About India D. Williams

Purpose-driven and strategic, India D. Williams counsels Global 500 and Fortune 500 corporations and c-suite executives on some of the most complex global finance deals, corporate compliance matters, and government, regulatory and internal investigations.

Having served on a monitor team and representing clients in numerous federal, state and multi-state investigations, her breadth of experience covers matters in the transportation, health care, utility, energy, emerging tech and retail sectors. India has negotiated a host of deals totaling over $10 billion.

Savvy negotiator with enforcement, audit and investigation skill

India has a particular passion for and experience with counseling clients in the fast-developing area of environmental, social and governance (ESG). Clients navigating the new and quickly evolving ESG landscape benefit from India's unique background negotiating high-dollar finance deals and handling white collar investigations. In addition to having advised corporate and capital markets clients on ESG enforcement actions, Nasdaq board diversity litigation, and climate change regulations, India has obtained certifications in ESG Risks and Opportunities and in ESG and Social Activism from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. She also obtained a certification in "Sustainable Capitalism and ESG" from the University of California, Berkley School of Law. She taught "ESG: Racial Equity Audits" at the University of Alabama School of Law.

Before private practice at major law firms, India clerked for Judge Bernice Donald, in the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and interned with Judge Lawrence S. Coogler, in the US District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. In law school, she was editor-in-chief of the Journal of the Legal Profession.

Committed to wellbeing for herself and others, India is a respected wellness advocate and the founder and CEO of Rooted Woman, a self-care and beauty products company. Rooted Woman built a support network of more than 15,000 women committed to radical self-care.

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Practice Focus

  • ESG compliance, audits and investigations
  • Government, regulatory and internal investigations
  • White collar crime
  • Fintech

Representative Experience

  • ESG
  • Counseled public company on modern slavery and human trafficking compliance.
  • Evaluated potential impact of enacted and pending fair access legislation for a financial institution.
  • Advised on municipal social bond issuance.
  • Advised on M&A transaction involving a woman-owned business certification.
  • Represented health care management company and its affiliates in creating ESG programs.
  • Advised corporate and capital markets clients on ESG enforcement actions, Nasdaq board diversity litigation, and climate change regulations. *
  • Advised a private equity company on climate change regulations and potential enforcement actions. *
  • Counseled energy clients on recent ESG enforcement actions and litigation. *
  • Governmental Investigations & Corporate Compliance
  • Served on the monitor team for a utility company placed under a monitorship as part of its five-year criminal probation. *
  • Represented transportation companies in SEC and DOJ investigations and multi-state litigation. *
  • Represented a retail company in internal investigation and in response to a state investigation. *
  • Represented a Fortune 100 company in an internal investigation and in response to a state investigation. *
  • Advised domestic and international companies on compliance issues, including, but not limited to, training and communications, third party due diligence, auditing, monitoring, tone at the top, risk assessments, policies and procedures, confidential reporting mechanisms, mergers and acquisitions, and disciplinary processes.
  • Corporate Finance
  • Represented a casino conglomerate in a financing transition to increase its footprint. *
  • Represented a Fortune 100 bank in loan to emerging tech company raising capital. *
  • Represented a PE investment company in a cross-border financing transaction. *
  • Represented a publicly traded, Fortune 500 investment fund in purchase of notes from an online lending platform trust in order to break into the Fintech market. *
  • Represented Fortune 100 bank in loan to music rights holder to provide additional liquidity enabling digitization of paper music portfolio. *
  • Insolvency/Restructuring
  • Represented a retail company in the third-largest retail Chapter 11 in US History. *
  • Represented a multinational oil company in a corporate restructuring of its offshore drilling activities. *
* Experience prior to Katten

News

Publications

Quick Reads

Presentations and Events

  • October 2–3, 2023
    General Counsel Conference East
    Speaker | Hot Topics in the ESG Sector
  • May 4, 2023
    Startup Law 101, Hosted by Meta
    Keynote Speaker
  • June 2022
    Driving Diversity in Law & Leadership Conference
    Keynote Panelist | Perspectives from the Top
    Panelist | ESG & Racial Equity Audits: What are they? How do you best use them? Things to consider?
Practices
Industries
Education
  • University of Alabama School of Law, JD, magna cum laude
  • The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, ESG Risks and Opportunities Certification, ESG and Social Activism Certification
  • University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, Sustainable Capitalism & ESG Certification
  • University of Alabama, BA, magna cum laude
Bar Admissions
  • District of Columbia
  • Illinois
Court Admissions
  • US Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
Community Involvements
  • University of Alabama School of Law, Board of Directors
Recognitions
Recognized or listed in the following:
  • National Law Journal
    DC Rising Star, 2023
Award Methodologies