Women in Law Hong Kong Anniversary
Join us to celebrate Women in Law Hong Kong’s Anniversary for a fun night of cocktails and sharing at
Employees Only winner of the “Best New Cocktail Bar” in Hong Kong*, eight appearances on “World’s 50 Best Bars” list and 2016 “Legends of the List”**. featuring Ms. Fiona Nott, CEO of The Women’s Foundation
who will be sharing her experience transitioning from a former corporate lawyer (senior legal professional and adviser to PCCW, AIA, AIG, Aviva, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery etc.) to her current role.
Tuesday 28 November 2017
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
EMPLOYEES ONLY
19 Lan Kwai Fong, Central
Pictures and a post-write up can be found here.
November Women@Lunch
Location: Buenos Aires Polo Club 7F LKF Tower, 33Wyndham Street, Central
Date: Thursday, November 30, 2017
Time: Lunch will start promptly at 12:30pm and finish at 2pm.
2017 WILHK Mentoring Programme Closing Dinner + Alumni Event
The 2017 WILHK Mentoring Programme Closing Event, kindly sponsored by Axiom and Maples, was held on 22 November 2017. The 2017 WILHK Mentoring Programme Sub-committee brought together all parties who have supported our mentoring programme to Praya, a cosy hip restaurant on the Kennedy Town harbourfront, for a big celebration. The evening kicked off around 7:30pm with a meet-and-greet for the Mentoring Class of 2016 alumni and the soon-to-be alumni Mentoring Class of 2017. Susan Wong, Vice-Chair of 2017 WILHK Mentoring Programme, welcomed all guests and took them on a trip down memory lane as she reminiscence key events over the 9 months-long programme. Sponsors, Axiom (David Wu) and Maples (Michelle Lloyd - a 2017 WILHK mentor) were then invited to speak and shared their thoughts on gender diversity, mentorship and other women initiatives important to them and their organization. As guests tucked into dinner, Conventus Law began shooting and interviewed some of our mentors, mentees and committee members to capture the WILHK’s mentoring journey. Stay tuned on the videos and more exciting additions to the 2018 WILHK Mentoring Programme. In the meantime, a big thank you to all sponsors, workshop trainers, participants and everyone who has made our mentoring programme such a success this year!
FinanceAsia’s 6th Compliance Summit Asia
As a valuable member of Women in Law Hong Kong, we would like to extend our invitation to you to participate in FinanceAsia’s 6th Compliance Summit Asia which will be held on 8th November, 2017 in The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong.
The Summit this year will be split into quarters, with a mix of panels and presentations covering four key areas: Regulation & Enforcement, CyberSecurity and Risk Management, KYC, AML and CTF sanctions, and GRC considerations.
Further information on topics being covered and speakers can be found on the event website.
Seats are limited in number and are extended on a first come, first served basis, so please confirm your pass at the link:
https://www.eventsforce.net/hma/61/register?mc=WOMEN_IN_LAW
We look forward to welcoming you to the Summit in November.
Asia Women in Business Law Awards 2017
Congratulations to members of the Women in Law Hong Kong committee, for receiving nominations and awards in the following categories at the Asia Women in Business Law Awards 2017, held at the JW Marriot. The event honored exceptional female lawyers from across Asia Pacific. Committee member Alison Tsai also presented the award for Pro-Bono counsel of the year.
WILHK would also like to congratulate all the additional nominees and winners at the event!
Nominee for the Rising Star: Corporate Award – Jeanette Tam, Bird & Bird
Nominee for the Rising Star: Finance Award – Ka Yin Au Yeung, Hogan Lovells
Nominee for the Rising Star: Litigation Award – Mariel Dimsey, Hogan Lovells
***
Winner of the Rising Star: IP Award – Nina Fitzgerald, Deacons
Winner of International Financial Law Review In-House Award – Stephanie Sheng, Goldman Sachs
October Women@Lunch
Location: Maison Libanaise Rooftop, 10 Shelley Street, Central (next to the escalators)
Date: Thursday, October 26, 2017
Time: Lunch will start promptly at 12:30pm and finish at 2pm.
