AsianAttorneys@Weil
Our People
- Of the Firm’s Asian attorneys, there are 15 partners, 17 counsel, and 80 associates in the U.S. and London offices.
- Each affinity group has an appointed senior leader sponsor, who is not a member of that demographic group. The sponsors are charged with understanding key issues the group members face and advocating for necessary change. Gary Holtzer, a partner in the Restructuring Department, is the Management Committee Sponsor for AsianAttorneys@Weil.
Conferences
2019 Affinity Group Conference
In November 2019, the AsianAttorneys@Weil Affinity Group gathered in Brooklyn, New York for a day and a half of networking, community building, and professional development. Conference highlights included:
- Alumni networking reception at 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge
- Fireside chat with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Sheryl WuDunn
- Executive Presence and Communications Skills Workshop with Cara Hale Alter
- Business Development Workshop with Management Committee Sponsor Gary Holtzer
- Career Paths Panel with Weil alumni from Credit Suisse, Synchrony, Hudson’s Bay Company, Culturupt and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office
Client & Alumni Development
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
In May 2020, the Firm hosted Jerry Vattamala, Director of the Democracy Program at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, who spoke about COVID-19’s impact on the Asian community from anti-Asian sentiment to election protection efforts and Census 2020 and the effects of redistricting. In 2019, Weil hosted Sam Mihara, a second-generation Japanese-American and one of the few survivors of the Japanese-American imprisonment who is open to speak about this experience. Prior APAHM programs included a professional networking reception in 2017 featuring a private exhibit viewing at the DAG Modern Gallery and inspiring remarks from Larry Tu, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of CBS Corp with Weil partner Charan Sandhu. In 2016, the Firm co-sponsored an event with Morgan Stanley at The Rubin Museum of Art featuring a panel on representations of Asian-Americans in pop culture and media.
Federal Judge Panel
Alumni Roundtables
Religious Diversity
The AsianAttorneys@Weil group celebrate key holidays such as Diwali, Eid, Lunar New Year, and Vaiskhi
- As part of the group’s efforts to celebrate a range of important holidays, Weil Partner, Charan Sandhu hosted a Vaisakhi celebration luncheon in April 2019.
- Weil is an active member of MUBANY, the Muslim Bar Association of New York, sponsoring a table each year at the MUBANY Annual Gala and has held the organization’s Annual General Meeting and Iftar Dinner hosted by Weil Partner Faiza Rahman.
- Weil annually hosts a Lunar New Year networking celebration such as a cooking demonstration at Morimoto, a client reception with spoken word poet, Kelly Tsai, a private exhibit viewing at the Museum of Chinese in America, and a group dinner at Philippe.
Diversity Education
Memories from Heart Mountain
Mandatory Diversity Training
Weil requires all attorneys and administrative staff across the U.S. to complete a two hour Annual Mandatory Diversity Training modeled on the ethics CLE requirement. Recent topics include:
Interactive theater on unconscious bias by Steps Drama
- Implicit bias training by the Perception Institute, which fulfilled the New York and California Diversity, Inclusion and Elimination of Bias CLE requirements.
- “Talking Boldly About Race: Being an Upstander in a Time of Cultural Unrest” in the workplace led by Vernā Myers.
Diversity Month 2019
Weil’s biennial Diversity Month took place in November 2019, with events held across Weil’s U.S. and international offices on the theme From Bystanders to Upstanders: Together We Can Make a Difference.
Diversity Recruiting
Summer Associate Recruiting
Diversity Fellowship
Weil has granted 53 Diversity Fellowships of $10,000 each in scholarship awards to first and second-year law students since 2011.
Summer Program
2019 summer associate events hosted by AAW included an informal welcome with treats from Bibble and Sip Bakery Café, a dinner with the Asian American Legal Defense Fund (AALDEF) and a reception at Sanctuary T.
Folks Party
Community
Sponsorships
Weil sponsored the South Asian Bar Association of North America’s 2018 Convention on June 28-July 1. Charan Sandhu, partner in Weil’s Technology & IP Transactions practice group, served as this year’s NASABA Convention Co-Chair
Pipeline
Internship Programs
The Firm sponsors and actively participates in internship opportunities such as the Dallas Judicial Intern Opportunity Program, the Sponsors for Educational Opportunity Program (SEO) and Summer Search. Weil's New York Office has provided nearly 100 summer internships to high school and college students from community based organizations since 2013.
Key Contacts












Awards and Recognition
- Vynessa Nemunaitis and Young Lee Named 2020 Rising Stars by Euromoney Firm Announcement — January 29, 2021
- Four Weil Partners Named 2020 Emerging Leaders by The M&A Advisor Firm Announcement — December 08, 2020