Jung-Kyu McCann, general counsel of Druva Inc.

Tech industry in-house lawyer Jung-Kyu McCann, a former attorney for Apple Inc. and Broadcom Inc. and current general counsel for data security firm Druva Inc., is speaking out about unconscious bias against women in the workplace. 

"Having spent decades working at a number of different companies across Silicon Valley, including some very well known brands, I've witnessed first hand the challenges associated with the everyday workplace environment," she wrote in a blog post.

"For example, meetings or group collaboration can be daunting for many women, especially if unconscious bias is prevalent in the workplace. It can become toxic and impair the growth of a successful and healthy work culture," McCann added. She was not immediately available for comment Monday. 

She has served since October 2019 as the first-ever GC of Druva, a cloud data protection and management company based in Sunnyvale, California. She previously served as associate GC at Broadcom and as a senior manager and principal corporate and governance counsel at Apple. 

In her blog post, McCann wrote that while she believed the days of conscious bias within a workplace are largely over, women still face "daily minor instances" of unconscious bias that can "hinder our ability to develop upward career paths." 

She offered several techniques that she uses to feel empowered and take control when facing unconscious bias: 

  • "First and foremost is to be your own champion. No one will advocate you as strongly as you should advocate for yourself," she wrote. She also encouraged other women to "raise your hand—do not sit idly by while others take advantage of your opportunities."
  • "Next, it's important to make sure you take a seat at the table, both physically and psychologically," McCann wrote. "Settling for a seat at the back of the room or against the wall can make you invisible to those at the table and removes you from the intellectual challenge and visibility of the conversation. Arrive early, take a seat at the table and feel confident that you've earned that seat to participate in the conversation."
  • Being nervous about speaking up or taking a prominent seat at the table is "totally normal," McCann wrote. She said she "conquered this nervousness by memorialising my thoughts in writing and bringing my written notes to meetings. I found these notes gave me enough confidence to add my perspective to the conversation and have a great impact in the room."

McCann concluded her post by acknowledging that unconscious bias will likely remain an issue for the foreseeable future, but said: "The growth of our collective confidence, combined with the growing commitment of leaders and companies, will ensure we continue to close the gap."

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