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GOLDSEA | TOP ASIAN AMERICAN PROFESSIONALS

JOAN M HARATANI

Profession: Lawyer
Birthplace: Redwood City, California
Position: Director Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May, San Francisco

oan Haratani is a trial lawyer who specializes in defending medical device, health care, and pharmaceutical companies. She was one of the two trial lawyers for the defendant manufacturer in the first breast implant case tried in California after the "global" settlement was created. She won. But it hasn't been easy. She's had to brush off the stereotype of the Asian American woman, seen as either "erotic, sexy, a dragon lady, or passive and submissive. Those stereotypes are obviously not helpful for the professional Asian woman." But her resilience and effort have gotten her "more money than I can spend in a day."
     Haratani was born on August 2, 1957 in Redwood City, California. Both parents were born in California as well. She received a scholarship to attend the Athenian School in Danville, California, a boarding school, and got her bachelor's degree form St. John's College in New Mexico. Her J.D. came from U.C. Davis in 1984, the same year she became a member of the Law Review. She's currently divorced, but romantically involved with another partner at the law firm. She says they spend too much time at the office, so they get away together whenever they can, to read books, watch movies, cook, drink wine, sail and throw parties.