Jojo Fan is a Partner at Herbert Smith Freehills. In her interview, she discusses advice she would give to her younger self and making Partner amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself

I was born and raised in Hong Kong, and am local Hong Kong Chinese. I received my education at a local school and university, but also spent one year abroad in the US. I am trilingual in Mandarin, Cantonese and English.

As for my career, I am currently a litigation partner at Herbert Smith Freehills. I joined the firm in 2013 and prior to that, I worked at Baker & McKenzie in Hong Kong for about six years. During my professional career, I spent time in London, Sydney, Beijing and Shanghai.

2. Tell us about a proud moment for you in your career?

A proud moment for me in my career would be when I was promoted to the partnership amidst all the challenges in the COVID-19 world!

3. Think back to when you were starting out your career. What advice would you give your younger self?

This is good advice that I have once been given and would like to share with my younger self: it is difficult to see what you are truly capable of if you haven’t really taken the chance. You will be genuinely surprised at what you can achieve if you see opportunities rather than fences – it is worth taking the risk of failing because you always learn a lot on the journey regardless of the outcome.

4. Aside from work, what are your other passions?

While I am a foodie, I also love going to the gym (and watching my favourite Korean dramas when I’m stepping on the elliptical!). I am a great fan of the Asian culture and am taking Korean language class during my spare time.