Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in China and received my undergraduate degree from Zhongshan University in China. I received my J.D. from Florida State University in 1998 and have been practicing corporate law in Atlanta ever since. I joined Womble Carlyle in March 2006 after practicing with another Atlanta firm for seven and a half years. My husband and I have two boys, 12 and 7. Both of them are good students and are active with Boy/Cub Scouts, sports and music. We enjoy our family time together, including reading, playing board games, riding bikes and camping.
What motivated you to join Womble Carlyle after several years with another firm?
I wasn’t considering changing firms at the time. It was an opportunity that seemed to fall in my lap. I learned that Womble Carlyle had a strategic plan to grow its international practice, including cross-border transactions with China. This is an area of my practice I had been trying to grow, and I felt Womble would give me an opportunity to take this focus to another level. The firm enjoys a fine reputation in the legal community in Atlanta. This made it a lot easier to make the change.
How would you describe your transition to the firm?
The firm, at all levels, has been tremendously supportive in my efforts to grow the “China Practice.” Within one and a half years, we’ve formed a China Initiative, developed some basic marketing materials, sent a delegation to China and hired a Chinese Law Specialist. The Firm’s footprint in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast Region provides a broad platform for attracting Chinese business and a large client base to develop an outbound China practice. Attorneys across the firm are collegial and supportive of each other’s efforts. I enjoy being in an environment in which lawyers generously celebrate each others’ achievements.
Womble Carlyle is known for its innovative marketing and sales program. How does that program support your practice?
The Firm’s professional marketing and sales staff are very helpful in many ways. They organize events, prepare marketing materials, strategize sales plans, research company information, set up meetings, prepare presentations to prospective clients, and help with follow up activities, to name a few of the things they do.
What programs does the firm have in place to support your continuing professional development?
Womble has a dedicated team that provides professional development assistance to all Womble lawyers. The Professional Development Team arranges monthly events on topics that include oral communication, legal writing and time management. In addition, they organize practice-related mini-seminars, such as negotiation skills, contract writing and an MBA concepts program. Other related programs include the Mentor Program, as well as the Women's Leadership program, which has quarterly lunch and learn courses to address issues like gender communication differences and business development skills for women.
How has your practice evolved since joining Womble Carlyle?
My China-related practice has already grown since I joined Womble one and a half years ago. We’ve helped U.S. companies negotiate contracts with Chinese entities, assisted a China-based company raise capital in a private offering, and helped two Chinese companies set up their operations in the U.S., including negotiating incentives with state and local governments.
How would you characterize the quality of the firm’s technology resources and their usefulness in your practice?
The Firm’s technology resources are among the best in Atlanta law firms. I use the remote network access capability almost daily. This provides me the maximum flexibility in getting my work done and spending time with my family. Another device that is frequently used by all lawyers across the firm is video conferencing, which facilitates meetings among attorneys and staff members in multiple locations. This enables us to function like a cohesive firm instead of separate offices.
