Sandra Leung 

 Candidate for President-Elect

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Candidate Statement 

Winston Churchill is credited with saying, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” These words resonate deeply with me as I digest the events of the past 16 months which have been nothing short of surreal. The global pandemic, massive social unrest brought on by the murder of George Floyd and the exacerbation of anti-Asian violence that was the foreseeable byproduct of the reckless rhetoric of our elected officials and others about the “China virus” have had an indelible impact on us all. I am committed to do all I can to use this “crisis” to create positive and sustainable change for our APA community. I humbly seek your support to serve as the next president-elect of NAPABA. I firmly believe that together, we can build on the excellent work already done by AB Cruz, Sid Kanazawa and the current and recent NAPABA board members to leverage this moment to create an even greater and more inclusive organization –one that recognizes that we are truly all in this together. Together, we can do even more to raise the profile of NAPABA and its members and unite around our shared goals to increase the number of APA judges and advocate for legislation to address racial and social injustice issues. Together, we can support and advance all our members from solo practitioners to large firm attorneys to in-house counsel to government lawyers to public interest attorneys to judges and everyone in between.

For the past 29 years, I have been privileged to work at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), a global biopharmaceutical company, and have served as its general counsel since 2007. Prior to BMS, I served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Manhattan DA’s Office. I have been active in Asian American organizations, often in leadership roles, most of my academic and professional life. I am currently on the boards of the MCCA and AALDEF and I was a founding member of LCLD. I have participated on many NAPABA Annual Convention panels and have been a keynote speaker at many NAPABA affiliate events throughout the U.S. In 2009, I was honored to receive the NAPABA Women’s Leadership award. One of my most valuable professional resources is the NAPABA in-house network in which I actively participate, both at Annual Conventions and throughout the year.

Those who know me well, know I’m a big proponent of transparency and addressing “elephants in the room.” So why am I running for president-elect now and will I have the time given my more than full-time job? My response is two-fold. My two sons are now young men with careers of their own so chasing “work-life balance” is less of a consideration. One of my proudest professional achievements is that I have built a great and empowered team at BMS that requires less of my time on day-to-day management, and I have the support of my employer to take on leadership roles for nonprofit organizations. In other words, I am at the point in my personal life and career where I have acquired the skills, capabilities and have the time necessary to lead NAPABA during a critical phase in its history and to do it well. And, as I mentioned previously, I am inspired by the events of the past 16 months to leverage the great work of NAPABA leadership to achieve even more for our members and the APA community at large.

I believe the skills and capabilities I have developed as general counsel of a multi-national company in a highly dynamic industry will translate well as president-elect of NAPABA. Leading a diverse group of more than 600 attorneys and other professionals, I am responsible for attracting and developing great talent. I do that by creating an open, inclusive and safe environment with integrity --where always doing the right thing serves as our North Star. I strive every day to be an authentic leader, one who doesn’t allow pride to get in the way of asking for help because I don’t have all the answers. I need the collective wisdom and strength of my team and other advisers to best serve our patients. I encourage open debate and disagreement as long as it is respectful, and everyone comes from a place of good intention. That is how the best solutions are derived. Asa natural people person who is highly accessible to others, I will continue this approach as NAPABA president-elect.

I am energized by meeting with people from all backgrounds and hearing their ideas. I have worked with many large and medium-sized law firms both as general counsel and as a member of organizations focused on promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession. Combatting the Model Minority Myth is crucial. It is imperative that NAPABA elevate and address the challenges that too many APA lawyers encounter as deserving of the attention and concern of corporate leaders who advocate for greater DEI.

I am truly excited about the prospect of serving as NAPABA’s president-elect. I have been a student of corporate governance since I became a corporate secretary in 1999. I will bring an added focus on good governance to the NAPABA Board. Moreover, I am excited with the current Strategic Plan and will do all I can, using my years of experience leading and engaging teams, to help each NAPABA member achieve their aspirational career goals. I will encourage storytelling as one of the most effective learning tools. I am excited to raise the public profile of NAPABA and its members even more using all appropriate social media platforms to achieve this. With your support, I will work diligently and enthusiastically with the NAPABA Board to turn this crisis we’ve lived in for too long into greater and sustained opportunities for all NAPABA members.

Candidate Bio

Sandy Leung is the Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Bristol Myers Squibb Company. She leads the worldwide Law Department and is responsible for a wide range of legal areas including intellectual property, commercial and regulatory law, litigation, corporate governance, securities and transactions including licensing, acquisitions and divestitures. She also has responsibility for Compliance & Ethics, Environment, Health & Safety, Corporate Security and Corporate Philanthropy.

Sandy is the Executive Sponsor of Bristol Myers Squibb’s BOLD (Black Organization for Leadership and Development) People & Business Resource Group.

Sandy joined Bristol Myers Squibb in 1992 as a staff attorney in the litigation department. She was promoted to positions of increasing responsibility and was elected Corporate Secretary in 1999. In September 2006, she was appointed Interim General Counsel. In February 2007, she was named General Counsel.

Sandy began her legal career as Assistant District Attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in New York City where she was an original member of the Child Abuse Bureau. She ended her prosecutorial career, after trying more than 40 jury trials to verdict, as a member of the prestigious Homicide Investigations Unit where she conducted investigations of unsolved homicides linked with drug gang activity.

Sandy is on the board of directors of the Asian-American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the board of directors of the Minority Corporate Counsel Association.

Sandy is a graduate of Tufts University and Boston College Law School.

Additional Awards

• 2009 Recipient of the Justice in Action Award from the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
• 2013 Recipient of the Excellence in Corporate Practice Award from the Association of Corporate Counsel
• Named one of America’s 2014 and 2016 Top 50 General Counsel by the National Law Journal

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