A corporate attorney who advises clients on matters related to mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, corporate financing, and regulatory compliance, Thuy-Dien Bui also devotes her time to mentoring junior associates and pro bono work, including through the International Refugee Asylum Project and Kids In Need of Defense.

Q. What do you consider your biggest achievement as a lawyer to date?

A. My biggest achievement to date as a lawyer is a personal acheievement: conquering my imposter syndrome. By seeking to better understand what imposter syndrome is, acknowledging why I, as a woman of color, might feel it particularly strongly in my field of practice, and working to manage and stop such limiting thoughts, I’ve become a more confident lawyer who seeks and welcomes challenges and reaches opportunities.

Q. What’s the most satisfying case or matter you’ve worked on so far?

A. The most satisfying matter I’ve worked on, so far, was the resettlement petition for my client, a transgender Iraqi refugee, to be admitted as a refugee to the United States. This matter was particularly satisfying because my client’s resettlement petition was stalled indefinitely in the United States following a presidential administration change, so I filed an emergency appeal with the UNHCR, requesting that the UNHCR remove my client’s petition from the United States and allow us to file a new petition for her resettlement in Canada. I was told that such an appeal had a statistically low success rate, so I knew we were incredibly lucky that the UNHCR granted our appeal. My client’s situation was dire, her safety was at risk, and I had never worked on any matter with similar stakes before. Coupled with the fact that I am a corporate lawyer and that this was my first refugee resettlement matter, this challenged me to maintain my composure and calm in the face of significant uncertainty and anxiety, both mine and my client’s. It pushed me to be creative and resourceful by leveraging support within my firm, and in my larger network to obtain the assistance and guidance I needed to prepare a successful appeal. The skills I learned and practiced while working on this matter continue to serve me well as a lawyer today.

Q. What is the best piece of professional advice you ever received?

A. Practice with integrity no matter what. The legal profession is a small community and your integrity is what others will remember you by.

Q. What advice would you offer new law school graduates?

A. Invest time into building relationships early, including relationships with your peers, professors, individuals within your organization/law firm, and your clients. I have received invaluable professional and personal advice and opportunities from close professional relationships, and I don’t think I would be as happy or fulfilled as a lawyer today if it weren’t for my close and trusted network.

Q. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made professionally?

A. I wouldn’t call it a mistake necessarily, but one challenge I faced as a junior associate that I wish I mastered earlier was not speaking up, whether to share my opinions or ideas or to ask questions. I grew up in a traditional Vietnamese household where, as a sign of respect, I was expected to remain silent and defer to my elders, even if I disagreed with their opinions. As an adult, I had become comfortable speaking my mind to friends, teachers, and prior employers. But the hierarchy in law firms, the steep learning curve as a transactional lawyer, and my unsubstantiated beliefs about what was expected of me as a junior associate made me believe that I needed to be silent and show deference like I was taught at home. Thus, when I was a junior associate on deal teams, I struggled with finding the courage to share my ideas and to question the ideas and recommendations of others. I also resisted speaking up when I needed help and instead tried to problem-solve on my own. While this meant that I was a great listener, which came with many advantages, I missed out on learning opportunities by not speaking up sooner. What I’ve since learned is that all members of a deal team, even the most junior, can add immense value to their teams by sharing their thoughts and speaking their minds. At my firm, senior associates and directors want all members of the team to actively participate in discussions, as it makes everyone a better lawyer and critical thinker, resulting in better service for our clients.

Q. What’s one thing about you that might surprise people?

A. I was born in Vietnam and I read, write, and speak fluent Vietnamese.

Q. What's the most important thing you've learned since you started practicing law?

A. One of the most valuable things I’ve learned is how to cater my training style to different personalities and learning and working styles. In my opinion, one of the most important responsibilities of a lawyer is to effectively train lawyers who are junior to them. I’ve learned that while one style of training may work for one associate, the same style may not work for another. And my responsibility is to try to personalize the way I teach and communicate so that I am able to effectively train all associates who I work with, not just the associates that have styles similar to my own. I think that this skill will help us cultivate a more diverse workplace by retaining more diverse lawyers whose life experiences and backgrounds require diverse approaches for effective training, teaching, and motivation. I’ve attended a number of seminars on different learning and training styles, including seminars specific to lawyers, and the knowledge and practical skills I’ve obtained have been invaluable. Developing and mastering this skill will likely be a lifelong effort that I gladly endeavor to do.

Q. What makes someone a really good lawyer?

A. There are so many qualities that make a good lawyer, however, one quality that I believe is essential for any lawyer to be considered a “good lawyer,” is having strong management skills. I find that sometimes it can be easy to forget the importance of being a conscientious manager when there are strict deadlines and significant work to be done. But the ability to meet such deadlines and to do such work well is contingent on having a motivated, capable, and happy team. In order to have such a team, there must be an excellent manager at the helm. An excellent manager motivates associates on their team to take ownership of their work, creates a safe space for associates to learn and grow from their mistakes, builds confidence and self-esteem in their associates so that they reach for stretch opportunities, and provides associates with opportunities to build a successful practice.

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