G. Perry Wu, Esq. Elected President of the MBF
The Massachusetts Bar Foundation (MBF) elected G. Perry Wu, Esq. as president at its annual meeting on March 5. Wu will preside over the Board of Trustees as the organization enters its 60th anniversary year.
Wu joined the MBF’s Society of Fellows in 2000 and its Board of Trustees in 2019. He most recently served as vice president and previously served as treasurer and secretary. For the past two years, Wu has chaired the Legal Intern Fellowship Program Committee, which awards stipends to law students interested in pursuing careers in public interest law. Wu also chaired the Strategic Grantmaking Committee from 2020 to 2021. That committee, tasked with reviewing the MBF’s grant application process, evaluation procedures, and grantee reporting requirements, was integral to the MBF’s transition to an online grantmaking platform. He is a President’s Circle Fellow of the MBF.
Wu is a litigation attorney working with the Intellectual Property and Technology practice group at the Boston office of DLA Piper LLP (US). He represents major retailers, consumer goods manufacturers, and technology companies in patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, and other commercial litigation matters around the country. Before that, Wu practiced as a senior in-house legal counsel at Staples, Inc., where he managed and co-managed the company’s complex commercial litigation docket and served as the primary legal point of contact for the corporate risk management and internal audit departments. Earlier in his career, he was with the law firms of Hale and Dorr LLP (now Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP) and Day, Berry & Howard (now Day Pitney LLP).
“It is an honor to be stepping into this role, cognizant of the organization’s impact over six decades,” said Wu. “It is also humbling, as there is so much that still must be done for so many in the provision of civil legal aid. Currently, one out of every two individuals or families in need of legal aid has to be turned away. A key part of the MBF’s work is to tackle this unmet demand and accommodate a greater number of people who require representation.”
Looking ahead, Wu adds, “In my two-year term, the MBF will focus on three priority areas: First, given the recent surge in IOLTA funding, the MBF will seek to capitalize on various strategic grantmaking possibilities that were inconceivable just a couple of years ago. Additionally, the MBF will continue to reinforce its statewide footprint, with a focus on strengthening its connections to county bar associations, legal service providers, and community organizations located north and south of Boston. Finally, the Foundation will look to infuse its ranks with a significant wave of new Fellows, recruiting from all demographics, all communities and corners of the state, and all sectors of the legal profession. I look forward to working with the Foundation’s Board, Staff, grantees, and supporters as we move to advance these critical initiatives.”
“Perry has been a dedicated champion of the MBF mission,” said immediate MBF Past President Angela C. McConney, Esq. “He brings a depth of character, compassion, intellect, and good humor to the role. The MBF is truly in excellent hands.”
Wu has long contributed to the Commonwealth as an active volunteer. He also currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of MASSCreative, the Board of Governors of the Concord Museum, and the Board of Ambassadors of the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. He is also a former officer and board member of Mass Humanities, the state humanities council for Massachusetts; the Staples Foundation for Learning; and the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts (AALAM). He served for five years as AALAM’s liaison to the Massachusetts Bar Association House of Delegates.
Wu is a graduate of Harvard College and Columbia Law School. He resides in Wellesley with his family.