35 ASIAN LEGAL BUSINESS – AUGUST 2023 of title of the film and assistance with various documents, including remake rights-related documentation. Jain is an advocate of equal opportunity for all and is a big supporter of female leadership in the workplace. Mayer Brown’s Gabriela Kennedy has spent 26 years in legal practice. Kennedy is seen as a towering legal mind in IP and technology, media and telecoms (TMT) in Hong Kong and is highly sought after by clients for advise on IP, media, IT and telecoms law. She is also widely regarded as an expert on data privacy and cyber-security issues. Kennedy has advised Alibaba on IP, data privacy, telecoms and technology matters across Asia and other jurisdictions since the company’s early days as a start-up. Kennedy has also been a strategic adviser to NVIDIA since their entry into the Asian market over 16 years ago. She has penned over 600 articles and authored three books and many chapters for specialist books. She is a member of the International Women’s Forum, former president of IWF Hong Kong and a former member of the global board of IWF. Over in Hong Kong, Chloe Leung, a 34-year-old partner at Zhong Lun, specialises in private client and corporate matters with 11 years of experience in the industry. She advises high-net-worth clients on trusts, tax planning, estate administration, and more. Leung’s program to clarify tax residency statuses for clients with assets in Canada and Hong Kong has seen high demand, resulting in tax refunds exceeding costs for some clients. She also offers bespoke services for UHNW clients, reviewing estate plans comprehensively and addressing gaps in contingency planning. Chloe is a Trusts and Estate Practitioner with STEP, actively contributing to STEP committees. Her secondment to a Swiss bank further enriched her wealth and tax planning expertise. Moving over to Malaysia, Lilian Liew has been with Zaid Ibrahim & Co in Kuala Lumpur for nearly three decades. In 1999, she led the team advising 109 local and foreign lenders across multiple jurisdictions in one of the largest debt restructurings in Malaysia to date. She has also advised on many firsts in the legal market in Malaysia, including the first securitisation of hire purchase receivables in Malaysia, originated by Bumiputra-Commerce Finance. Some of Liew’s key clients include HSBC, CIMB Investment Bank and Maybank Investment Bank. Back in Hong Kong, Dan Ouyang has spent nearly two decades as an attorney and currently leads the Greater China capital markets group at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (WSGR). Under her leadership, the firm’s relatively small team has transformed into a powerhouse, competing with other big names in several sectors. WSGR’s capital markets group is the only new player to emerge in the U.S. and Hong Kong IPO sector in Asia in the last eight years. China Everbright Bank’s $3 billion global offering and Hong Kong IPO, Tencent Congratulations on being named one of Asia’s Top 15 Female Lawyers! What are some of the cases or accomplishments that you would like to highlight to our readers? My most memorable case was one where we successfully acted for a statutory body in a copyright infringement suit. The matter concerned many interesting and unusual points of law. As a junior lawyer then, I was privileged to work on the case from the District Court, up to the High Court and eventually the Court of Appeal. It was an invaluable learning experience, and cemented my love for Intellectual Property law. The matter was named one of the “Landmark Cases of the Year” by a legal publication then. The most rewarding case was a “David & Goliath” matter, where I acted for an individual in defending a trade mark opposition action brought by a giant fashion house. The odds were stacked against the client. Motivated, to delve even deeper into legal research and the evidence at hand for the client, a successful outcome was achieved. Today, the client’s products are freely available and sold in Singapore. years, it remains a “work-in-progress” item. Recognition (such as an award like this, recognizing the efforts of female lawyers) is an important first step in validating an individual’s efforts. In addition to recognition and validation, opportunities are equally, if not more, important to have. With these, women can be empowered and motivated to maximise their potential and achieve so much more in their respective legal fields. As a role model for aspiring female lawyers, what advice would you give to those who are looking to excel in the legal profession and make a positive impact in their communities? The legal profession can be a tough and gruelling one. However, never give up, or lose your passion, or let anyone tell you that, as a woman, you are less capable, or will not succeed. We all encounter positive influences throughout our lives. As a beneficiary myself, I know that a supportive firm culture and environment makes all the difference to one’s legal career. Whenever the opportunity arises, pay it forward. It always adds up! A conversation with Yvonne Tang BROUGHT TO YOU BY DREW & NAPIER Considering your recognition accomplishments, how do you advocate for gender equality and empower other women in the legal field? Although as a society we have come a long way in improving gender equality over the Yvonne Tang Director, Intellectual Property E: yvonne.tang@drewnapier.com Drew & Napier 10 Collyer Quay, 10th Floor Ocean Financial Centre, Singapore 049315 W: www.drewnapier.com
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