Hinshaw Attorney Concepcion A. Montoya Moderates "Asian American Attorneys and the Bamboo Closet" Panel at the NAPABA Convention

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP Partner Concepcion A. Montoya of the firm's New York office and member of the Diversity Committee, recently moderated a panel titled "Asian American Attorneys and the Bamboo Closet" at the annual National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Convention. Ms. Montoya shared a mix of compelling personal stories and practice advice for Asian-American LGBT Lawyers. 

The Convention ran from November 5-8, 2015 in New Orleans, and was attended by approximately 1,600 Asian Pacific American (APA) attorneys, judges, law students, legal scholars, and elected officials from around the country. The convention included discussions from various panelists such as Justice Sabrina McKenna, an associate justice on the Supreme Court of Hawaii and Rachel See, a lead technology counsel at the National Labor Relations Board. 

Above the Law wrote an article titled "The Bamboo Closet: To Stay in or Not?" that discusses the topics that were covered at the convention. The discussions included a compelling mix of personal stories and practical advice for Asian-American LGBT lawyers. Also covered in the article were the obstacles many transgender lawyers face that span from all levels of seniority in the legal industry. That article concluded that being out, even in today’s increasingly supportive environment, still presents challenges. But the panelists seemed to agree that coming out is worth the cost — even if you have to take your time about it and figure out when you feel comfortable doing so, or even if you are perhaps pushed out a little earlier than you planned. 

Read the full article "The Bamboo Closet: To Stay in or Not?" can be read on the Above the Law Website. 

Concepcion A. Montoya brings nearly 15 years of trial and litigation experience to her practice, specifically in the areas of consumer defense and employment law. Ms. Montoya has litigated in the federal courts of New York and New Jersey in more than 40 class action lawsuits involving claims brought under various federal and state consumer and employment laws. In addition, Ms. Montoya has worked extensively in legal malpractice defense and general commercial litigation.