The Life
August 21, 2008 6:21 PM
BEIJING 2008: Fulbright Associate's Got Rhythm
Posted by Ross Todd
In preparation for this Saturday's rhythmic gymnastics competition at the Beijing Olympics, The Am Law Daily checked in with Fulbright & Jaworski's Hailan Fan. Fan, a corporate lawyer based in the firm's Hong Kong office, is a former Chinese rhythmic gymnastics national champion.
Fan now is on a short leave from Fulbright to take part in this year's Games, not in competition but as a manager of media venue operations. She talks about international M&A, the logistics of finding space for all the international media at the Olympics, and the difference between rhythmic and artistic gymnastics.
How did you get involved in rhythm gymnastics?
I was selected by my coach. [She was] the first professional rhythmic gymnast. She organized a team in my province. So she started the program by selecting kids in kindergarten or elementary school. I was one of them because I was very cute or because I was limber like a dancer. [See photo at right.]
How old were you?
I was in kindergarten, six years old, when I started. When I was around 10 or 11, I was selected to be a professional rhythmic gymnast.
Is rhythmic gymnastics as popular as traditional artistic gymnastics in China?
I think rhythmic gymnastics is more popular right now. Artistic gymnastics started earlier; it has been in China about 50 years. My coach's generation, their sport was artistic gymnastics. [About 20 years ago,] the country invited some Russian experts to teach Chinese coaches [rhythmic gymnastics]. Today, more and more Chinese people really like rhythmic gymnastics. First, it's very beautiful. Second, this sport is enjoyable and it's not as easy to get injured. It's not like artistic gymnastics where it's hard on injuries.
Were you ever injured?
Nothing really heavy, just twisted ankles or my knee or my back, stuff like that. The most I was out was like two months.
When did you hang up your ribbons and retire as a professional gymnast?
I retired from my sports career when I was 18 years old. Then I really wanted to go to a university to study other programs. Because I was a professional athlete developed by China and...everything was paid by the country, I had to join a sport university. I didn't have a choice at that time. After graduating from my college, I coached for a few years...I thought I could have another career. So I decided to go to law school.
How did you end up at UCLA?
I finished Chinese law school. China right now is opening the market so a lot of international transactions come to China. To be an attorney you have to know more and more about international issues. So I decided to study in America. I applied to some schools but I really wanted to focus on sports law, media law, or business law. I decided UCLA was my ideal school. Also, my Chinese law professor...studied at UCLA law school. He told me it's a very good school.
What's does your practice at Fulbright involve?
I'm in the mergers and acquisitions group. I mainly do international transactions focusing on China and America. Most transactions [I work on], like joint ventures and M&A, have a Chinese company in them.
What are you doing at the Olympics now?
Right now I am the chief liaison officer in the media department. My job duty is to manage all of the commentators from all over the world and also to set up the interviews at the end of the games...Every game is broadcasting live, so the pressure is pretty heavy. In the gymnastics program there are 75 spots [for media] from different countries. In this venue, NBC has got the biggest area. It really depends on who pays more money. Even in the commentator area you can see a lot of former famous Olympic champions.
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