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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Women's Leadership InitiativeQ&A with Catherine Kang

Catherine practices in all areas of immigration law including both employment-based and family-based petitions and applications. She counsels employers on the options available when hiring foreign nationals in temporary or permanent positions and files on behalf of the employers various petitions and applications with the USCIS, USDOL and USDOS in compliance of the various provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act and federal regulations. 

Describe a pivotal moment that influenced your career path.

Growing up, I was constantly being asked by my parents to read and translate English documents into Korean. Depending on the complexity of the document, this was not always so easy due to my lack of understanding the document itself and/or my lack of ability to articulate in Korean what I did understand. As I was leaving my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, to begin my undergraduate studies at the University of Southern California, my mother leased a storefront to begin her own business of a clothing alterations shop. As she asked me questions and my opinions regarding some of her business decisions, I was concerned that she would enter into some type of agreement without fully understanding the implications of her agreement. During this time, I realized the need and significance of bilingual professionals, especially in the legal field.

What was the single most important thing that made you want to focus on immigration law?

My desire to be helpful to those who needed my help.

Tell us about your favorite thing to do outside of work.

Attending my two daughters’ sporting events.

What advice would you give to women just starting out at a law firm? What are some important first steps they can take to lay the groundwork for a successful career?

Learn to prioritize what is important as to how your time should be spent during the day. This relates not only to balancing work and family life, but also to prioritizing among your workload at the office.