Porter Wright is proud to announce that international business and privacy & data security attorney Katja Garvey has been elevated to serve as chair of the firm’s International Business & Trade Practice Group. As chair, she will work alongside the 40 attorneys on the team to uphold client service, develop business strategy, expand global connections and distribute critical legal updates.

International business, and privacy and data security experience

A German native, Katja thrives on helping international businesses to bridge complex legal and cultural divides. From complex international transactions to global privacy compliance, she routinely advises clients on matters related to cross-border transactions, contract negotiation and entity formation. For clients domestically and abroad, Katja integrates robust privacy and data security experience to create and manage policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). She is a Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe (CIPP/E) and has experience serving clients as an external data protection officer (DPO)

Katja transitions into her leadership role with support from longtime leader and Counsel-to-the-Firm, Dixon Miller, who has held the position of chair since inception of the international group. “It has been an honor to lead, serve and grow our team over the past few decades,” shared Dixon. “Katja will do a tremendous job as she steps into the chair role. Her passion for mentorship and building connections, dedication to client service, bilingual ability in English and German, and training in two different legal systems will serve her very well in this new position.”

In her recent Women in Law Q&A for Porter Wright, Katja credits much of her success to establishing a strong network of mentors throughout her professional career. “Having active and involved mentors, or better yet, a Board of Mentors, has been crucial to my professional success right from the beginning of law school in Germany,” she shares. “Consulting with my mentors has been invaluable in making professional decisions or dealing with challenging situations at work, with clients, colleagues or substantive legal issues.”

Katja is deeply embedded in her professional community, serving as an active member of the International Association of Young Lawyers (AIJA). Through AIJA, she regularly connects with other lawyers across the globe through tailored programs and conferences to learn, grow and develop a strong referral network. Katja is a mentor with the Supreme Court of Ohio Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Program, co-chair of the International & Graduate Affairs Advisory Council for The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and former co-chair of KnowledgeNet for the Ohio Chapter of International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). She also serves on the Ohio State Bar Association’s Advisory Council on Diversity Initiatives (ACDI) Committee.

Best Lawyers named Katja to its Ones to Watch list for 2021-2022. She also is an affiliate member of the German Bar Association. Although not admitted to practice law in Germany, her knowledge of its language and law qualify her as a special member who can work with German lawyers representing clients in her practice area.

Katja received her law training and original degree from the Law School of the Universität Passau in Germany and her LL.M. in business law from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law.