Quarles’ Wynn sees ideas come to life

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Kim Wynn enjoys seeing the tangible results of her work as a commercial finance attorney, whether it’s a new project getting built or a business building an addition.

“I like driving by something and thinking how I helped take it from an idea to a reality,” said Wynn, who recently joined Quarles & Brady LLP’s business law practice group in Milwaukee as a partner. “I really enjoy working with other lawyers and lenders. It’s a close-knit community and you often work again with the same people, but on different projects. You build up a camaraderie.

“You help someone with a project and it’s a success and then they’ll come back to you again,” Wynn added. “You build up those relationships.”

For her clients, Wynn structures, negotiates and closes transactions, including asset-based loans and other secured loans, and represents agents and lenders in transactions involving real and personal property collateral.

Wynn became interested in the law at a young age after seeing criminal lawyers duke it out on TV. But she found her footing instead as a commercial finance attorney handling transactions rather than representing clients in a courtroom.

“I found that I really enjoy handling the transactions and working on what can be complex projects,” Wynn said. “It’s very common to have multiple projects going on at once and you need to balance them. It’s interesting and challenging.”

Commercial finance law can get complex, and Wynn said the key to a successful career is understanding why things are done the way they are during deals.

“You need to know the practical and legal reasons for why something is being done,” she said. “The more you understand, the better able you are to help your clients.”

Wisconsin Law Journal: What makes your work important to you?
Kim Wynn: I am often part of creating something, such as the growth of a business or construction of a building.

WLJ: Who is your hero in the legal field?
Wynn: Perry Mason. I’m only partially joking. I recently compared notes with several women, and I learned that each of us had decided we wanted to go to law school because of Perry Mason.

WLJ: What do you do outside of work to deal with stress from the office?
Wynn: I enjoy cooking. Most of my stress fades away in a Saturday afternoon of cooking.

WLJ: What’s one thing many people get wrong about what you do?
Wynn: Many people aren’t familiar with what finance lawyers do, and they think of me as primarily a real estate lawyer.

WLJ: What’s your favorite memory from law school?
Wynn: I had an opportunity to shake hands with then-Supreme Court Justice Brennan.

WLJ: Is there a certain case that stands out to you?
Wynn: My favorite deals to work on are the ones where a company is doing well and growing. The most memorable deals are deals where a company is failing and a solution is found to save the business and the jobs.