Practice Profile: Judy Mok is a member of Ballard Spahr's consumer financial services group and focuses her practice in the payments space. She advises leading banks, hotel chains, airlines, retailers, and fintechs in negotiating and drafting complex strategic partnership agreements that are essential for the success of their businesses.

Leadership, Pro Bono, and Civic Work: Ms. Mok is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the profession. She serves as co-vice president of strategic development and marketing for the Don H. Liu Scholars Program. She leads fundraising, marketing, and outreach efforts for this organization, which aims to increase scholarship and mentorship opportunities for the next generation of Asian attorneys. She is an active participant in the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the Asian American Bar Association of New York, and the Minority Corporate Counsel Association. She has also served as a mentor to junior attorneys over the course of her career.

Prior Experience: Prior to joining Ballard Spahr, Ms. Mok was senior payments counsel for Apple, supporting the ongoing development and strategic initiatives of Apple Pay—including the platform's U.S. and international expansion.

Education:

J.D., Fordham University School of Law, 2007

B.A., New York University, magna cum laude, 2004,

What advice would you give to young lawyers?

Relationships matter; take the time to get to know your colleagues on a personal level and develop meaningful relationships with them at an early stage in your career. People may change jobs over time, but the legal community is very small, and it is likely that you will cross paths with them again one day. Build your confidence early on by speaking up and trusting your instincts. Be kind to yourself if and when things go wrong. Things don't always play out the way you expect, but it's important to put yourself out there and give yourself a fair shot at success.