Forward Focused: Lee Soo Chye Discusses Journey to Counselor

Mackrell International's (MI) Mentor Series brings together seasoned lawyers with our Next Generation of legal leaders. MI Mentors share their professional and personal experiences and advice to help guide up-and-coming lawyers.?

This article features Lee Soo Chye, Managing Partner at Wee Swee Teow LLP in Singapore.

When Lee Soo Chye was a boy, he set his sights on becoming a doctor.

He was going to be a surgeon, and he was going to make a lot of money.

But at the age of 14, he cut his finger and the sight of the blood made him nauseous. It was then, he realized, he needed to change his career path.

He decided perhaps he should be a lawyer. After all, they made good money, too!

“And then, I did not look back,” said Soo Chye, now the Managing Partner at Wee Swee Teow LLP in Singapore.?

Soo Chye admits his motivation as a young teen spurred from growing up in a poor family, and a strong desire to change his financial situation.

He began his legal professional journey in litigation. But as he became more familiar with the profession, he developed what he describes as a love of corporate-related matters and transactions.

“I had a good mentor,” Soo Chye said, “I told my mentor that I wanted to be able to handle my own clients in three years, and he said he would help me.”

Be a Consigliere - a Counselor

Soo Chye said when he developed his own practice and was working with his own clients, he started to think of himself as being a counselor. He said he was inspired by The Godfather movie character, the ‘Consigliere’.

“My journey progressed that way,” he said. “The idea of lawyers being a counselor to clients stuck with me, even up until today.”

It was at this time in his career that Soo Chye realized money wasn’t his main motivating factor any longer. It wasn’t just about what he could get from his profession, but, rather, what he could give back.

It’s not just clients that Soo Chye, now 57, finds solutions for, but also the next generation of lawyers that he can to counsel as well.

He feels a responsibility in a noble profession to help mentor those starting out in their legal careers. “As lawyers, we are given a certain status in society, and we do have the capacity to play a big part in the justice system.”

The Learning Should Never Stop

In addition to the guidance he gives to his younger colleagues, Soo Chye said he always accepts an opportunity for himself to constantly be learning, regardless of the experience behind him.

He said he encourages his colleagues to ask questions, and he also lives by those values for himself.

“I would like to think that once I ask a question, I will learn something,” he said.?

He said he spends much of his time with his colleagues, from whom he learns new things, especially in the world of technology.

“I find that there’s so much I need to learn from them – not only from my colleagues in the firm, but also from friends and contacts and networks outside,” he said. “I would like to encourage my young friends and my young colleagues to embrace the spirit of seeking to learn from people you can learn from, instead of waiting for people to teach you.”

A Changing, Global Landscape

As he looks back on his career, Soo Chye said one remarkable change from when he was an up-and-coming lawyer is how global the legal landscape has become. He said he encourages his colleagues to look at things from a multi-jurisdictional point of view.

“Most people were quite local in what they do, but that’s no longer the case,” he said. “These days, when I talk to some clients, they say, ‘I have an asset in New Zealand, I have one in London, I have some in Malaysia and China, In Thailand.’”

He said this change opens new avenues for those in the legal profession.?

“Now the world is your oyster,” he said.?

Finding Equilibrium

Throughout his career, Soo Chye said he has had many people he could lean on for advice and opinions, but his rock, he said, is his wife.

“My wife is the one when I come home, you go outside battered and bruised, but she comes home and I say,’Ok, at least I have somebody who will still take care of you.’”

He said the key to balancing his work and life outside of work is ensuring that no one area becomes extreme.

“There’s work, and there are many other parts. You’ve got the spiritual element. You’ve got the physical element,” he said. “I think communication is the key – both on the client side and the employer side. We only have 24 hours in a day. So, there’s always a balance that we need to get to to be comfortable with ourselves.”

Soo Chye said the most important lesson he would like to provide to those he mentors is to never stop striving to reach their goals.

“I want them to dare to dream. I want them to not be afraid to fail,” he said. “Do not lose your ideals. And work to find good friends to make all these dreams come true.”

Advice for Aspiring Lawyers

• “We learn from each other the various perspectives of law. So, collaborate. Talk to our friends in the Mackrell International network and engage with each other.”
• No matter how far you climb in your professional journey, never stop learning yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask questions that you think might be weak.
• Remember when it comes to finding a good work/life balance, communication with both clients and your employer is crucial.
• Dare to dream - and do not be afraid to fail.

The full recording of Soo Chye’s discussion with Keith Heddle, MI’s Managing Director, is available on-demand from our YouTube channel, https://youtu.be/YTsIoSF531o. Like and subscribe to our Channel to keep on top of legal developments from around the world.?