| Board of Governors |
NAPABA OfficersPRESIDENTJoseph Yao
Retired
Houston, TX
I’m the #1 son of Asian immigrants: my Chinese father worked in restaurants and my Filipino mother was a registered ENT nurse. Family is very important to me; from when I was a child growing up with and helping raise my five brothers, to when I had and supported six kids, to being blessed with seven grandkids and two grand-dogs (Ajax and Hailey). My partner in crime, Glenna, has helped me through life’s journey for the past 29 years of marriage and then some!> I received a Mechanical Engineering degree from GMI and graduated with a Juris Doctor from the night program at Michigan State University – DCL College of Law. Upon graduation, I joined a boutique law firm in Detroit, Michigan that authored the American Casebook Series – Patent Law and apprenticed under the partners for several years. Then I moved to Dallas, Texas for a mid-tier oil company
as an in-house patent attorney and was promoted to the business-side for an international development assignment, wherein I negotiated a variety of contracts throughout the world, including the Middle East, Europe, China and
the Philippines. In 1998, I joined Exxon Mobil Corporation as in-house intellectual property attorney. I worked in all main four business units; ExxonMobil Chemical Company, ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, and ExxonMobil Information Technology. In each organization, I predominantly did transactional work and was named the Agreement Group Coordinator to develop and rollout the contract process for each business unit. Jason DeJonker
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Chicago, IL
An experienced dealmaker and litigator, Jason is adept in the courtroom, in the boardroom, and at the closing table. Jason takes a creative approach to resolving both litigation and transactional matters for private equity investors,
secured lenders, special servicers, Fortune 500 corporations, trustees, and receivers. His experience includes lender and borrower-side loan workouts (particularly involving CMBS and collateralized loan obligations), representations
of debtors and secured creditors in Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases (including DIP and exit finance) and the plan confirmation process, commercial real estate and UCC foreclosures, and complex collection and judgment collection
matters (including receivership proceedings in federal and state court). patent attorney and was promoted to the business-side for an international development assignment, wherein I negotiated a variety of contracts throughout
the world, including the Middle East, Europe, China and the Philippines. In 1998, I joined Exxon Mobil Corporation as in-house intellectual property attorney. I worked in all main four business units; ExxonMobil Chemical Company, ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, and ExxonMobil Information Technology. In each organization, I predominantly did transactional work and was named the Agreement Group Coordinator to develop and rollout the contract process for each business unit. At Seyfarth Shaw, Jason serves as the chair of the restructuring and insolvency practice group. Arlene Yang
Center for Employment Opportunities
San Diego, CA
Arlene Yang is Senior Counsel at Center for Employment Opportunities, a non- profit organization serving people recently released from incarceration. She is an expert in labor and employment law, in areas including wage and hour, discrimination law, and diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. Arlene's career also includes service in the federal government and as a litigator at boutique, mid-sized, and international law firms. In 1998, I joined Exxon Mobil Corporation as in-house intellectual property attorney. I worked in all main four business units; ExxonMobil Chemical Company, ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, and ExxonMobil Information Technology. In each organization, I predominantly did transactional work and was named the Agreement Group Coordinator to develop and rollout the contract process for each business unit. Arlene has served as a president of the Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego and a co-chair of NAPABA's Labor and Employment Committee, and has served on numerous other boards. Arlene holds an undergraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated from New York University School of Law. Annette Kwok
Owens Corning
Chicago, IL
Annette Kwok is Senior IP Counsel at Owens Corning ("OC"), a publicly traded Fortune 500 leading building product company in Toledo, Ohio. Annette manages all aspects of the international intellectual property portfolio for OC's Global Doors and Lumber divisions, providing actionable, business-driven advice to stakeholders. Prior to joining OC, Annette served as Senior Corporate Counsel at Beyond Meat, a global, innovative plant-based meat company based in El Segundo, CA, in 2023. At Beyond Meat, she managed the company's IP portfolio, counseled the marketing team on advertising and food labeling compliance, negotiated brand ambassador and influencer agreements, and supported the Consumer Care team regarding consumer inquiries and reports. Before joining Beyond Meat, she served as VP, Legal at JAKKS Pacific Inc., a publicly traded, multi-brand global consumer product company based in Santa Monica, California, from 2021 to 2023. At JAKKS, she managed all aspects of the company's international intellectual property portfolio, including brand protection and anti-counterfeiting efforts. She also supported the licensing, marketing, and regulatory compliance teams and served as the Privacy Officer, managing data breach issues. Before joining JAKKS, she served as Head of Intellectual Property at The Cronos Group in Toronto, Canada, from 2019 to 2021, where she managed a team of IP professionals specializing