Around 25 attended the October Women @ Lunch.
September Women@Lunch
In connection with our Collaboration with Men series, our next women@lunch session will be “Invite a male colleague”. Participants are asked to bring a male colleague; lunch will also be structured around topical discussions on diversity.
Date: 28 September 2017
Time: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Venue: Wolfgang’s Steakhouse, 1/F Printing House, 6 Duddell St, Central
RSVP: womenatlunch@wilhk.com
The Macallan ALB Hong Kong Law Awards 2017
Congratulations to WILHK Mentoring Programme current and past mentors for being short-listed as finalists for Woman Lawyer of the Year at The Macallan Hong Kong Law Awards 2017!
-Jaclyn Jhin of CLSA
-Anne-Marie Slot of Ashurst
-Jane McBride of Deacons
-Ann Ng of Maples and Calder
-Tracy Yip of Oldham, Li & Nie
Congratulations as well to WILHK committee member Susan Wong and WILHK chair Stephanie Sheng for being selected as finalists in the In-House Lawyer category. The Macallan Hong Kong Law Awards 2017 will be held at the Conrad Hong Kong on 8 September. Click here to reserve your seat at the awards.
ALB Hong Kong 2017 In-House Legal Summit
Please join us at the ALB Hong Kong 2017 In-House Legal Summit, which will cover key legal issues and regulatory changes, while hearing about best practice solutions from leading in-house counsel, law firms and legal service providers in Hong Kong and Greater China.
The Summit key-note speaker is Wesley Wong, SC, Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Hong Kong, and the event will be chaired by WILHK's chair, Stephanie Sheng, and WILHK committee member, Yea Ji Sohn.
Date: 12 September 2017
Time: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Venue: Conrad Hong Kong, Central
Click here to RSVP. Free of charge for all in-house counsels.
Gender Equity Conference - Fixing the leaking female pipeline
WILHK is proud to support the Gender Equity Conference for the second year running. This year’s theme is “Fixing the Leaking Female Pipeline”, and will headline speakers, panel discussions and networking to provide concrete evidence and practical ideas to change attitudes and business practices to empower corporations to create gender-balanced workplaces.
Date: 21 Sept 2017
Time: 9:00am – 6:00pm
Venue: Swire – Centre of Excellence, 13/F Oxford House, Taikoo Place, 979 King’s Road, Hong Kong
RSVP here and include our promo code GECSP2017 for a 20% discount.
MIP International Women's Leadership Forum
WILHK is proud to partner with Managing Intellectual Property to invite you to attend the inaugural MIP International Women's Leadership Forum. Following successful events in California, New York and London, the Forum aims to connect you with successful and high-profile women, who will share their career progression and experiences on working in law and the intellectual property space with you. Download the brochure here.
Registration to the Forum is completely free of charge for all in-house and IP counsel. In addition, register your attendance for the Forum today and you will also gain access to the MIP Women in IP Global Network, an invitation-only platform providing you with access to year-round networking through an online membership portal and thought leadership events.
Date: 21 September 2017
Time: Registration at 8:30am, conference from 9am – 4:30pm
Venue: Cliftons, 508-520, Hutchison House, 10 Harcourt Rd, Central, Hong Kong
Click here to RSVP and quote WILHK
WILHK was delighted to support a lunch seminar hosted by Herbert Smith Freehills on 7 September 2017, in which Fiona Duffy, Director of Development, and Eliza Gluckman, Art Curator, of Murray Edwards College at the University of Cambridge, updated delegates from a wide range of sectors and legal roles on the college's ground-breaking 'Collaborating with Men' research and Asia Art Initiative. Anita Phillips, WILHK Vice-Chair, hosted the session, with May Tai, Herbert Smith Freehills' incoming Greater China Managing partner, giving her insights based on her experience in Asia over the past 8 years.
