Experience

Dajia US formerly Anbang International (US)

• General Counsel

  • Aug 2019 - Present

  Business-minded strategic advisor with more than seventeen years of legal experience, including real estate law, construction, development, commercial transactions, and litigation. Responsible for all aspects of legal affairs impacting Dajia US, the United States investment arm of Dajia Insurance Group. Tasks include oversight of corporate affairs, negotiation of commercial contracts for the Company and management of outside counsel on diverse legal issues. Significant experience in both oversight and direct handling of litigation matters, as well as development and implementation of risk management policies and insurance programs. Chief legal advisor to senior management, both in the United States and China.Manage and provide legal support for Dajia’s assets and development projects in the United States, including overseeing, drafting and negotiating all contracts and legal issues related to the redevelopment of the landmarked Waldorf Astoria, New York. Provide day-to-day legal support in connection with daily operations and commercial transactions for the Dajia US corporate teams, including the negotiation of all commercial contracts and monitoring compliance with vendors, suppliers, insurers, and consultants. Handle operations and run all legal work for commercial office condominium, including development of marketing and leasing strategies and negotiation of commercial lease terms, loan agreements and letters of credit. Respond to tenant issues and oversee condominium association matters.

• Managing Director, 717 Fifth Avenue

  • Jan 2021 - Present



Dajia US (formerly Anbang International (US))

• Director, Legal & Compliance

  • Apr 2016 - Jul 2019

  Chief legal advisor to senior management both in the United States and internationally. Manage all legal support for Anbang International (US), including overseeing all contracts and legal issues related all real estate assets and development projects in the United States and the redevelopment of the landmarked Waldorf Astoria, New York. Oversee legal work in connection with 717 5th Avenue, including leasing, tenant issues and condo association matters. Provide day-to-day legal support in connection with daily operations and commercial transactions for the Anbang International (US) corporate teams, including, negotiating commercial contracts and monitoring compliance with vendors, suppliers, insurers and consultants. Manage disputes and litigation arising in connection with Anbang International (US) operations in the United States. Negotiate loan transactions and manage diligence process in connection with new financing. Assist Treasury with compliance of existing loan agreements and analysis of overall debt structure and strategy for the United States Division. Support human resources with all legal matters relating to United States employment and labor matters, including employee claims, contract negotiation, and policy formation and implementation.



Olshan

• United States

• Counsel

  • Sep 2015 - Apr 2016

  Practice focused on construction and real estate-related commercial transactional matters, corporate compliance and advisory services and commercial and real estate litigation. Successfully represented clients in preparing and negotiating design/construction agreements for commercial and residential projects. Lead construction contract writer and negotiator for owners of private, corporate and institutional projects, ranging from luxury condominiums to hotels and other development projects. Extensive experience in commercial and real estate litigation, successfully representing clients both in pursuing and defending diverse legal claims.



LePatner & Associates, LLP

• United States
• Law Practice
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Partner

  • Jan 2008 - Sep 2015

  Specialized in construction and real estate-related commercial transactional matters and corporate compliance and advisory services. Successfully worked with owners assisting their legal and business objectives toward obtaining construction cost certainty on small and large-scale residential and commercial projects. Extensive commercial and real estate litigation, having successfully representing clients in both pursuing and defending diverse legal claims. Experience includes Article 78 Petitions, administrative hearings, general contract disputes, commercial lease disputes and various arbitrations. Worked with senior executives to provide guidance in implementing best practice procedures and policies for their companies. Significant insurance coverage experience, which included representation of insurers in complex coverage matters involving financial institutions and professional liability claims and representing insured to procure insurance under their various policies.



Kaufman Borgeest & Ryan LLP

• United States
• Law Practice
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Associate

  • Sep 2002 - Jan 2008

  Practice specialized in legal malpractice litigation, miscellaneous professional liability, and insurance coverage litigation. In addition to the representation of clients in professional liability and other commercial litigation claims, my practice included representation of insurers in coverage matters. Extensive experience drafting pleadings, conducting discovery, including taking and defending depositions, preparing motions and drafting pre-trial and appellate briefs. Argued motions, appeals, second-chaired trials, negotiated settlements and drafted various settlement and confidentiality agreements.



Brooklyn Law School, Legal Services Inc.

• Intern, Consumer Counseling and Bankruptcy Clinic

  • Jan 2002 - May 2002

  Interviewed and counseled clients to determine their financial position with respect to filing for bankruptcy or further financial counseling. Drafted memoranda and bankruptcy filing materials. Represented clients at bankruptcy proceedings. Interviewed and counseled clients to determine their financial position with respect to filing for bankruptcy or further financial counseling. Drafted memoranda and bankruptcy filing materials. Represented clients at bankruptcy proceedings.



Honorable Ira Gammerman, J.S.C. Supreme Court, New York County

• Judicial Intern

  • Sep 2000 - Dec 2000

  Researched various civil law issues and drafted memoranda for decisions and orders. Summarized facts and legal merit of particular cases. Observed court proceedings. Researched various civil law issues and drafted memoranda for decisions and orders. Summarized facts and legal merit of particular cases. Observed court proceedings.



Congressman Robert E. Andrews

• United States
• Legal Services

• Intern

  • 1998 - 1998

  Legislative Intern Legislative Intern