Austin So Archives - WE Blog @ AABANY

August 1, 2016

KALAGNY – 2016 NAPABA Northeast Regional Conference

The ‘Business Case’ for Diversity & Inclusion: Lessons Learned from In-House, Government, and Law Firm Counsel

Today’s economic climate is one of constant change. Increased regulatory compliance, technological innovation, low interest rates, and other factors have together created a highly challenging business environment. In order to remain competitive, companies and law firms are placing a growing emphasis on legal teams that are resilient, creative, and diverse. Governmental entities are also beginning to recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion in their recruiting efforts.

This panel discusses the growing awareness that diversity and inclusion are not only helpful, but also critical towards the success of an enterprise. Senior in-house, government, and law firm counsels will discuss how staffing diverse legal teams has driven superior business results and contributed towards their organizations’ success. This panel will also discuss unique opportunities that exist for teams that can successfully apply diversity and inclusion to their practices. Finally, the panel will also discuss how APA attorneys may position themselves to identify and help meet these needs, stepping forward as leaders during this critical juncture.

Sahang-Hee Hahn, Esq., Assistant Vice President and Counsel, MassMutual
Dwight S. Yoo, Esq., Partner, Skadden Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Austin K. So., Esq., General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary, StoneMor Partners L.P.
Sonia Low, Esq., General Counsel, The ONE Group Hospitality, Inc.
Jimmy Yan, Esq., Special Counsel to the Chief Investment Officer & Deputy Comptroller for Asset Management, Office of the New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer

July 5, 2016

StoneMor Partners L.P. Names Austin So General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

TREVOSE, Pa., July 01, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – StoneMor Partners L.P. (STON) (“StoneMor” or the “Partnership”) today announced that Austin So has been appointed to the newly created position of General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary effective July 5, 2016.

So joins from Heraeus Incorporated, where he served most recently as Division General Counsel and Secretary of this Fortune Global 500 manufacturing conglomerate, leading a team of lawyers in Germany, China and the U.S. Among his many roles at Heraeus, So managed all U.S. litigation and international litigation involving U.S. entities. He negotiated a broad range of commercial agreements, helped support global M&A and other transactions and oversaw compliance for various divisions on company code of conduct, antitrust, export control and other issues. Prior to joining Heraeus, So practiced both corporate transactional law and litigation at top New York law firms. He was recently named by the MCCA (Minority Corporate Counsel Association) as a 2016 Rising Star.

Larry Miller, President and CEO of StoneMor Partners said, “We are thrilled to have Austin join the StoneMor team. The newly created position will provide a key perspective on the execution of our business plan. Austin’s broad legal background as both in-house counsel and outside attorney makes him uniquely qualified to provide legal expertise and strategic counsel and we look forward to his contributions.”

About StoneMor Partners L.P.

StoneMor Partners L.P., headquartered in Trevose, Pennsylvania, is an owner and operator of cemeteries and funeral homes in the United States, with 307 cemeteries and 104 funeral homes in 28 states and Puerto Rico.

StoneMor is the only publicly traded death care company structured as a partnership. StoneMor’s cemetery products and services, which are sold on both a pre-need (before death) and at-need (at death) basis, include: burial lots, lawn and mausoleum crypts, burial vaults, caskets, memorials, and all services which provide for the installation of this merchandise. For additional information about StoneMor Partners L.P., please visit StoneMor’s website, and the investors section, at http://www.stonemor.com.

May 2, 2016

The Lack of Asians in Hollywood and on Broadway

Austin So has written another Letter to the Editor about the lack of diversity and inclusion for Asian Americans. This time, he speaks about whitewashing and Hollywood in response to Keith Chow’s “Why Hollywood Won’t Cast Asian Actors.” As stated by Austin,

Once again, Asian-Americans are excluded from the diversity dialogue. And that has real impact, as we see with the casting of white actors to play the main characters, who are Asian, in “Doctor Strange” and “Ghost in the Shell.”

Check out what he has to say by clicking the link above.

April 15, 2016

2016 04 28 – NY Mentoring Event

Thursday, April 28, 2016
5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

The Korea Society
950 Third Ave, New York, NY 10022

Korean American college students and young professionals in New York City are cordially invited to join The Korea Society, Council of Korean Americans (CKA) and Korean American League for Civic Action (KALCA) for an evening of training and networking. Panelists will share their perspectives on developing vital “soft skills” in the workplace, such as communication, networking, and personal branding.

The evening will also feature a speed networking session to give participants an opportunity to engage with speakers in small groups.

Austin So, Division General Counsel at Heraeus and AABANY In-House Counsel Committee Co-Chair, will be on the panel.

Seating is limited – Registration required for attendance.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

For bios and more information click on the link in the title.

April 1, 2016

Diversity and the Bar – March/April 2016

Congratulations to Austin So and the rest of the Minority Corporate Counsel 2016 Rising Stars! Not only is Austin our In House Counsel Committee Co-Chair and NAPABA Northeast Regional Governor, he is an exceptional attorney and champion of diversity.

According to So, “In-house lawyers should take the Hippocratic Oath: First, do no harm. We do harm when we slow down the business, or when we say ‘no.’ A good in-house lawyer finds a way to say ‘yes’ while minimizing risk.”

To read a little more about the wild ride that Austin has had at Heraeus and advice that he would give to aspiring attorneys, open the article or grab a hard copy of MCCA’s Diversity & the Bar: 2016 Rising Stars.

March 1, 2016December 4, 2018

January 26, 2016

AUSTIN SO – CATALYST SPOTLIGHT

Our very own In-Hounse Counsel Committee Co-Chair Austin So has been profiled by the Council of Urban Professionals in their Catalyst Spotlight. Austin’s commitment to diversity and inclusion has made us all proud. You can read more about what Austin has to say by clicking the link in the title.

Among other things, he shares his practical advice for young people who want their careers to make an impact:

Network constantly in all directions – up, down, sideways, in and out. And find a way to help someone else in some small way, every day.

Austin also shared that same advice when recently spoke at AABANY’s Getting-on-Track: Networking for Lawyers panel. To read more of Austin’s candid advice, check out the highlight for that event here.

If you’re looking for more of what Austin has done in general – talks, awards, articles – visit our blog.