7 Reflections 7 Years On

In 2016, on this very same day, I was called to the Bar.?

7 years have passed since. Am continuously learning amidst the rapidly-changing legal environment, and am forever grateful to my wife, daughter, parents, parents-in-law, mentors, colleagues, friends, difficult opponents – all whom have made me who I am today.??

I have been told it is of some significance when one has completed his/her 7th year of practice in Malaysia. When I completed my pupillage 7 years ago, I penned my thoughts on 7 tips for a “meaningful pupillage”. I like to think that these tips are still generally applicable today, although I must confess I have not practiced what I have preached in some aspects still.

But I also want to believe I have matured in my thinking & approach to life, so do indulge me if I use this space to share 7 (short) reflections of mine relating to legal practice thus far:

1. Ultimately, the key to go far in legal practice is grit. Not talent, not hard work, not soft skills. It is grit i.e. sustained persistence coupled with passion with a long-term goal in mind. If you can master that, everything else will fall into place.??

2. Seek 2-3 good mentors in legal practice. They will turbo-charge you in every respect, and buttress you in your lowest moments.

3. It is never too early to shape your own personal brand, or too short a time to become a thought-leader in a particular area. It will give you the much-cherished flexibility to maneuver yourself in legal practice, which you will learn later on is extremely vital.

4. Gather as many unspoken rules in your area of practice as possible. The best in their trade don’t write it down on LinkedIn. Unspoken rules – not the black letter of the law – are the determining factor on whether you win or lose a case, or whether a deal goes through or not.?

5. Never fall into the comparison game. It is terribly tempting to beat yourself up when you see others “succeed”, whether in material gains or career wise (social media, including LinkedIn, being the biggest culprit). The fact is, each of us are born into different layers of privilege & go through different phases in life. Your career may seem “stagnant” because you had an unexpected health issue, encountered family troubles, etc. Your friend may appear “successful” because he/she happens to have rich parents since day one. It doesn’t matter. What’s important is that you strive to be a better person than you were yesterday, and learn to be contented (which is a far more sustainable state-of-mind than being “happy”) with what you have.?

6. Constantly keep yourself up-to-date on developments outside the law. Things like business, technology, politics, international relations, environment, etc. As the world gets more interconnected, they have more bearing in your legal practice than you think it does.

7. Give back – to society, the environment, the justice system, anything you care about. And more importantly – inspire others to also give back. Ruth Bader Ginsburg puts it brilliantly: “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” In my view, there is no greater sense of achievement & purpose in legal practice than that.?

I wish you all the best, both in practice & in life.