in cannabis research, vaporizer device development, and the evaluation of cannabinoid-infused edible and cosmetic products. Annette was a synthetic organic chemist and inventor before earning her law degree from the University of New Hampshire's Franklin Pierce School of Law. She is a registered patent attorney and practiced at AmLaw 100 firms in Washington, D.C. for 14 years. Beyond her corporate roles, Annette has over twenty years of demonstrated leadership within the legal community and is a champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She serves as a Trustee of The IP Law Foundation (formerly The Foundation for Advancement of Diversity in IP Law) and previously served on its Executive Committee and chaired its Scholarship Application Review Committee. In D.C., she served on the Board of Governors of the D.C. Bar, the largest unified bar in the U.S. with over 120,000 members internationally, and the Board of Directors of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center. She spearheaded the implementation of a Diversity and Inclusion Policy to ensure at least 30% of all candidates interviewed are self-identified as women, LGBTQ+, minorities, or members of another recognized protected class. She also served as the Treasurer (2022-2024) and Southeast Regional Governor (2015-2017) of NAPABA, a Past President of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of D.C. (APABA-DC), and an appointed committee member of the Interests on Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA) Committee of the ABA and the D.C. Bar Foundation. Annette is dedicated to providing pro bono services and promoting access to justice for the underserved. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her dog, Coco, and two cats, Billy and Jimmy, and training them to do tricks. Thy Bui
Maynard Nexsen PC
Los Angeles, CA
Thy B. Bui is an employment litigator based in Los Angeles, California at Maynard Nexsen LLP. She was named a BTI Client All-Star in 2025, one of NAPABA's Best Under 40 in 2020. and one of SuperLawyer's top 50 Up-and-Coming Women Lawyers in Los Angeles for three consecutive years. She has served in many leadership roles in NAPABA since 2014, including various roles on the Board of Governors and committee leadership in the Young Lawyers Network and Labor and Employment Committee. Outside of her law firm and NAPABA, she currently serves as a director for the Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties and the Inner City Law Center. She is an avid political junkie, amateur sailor, and way too into dogs. NAPABA Officers Philip Bautista
Taft Stettinius & Hollister
Cleveland, OH
Philip Bautista is a partner in Taft’s Intellectual Property and Litigation Practice Groups and is an elected member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Phil is a Chambers-rated trial lawyer who has extensive first-chair litigation and trial experience. Having a background in science, Phil has litigated numerous cases throughout the United States involving trademarks, patents, copyrights and trade secrets. Phil is also a Board Member of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association (NFALA), Filipino American Lawyers Association of Ohio (FALA Ohio), and is a member of the Asian American Bar Association of Ohio. Jason Liang
Liang Ly LLP
Los Angeles, CA
Jason is a trial lawyer and founding partner of the firm. He has successfully tried dozens of civil and criminal matters in both state and federal courts, and has served as lead trial attorney in more than 30 trial and arbitration matters. Since 2007, Jason has represented hundreds of corporate and individual clients in various complex civil and criminal matters, including matters that involve trade secret and intellectual property theft, defamation, copyright infringement, trademark infringement, breach of contract, fraud, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO Act”), the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the Economic Espionage Act, the False Claims Act, anti-trust and unfair competition laws, and cross-border disputes involving Chinese law. Glicel Sumagaysay
Law Office of Glicel Sumagaysay
Walnut Creek, CA
As the owner of Law Office of Glicel Sumagaysay, an Employment Law Firm, Glicel Sumagaysay (She/Her) represents private and public workers in pre-litigation and litigation. Specifically, Glicel files claims for workers for wrongful termination; retaliation; disability, race, gender and other discrimination; harassment; wage theft; and other wage claims. Additionally, Glicel helps small businesses prevent employment law violations by advising them in all stages of a worker engagement. Glicel is a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association (CELA). She serves as Chair of CELA’s Worker Outreach committee, where she co-leads the committee in providing Know Your Rights programs to educate workers about their employment rights and to organize pro bono clinics for workers. Further, Glicel is currently a co-chair of the Asian Pacific American Women Lawyers’ Alliance (APAWLA)’s Civic Engagement Committee and Secretary of APABA (Asian Pacific American Bar Association) Solano County. Glicel is also a member of the Alameda and Contra Costa County Bar Associations. Additionally, Glicel is a FBANC (Filipino Bar Association of Northern California) Co-Director of Professional Development. Finally, Glicel is proud to be an incoming Regional Governor for Eastern California/Nevada of NAPABA. Kathleen Chen
Johnson & Johnson
Horsham, PA
Kathleen Chen is currently the Board Attorney for the Solid Tumor team, within the Oncology therapeutic area of Johnson & Johnson. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Kathleen served in a deputy general counsel capacity for the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Kathleen is also the 2024 president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania. Alan Y. Wong
