Diversity in Hi–Tech
Joanne W. Suh
Just after graduating from the University of Southern California Legal Center, Joanne W. Suh gave litigation a shot, but discovered that transaction law was her passion. “My brother was in high tech, and he encouraged me to go in that direction,” she explains. “I followed his advice, and the combination of transaction and tech is something that I really love.”
Today, Suh is a lawyer at Intel Corporation, where she supports a product group in the global semiconductor behemoth’s Silicon Valley headquarters. “My group is part of the larger mobility group,” she notes, “that is responsible for and focuses on laptops, Internet–related devices, WiMAX and other mobile–related technology — things that directly impact today’s technology consumers.”
Suh finds a real advantage in relating to her company’s business sector. “Understanding tech at Intel is important. Also, understanding the market segment that the company’s products are selling into and the future products in development benefits your client and makes for a deal structure that reflects the client’s needs and desire. Currently, I’m supporting a business unit that is closely linked to consumer products. That’s easy to relate to; I can both see and easily understand what the end product is.”
Prior to Intel, Suh served as legal counsel for subsidiaries of Acer Incorporated and Lockheed Martin. Through these experiences, she learned the importance of understanding her work from a legal as well as a business angle. Also, her roles at both Acer and Lockheed — two companies with an international presence — required interaction with teams operating both locally and abroad. “The jobs familiarized me with a very constant, dynamic, cross–cultural interaction — and that’s definitely something you need to be comfortable with at Intel. My previous in–house positions helped prepare me for what I’m doing now, but working at Intel has allowed me to sharpen those skills even more.”
Suh was born in Seoul, Korea, and lived there for part of her childhood. “I have limited memories of Korea — mostly of being at home with the family, and some of school,” she recalls. “When I was just starting out in elementary school, my parents moved us to the United States in search of new opportunities.”
Her family settled in Southern California. “In most ways,” Suh continues, “my transition to life in the U.S. wasn’t too difficult because I was still very young and I adapt well to different environments. Back then, however, some of the kids didn’t have as much sensitivity for classmates who didn’t speak English as kids today have, and I remember experiencing some challenging moments as a result. I also remember the frustration I initially encountered because I didn’t understand the language. For the first few months of school, I felt like I didn’t understand a thing! And then one day, I had this ‘ah ha’ moment. It was like a light went on. I particularly remember the happiness that came with finally being able to do word problems in math class.”
As is the case with most successful adults, Suh draws strength from lessons learned during her formative years. “I have to admit that in certain respects,” she reflects, “I lived through what some would deem as the typical Asian American family experience. My brother, sister and I were definitely pushed to do well in school. We were repeatedly told that education was the primary means to success and integration. College and graduate school were not optional. But no matter what career paths we ultimately chose, my parents encouraged us to excel in the profession of our choosing. They instilled in all three of us a sense of confidence about what we could achieve. Throughout my law career, those values have always pushed me to try new things or to not shy away from tackling barriers that might arise.”
At UCLA, Suh majored in political science, but was unsure of what she would do after graduation. Despite having been told that she possessed the skills necessary to do well in law, that career was not her first choice. “I loved history. I still do, although my time for indulging in that interest seems to diminish every year,” she shares. “I love Washington, D.C., where I can delve into our nation’s past. I seriously considered pursuing a Ph.D. in history, so I could either teach or do research. But, in the end, I was sold on the flexibility of a law degree.”
Currently, Suh is involved with the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel as a board advisor and part of its leadership team. “This is my primary legal–related extracurricular activity,” Suh relates. “The Association’s leaders are particularly diverse in terms of race, gender, experience level, and business sectors that they represent, and I think that because the diversity came about organically, it has made this team all the better. There’s definitely a lot of respect, camaraderie, and spirited dialogue in the room when we get together.”
Suh is an active member of the diversity committee within Intel’s legal department. As part of that, she heads up the diversity marketing team, which is focused on promoting and furthering diversity efforts within the legal community. “This role gives me opportunities to work with law firms, companies and national organizations that are also motivated to increase diversity in the workplace and the legal community as a whole. To say the least, I’ve met some amazing, accomplished people through this experience.”
Suh thinks about where she is now: “My professional experience is uniquely my own. Whether it’s been helped or hindered because of my diversity and my diverse background, I’ll never know for sure,” she explains, “but I do know that I’m happy with the choices I made to be where I am now.”
How does she feel about her future? “I don’t have a rigid time schedule that I think I need to meet in order to feel successful — life is too dynamic for that. However, I do know that I would like to continue to expand my responsibilities and skills in the hi–tech field. It’s too interesting of a field for me to leave. In addition, I would like to pursue a creative endeavor that is completely unrelated to the law.” Whether in law or outside of the law, Suh’s future prospects are stronger than ever. DB
Patrick Folliard is a freelance writer based in Silver Spring, Md.
From the November/December 2009 issue of Diversity & The Bar®