IS US

WILLIAM H. NG ’07 Shareholder Littler Mendelson P.C.

As a partner at Littler Mendelson, P.C. William Ng has a very active employment litigation practice, advises employers on their workplace policies and practices, and focuses time and effort on developing, managing, and strengthening client relationships. Despite the demands of an average workday, Ng really enjoys what he does.

“If I help my clients solve their problems, think strategically about their operations, and manage their workplace and workforce more effectively and efficiently, then I feel I’ve contributed in some small way to their growth and ultimate success,” he says. “As a diverse labor and employment attorney representing management, I regularly advise clients on the law, but also offer practical, real-life advice on how to resolve workplace disputes and cultivate a strong, vibrant workforce. I believe my advice and training has helped to create healthier and more inclusive companies that value their employees and workplace culture.”

Ng’s rewarding career took root at St. John’s Law, where he served on the executive board of the Frank S. Polestino Trial Advocacy Institute and participated in mock trial competitions. He was a member of the New York International Law Review and built practical skills in the year-long Prosecution Clinic. Ng also helped to lead the Law School’s Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA).

Through APALSA, he became active in the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY). That affiliation continued after Ng graduated from St. John’s, spent five years litigating at the New York City Law Department, and then joined Littler. Recently, he completed a one-year term as AABANY’s president. “I was proud to take on that leadership role in the largest, diverse bar association in the country as we fulfill our mission of promoting the interests of Asian American, Pacific Islander, and South Asian attorneys and legal professionals in New York, as well as the communities they serve,” he shares.

With gratitude for a fulfilling life in the law, Ng gives back to the Law School and its students on this strong conviction: “You may take many different paths in the law, and you may have some doubts along the way. But you’ll be successful if you continue to work hard, believe in yourself, and take the time to genuinely help others.”

QUEENIE PANIAGUA ’12 Associate Sack & Sack, LLP

As Queenie Paniagua sees it, the successful practice of law requires curiosity, a never-ending desire to improve, and a commitment to doing the most good. With that vision, over the last decade, she has forged a meaningful and rewarding career.

Paniagua gained insight into law practice as a student at St. John’s. “Through internships at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office and in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, I realized that my grades had little bearing on my legal skillset and efficacy,” she says. “Those experiences affirmed that my strengths were best suited for client-facing roles, where my advocacy could help make someone whole.”

Secure in that perspective, after graduation, Paniagua joined the New York Legal Assistance Group as a staff attorney. She then became an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, ascending to deputy chief of a trial bureau in less than five years. “Empowering victims of, and witnesses to, crime is what I loved most about being a prosecutor,” she says.

Today, Paniagua continues to center client empowerment as an associate at Sack & Sack, LLP, a boutique law firm founded by alumnus Jonathan Sack ’89. “Most of our clients have been unexpectedly terminated or have experienced something traumatic at work,” she explains. “No one expects to be fired or treated badly at work, and, in their shock, clients don’t know how to feel, or what to do. I counsel them on realistic outcomes and remind them that this experience doesn’t have to define them.”

Paniagua also continues to give back to the larger profession and her Bronx community. She has been active in the

Dominican Bar Association, which she served as president, and is a member of Bronx Community Board 12. She also pays her appreciation for St. John’s Law forward by conducting mock interviews, speaking at programs, and serving on the Alumni Association Board, Alumnae Leadership Council, and Diversity & Inclusion Gala Committee.

“Law school is demanding and can be stressful, but it also flies by,” Paniagua shares. “So, I tell students, savor the moments where your head hurts because you’re being challenged to think critically. Cherish the friendships you forge. Take the random courses that pique your interest. Your journey is unique to you, it isn’t linear, and all of these experiences will inform the lawyer you become.”