Building Brand Leadership Through Trust and Collaboration

ADAPT.legal was proud to collaborate on the recent "Brand Leadership: Trust in Action" event, a powerful evening that brought together thought leaders to explore how trust, mentorship, and authentic leadership shape our professional identities and careers.

Organized by Ashley Cheung, Principal & Founder of Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) and member of ADAPT.legal's Communications Committee, this event demonstrated the transformative power of collaboration. Partnering with ChIPs DC Chapter, How Women Lead, and LegalOps.com, with sponsorships from Groombridge, Wu, Baughman & Stone, Sterne Kessler, and Park IP of WeLocalize, at a venue hosted by Baker Botts, the evening showcased what's possible when organizations unite around shared values.

The Power of Collaborative Leadership

The event reinforced a crucial lesson: collaboration and mentorship are fundamental to building brand leadership. 

The panel, moderated by Melissa Cohen, LinkedIn’s top voice and personal brand strategist, featured many insights from panelists with strong brand leadership, including:

• Ashley Cheung shared that reputation management goes beyond work output. She shared her lessons that a strong personal brand requires consistency, authenticity, and meaningful connections—key components of trust that underpin brand leadership.

• Michelle Heisner from Baker McKenzie and Board Member of How Women Lead emphasized that for women advancing into leadership, personal branding means being fierce advocates, visible, and supportive of others. Uplifting colleagues and amplifying collective voices builds trust and opens doors for more women to succeed.

• Professor Sasha Strauss highlighted the importance of internal self-trust and brand mindfulness—aligning inner beliefs with external actions to foster authenticity and credibility.

• Monica Phillips demonstrated how transparency and vulnerability strengthen relationships, showing that authenticity deepens trust and loyalty.

• Shawnna Hoffman introduced Yellow Rock Theory, illustrating how maintaining stability and optimism during uncertainty fosters resilience.

• Ivy Estoesta advocated for family-friendly policies, showing how genuine concern for others' well-being cultivates lasting loyalty.

Ultimately, trust is mutual and sustained through active listening, support, transparency, and integrity. Leadership is about setting an example and nurturing relationships, not titles. By demonstrating vulnerability and aligning actions with core values, leaders foster environments where trust can thrive, empowering growth and innovation.

Join Us: Professional Mentorship Program and Future Events

The success of this event underscores why ADAPT.legal is committed to fostering connection and growth within the IP community. We invite you to:

Participate in ADAPT.legal’s Professional Mentorship Program: Whether as a mentor sharing your expertise or a mentee seeking guidance, mentorship is essential for developing authentic brand leadership. Join our program to build meaningful relationships that advance careers and strengthen our community.

Save the Date: Virtual Patent Gateway will be hosting another unique two-part event, “Guiding Success: Building Intergenerational Leadership” on St. Patrick's Day 2026 (March 17, 2026) in Washington, DC, with ADAPT.legal as one of many collaborating partners. Other collaborating partners include Sterne Kessler, Answers IP, LegalOps.com, HERizon, and Unified Patents. This next gathering will feature experiential learning opportunities, taking our exploration of trust and leadership to new interactive heights. The first portion of the program is an interview-style podcast with Melissa Haapala and Natasha “Tash” Durkins. More details are to follow. 

Authentic leadership rooted in trust creates ripple effects across culture, organizations, and society. Thank you to Ashley Cheung from Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) and all our ADAPT.legal members for demonstrating that when we collaborate with purpose, we build something truly meaningful.

Shirley Fung

ADAPT Communications Team