Yao Mou
Founder and attorney at Moudern PC, focused on commercial disputes requiring careful judgment about leverage, risk, timing, and business objectives.
Overview
Yao Mou is the founder of Moudern PC and a Biglaw-trained business litigator. For nearly a decade, she has represented business owners, investors, companies, and high-net-worth individuals in high-stakes commercial disputes on both the plaintiff and defense side, particularly when revenue, reputation, control, and critical timing are at stake.
Yao litigates in California state and federal courts and represents clients in arbitration and mediation. Her practice is anchored in contract disputes involving breach, nonpayment, termination, indemnity, and issues of money and responsibility arising from the breakdown of business relationships.
She also litigates fraud and other business tort claims, including misrepresentation, concealment, interference, and conversion. Yao regularly handles partnership, shareholder, and LLC member disputes involving fiduciary duties, corporate governance, control, and ownership interests.
Her practice also includes real estate litigation arising from commercial transactions, brokerage and escrow disputes, and fraudulent transactions, as well as business collections and judgment enforcement, including post-judgment discovery and asset recovery. As needed, she handles employment disputes, trade secrets, unfair competition, and intellectual property-related business disputes.
Approach
Yao builds litigation leverage through efficient, decisive advocacy. She emphasizes targeted discovery, key motions, and, when necessary, the prompt pursuit or defense of injunctive relief to establish a useful strategic position early in a case.
She combines Biglaw-caliber litigation training with a boutique firm's speed and focus, moving matters toward practical outcomes while avoiding unnecessary expenditure. Her approach emphasizes early case assessment, disciplined strategy, and both legal and business judgment before taking litigation action.
Background
Before founding Moudern PC, Yao practiced at an Am Law 100 firm and a litigation boutique, where she trained in complex, fast-moving litigation and learned to litigate with precision under pressure.
She also served as an extern for the Honorable Otis D. Wright II of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and completed internships with the California Attorney General's Office and the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office.
Education
- Loyola Law School, J.D., 2018
- University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., 2015
Admissions & Languages
- California
- Mandarin and English
Publications & Speaking
Yao is the author of The Unofficial Biglaw Survival Guide, which draws on her Biglaw training to examine working methods, communication practices, and professional development in elite legal practice. The Chinese edition, 《你不是唯一一个快要崩溃的人》, is published by CITIC Press Group.
She has also completed a memoir, 《中国考生，美国律师》, chronicling her cross-cultural path from China to U.S. law school and Biglaw. She has also translated judicial opinions from Mandarin into English for publication.
Yao has written and spoken on antitrust, force majeure, contract law, international commercial contracts, and small-business legal topics, including Chinese-language legal presentations for business owners.
Affiliations
- Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association
- Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles