Helen Wan

Helen Wan is an author, lawyer, and frequent Diversity, Equity and Inclusion speaker.

A graduate of Amherst College and The University of Virginia School of Law, she is the author of the novel "THE PARTNER TRACK," which was published by Macmillan, and is now an original TV series on Netflix. "THE PARTNER TRACK" is the story of an Asian American woman and her colleagues who are competing for partnership and navigating the corporate culture at an elite global law firm.

Wan's book is taught in law schools and universities, primarily in 1L seminars and Ethics courses, and is also used by many law firms, schools, and companies in dialogues and trainings about advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. In addition to being a new Netflix television show, "THE PARTNER TRACK" is also an e-book and an audiobook and has been translated into languages including French, Dutch, Portuguese, and Turkish.

The book began as Wan's subway scribblings as she commuted back and forth to her job as a first-year associate at a large New York law firm. Only 12 years later, it was published. And only 25 years later, it became a TV show. Wan is fascinated by, among other things, group dynamics and our complicated relationship with ambition. She writes about how race, gender, socioeconomic class, privilege, family history, and societal expectations impact our "pursuit of happiness."

Wan's work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, The Huffington Post, and on CNN.com. Before focusing on writing, Wan practiced intellectual property law for many years, at law firms and as in-house counsel at companies including Time Warner Inc. and A&E Television Networks. Most recently, she was VP & Associate General Counsel at Hachette Book Group USA. She has served on the Boards of The New York Women's Bar Association Foundation, The Asian American Arts Alliance, and The Executive Committee of Amherst College. Wan lives with her family in the NYC area, where she is currently completing a new book.