SVUDL Legal Advisory Committee Member Li Zhu Receives Asian Leadership Award
The SVUDL Legal Advisory Committee makes it possible to diversify the legal profession in the next generation by building a pipeline of future lawyers from our community of SVUDL students. Robins Kaplan LLP Partner Li Zhu serves on SVUDL’s LAC and was recently awarded the Asian Leadership Award by the Profiles in Diversity Journal. This journal is dedicated to promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion in the corporate, government, nonprofit, higher education, and military sectors.
Much of Li’s passion stems from a lifetime of mentoring by his high school debate coaches, Michaela and Seth Northrop. They helped to shape his life from high school Policy debater to law firm Partner.
“In high school, I was shy and afraid of public speaking. During my freshman year, I enrolled in the school’s speech and debate course for mandatory class credit. It was there that I met Kaela and Seth. Their constant encouragement helped me overcome my deep-rooted fear of public speaking. Debate, in particular, helped forge my critical thinking skills and leadership abilities, which have proven invaluable to me to this day,” reflected Li.
“Kaela and Seth also encouraged me to apply to law school even though I doubted my ability to succeed in that environment. I wouldn’t be where I am without their support,” continued Li. “Mentorship means meeting a person where they are and fully understanding their diverse background, unique experiences and goals in order to properly support their career path.”
Having been involved with his firm’s DEI program since 2011, Li participates in the firm’s mentoring, recruiting, and committee work. His advocacy extends to providing pro bono representation to indigent clients in both state and immigration court. Li’s pro bono victories include successfully obtaining asylum for a tortured Cameroonian immigrant who was persecuted for her political activism by an oppressive state police force, and protecting the rights of an abused single mother and her newborn child under the Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
It is all of this experience that inspires Li to volunteer with SVUDL. He recognizes that the Legal Advisory Committee translates to mentorship in action. He embraces how SVUDL can help professionals develop the next generation of leaders and mentors. By his efforts, Li hopes to be able to serve others in the same incredible way that his exceptional mentors supported him.
Congrats to Li for receiving this honor, and for helping to mentor and empower the next generation of lawyers!
