The Gentle and the Assertive

Program Chair: Mingzi Marjorie Ouyang

What does rocking a newborn at 3 a.m. have in common with steering a high-stakes litigation? More than you might think. In this panel, two new-mom litigators share how the dual roles of mother and advocate are reshaping their approach to the practice of law—and what the next generation of leaders can learn from it.

Drawing on lived experience, the panelists explore the interplay between the gentle and the assertive: when to soothe and when to stand firm, when to listen and when to push, when to nurture growth and when to demand accountability. They will discuss how nurturing a baby and nurturing a case demand many of the same skills, i.e., patience, presence, anticipation, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to another’s well-being, and how integrating these instincts produces sharper advocates, stronger negotiators, and more emotionally intelligent leaders.

This conversation is for AAPI attorneys at every stage—new parents balancing career and caregiving, mentors supporting working parents on their teams, and rising leaders curious about how unconventional sources of strength can fuel professional excellence. Attendees will leave with a fresh framework for leadership that embraces, rather than sidelines, the full range of human experience that diverse attorneys bring to the profession.

Key Takeaways

• A practical framework for reading the moment—knowing when to soothe and when to stand firm—that sharpens judgment in negotiation, litigation, and team leadership alike.
• Reframing career interruptions as leadership development, not setbacks—what the demands of new parenthood reveal about prioritization, crisis management, and grace under pressure.
• A more expansive model of leadership that draws on the full range of attorneys’ lived experience—giving working parents, mentors, and rising leaders language to lead authentically without sidelining who they are.