Katie Baker is a partner in the Boston office and chairs the firm's Gaming Industry Group. A primary focus of her practice is assisting casino gaming, sports betting, and fantasy sports operators, vendors, and entrepreneurs to navigate the state and federal commercial and tribal gaming landscape, including leveraging FinTech solutions. She also co-founded the firm's Women in FinTech affinity group in 2021. A member of the High Potentials Program class of 2025, Katie received her JD from Boston College Law School.

What are you most proud of in your career so far? Any specific accomplishments you would like to share?

I consider myself lucky to have found a niche area of law that I enjoy early on in my career. I happened to be given gaming law assignments during my first year as an associate at my prior firm and continued to pursue work in that industry during my associate days alongside my general business litigation work. Along the way, I developed a strong relationship with a casino client who afforded me the valuable opportunity to become immersed in the developing gaming regulatory landscape in Massachusetts. This experience allowed me to solidify my passion for gaming law.

Since joining Nelson Mullins in 2020, I was able to pivot my practice entirely to gaming work and set up a new Industry Group at the firm. I am grateful for the firm's support in this endeavor. We are now 38 members and offer full-service representation to casino, sports betting, daily fantasy sports, iGaming, and skill gaming operators and their service providers. I am proud that in the short time that we have operated as formal Industry Group, we have secured Nelson Mullins's place among the small group of large law firms with a dedicated gaming practice and are now widely known and sought after as thought leaders and advisors in this area.

Are there any mentors or role models who have significantly influenced your career?

There are two mentors and sponsors who have helped drive my career forward and advocated on my behalf along the way. Both are former colleagues at my prior firm. Because they were at senior levels in their respective careers, I was able to learn from their experience and insights, including successes and failures, which they shared with me very openly. They gave me leadership opportunities and encouraged me to take them. They also encouraged me to pursue gaming law even though it was not a recognized, accepted or available path at the time at our law firm, and validated my ideas for how to develop new business. I was also able to observe and learn from their excellent business development and pitch skills because they included me in those efforts. Their influence on my career cannot be overstated.​

What activities or hobbies do you enjoy outside of your legal work?

It is certainly a challenge finding time to pursue hobbies when balancing billable hours and two toddlers. When I can, I like to play tennis, golf, and classical piano. My other passion is travel – I am always looking for good opportunities to visit clients or attend conferences in interesting locales. This way I can kill two birds with one stone. Last month, I was able to travel to Berlin, Germany to speak on a panel at an international gaming summit.​