Cate Heaven Young is a partner at Stinson Leonard Street LLP, a firm recognized for exceptional representation in corporate, transactional and litigation matters on behalf of regional, national and international clients across a wide range of industries. She has earned her place as a trusted legal adviser among the firm’s distinguished attorneys by solving complex business and legal issues in a manner that keeps her clients moving in the direction of achieving their most significant business objectives.
After graduating cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School, Young sought opportunities to work hands-on as an executive inside medical device and franchise companies, where she gained the experience and insight to act as a true business counselor to the companies she advises in her dynamic practice at Stinson.
“I was so fortunate early in my career to have been in-house general counsel and also the sole attorney for two public companies. Those experiences allowed me to advise clients through the entire lifespan of the decision-making process for significant legal matters, a perspective that is not often available to outside attorneys. As in-house counsel, it was always we. How are we going to resolve this issue? How are we going to improve financial results?”
Now that she serves as outside general counsel to numerous clients and advises on a wide range of concerns and business goals, Young sees herself as “a strategic partner who assists with the achievement of the client’s business objectives, whether through mergers and acquisitions, resolving corporate issues or managing corporate strategy.”
Young joined Stinson in 2011, a firm she had long admired for its client-focused practice and commitment to community. She supported the practices of senior attorneys at the firm while sharpening her own skills in mergers and acquisitions. She became a partner in 2013, and has built her complex corporate counseling practice through acquisition and transactional work in multiple areas, with an emphasis in the industries where she previously served as general counsel.
“In all matters, I strive to deliver excellent client service, which is more than providing an accurate, efficient, pragmatic, and timely response,” Young says. “It is also about understanding the impact that your advice will have on the overall business, anticipating the client’s concerns about the impact, and asking the appropriate questions to work collaboratively with a client to address the concerns before they arise.”
Grateful for her many professional opportunities, Young today serves as a mentor to young Stinson lawyers and as the firm’s representative to the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. “LCLD is a fantastic organization, and it is both humbling and inspiring to be networking with attorneys across the country to facilitate interconnectivity and diversity in the legal profession.”
Young has sound advice for other next generation of attorneys seeking advancement: “Come to the table with a strong sense of self. You provide a valuable perspective. Find your opportunities to contribute and then make the most of them.”