Collaborating with Men examines the behaviours and perceptions of men regarding women's workplace experiences. The latest report (which was available in hard copy at the event) is a practical 'how to' guide, detailing easy steps individuals and organisations can take to improve the working environment to be more inclusive of women. The research team is offering a survey which helps organisations to benchmark themselves against the six points in the guide. Please email Jill Armstrong at Murray Edwards College (ccd) for a copy of the survey. WILHK encourages law firms and corporates in Hong Kong to participate in the survey to help the University measure workplace cultures here in Hong Kong.
WILHK was proud to partner with Conventus Law on their Business Leaders in Law breakfast briefing on 7 September 2017. Committee member Esther Yee of Norton Rose Fulbright was a panel speaker at the session and was joined by male and female panellists from leading firms and consultancies.
The discussion topic was Diversity and the Legal Sector. This prompted engaging debate, covering questions like:
-Are law firms behind on diversity?
-How does diversity benefit business?
-How does one go about changing the attitude and culture to make your firm more diverse?
-Has the recruitment process changed?
-What is the impact of unconscious bias?
Attendees included senior partners and HR managers of law firms, which provided an excellent opportunity to discuss diversity and to network. We thank Conventus Law for generously partnering with WILHK on this important initiative.
2017 WILHK Mentoring Programme Skills Workshop #2
Herbert Smith Freehills sponsored Women in Law Hong Kong (WILHK)'s second mentoring programme workshop on Wednesday 30 August 2017.
Anita Phillips (Vice-Chair of WILHK and Professional Support Consultant at Herbert Smith Freehills) introduced the workshop, which was on the topic of building resilience in the legal profession. Living in a city where statistically people work longer hours than just about anywhere else, building resilience to thrive, both at work and at home, is vital. Our workshop facilitator was Simon Holliday who leads Learning and Development in Asia at Herbert Smith Freehills. The session (entitled Sink or Swim - building personal resilience at work and beyond) first looked at mental health risks to those in the legal industry in Asia and then looked at practical examples to optimise stress to enhance performance without leading to burnout. The group discussed the SCARF sources of stress developed by David Rock, and then heard May Tai, arbitration partner at Herbert Smith Freehills in Hong Kong, share her own story on challenges and tips for mental wellbeing as a lawyer in Asia. Delegates then shared examples of challenging times in their lives and how they overcame it. The session ended by identifying tips to finding purpose in what we do inside and outside work, and the practical steps we can take to find adequate time for these "rocks" in our lives.
Thank you Herbert Smith Freehills for supporting our 2017 Mentoring Programme.
For more information, please contact the WILHK Mentoring Sub-committee.
June Women@Lunch venue – Foxglove
Over 20 women (and men!) joined women@lunch at Foxglove on Friday, June 29th. Please see photos below and stay tuned for our summer women@lunch series, which will center around themes. Any suggestions? Please contact womenatlunch@wilhk.com.
May Women@Lunch venue – Zafran
This month’s lunch will revolve around the topic of flexi/agile working as the central topic for discussion
Location: Zafran – Basement, 43-55 Wyndham St, Central
Date: Friday, May 26, 2017
Time: Lunch will start promptly at 12:30pm and finish at 2pm.
Cost: Approx. $128+10% service charge for 2 courses and $148+10% service charge for 3 courses.
RSVP: Contact womenatlunch@wilhk.com to reserve your space. Spaces are limited and will be confirmed on Tuesday, May 23.
2017 WILHK Mentoring Programme Workshop #1
Hogan Lovells sponsored Women in Law Hong Kong's (WILHK) first mentoring programme workshop on Friday, 26 May 2017.
Whilst our mentors and mentees tucked into breakfast, Ka Yin Au-Yeung (Chair of the WILHK Mentoring Sub-committee and Senior Associate of Hogan Lovells) - shared her experience of the DiSC® profile tool (which is a powerful do-it-yourself training and development) and mentioned the importance of self-awareness both in and out of the workplace.
Our workshop facilitator was Zoe Conlin who is Head of Learning and Development (APME) at Hogan Lovells. She ran a fun and interactive mentors and mentees workshop.
