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Whole Lawyer Project 10 – Blossom Kan

Blossom Kan, Assistant General Counsel at MetLife and novelist, on unconscious bias, self-advocacy, and taking ownership of your aspirations. Blossom is a powerhouse lawyer at MetLife, an author of two fiction novels, and a graduate of Yale College and NYU School of Law. Together, we explore what it was like growing up as the only Asian kid in her Bronx neighborhood, how she managed to write novels in her spare time working in BigLaw, and how she has continued to grow throughout her 14-year tenure at MetLife.  Drawing on lessons from her own past, Blossom also offers practical tips and strategies on how Asian American attorneys can combat the bamboo ceiling and how we can take agency over our own success (pro tip: remember that self-advocacy is different from bragging -- so advocate for yourself like you advocate for your own clients).

Whole Lawyer Project 09 – Glenn Magpantay

Glenn Magpantay, civil rights attorney, professor, and nonprofit executive, on self-acceptance, confidence, and hope. As a civil rights activist, a professor of law, and the former Executive Director of the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, Glenn is a force of nature. In this episode, he opens up about his mental health journey, which included overcoming thoughts of suicide as a result of the harassment, bullying and death threats he faced as one of the only gay and Asian men in his Queens community. Glenn also shares his take on what he believes is driving the spike in anti-Asian hate crimes and what he is doing to make sure this is a lasting movement, not a mere moment, for change. This is a must-listen for anyone who needs a reminder that self-acceptance is a never-ending journey (it is a struggle for everyone at times!), that it is never too late to go after what you want (our biggest obstacle is our own fear), and that none of us get it right all the time (and that is totally OK).

Whole Lawyer Project 08 – Shinhong Byun

Shinhong Byun, an attorney, a mother, a military spouse, and podcast host: On surviving rape and PTSD, and channeling her pain into power. We are so excited to host Shinhong Byun, an Of Counsel at Chan + Punzalan and the host of The Curious Ahjuma podcast (https://curiousahjuma.libsyn.com/ [https://curiousahjuma.libsyn.com/]), for which she bravely shares her healing journey following a brutal rape and a harrowing trial in Korea, and the bouts of PTSD, shame, and depression that haunted her even after 15 years. Together, we explore everything -- from discovering self-compassion to refusing to numb ourselves to day-to-day microaggressions to refusing to define oneself as a broken victim (no matter how brutal some of our life experiences can be). In addition to matters of the heart, we also explore Shinhong's storied legal career and all the advice she has for attorneys looking to pivot through different areas of the law (Shinhong has pivoted through criminal law, commercial litigation, and maritime law at various points throughout her life). Shinhong is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School, Tulane University Law School, and the University of California, San Diego. Shinhong's story is a must-listen for those who embrace healing, growth and self-compassion.

Whole Lawyer Project 07 – Stephanie Tsao

Stephanie Tsao, an attorney and founder of API International Connectors: On taking a pause from BigLaw and organizing an international rally to Stop Asian Hate We are so excited to host Stephanie Tsao, a former BigLaw attorney who founded API International Connectors (API-IC), a nonprofit connecting community leaders, NGOs and grassroots organizations to unite to Stop Asian Hate. Alongside organizations in the U.S., Canada and Australia, API-IC is organizing an international rally for May 15, 2021 to fight against anti-Asian hate around the world. For more information, please check out their Instagram @apiic_org orwww.communityagainsthate.org [http://www.communityagainsthate.org/]. In addition to promoting the rally, Stephanie speaks on the first step anyone can take to fight for social justice, on her unexpected pause in her BigLaw journey to care for her two young babies during COVID, on the one movie she recommends we all watch to keep perspective (yes, it's from Disney!), and on her latest side-hustle candy business she is launching in the middle of the pandemic (check outhttp://viviandlivy.com/ [http://viviandlivy.com/]for a preview of what's to come!). Stephanie's story is a must-listen for all the hustlers out there: Remember you are never too late to start over, to make that cold call, to make intentional memories with your family, or to launch that business you've always dreamed of. Hope you enjoy.

Whole Lawyer Project 06 – Wookie Kim

Wookie Kim is the Legal Director of the ACLU of Hawaiʻi, as well as a Lecturer in Law at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and an endurance athlete who competes in 100-mile trail races. On this episode, we explore how Wookie's Teach for America experiences motivated him to become a civil rights lawyer, how he navigated the transition from BigLaw to the ACLU (pro tip: grab a copy of The Great Firm Escape here:https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/opia/the-great-firm-escape/ [https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/opia/the-great-firm-escape/]), and how the spike in anti-Asian violence has resurfaced all the various microaggressions we all too easily swept under the rug while growing up. Wookie also shares how a near-death experience while trail running and months-long road to recovery empowered him to speed up his dreams, get out of his comfort zone, and tune deeper into his intuition -- no matter how difficult it can be to go against the current at times. Prior to joining the ACLU, Wookie was a litigation associate at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP in Washington, D.C and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Catherine C. Blake of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Wookie is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Yale College.