I am Elektra B. Yao, Esq., the founder and principal attorney at Yao Law Group, a law firm dedicated to international and domestic artists.

I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts from Marymount Manhattan College in NYC, one of the top art schools in the nation. During my undergraduate university career, I wrote, directed, and produced two documentaries (N*gga What? and The Choking Game), which were screened in Texas and New York City. During college, I worked for MTV, the Style Network, and other distinguished production companies in the film and TV industry.

I am a very active attorney and a member of The American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association, and The New York City Bar Association, where I am a member of several committees.

As a multicultural attorney with immigrant parents from Italy and Côte d’Ivoire, I am fully fluent in French, Italian, and Spanish. I have lived, studied, and worked internationally in the U.S., the EU, and Africa. Not only do I understand the language my clients speak, but I also understand the cultural and artistic landscapes they come from.

I have successfully represented record labels, modeling agencies, production companies, individual artists, and creatives.

I am the owner, founder, and chief motivator!

Yao Law Group is a forward-thinking, multilingual immigration law firm dedicated to providing concierge services for artists, entrepreneurs, interns, trainees, and families. We are passionate about delivering customized, high-quality legal solutions tailored to each client’s needs.

We work with artists who are geniuses in their own right, investors and entrepreneurs driven to build ambitious companies, and families seeking to reunite and stay together. Our firm is committed to providing successful, personalized legal strategies, analyzing each case with expertise to achieve the best outcomes.

What sets us apart is our concierge approach—offering a seamless, high-touch legal experience that elevates our clients to the next level. Based in the international city of New York, we serve clients worldwide, leveraging our global perspective and strategic partnerships to drive them forward.

We specialize in representing international artists and work with all types of artistic and creative professionals.

Our firm harnesses legal technology to create a smooth and transparent experience for our clients while delivering high-quality legal work.

Being recognized by such a distinguished organization validates our hard work in building a stellar reputation and delivering a strong client experience.

Winning this international award reinforces our reputation among international artists who seek high-quality legal work. It also serves as a public affirmation of our credibility and excellence.

The challenges of developing our winning entry included truly understanding our audience and ensuring that we crafted the right message.

My ideation process is sparked by reading. I stay up to date and engaged by listening to podcasts, participating in business groups, and working to resolve problems. Problem-solving allows me to research and find solutions.

A successful team is one that is happy and excited to produce high-quality legal work. A successful organization is one where each team member feels a sense of ownership and knows they are integral to the firm's success. A successful business is one where both clients and staff are satisfied with the processes and results.

What has allowed me to be successful is my dedication to understanding that running a business and being a great lawyer are two separate things that can coexist. This means I have committed myself to learning how to run an efficient business as much as possible. This includes gaining knowledge about legal tech, efficiency and automation, HR and compliance, and more.

As my business knowledge has grown, I have also become a subject-matter expert on artist visas. My efficiency has enabled me to represent a wide range of artists, from famous clients and influencers to those just beginning their careers.

The U.S. is very tech-focused, and we continually experiment with and test different processes and automations to deliver efficient and effective legal services.

During the pandemic, I had to manage multiple competing interests at the same time—my young children, my staff, my clients, and my family life. I am proud to say that we continued to work at an extremely high level and even grew.

The pandemic gave me the opportunity to learn more about marketing and content creation while deepening my connection with clients. It also pushed me to think outside the box and provide our staff and clients with creative solutions for the future.

I am excited about the push toward efficiency through automation. I believe that automation and technology that enable experts and specialists to focus on resolving problems for clients are the future.

I recommend joining industry groups, Facebook groups, attending local SCORE events through the Small Business Administration, and seeking a mentor.

I see the evolution moving towards automation with a focus on specialists and experts. I believe that administrative work conducted by individuals will have a short lifespan. It will be more efficient for both clients and businesses to invest in expert services rather than administrative tasks that are no longer essential for a successful outcome.

My husband and children inspire me. My husband encouraged me to open my practice and my children are so proud to see their mom conquer the world every day!

My key to success is perseverance and a commitment to lifelong learning. I strive to continuously study and improve—learning about my craft, efficiency, and goals. How can your business serve you? How can it become a market leader? These are essential questions for managing long-term growth.