Women Leading the Way at Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel

At Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel, women lead major cases and demanding practice areas, driving the firm forward into the future.

They stand at the forefront of our firm’s most demanding, consequential and high-impact litigation, shaping strategy, advancing complex cases and fighting for people who need powerful advocates.

“The number of women leading major cases and practice areas at our firm reflects a long-standing commitment to developing outstanding trial lawyers and giving them meaningful opportunities to lead,” says firm partner Leslie Maclean. “That commitment remains central to how we staff cases, mentor lawyers and build the next generation of women leaders in the profession.”

This Women’s History Month, we’d like to stop to recognize the women whose leadership, skill and determination define the firm’s work.

Camille Hunt: Launching a Silicosis Practice

Attorney Camille Hunt spearheads the firm’s newest practice area: litigation involving silicosis and silica dust exposure associated with engineered stone.

Doctors warn that prolonged exposure to silica dust can cause silicosis, a progressive and often fatal lung disease. Hunt now represents more than 100 workers who developed the disease after years of working with, cutting and installing engineered stone countertops.

An experienced and successful trial attorney, Hunt speaks openly about the gender gap in trial work, noting she is sometimes the only female attorney in the courtroom. “There is significant inequality between female and male lawyers in the trial setting,” she says. “As time goes on, I hope to see more female trial lawyers in the courtroom.”

Susan Ulrich: Fighting for Survivors of Sexual Abuse

Partner Susan Ulrich has built a powerful, widely recognized practice representing survivors of sexual abuse. She leads complex cases involving schools, youth organizations and other institutions accused of failing to protect victims.

For many survivors, coming forward takes extraordinary courage. Ulrich meets that courage with fierce advocacy, helping clients assert their voices, pursue justice and move through the legal process with strength and support.

Ulrich says diversity in leadership is critical to better serving clients.

“Having that diversity of leadership creates a better brain trust, so to speak, for what we do and who we serve and how we serve them,” she says.

Kay Gunderson Reeves: Leading Complex Global Litigation

Of counsel Kay Gunderson Reeves spearheaded litigation tied to the 2019 White Island volcano eruption in New Zealand, one of the most complex international cases the firm has handled.

The eruption killed 22 people and severely injured many others visiting the island as tourists. Reeves has navigated the complexities of overlapping jurisdictions, complicated legal systems and the enormous challenges that come with cross-border litigation.

For Reeves, the law is a way to protect individuals, including women, and ensure they and their loved ones have access to justice.

“Lawyers will be critical to the protection of the rights of women,” she says. “None of the rights women have managed to obtain were obtained without litigation or legal advocacy before the government — not the vote, not reproductive rights, not gains in the workplace, not property rights.”

Caitlyn Silhan: Representing Whistleblowers

Partner Caitlyn Silhan leads the firm’s whistleblower and qui tam practice focused on exposing fraud against the government through claims brought under the False Claims Act.

These cases often begin when one brave individual makes a decision to come forward and report misconduct despite professional and personal risk. Silhan helps turn that act of courage into action, guiding whistleblowers through high-stakes litigation to uncover fraud and secure justice.

Silhan believes women should be represented across every area of litigation.

“It’s important to have female attorneys involved in all litigation, even in areas where our gender is not directly at issue, for the simple reason that we exist as equal members of society,” she says. “The legal field should be comprised of attorneys who reflect the identities and experiences of all people in the country.”

Leadership Built Over Time 

That leadership didn’t happen by accident; the firm built it intentionally over time.

“Women have been trying some of the toughest cases we take on for years, and we’re proud of that,” says co-founder Peter Kraus. “Creating opportunities for talented trial lawyers to step forward and lead has always been part of our culture.”

The number of women leading major cases at WKPS reflects our broader commitment to developing trial lawyers and giving them meaningful opportunities to step forward.

The number of women leading major practice areas at WKPS also reflects that long-term commitment. As the firm continues to handle complex litigation internationally, that commitment remains central to how cases are staffed, how trial lawyers are developed and how the next generation of women leaders is built.