This blog is part of our ongoing Women in Technology series.
Kamaka Martin, Esq. is the Senior Vice President of US Client Services at Consilio. Kamaka has over 18 years of legal consultation experience and has worked with several Fortune 500 corporations advising on best practices when using software as a service, artificial intelligence and bespoke managed services offerings to manage complex litigation. Kamaka has expertise in Technology Assisted Review, advanced analytics and has been instrumental in the development of workflows that utilize core predictive analytics features. Kamaka also speaks regularly about inclusion and diversity in the legal industry and the importance of fostering an equitable environment for professionals and clients to thrive. Kamaka graduated Summa Cum Laude from Lafayette College with a B.A. in History and Government and Law with Honors in 2004. She also received her J.D. from the University of Melbourne while living abroad in Australia.
How did you get into this industry?
I got into the industry based on where I was assigned during my initial rotation at my first job after graduating college. I worked as a Case Assistant at Goodwin Procter in New York City where I was assigned to work in the Labor and Employment division. At the time, the Zublake v. UBS Warburg matter which is a gender discrimination case was a central focus for the team because there were five recent decisions, Zublake I through V that are known as the cornerstone for the discovery of electronic data. It was a pivotal moment for the legal industry as the Zublake decisions significantly impacted how electronic discovery was handled and I worked with a team of attorneys who were writing legal articles about the decisions and using the precedent on cases that were in active discovery. It was a great learning experience, and it was also at a time where both electronic and paper discovery existed side by side. There were matters that were primarily electronic and there were others that had “war rooms” stacked to the ceilings with banker boxes filled with discovery documents. Over the two years, the experience solidified my interest in the legal profession, and I pursued a law degree at the University of Melbourne in Australia.
What were some pivotal moments in your career that helped to get you to where you are today?
Some pivotal moments in my career would be working for the law firm Allens Arthur Robinson and at the Victorian Bar – Commercial Court while living in Melbourne, Australia which helped to shape my global perspective of the law. Following my return to the US in 2009, it took some time to find my footing after the 2008 recession, but I landed an opportunity at Xerox Litigation Services as Client Manager which placed me squarely back into the eDiscovery space. I was then recruited by Recommind from New York to San Francisco, which was a pivotal moment in my career because I was working for an innovative software company turned eDiscovery vendor that patented its iterative predictive coding process which was inspiring to work for a cutting-edge organization. Being positioned in Silicon Valley and having the opportunity to develop predictive analytics workflows for Fortune 10 companies such as Google was instrumental in growing my career in the industry and shaping my interest and focus on Managed Services. The opportunity to take repeatable processes and best practices and deploy them in a multi-tenant environment as well as behind the firewall of client organizations certainly created a strong foundation for where I am in my eDiscovery career today.
Have you ever noticed a time in your career where your gender proved to differentiate you?
Being a Relativity Stellar Woman Innovation Award finalist in 2021 was a full circle moment and one where my gender proved to be a positive differentiator. The award recognizes women who move technology forward and the recognition provided a platform to connect with a wide cross-section of women in the industry. It also provided an opportunity to encourage other women to pursue opportunities in tech. This was an important moment for me because it afforded me the opportunity to facilitate the first Stellar Women Workshop which has a primary focus on empowering women in technology. The workshop highlights the importance of acknowledging the role gender plays in how women move through their careers. I harnessed the lessons learned through my career and shared those insights with women who were seeking support as they navigated different phases of their career. It was also a great lesson in allyship because there were several men who attended the workshops and asked pointed questions about how they can mentor and be allies for women in the workplace.
What is your advice for someone working in a predominately male workplace?
Working in a predominantly male industry can be challenging, but most men do believe in equality for women in the workplace. This is not to overlook the subtle and sometimes overt gender biases that women encounter. It is important to focus on the positive and lean into your strengths, namely the aspects of your job that you’re confident about executing effectively. Having confidence in your strengths will naturally lend itself to professional self-advocacy, which is an important skill, it means showing up as yourself, speaking up and being confident that you were hired because you bring value to the table.
It is also important to be intentional about creating relationships with your peers and finding allies in the workplace. Seek out individuals who you trust and respect. Allies and mentors can help you navigate challenges in the workplace. Being recognized for the skillset you bring to the table and having allies who value your work means that whether you’re “in the room” or not; there is someone who is advocating on your behalf. Also, seek safe spaces where you can speak freely and receive constructive feedback about experiences you may encounter. I would also recommend seeking out professional women’s organizations such as Women in eDiscovery and the Ellevate Network where there are communities of women who share their professional experiences. This is a great way to help you see how other women navigate challenges and successes in the workplace. Once you’ve found your way within an organization, lean into the adage that empowered women, empower women and seek opportunities to be an ally and mentor for another woman.
What do you think companies could do to motivate more women to pursue careers in technology?
Companies can motivate more women to pursue careers in technology by marketing their organizations as places that are innovative, inclusive, focused on hiring, mentoring, educating, supporting, and promoting women in technology. In short, to motivate women to pursue careers in technology requires organizations to put action into their words and be committed to promoting themselves as champions for women in tech. Organizations seeking to grow more female talent could also consider investing in and taking guidance from organizations and networks that are currently successfully at creating opportunities for women in technology.
Organizations should also do their own learning to understand the mindset of current employees. Do the employees who currently work within the organization believe that the organization is a place that motivates women to pursue careers in technology? Cultivating a professional environment where there are women within the organization that are in senior leadership roles sets the tone for what prospective women employees could expect if they were to join the organization. Companies should have a strategic plan centered on a vision for an equitable workplace and be intentional about recruiting women and offering an onboarding and integration plan to facilitate retention and professional advancement.