Seattle Reign FC Legend: Katelyn Kinn – Environmental Attorney

The Legends Campaign, a partnership between Seattle Reign FC and Starbucks, honors women for their extraordinary contributions to our community in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Prior to Seattle Reign FC’s match against the Chicago Red Stars on April 21, the club recognized Katelyn Kinn, an experienced environmental attorney.

Kinn, a mother to two, is passionate about being a mother and stopping water pollution in her role as an environmental attorney. She earned her B.A. in International Relations from Boston University and J.D. from California Western School of Law before beginning her career, which now spans over a decade. Currently practicing with Smith & Lowney PLLC, Kinn has a plethora of experience prosecuting water pollution. Though her day-to-day experience can look different, she primarily works with public records and legal research, writing arguments and reviewing complex documents to distill important information and collect evidence.

Prior to joining her current firm, Kinn served as in-house counsel and Law & Policy Director at the nonprofit Puget Soundkeeper where she helped litigate dozens of successful Clean Water Act lawsuits and permit appeals and compelled compliance after resolution. In both roles, Katelyn has worked to hold corporations, institutions and governments accountable for their wrongdoings.

“From a young age, I knew that I wanted to protect fish and waterways and the people that rely on the health of waterways,” said Kinn, whose family owned a fishing business. “I think my parents would tell you that they always thought I might be a lawyer. Since I was a toddler, they said they could never win an argument with me.”

Kinn recalls telling her undergrad career advisor that she wanted to be a lawyer, to which they responded that she was “too nice.” Not easily discouraged, Kinn continued on the path to law school and found success. To young women pursuing a goal or career, she encourages the same determination.

"Don't let anybody tell you that you can't do anything. You know who you are. Be who you are and unapologetically show them what you can do. You are limitless and your ability to fulfill your life's purpose and goals is limitless as well, so don't let anybody hold you back,” she said.

Throughout her career, Kinn has been working with nonprofits and small organizations to stand up against massive corporations and that has been something that continues to make her proud.

“The cases result in on-the-ground improvements, such as installation of an advanced stormwater treatment system – measures that a corporation has delayed to save money. Then these small nonprofits come in and force them to abide by the laws in place, and with great success.”

She continued, “These cases require companies to invest in systems and practices that reduce pollution. And the companies also have pay a penalty. The judge could make them pay it to the federal government, but the local nonprofits we represent almost always resolve the cases cooperatively so that we don't have to send the money to the treasury. Instead, we can keep the money in the community, so there's this really important element of environmental justice and social justice and equity, where money is kept in the watershed that suffered the pollution and its invested in cleaner waterways at the local level.”

When the money is kept within the community, groups within the community can continue to do really important environment clean-up projects, as well as continue their educational efforts, ultimately restoring and benefitting the community that suffered the pollution.

Kinn emphasized the importance of supporting local environmental nonprofits that continue to do necessary but hard work with very few dollars.

“Support Puget Soundkeeper. Support your other local nonprofits. When we are taking in so much information about all the challenges faced by the environment, by communities and society, it can be really overwhelming and it can feel like, we aren’t doing enough. But every little action does matter.”

This very same sentiment is something she strives to teach her two children. Though juggling a busy career and being a mother has its challenges, Kinn wouldn’t trade it for the world.

"What's cool about having this career as a mom is I get to pass on this close relationship I have to the environment to my kids. They get to spend time splashing in the water at our local beach and playing in the forest, forming that close relationship with the places that they will want to protect as they get older. It feels like that's like in my cells, to try to pass that to them – the knowing that they are always at home in nature. I'm excited to see what they do with it.”

Kinn wanted to give two shout outs. To her mom Trudy for teaching that no goal was too high and for generously forgoing retirement to care for her young kids, both things that make this life possible for Kinn. And to her infinitely patient husband Matt, a committed equal parent and adventure partner whose sense of humor helps to keep them afloat amidst the double toddler chaos.

When asked what it means to her to be honored as a Seattle Reign FC and Starbucks Legend, Kinn said, “I'm just humbled. I feel like I'm just showing up for my assignment in this life. There are so many people doing amazing things, so I’m really humbled to get to be one of the women honored.”