About Yi
Yi Qiao built a career that bridges legal training and business management. He earned his J.D. from Emory University School of Law in 2006 and later completed an MBA at Duke University in 2012. The two degrees shape how he approaches matters: the law provides the framework and the MBA adds context on business drivers.
After law school, Qiao entered private practice as an associate at Davis Polk Wardwell in 2006. He joined Kirkland & Ellis as an associate in 2008. Those years were spent at large national firms where teams move at pace and clients expect detailed work under tight deadlines. The roles exposed him to firm-side practice and the operational realities of serving institutional clients.
Qiao is admitted to practice in both New York and California. Maintaining licensure in two major jurisdictions allows him to handle cross-border issues that touch both coasts. It also reflects a career that has not been confined to a single legal market.
His educational path is notable for its sequence. He completed law school first, then returned to graduate business studies several years into practice. That path is visible in his approach to client matters. He assesses legal issues through a practical lens. He pays attention to commercial implications as well as legal risk.
Colleagues describe Qiao as steady and methodical. He spent formative years at firms known for complex corporate work, and those environments shaped his day-to-day practice habits. He has held professional association memberships since 2007, which he uses as one way to keep current on developments in the bar and the market.
Today Qiao continues to practice in New York and California. His work combines legal analysis and commercial judgment, and his current practice centers on corporate and transactional matters.
