Cynthia Wu always knew she wanted something more. The biggest question in her life has always been how she could set herself apart and succeed — she wanted to do something no one else could.
As the eldest of four siblings, she faced the weight of responsibility early on, dropping out of school after middle school to help support her family. “My family was not rich,” she said. “So tuition was a problem for my parents.”
Wu watched her younger siblings continue their education while she started working instead of attending high school. But even then, she was determined to carve out a different path. “I kinda always yearned [for] a different life,” she said. She would make it happen.
She worked during the day and took classes at night, going to nearby cities to study. It was the late 90s and she wanted a white collar job, and knew that learning English and how to use computers would give her a much-needed boost.
In 2004, she got permission from her parents to go to college to pursue the equivalent of an associate degree, followed by a bachelor’s, but wasn’t yet satisfied. She took the graduate school test and was accepted to a university to study law.
While studying for her juris master degree, she moved to the United States with her then-husband and gave birth to their first child. At that time, she decided to postpone writing her dissertation by half a year.
Balancing life as a new mother and graduate student, Wu eventually found herself at a crossroads. “All this time, I was a housewife,” she said. Then, her marriage ended, so she took the leap and was accepted into the University of Arizona’s law school, beginning her juris doctor degree.
“I work[ed] hard to get where I am today, so I didn’t want to be a regular attorney,” she explained. Wu chose to specialize in tax law, later earning an advanced degree from the University of Florida. Her professional journey took her from civil and probate courts to a position at Ernst & Young, one of the “Big Four” accounting firms. Yet she still didn’t feel fulfilled.
“I felt like I wasn’t doing important work,” she said.
That realization led Wu to open her own law practice, Concord & Wisdom, based in Pasadena. With a focus on international tax and estate planning, her work combines her deep knowledge of cross-border law with a desire to help others navigate complex legal systems.
“Now I really feel I can help people,” Wu said. “Tons of people call me and they have lots of issues, and I can help.”
Estate planning, she explained, isn’t just for the wealthy. “It’s for everyone as long as you have at least a house,” she said. In Los Angeles, where home values often exceed a million dollars, having a plan in place can save loved ones from lengthy probate and potential legal complications. It’s particularly essential for non-citizens, where estate law can become even more complex, an area where Wu specializes.
“Estate planning has two purposes: to prevent probate and for creditor protection,” she said. And it’s work she’s passionate about, especially when she can ease someone’s burdens during already difficult times.
Now remarried to a fellow tax attorney, Wu lives in Alhambra and commutes to the Concord & Wisdom office in Pasadena. Having lived in many states, she said she feels a strong sense of community here — and the food doesn’t hurt, either. “I have [an] Asian stomach,” she joked.
To learn more about estate planning or tax law, visit attorneywu.com.
Address: 35 N Lake Ave # 710, Pasadena, CA 91101
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm Monday-Friday
Closed Saturday-Sunday
Phone: (520) 358-5095
