How to Leverage Allyship to Build & Communicate Diversity and Refute Implicit Bias in Your Legal Practice

Shiau Yen Chin-Dennis provides business-focused legal solutions, regularly working with domestic and multinational companies on corporate matters and corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, post-acquisition integration, joint ventures, restructuring, strategic relationships, corporate governance, formation and other international transactions.

Shiau Yen regularly counsels corporate clients on mergers and acquisitions, including private equity transactions. She has extensive experience working on international corporate and cross-border matters, particularly in the Asia Pacific region, including market entry, expansion and exit. She has represented multiple inbound Asian investors in U.S. market entry. She handles global subsidiary governance for several multinational companies and also regularly represents companies in contract management and international commercial transactions matters. In addition to corporate matters, Shiau Yen has experience with executive employment matters in the Asia Pacific region, including employment agreements; transfers of employees; and trade secret, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements.

Shiau Yen is a founding faculty member of the firm's mini-MBA program, an innovative professional development training program designed to orient associates to key business concepts that are integral to our clients' business success.

Jenny L. Martinez is a senior partner, member of MWM’s executive committee, and she co-chairs MWM’s complex litigation/dispute resolution section. Jenny is a trial attorney who previously worked at Godwin Bowman & Martinez PC as a named-shareholder, executive committee member, senior vice president, and co-chair of the commercial litigation section. Jenny represents both plaintiffs and defendants in business disputes involving banking, real estate, insurance, employment, contracts and collections. Notably, Jenny was a key member of the legal team defending Halliburton in connection with all civil litigation and investigations arising out of BP’s Macondo well (Deepwater Horizon) blowout in the Gulf of Mexico — the largest environmental lawsuit in the history of the United States.

Reflecting the excellence of her legal practice, she has been named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, recognized by D Magazine among “The Best Lawyers in Dallas,” a four-time choice by Thomson Reuters to the list of Texas Super Lawyers and has received a 10.0 rating by AVVO, its highest attorney rating.

Jenny received her J.D., cum laude, from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 1999, along with her B.A., magna cum laude, in political science in 1995. While at SMU, she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and was the publicity chairman of the Political Science Symposium. She was also chief counsel at the SMU Legal Clinic, a research assistant to Professor Ellen Smith Pryor, law school director for Texas Women Lawyers and the treasurer of the SMU Women in Law.

Katy Goshtasbi is the CEO of Puris Personal Brand Solutions, located in San Diego, CA. Her clientele include numerous law firms, corporations, law schools, specialty institutions, retail corporations, CPA firms, engineering firms, financial services firms, dental professionals, medical professionals, as well as many smaller businesses. She is also an author and public speaker on personal branding, leadership, marketing and business development.

Ms. Goshtasbi has been appointed to serve on the ABAs Law Practice Management (LPM) Division Webzine and Women Rainmaker Boards. She has contributed numerous articles to the ABA and has been a frequent speaker at various ABA conferences. She is on the national board of directors of The Women of Color in the Law, and also serves on the San Diego board of directors of National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).