By Sophie Cho
On January 18th, 2025, YES members kicked off the Lunar New Year and first 2025 meeting with festive decorations, traditional snacks, and red packets celebrating the Year of the Snake. To start the year on an inspiring note, Alice Cai introduced the guest speaker, Viking Tao, a shareholder at Polsinelli and a respected business leader in the community. As a role model for young Asians, Ms. Tao delivered an engaging presentation on turning passion into profession and her journey through the world of big law.
Born and raised in China, Ms. Tao pursued law at Beijing University when the field was still emerging. She later moved to the U.S. and has since practiced law in Dallas for over 16 years. She began her talk by explaining big law—a broad sector that includes various legal specialties and employs many attorneys. She detailed the demanding nature of the industry, where junior associates handle extensive paperwork, research, and long hours, while senior associates oversee mid level attorneys. Despite the challenges, she emphasized that big law cultivates strong interpersonal and collaborative skills and provides the satisfaction of helping clients navigate legal complexities. Her motivation stems from representing both Chinese and American companies in high-stakes negotiations.
Ms. Tao then shared her insights on achieving success, applicable not only in law but in any profession. She emphasized the importance of visibility, excellence in one’s work, leveraging mentorship, resilience, and self-care. She also discussed the “bamboo ceiling,” a metaphorical barrier that limits Asian professionals due to a perceived lack of assertiveness. A Columbia University study found Asians to be the least assertive among racial groups, often resulting in fewer leadership positions. Ms. Tao encouraged YES members to challenge this stereotype by being more vocal and confident, setting an example with her own career success. Her talk deeply resonated with attendees, inspiring them to break barriers in their own careers.
Following the presentation, YES members celebrated with group photos and a short break before transitioning to the launch of the YES Launch project. Team members Andy Xu, Matthew Tian, and Bryan Tong introduced the initiative—a business pitch competition where teams develop and present a startup idea at the End-of-Year Party in May. Guided by industry mentors, teams work on business plans, cost and revenue analysis, prototypes, and marketing strategies.
Members then formed seven groups to brainstorm product ideas. After a brief ideation period, each team delivered an elevator pitch outlining their product, target audience, and revenue model. Concepts ranged from smart weight-detecting luggage to dating apps for professional athletes, demonstrating a spirit of creativity and innovation. Each group received constructive feedback to refine their ideas in the coming weeks.
Overall, the January YES meeting was a dynamic and uplifting event, filled with New Year cheer and inspiring discussions. Members eagerly anticipate the next gathering!
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