Kate began working at Hunter, Carnahan, Shoub & Byard in November of 2004 as a law clerk. After spending several years with the firm as an associate attorney, she became a partner with the firm in 2011, forming Hunter, Carnahan, Shoub, Byard & Harshman. After the founding partners of the firm retired, Harshman & Wannemacher was formed in 2020, eventually becoming Harshman, Wannemacher, Tipton & Lipperman.

Kate grew up in a small town in central Illinois. Her father was an active member in his union, Local 1626 of the International Brotherhood of the Boilermakers (IBB). She was the first in her family to attend college and then law school.

Kate provides representation to both private and public sector unions, which includes advocating in arbitrations, contract bargaining, factfinding and conciliation, internal union governance matters, campaign finance compliance, and election law. Kate also represents several nonprofit entities. With an emphasis on the representation of police and fire labor organizations, Kate also has long term experience representing hospital and nursing home workers, teachers, stagehands, bus drivers and many others. She is happy to say that several of her current clients have been represented by her for nearly two decades.