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Martha Rees

Vice President and Assistant General Counsel
Chief Environmental Counsel
Chief Anti-Trust Counsel
E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co.
BSCE '73

For her dedication to environmental protection and creation of sustainable solutions for a higher quality of life

Contrary to the opinion expressed by one of her male classmates in college, not every woman's decision to study engineering during the early '70s at Purdue University was animated by a desire to find a suitable husband. Laughing as she recounts a time when such outlandish attitudes toward women in engineering were not unheard of, Rees betrays a measure of the good humor, passion, and resilience that has no doubt informed her career as an engineer, lobbyist, and attorney at DuPont for the past 35 years.

After graduating from Purdue in 1973 with a degree in civil engineering, Rees started work for DuPont as an environmental engineer; her research focused on wastewater treatment processes using DuPont products. She then moved to manufacturing, where her concentration shifted to plant environmental regulatory compliance, an area that involved increased interaction with attorneys. Though Rees jokes that "Perry Mason" episodes constituted the extent of her legal knowledge before this time, this position would prove to be a pivotal point in her career, ultimately piquing her interest in attending law school.

In the summer of 1980, Rees moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked for DuPont as a lobbyist by day and attended Georgetown Law School by night. "Though I didn't relish law school the way I did getting my engineering degree at Purdue, working as a lobbyist was probably the most developmental experience I have had on a professional as well as personal level," Rees says. On the time she spent as a lobbyist covering federal environmental laws for DuPont, Rees says, "I really learned how to connect with and influence people during this time. I came to understand how important it is to always understand each particular audience and not assume that others see the world just as I do."

After receiving her law degree, Rees worked on a broad range of assignments in the DuPont Legal Department, and in 1998 was appointed associate general counsel and chief environmental counsel.

Rees assumed her current position of vice president and assistant general counsel of DuPont Legal in October 2006, where her responsibilities include international managerial responsibilities for DuPont's law departments outside the U.S., in addition to the commercial, environment/real estate, corporate/securities and merger and acquisitions practices for the worldwide function. She also serves as the chief anti-trust counsel and chief environment counsel for DuPont.

Career Highlights

2006 - present Vice President and Assistant General Council
Chief Environmental Council
Chief Anti-Trust Council
E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co.
1998 - 2006 Associate General Council
Chief Environmental Council
Chief Anti-Trust Council
E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co.
1980 - 1998 Legal Council (Environmental, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural)
1973 - 1980 Environmental Engineer
E.I. DuPont de Nemours Co.
Professional Accomplishments: Admitted to Bar 1984 District of Columbia Registered Professional Engineering in State of Delaware

JD '84, Georgetown University Law Center
BSCE '73, Purdue University