At Hangley Aronchick, our strength has always come from our people — the attorneys who help us provide excellent counsel while building the strong client relationships that define our firm. That’s why we’re excited to spotlight our team members through our “Get to Know an Attorney” campaign. In the latest installment, get to know Cary Zhang, an associate in our antitrust and litigation practices.
Cary Zhang litigates complex commercial disputes. In particular, she represents large retail drugstore chains in antitrust actions seeking damages caused by various anticompetitive practices that increase the price of critical pharmaceutical drugs. Among the practices that she has challenged are reverse payments in which brand manufacturers pay generic manufacturers to delay low-priced generic drugs, price fixing and monopolization.
What drew you to law and specifically to your practice area?
I’ve always loved reading, writing and analyzing texts, which led me to study English literature in college and eventually to law school. After clerking for a criminal judge, I fell into antitrust law. At Hangley Aronchick, our antitrust practice excels in cases within the pharmaceutical industry. This niche is what drew me to the firm.
My parents are scientists who work in the pharmaceutical industry, so I grew up around that world without realizing how much it would shape my career. It’s been a full-circle experience to be able to combine my passion for complex legal issues with the scientific and industry background I absorbed around the dinner table growing up.
What do you think sets Hangley Aronchick apart in the legal industry?
Hangley Aronchick’s legal practice is among the most sophisticated in the country, but we practice as a small nimble team that solves problems using creativity and skill rather than brute force. Our antitrust cases are among the most complex cases pending in the federal courts and frequently involve novel issues of critical importance to the pharmaceutical industry, one of the largest sectors of the economy. They involve some of the largest domestic and international corporations represented by some of the largest national law firms. Our smaller team successfully devises and implements strategies to explain complex legal, economic, scientific and regulatory issues to judges and juries around the country.
That mindset extends to associate development: from day one, we are invited to share our thoughts and ideas on cases we are working on. We are treated as important members of the team, which in turn sharpens our litigation skills. I feel lucky to be part of a firm that invests heavily in training associates to become future leaders of the firm and the broader legal community.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
Become indispensable to a case. You don’t have to be an expert on everything about the case, but you should be the expert on something. If you handle a particular witness, for example, you should know that witness’s testimony and transcript inside and out. When trial, mediation or summary judgment approaches, you become the person the team turns to for fast, accurate information on that piece of the litigation.
If you had to lead a workshop with no warning on any topic but law, what would you teach?
How to order effectively for a large group at a Chinese restaurant. It’s all about knowing your fellow diners and achieving the right balance, pairing spicy dishes with milder or slightly sweet ones and mixing rich meat dishes with lighter or more vinegary appetizers. It might be an unpopular opinion, but I always choose either noodles or fried rice, not both, so that people can really enjoy the mains. In Philly, my go-to for groups is Emei, which has fantastic food and many dishes that are vegetarian and gluten free.
What is a fun fact about you that most people wouldn’t be able to tell?
I’ve been playing piano since I was five and studied at Settlement Music School in Philadelphia, where I now serve on the board. I’ve performed at the Kimmel Center and at former Mayor Michael Nutter’s inauguration. My board service lets me support Settlement’s mission of providing accessible music education to Philadelphia students of all backgrounds.
Share This