine Kohm

Postion: Associate

Company: Pierce Atwood LLP

Years in the A/E/C Industry: 3 as an engineer and 6 as a construction attorney

What associations or organizations are you a member of? American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law; National Association of Women in Construction; Roger Williams University Construction Management Professional Advisory Board; Center for Mediation & Collaboration RI 

Why the A/E/C Industry? For me, my career in the A/E/C industry started in civil engineering and later moved into the practice of construction law. Wearing either hat, A/E/C requires problem solving and values working together as a team to brainstorm a solution. There is great satisfaction when a team achieves a result that is greater than the sum of the individual contributions.

Advice/Keys to Success: Of course, having the drive to learn the craft and the desire to continually improve is very important. Knowing when to listen, but also not being afraid to speak up to offer input or to ask a question are key as well. Networking is so valuable too. 

There’s always someone who has faced a similar issue or challenge who have will have insight to give.