Angela Yu is a New Jersey and New York attorney and founder of Yu Law LLC (“Yu Law”; yulawlegal.com), a law firm geared towards helping entrepreneurs with their businesses. Like many other entrepreneurs, Angela started her firm to authentically contribute to the world around her while living a location-independent lifestyle. She believes that legal is a tool to help reach your dreams and loves working with entrepreneurs who are looking to turn their vision into reality.

Check out her Instagram (@yulawllc) and LinkedIn!

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Where have you traveled recently? 

Angela Yu (AY): I just spent a month and a half traveling around Canada! My partner and I started in Montreal, went to Toronto, then headed over to Vancouver, Calgary and Banff. It was a lot of travel, but it was really cool to see a lot of the big Canadian cities and the West Coast of Canada since I had never been there. 

Any big highlights on the trip? 

AY: Banff, specifically Moraine Lake, was as amazing as everyone says! So, so beautiful. It’s one of those places where pictures just don’t do it justice. I was looking at my pictures from the trip today, and they’re incredible, but being there…there's just no comparison. I feel so lucky to have been there and seen it for myself. It’s one of those places you don’t forget.

Were you super thorough in planning all your stops at tourist attractions, or are you more laid-back when it comes to travel? 

AY: I’ve been all types of travelers - laid back, easy-going, super methodical and planned, but, at my core, I’m still a big planner that likes to have an itinerary (as expected of a lawyer). Interestingly, our plans for Canada were super last minute, especially regarding Moraine Lake. My partner actually threw out the idea to go to Moraine Lake on a whim, even though everyone had told us the parking lot is always full and that we would need to reserve a shuttle to get there. We ended up going an hour before sunset, while on our way to our next hotel, just to see what would happen. When we got there, we were shocked that we easily found parking. I think that made it even more enjoyable. We felt like we were in the right place at the right time and had a really carefree attitude towards it. It’s a good reminder for me not to plan everything out and just enjoy things as they happen.

Since you traveled with your partner this time, there aren’t as many safety concerns. However, as an experienced solo traveler, how do you stay safe? 

AY: I’ve definitely had concerns about safety when I’ve traveled by myself. One trip where I was a bit nervous about traveling safely was when I went to Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. For the majority of this trip, I decided to join a group tour since it was a foreign location and language, alongside an extremely strenuous activity. When you’re doing something really physical while traveling, you have to factor in those safety concerns too. However, in general, when I travel, I don't like to advertise my status as being a ‘solo female traveler’ ; sometimes you just don’t want to deal with those  (potentially unwanted) offers for dinners and drinks. My biggest tip for solo female travelers, and any traveler really, is to always trust your gut - traveling can put you in unfamiliar and uncomfortable positions and only you can make the decisions that feel right for you.

Then, on the opposite side of the spectrum, have you taken any big risks in the past? 

AY: Personally, my biggest risk was leaving my corporate law job and moving to Mexico. My intention of going to Mexico was to go on a solo surf trip in-between jobs–I had just resigned from my last job and was slated to start my new job in a week. But while I was in Mexico, I remember experiencing these moments where I didn’t feel like I was on day 3 of a vacation, but instead, felt like I had already been living there for years! It took me about a month of being at my new role to decide I wanted to give living in Mexico a try. Fast forward a year and I’ve been there  a lot longer than I ever thought I would be. It was a super disruptive decision to my life, but ultimately, I’m really glad I made that decision–it felt right, and has brought a balance to my life that I didn’t have before I made that move. 

Speaking of your job, why law? What do you find interesting about it? 

AY: I was actually an Art History major in college, but I decided on law school after watching my sister go through it. I decided to do a JD/MBA while in law school because I always wanted to work with businesses and just find the business world really interesting. I think something that always encouraged me to continue this path was the fact that I actually had a great experience at law school, contrary to many people’s experiences. I had really great classmates, and met some of my best friends in law school.

So obviously, you spend a ton of time with entrepreneurs and the business industry in general - any specific reason why?

AY: Law is almost like a different language, so a lot of entrepreneurs usually just push it under a rock and hope nothing bad happens, but there is a better way. I take a lot of pride in what I do because I think learning about the legalities of your business is empowering -  I help my clients build the right legal foundation to launch their dream businesses, advise them in negotiations with their customers and clients, and demystify  the law by presenting it in an understandable way. I also love working with entrepreneurs because they’re trying to bring something from their brain into reality. They’re always the dream chasers, and I love surrounding myself with that energy; I’m an entrepreneur too. 

Any specific tips for business owners in the legal field then? 

AY: Look at legal sooner rather than later. When you don’t pay attention to it, that’s when you get into trouble. Sometimes people seek a lawyer when they’re already in trouble, and it’s a lot harder to get out of trouble than to stay out of it. When you have a business, do yourself a favor and invest in protecting your business and yourself. You will either do it on your terms or someone else’s terms so be proactive rather than reactive. 

If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you consider doing? 

AY: I actually study grief and am a certified grief coach! When I’m not being a lawyer, I take grief education courses and love learning about how different cultures experience life, death, and grief. My life has been profoundly affected by grief after I lost my younger brother five years ago. It was one of the most difficult experiences of my life, but in truth, my grief journey has also informed how I live my life now. I want to help others feel supported during the losses they may face. 

Interested in learning more about Angela?

Check out her Instagram (@yulawllc) and her own website (yulawlegal.com). You can also contact her through email at angela@yulawlegal.com.