Thank you to Zoe and Hogan Lovells for supporting our 2017 Mentoring Programme!
For more information, please contact the WILHK Mentoring Sub-committee.
IFLR Asia Women in Business Law Forum
On April 27, 2017, WILHK co-sponsored the IFLR Asia Women in Business Law Forum. Head of Pro-Bono, Sarah Oliver, Vice-Chair of Mentoring, Susan Wong, Events Member, Yea Ji Sohn, and Chair, Stephanie Sheng, were all speakers on various panels. Topics included in depth discussions on personal branding, mentoring and work-life balance. Congrats to our committee members for their welcome insights and contributions to the legal community.
2017 WILHK Mentoring Programme Matching Event #2
On 10 May 2017, we hosted our WILHK Mentoring Programme’s second mentor/mentee matching event, which was generously sponsored by Oldham Li & Nie, Jones Lang LaSalle and Unibly.
Mentors and mentees met, mingled and caught up with programme participants over drinks at Jones Lang LaSalle’s offices before Joash Lee, Managing Director of Unibly, introduced his company’s mentoring platform application, which WILHK Mentoring will use throughout the mentoring year.
Ka Yin Au Yeung, Chair of the Mentoring Sub-Committee, invited a second group of mentors to introduce themselves to the wider group, and highlighted key considerations for the participants when finalizing their mentoring partner choices.
Mentor/Mentee pairs are scheduled to be announced end of May via the Unibly app!
If you have any questions, please contact the WILHK Mentoring Sub-committee.
2017 WILHK Mentoring Programme Matching Event #1
On 27 April 2017, we kicked off our first Matching Event for this year's WILHK Mentoring Programme. This event was kindly sponsored by Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.
Susan Wong, Vice Chair of the Mentoring Sub-committee, welcomed the successful participants with opening remarks on what mentoring is. She said: “mentoring is a professional relationship in which an experienced person (i.e. the mentor) assists another (i.e. the mentee) in developing specific skills and knowledge that will enhance the less experienced person’s professional and personal growth, and also in turn learn something about herself/himself. In essence, mentoring is ‘a shared learning experience’.”
Each of our mentors gave a three minute long elevator pitch, which incorporated two truths and one lie about themself. Afterwards, each of the mentors and mentees engaged in some "speed dating" which gave each mentee an opportunity to meet and speak to each mentor before moving onto the next mentor when the gong sounds. Our icebreaker gave each participant an opportunity to find out more about one another as well as finding out what lie was told by each mentor!
Our mentors and mentees will catch up again on Wednesday 10 May to finalise their mentor/mentee choices. Mentor and mentee pairs will be made official at the end of the month!
If you have any questions, please contact the WILHK Mentoring Sub-committee.
This year, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong dedicates the entire month of March to women with a host of special events and promotions including a unique charity photographic exhibition in the lobby and MO Bar areas featuring 10 Hong Kong-based female personalities. Proceeds from the exhibition will benefit The Women’s Foundation which will also offer an exclusive private viewing and bidding to its guests attending their annual International Women’s Day luncheon on 3 March (selected works). From 8 until 13 April, members of the public will have an opportunity to share the inspirational photographic journey and to place charity bids for the captivating portraits, along with a unique interactive experience offered by each woman. Online silent bidding will be available on https://www.twfiwd2017-auction.com/lite-ui/#home
You may also view a video teaser here: https://instagram.com/p/BQz8Xhphb2C/
Collaborating with men: changing workplace culture to help women succeed
WILHK was proud to support Herbert Smith Freehills' Women in Business event on 9 March to celebrate International Women's Day. Guest speaker Dame Barbara Stocking DBE, President of Murray Edwards College at the University of Cambridge, presented the university's ground-breaking research on "Collaborating with Men".
The key insight of the research is that committing to gender equality means men actively changing workplace culture. Building understanding, respect and stronger relationships between male and female colleagues will improve the working environment, outputs, access to sponsorship and women’s progress to the top of career paths.
