Phoebe Yu is an associate in the firm’s Washington DC office. Her practice focuses on white collar criminal defense, government and internal investigations, and anti-corruption compliance. She advises clients on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) and other bribery-related enforcement matters and risk assessments. Ms. Yu has experience representing major companies in multi-jurisdictional criminal and civil investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other government regulators.
You are an active Board member of the local Asian Pacific American Bar Association (APABA-DC). How have you benefited from your participation in APABA-DC and what advice would you have for other associates considering membership in a specialty bar association?
Voluntary bar associations like the Asian Pacific American Bar Association (APABA-DC) offer their members a tight-knit network of local legal professionals, serve as a valuable resource for education and career development, and most importantly, provide an important opportunity for attorneys to give back to the broader community. Through APABA-DC, I have met an incredibly supportive group of attorneys at all stages of their careers and spanning many practice areas and employers. In my day-to-day practice, it would be rare to have solo practitioners, in-house counsel, government attorneys, law firm associates and partners, and other legal professionals all in the same room generating insight and ideas; but at APABA, this describes what happens at every board meeting! As many of you know, voluntary bar associations are not only limited to affinity groups; they cover industries, practice areas, geographies, and other interests. I encourage associates to research the voluntary bar associations in their area and get involved today.
How are you maintaining connections with your colleagues during this time of increased distancing and telecommuting?
My amazing peers have organized book clubs, virtual happy hours, recipe-sharing circles, and Webex game nights. As a member of the social sub-committee of the DC Associate Advisory Committee, I'm working on a number of exciting initiatives that we hope will foster social connectivity among associates in these unprecedented times. As a sneak peak, I'm putting my wine education to use by planning a virtual wine tasting session for folks who are interested in learning more about wine and viniculture. For our trial run, a group of us will be tasting a number of excellent wines from Tuscany and Piedmont and learning about wine laws in Italy via video conference.
How has your cultural background influenced your career as a lawyer at Covington?
As the child of immigrants and an immigrant myself, I experienced first-hand what it means to face daunting challenges and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. When my family landed here two decades ago with six suitcases filled with all of our hopes and dreams, I don't think my parents could have even imagined the opportunities that I would be given in our new life. Now, I feel incredibly grateful to be able to take everything I have learned and offer insightful guidance and practical advice to our clients as they navigate their toughest legal and business challenges. I know it may sound cheesy, but I love the practice of law, and it is a privilege for me to come to work every day and learn from my talented colleagues and help our terrific clients.
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