KabaFusion
Boston, MA
Alan Y. Wong is Associate Counsel at KabaFusion, where he practices as an in-house generalist attorney, with an emphasis on managing litigation and claims. Alan has long been active in AAPI advocacy, from leading undergraduate AAPI student groups, to co-chairing his law school's APALSA chapter, to being a founding co-chair of his former firm's Asian American employee resource group. A lifelong resident of the Boston area, Alan serves on the executive board of the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts, a NAPABA affiliate. Alan believes strongly in supporting his local AAPI community, and works with organizations like the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence in a pro bono capacity. Alan received his B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, majoring in economics, political science, and Asian American studies. He received his J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law, and has been a member of NAPABA since graduating from law school in 2013. Lisa Mak
Flynn Group
San Francisco, CA
With over 15 years of litigation experience, Lisa currently serves as Senior Employment Counsel at Flynn Group, the largest franchisee operator in the US. In her role, she oversees employment litigation and provides strategic advice on employment issues for the company. Lisa has been honored for her work as a litigator, including recognition from NAPABA (Best Under 40 Award), the Equal Justice Society, the Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, and by the SuperLawyers and Best Lawyers publications. Lisa is dedicated to public service and currently serves as the Northern California Regional Governor for NAPABA. She previously served as President of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area, and also served on the Board of Directors for the California Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Bar Association of San Francisco, the Minority Bar Coalition, and Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach. Eric De Los Santos
Emergent BioSolutions
Seattle, WA
Eric de los Santos is Assistant General Counsel at Emergent Biosolutions, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He has been a employment and labor attorney for close to 30 years and lives in Seattle with his husband, Chad, and their dog and cat, Patches and Stitches, respectively. Eric is a founding member of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association and served as its president. He also co-founded the Filipino Lawyers of Washington and served as its president. He has been active with the Asian Bar Association of Washington where he looks forward every year to hosting the group’s annual Walk for Rice bbq at his house. Eric is from Honolulu, Hawaii, and goes back often to visit his family. He is very proud to be representing a geographically diverse region and is looking very forward to working with its affiliates and members. Onchantho Am
University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Orlando, FL
As a former foster youth and now an attorney, my journey has been one of resilience, service, and leadership. As Associate General Counsel at the UCF College of Medicine, I provide legal guidance on healthcare initiatives, contracts, regulatory matters, and risk mitigation, ensuring compliance and strategic decision-making in a complex academic medical environment. Before joining UCF, I served as VP and CLO for a nonprofit focused on mental health, substance misuse, and child well-being, where I worked at the intersection of law, policy, and community impact. Beyond my legal work, I am deeply committed to public service and mentorship. I led and planned "Pathways in the Law" and mentorship programs for youth, helping to guide and inspire the next generation. I co-founded ACT (Asian
American Pacific Islanders Coming Together), a non-partisan nonprofit dedicated to civic engagement and voter education. Through ACT, we have led efforts to translate election ballots into several languages, foster dialogue
between law enforcement and the community, and increase voter education and participation. While these accolades are meaningful, my greatest professional fulfillment comes from using my experiences to uplift others. Whether advocating for transformative impact, mentoring the next generation of leaders, or shaping policies that drive meaningful change, my mission remains clear: to lead with integrity, purpose, and a commitment to excellence. Tony Wang
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Newport Beach, CA
Tony Wang focuses his practice on corporate and securities law, with an emphasis on private equity, venture capital, merger and acquisition, and cross border transactions between the US and Asia. His clients span numerous industries including telecommunications, media, software/technology, manufacturing, energy, and real estate. He also has extensive experience in dealing with US securities compliance issues, corporate governance matters, and intellectual property topics, specifically with start-up companies and venture capital and private equity investors. Phil Kim
Jackson Walker
Dallas, TX
Phil Kim is a Chambers-ranked healthcare attorney who advises providers and industry participants on complex transactional and regulatory matters. He counsels private equity firms, digital health companies, health systems, hospitals,
pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, physician groups (including NPHOs), home health providers, hospices, and other healthcare companies on buy- and sell-side M&A, joint ventures, and operational issues encompassing
regulatory, licensure, contractual, and administrative considerations. Phil has led regulatory legal teams on a wide range of healthcare transactions, including some of the most significant multi-billion dollar deals in the
sector.