The event saw a great turnout from WILHK members, with a full house comprising men and women from across the legal industry in Hong Kong. Anita Phillips, WILHK vice-chair, joined Jessica Erickson, Herbert Smith Freehills' co-head of Women in Business, to introduce the event.
The next step in Murray Edward's research will look at various workplaces that are actively involved in trying to change the culture of their organisation to be more inclusive.
If you would like to know more about the research or contribute to the next stage, please contact Anita Phillips, WILHK vice-chair.
About Dame Barbara
Prior to joining Murray Edwards College Dame Barbara Stocking DBE was previously the Chief Executive of Oxfam GB, which she led for nearly 12 years.
She was also a member of the top management team of the National Health Service in the UK (NHS), as regional director for the South East of England, and then as the founding Director of the NHS Modernisation Agency.
In March 2015, she was appointed Chair of the Independent Panel of Experts to assess the World Health Organisation's response in the Ebola outbreak.
Freshfields - IWD Panel Discussion
To celebrate International Women's Day on 8 March 2017, WILHK collaborated with Freshfields to organise a panel discussion on Flexible and Agile Working in the legal sector.
WILHK Chair Stephanie Sheng was part of the panel and was joined by:
-Lauren Ellison, Supervising Counsel, Telstra Global
-Elspeth Renshaw, Global Diversity Lead Partner, Heads International
-Edward Braham, Senior Partner, Freshfields, London
-Georgia Dawson, Partner, Freshfields, Singapore/Hong Kong
The panel discussion was moderated by Richard Bird, Partner responsible for diversity and inclusion, Freshfields.
The panelists provided some thought provoking discussion on topics ranging from the definitions of agility and flexibility, the importance of collecting data to measure employees' engagement with flexible working policies, and the importance of staying "visible" when working out of the office. There was also time for some lively Q&A with the audience.
WILHK 2017 Mentoring Programme Information Session
Date: 1 March 2017
Time: 8:15am – 9:15am
Venue: FTI Consulting, Level 22, The Center, 99 Queen's Road Central
Fish & Meat - Women@Lunch networking
Time: 12:30pm
Date: 24 February 2017
Venue: Fish & Meat, 32 Wyndham Street, Central
Corporate Counsel Forum Hong Kong
Date: February 22, 2017
Venue: Four Seasons Hotel
WILHK was a proud sponsor in attendance at the Corporate Counsel Forum Hong Kong. WILHK Chair Stephanie Sheng and Head of Events Alison Tsai participated in sessions on Diversity in the legal field, the move from law to compliance, and general discussions with other in-house legal professionals. With over 500+ attendees, the Corporate Counsel Forum Hong Kong continues to be a key event for in-house legal to discuss unique challenges and opportunities in Hong Kong.
Women in Leadership Summit Asia
Date: January 16-17 2017
Venue: Regal Hong Kong Hotel, Causeway Bay
We are proud to be an Endorsing Partner of this high-profile conference series, which has so far been attended by over 1300 delegates in 10 cities worldwide. The Hong Kong event, on 16-17 January, will provide exclusives with CEOs and successful leaders to advance women in leadership. Hong Kong’s most successful women and men will discuss challenges and opportunities for women today and how we can inspire the next generation of female leaders.
The two day event at the Regal Hong Kong Hotel, Causeway Bay includes:
-Keynote addresses by highly influential and inspirational leaders
-Discussions with male leaders championing change
-Thought-provoking presentations on discrete hot topics
The conference focuses on business empowerment, leadership and career advancement for women leaders, managers and next-generation leaders. Regardless of your legal role, the summit will be a valuable source of information, insights, and networking opportunities.
Click here for the full agenda.
Register now (WILHK members receive a 10% discount). To get more men involved in the conversation, bring along a male colleague/friend and the second ticket is half price. Finally, if your organization sends 3 or more delegates, receive an extra 20% off. Please call +852 8199 0964 if you wish to discuss the event further.