Stephen would have happily stepped into the family restaurant and bar business had he not been sidetracked by law school and came out alive. He is the neighborhood lawyer, the ever-ready host for a party of ten, and the listening ear to the grieving family.
His path has taken him across a couple of continents where he picked up some degrees and practice experience along the way. In some ways things have not changed. He is still the neighborhood lawyer, the welcoming host, only now neighborhood spans multiple time zones.
Whether it’s navigating through sensitive estate planning matters, strategizing and structuring a cross-border start-up businesses or protecting his clients from unnecessary exposure to liability, Stephen sees it as helping out his neighbor.
Stephen and his family relocated to Bangkok, Thailand, in 2024, after a one-year-long sojourn through Asia. He and his family are currently living in the largest slums in Thailand, where his wife runs an art studio and he roasts coffee. Stephen actively serves his core client community in the San Francisco Bay Area. He also enjoys advising fellow overseas Americans on the unique set of legal issues often faced by digital nomads/remote workers. As an international lawyer, he understands the nuances of living and functioning in two worlds and two time zones.
Stephen started his career in estate planning, and has been helping families with their wills and trusts since 2003. In the last 4 years he has simultaneously served as a missionary staff and legal counsel with the Christian mission organization Youth with A Mission (YWAM) San Francisco. During this unforgettable time, he and his family (wife and 4 kids under age 6) moved from the East Bay to San Francisco’s Tenderloin District to live and serve in the neighborhood. Prior to that, he served as general counsel to a San Francisco-based bank with cross-border operations in Asia; and for a technology start-up in Houston Texas. Stephen also served as an associate attorney for a large immigration law firm focusing on employment and investment-based immigration for executives.
Stephen moved to China in 2006 and had the privilege to earn a Master’s in Law (LLM) from Peking University and subsequently worked as Foreign Legal Counsel at King & Wood Mallesons in Beijing, one of Asia-Oceania’s largest law firms. During his time there, Stephen gained tremendous experience in handling various aspects of cross-border M&A transactions in Asia and worldwide.
Stephen holds a Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University School of Law (2002); he holds a Master’s of Law (LLM) from Peking University School of Law (2008) and completed his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is fluent in English and proficient in Mandarin. Stephen was admitted to practice law by the State Bar of California in 2003.
It all started here...
Stephen was born into a typical Chinese immigrant family living in the East Bay, California. Growing up, he undertook tasks like reading a letter from the landlord’s lawyer or collection notice, explaining a hospital bill or a bank statement. He realized what came naturally to him could be so helpful to his own and other immigrant families. It seems Stephen has been “practicing” since grade school.