A woman with straight brown hair, wearing a navy blouse, smiles at the camera in a modern, well-lit office, representing litigation support for lawyers in Chicago.

Kate Noble Wegrzyn

Partner

Kate Noble Wegrzyn

Partner

Kate Noble Wegrzyn (pronounced “Way Grin”) is a partner and business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP.  Kate is chair of the firm’s Supply Chain team. She is also a member of the firm’s Manufacturing Sector Advisory Board and is a member of the Food & Beverage Team. Kate is the former Editor in Chief of the LexisNexis published treatise entitled “International Agency and Distribution Agreements.”

Kate’s areas of focus include drafting commercial contracts and counseling businesses on supply chain matters, including force majeure issues, pricing, procurement strategies, dealer and customer arrangements, licensing issues, and logistics and transportation. Clients appreciate Kate’s practical, business-focused approach to commercial counseling and contract negotiation.

“I appreciate and enjoy working with Kate and her team as they are proactive, efficient, and pragmatic in their approach to legal issues.  I trust in their work product and advice regarding our supply chain.”   Associate General Counsel at a top privately held food service distribution company

Kate is an author and editor of the following publications:

  • Foley’s Supply Chain Desk Reference, which covers, among other things, the following topics: battle of the forms, distribution supply chain options, warranties, product recall and hazard reporting issues, indemnification, consequential damages and disclaimers, and nondisclosure agreements.
  • Foley’s Blockchain in Supply Chain series, which explores the application of blockchain technology usage in the supply chain.
  • Foley’s Accelerating Trends, an interactive report that provides frameworks and tools to address key supply chain considerations in moving production or sourcing out of China.

Representative Experience

  • Assisted a major food brand in the negotiation of an exclusive brokerage agreement in connection with all of its sales to major big box stores.
  • Led an audit of all key customer contracts for a public company related to the imposition of surcharges and force majeure-related issues.
  • Drafted and negotiated a contract manufacturing agreement for one of the key ingredients of a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Represented a multinational consumer goods company in the negotiation of a license agreement in connection with travel-sized branded lotions to be placed into luxury hotels and spas throughout the country.
  • Represented a global food packaging company in connection with a US$200m supply agreement for the supply of paper products to a European entity.
  • Represented a public company on negotiating all of its laboratory services agreements for the provision of coronavirus testing to state governments, companies, and healthcare entities across the country, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars in sales.
  • Represented an iconic consumer goods company in a supply and joint development agreement related to a new cooler offering.

Awards and Recognition

  • Recipient, 2022 Wisconsin Legal Innovator Award, State Bar of Wisconsin

Affiliations

  • Chair, Wisconsin Humane Society board of directors

Presentations and Publications

November 21, 2025 In the News

Kate Wegrzyn Highlighted as Moderator of AI in Law Panel

Foley & Lardner LLP partner Kate Wegrzyn is highlighted as a panel moderator at this year's Women, Influence & Power in Law conference in the Corporate Counsel article, “'You Will Be the Dinosaur': In-House Leaders Call Ignoring AI a Career-Crushing Blunder.”
October 30, 2025 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

Best Practices for Supply Chain Mapping

With the complex regulatory landscape regarding sourcing, it is clear the U.S. Government expects companies to understand, manage, and...
September 26, 2025 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

Emerging Legal Exposure for Businesses in Mexico: Local Supplier Relationships Can Trigger Enforcement of U.S. Financial Crime Laws

Until the start of the second Trump Administration, companies doing business in Mexico and other Latin American countries likely felt...
September 26, 2025 Honors and Awards

Foley Receives Six Wisconsin Law Journal Legal All-Star Awards

Foley & Lardner LLP is proud to announce that six members of the firm are recognized across five categories at the 2025 Wisconsin Law Journal Legal All-Stars Awards.
Close-up of a CNC laser cutting machine emitting sparks as it cuts through a sheet of metal in an industrial setting.
September 24, 2025 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

Pricing Stability and Supply Continuity: Strategic Contracting for Reshoring

Moving manufacturing operations back to the U.S. can reduce tariff exposure and simplify logistics, but it introduces new challenges such as labor shortages and operational risks. Companies must weigh these trade-offs carefully. To manage cost fluctuations, manufacturers are turning to well-crafted pricing adjustment clauses — either index-based (tied to public indices) or cost-based (tied to actual supplier costs) — to ensure fair and predictable pricing. With U.S. suppliers often operating near capacity, manufacturers should use tools like quantity commitments, liquidated damages, safety stock requirements, and diversified sourcing to protect against disruptions and ensure reliable supply.
A series of transparent, overlapping glass-like discs stand upright on a reflective surface under blue and purple lighting.
September 11, 2025 Manufacturing Industry Advisor

Tariffs and Your Contracts: Why does the contract quantity matter?

Discover why quantity terms in contracts are critical when tariffs shift costs. Learn how UCC § 2-201(1) impacts enforceability and how quantity clauses—like minimum commitments, requirements, and output contracts—can protect your business.