Phil’s experience spans healthcare arrangements and provider agreements of all types, including transitioning hundreds of physicians from a prior group to a new NPHO with a restructured employment model. He negotiates professional
services, clinical and educational affiliations, leases, business associate agreements, and other service contracts across private and public sectors. At-Large MembersAlicia Limtiaco
Supreme Court of Guam
Guam
Alicia A. G. Limtiaco, Esq., serves as Regulation Counsel with the Supreme Court of Guam. She was previously the Director of Policy, Planning and Community Relations, Lead Litigation Counsel, and Acting Administrator of Court Programs
for the Judiciary of Guam. Alen Hsu
Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman, P.L.
Boca Raton, FL
Alen Hsu is a partner at Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman, P.L., where he serves as both a litigator and counselor to business clients. He concentrates his litigation practice in real estate, employment, business, and general
commercial disputes, and he also advises domestic and foreign companies on transactional and regulatory matters. His ability to bridge complex litigation with practical business insight allows him to deliver efficient and strategic
results for his clients. Anushree Bagrodia
Mastercard
New York, NY
Anushree Bagrodia is a Vice President & Senior Managing Counsel at Mastercard. She has over 17 years of deep and rich international legal experience spanning Asia, Europe and North America. A seasoned corporate and product
lawyer, her legal expertise spreads from international M&A to complex commercial transactions to global product development and commercialization. Her negotiations and strategic advice have helped close several high value
and high impact deals across industries, regulatory domains and geographies. Brian Wong
ServiceNow, Inc.
Santa Clara, CA
Brian Wong is a Senior Director on the legal team of ServiceNow, Inc., where he leads the company’s Global Employment Law and Workplace Investigations teams in service to a workforce of over 25,000 employees. Brian’s teams are
responsible for all employment advice and litigation across the world, as well as prompt and thorough review of all concerns of unlawful workplace conduct at the company. Prior to joining ServiceNow, Brian served as in-house
counsel to Adobe and Gap Inc., and practiced at law firms Baker & McKenzie and Seyfarth Shaw. Eemaan Jalili
Jilili Law, PC
Irvine, CA
Eemaan Jalili, Esq., CPA, is the founder and principal attorney of Jalili Law, PC, where he focuses on taxation law, litigation, and the artificial intelligence in legal practice. A dual-credentialed attorney and Certified Public
Accountant, Eemaan has over a decade of experience guiding individuals, businesses, and nonprofits through complex tax matters. His work spans corporate litigation, federal and state tax controversies and advanced taxation
issues such as R&D tax credits, employee retention credits, and nexus challenges, representing clients before the IRS, the Superior Court, appellate work before the Ninth Circuit and the California appellate courts, as
well as drafting a Writ of Certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court addressing intricate oil and gas facility matters. Eugene Kim
Vanguard Cleaning System
Denver, CO
Eugene serves as General Counsel at Vanguard Cleaning System. He previously served as an in-house attorney at Vail Resorts Management Company, serving as Vice President - Associate General Counsel as a leader for the Mountain Resorts
Counsel team. The Mountain Resorts Counsel team supports the company's 43 Resorts across North America, Australia and Switzerland and serves as a strategic thought partner and advisor to help the company achieve its goals in
key mountain operations, ancillary businesses like Retail/Rental, Hospitality and Ski & Ride School and Food & Beverage. Eugene has significant experience as a key contributor to key corporate functions like Marketing,
IT/Privacy/Information Security, and all regulatory functions (Environmental, Public Lands, Water, and Tramway). Sapna Palla
White & Case LLP
New York, NY
Sapna Palla is a trial lawyer and partner at White & Case. She has spent over two decades representing clients in high-stakes patent, trademark, copyright, and complex commercial matters, including successfully litigating disputes
in federal and state courts in a range of jurisdictions. She also has extensive experience with alternative dispute resolution, including arbitration and mediation. Sapna also counsels and represents a variety of U.S. and international
clients regarding U.S. intellectual property rights by providing them with infringement, validity, enforceability, and clearance opinions and by advising them in licensing and antitrust matters. She also conducts intellectual
property due diligence investigations in connection with acquisitions and licensing deals. Vishal Chander
The Chander Law Firm, P.C.
New York, NY
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12/2/2025NAPABA Statement in Response to Shooting of National Guard Members in Washington, DC
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11/7/2025NAPABA Congratulates Eric Tung on His Confirmation to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
10/20/2025 NAPABA Trailblazer Sandra Leung to Receive ABA Spirit of Excellence Award
9/9/2025NAPABA Congratulates John Truong on Nomination to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia
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2026 NAPABA Convention
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2027 NAPABA Convention
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2028 NAPABA Convention
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2029 NAPABA Convention