Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the premier provider of legal services to technology, life sciences, and growth enterprises worldwide, has announced that Kate Stonestreet has been appointed chief operating officer (COO). Based in New York, she joins the executive management team and will oversee operations, including finance, information technology, human resources, business development, marketing, and administrative functions, supporting the firm’s next phase of growth and continued excellence in client service.
With over 30 years of law firm leadership experience, Stonestreet most recently served as global chief operating officer at Baker McKenzie, where she oversaw firmwide operations covering more than 13,000 employees in over 70 offices worldwide. She previously held senior leadership roles across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, bringing a truly global perspective to operational strategy and execution.
“As we look to the future, operational excellence is not just foundational—it is strategic,” said Doug Clark, managing partner at Wilson Sonsini. “Kate brings more than three decades of leadership experience and a proven ability to drive meaningful change and scale complex organizations. She excels at building high-performing platforms that empower lawyers and enhance client service. Importantly, Kate joins a firm with a strong operational framework, and her leadership will help accelerate our global growth and advance the capabilities that set us apart. We are pleased to welcome her to the firm.”
During her tenure at Baker McKenzie, Stonestreet led a multi-year transformation to modernize business services, enhance cross-border coordination, and support firmwide strategy across finance, technology, people, and client service functions. Her work focused on streamlining operations, improving efficiency, and enabling a more integrated, technology-driven model designed to support long-term growth.
Stonestreet has played an active role in advancing culture and inclusion initiatives, reflecting her commitment to building high-performing organizations grounded in collaboration, opportunity, and long-term sustainability, while championing talent development to strengthen leadership pipelines and organizational resilience.
“Wilson Sonsini has long set the standard for advising the world’s most innovative companies,” said Stonestreet. “What drew me here is the firm’s clarity of purpose, entrepreneurial spirit, and unwavering focus on clients. I’m excited to build on a strong base that already performs at a very high level—scaling a world-class platform and investing in the people, processes, and technology that drive exceptional client outcomes. Our focus will be on enhancing agility, deepening collaboration, and ensuring the firm continues to stay ahead of client needs in a rapidly evolving legal and business landscape.”
Stonestreet holds a bachelor’s degree with honors in public policy and administration from Northumbria University and an M.B.A. from Western University, completed at its Hong Kong campus.
