Katharine A. Martin

Martin is one of the lead attorneys in a team of more than 30 Wilson Sonsini lawyers guiding LinkedIn Corp. in its $26.2 billion sale to Microsoft Corp.

The deal is said to be one of the largest in the technology industry this year and the largest acquisition in Microsoft's history.

"It's a super exciting deal," Martin said. "One of my favorite things about being a lawyer is developing long-term relationships with clients. LinkedIn is the quintessential kind of a client relationship that you hope to have."

Martin has advised LinkedIn in many other matters, including its initial public offering.

San Jose-based Altera Corp. relied on Martin's expertise in its roughly $16.7 billion sale to Intel Corp., a cash deal that closed at the end of last year.

Speculation about the deal was a challenge attorneys faced, Martin said.

"That's always tricky managing the sale process in a way that is confidential and having to maneuver when rumors occur in the market," Martin said. "That transaction had some rumors occur that created issues that needed to be dealt with by both companies.

"Rumors can be challenging because you've got employers and customers with questions, but you have to maintain a no comment posture," she said.

KLA-Tencor Corp. also called on Martin for help with its sale to Lam Research Corp., a cash and stock deal valued around $10.6 billion. The deal is ongoing.

Martin often advises clients in high-stakes deals, which can bring challenges, she said.

"When you're trying to execute large transactions, especially for global enterprises with locations in different jurisdictions, there can be challenges along the way," Martin said. "That doesn't mean the challenges are insurmountable; it means they need to be identified and sorted through."

She said she overcomes these challenges by working with an interdisciplinary team at the firm to tailor a specific solution.

"Sometimes it's a structuring issue, sometimes it's something you have to work around, sometimes it's a negotiation point," she said. "It depends on the situation."

— Melanie Brisbon