Lawyer Spotlight: Lee Jin Loong

What do you find exciting about the legal industry?

I knew coming out of law school that I wanted to be a commercial litigation lawyer, which entails a journey of continuous learning and advocating the best case for our clients. In the course of my career, I’ve also been exposed to a number of contentious restructuring and insolvency matters which complements my interest in global commerce and finance.

It’s exciting to know that no two cases are ever alike, and the nature of our work often requires us to think outside the box and don an investigative hat to put together missing pieces of the puzzle in order to come up with creative and practical solutions to novel problems. ?

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What sets Setia apart from other law firms?

The work that we do and our values.

Setia’s philosophy is that we are “distinctive by nature”, which stems from the fact that we are specialists in our field which often sees us venturing into unchartered territories with untested solutions in ever-evolving areas such as technology and digital assets, often with a cross-border element. This requires us to constantly challenge and push the boundaries to come up with bespoke solutions.

I find great joy in working for a firm that is purpose-driven, where we take pride in delivering high quality work and service to our clients, and we relish the challenge of stepping outside our comfort zones. This is enabled by the collegiate culture within the team which facilitates the exchange of ideas and allows us to draw on one another’s unique experiences and expertise to tackle problems head on.

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How have you grown in your time with Setia?

It’s been an eye-opening and fulfilling experience to be a part of the pioneer employees of a new law firm and see firsthand how a business is developed from the ground up. I’ve been able to observe how the firm’s systems and structures were conceived and also have my own input.

For instance, brainstorming with the team on how to revamp our office space to make it a more conducive working environment for everyone, thinking about the type of coffee machine to purchase for everyone to get their caffeine fix during the workday, installing curtains in our virtual hearing room to reduce the glare from the frosted glass panels, and installing blackout blinds to help us avoid the afternoon sun. Having been in a large organisation since the start of my career, these are certainly things which I did not envision myself to have to even think about as a lawyer, which has helped me better appreciate the unique circumstances and challenges faced by some of our clients who are business owners themselves or founders of start-ups in the digital asset space.'

Setia also believes in developing its younger lawyers holistically, by actively supporting us in our pursuit of personal growth and professional development, providing us with opportunities to represent the firm at major events to broaden our network, and enrolling in courses to enhance our understanding in subject matters relevant to our practice. I recently had the privilege of attending my first INSOL International Conference in Tokyo with the team where I had the pleasure of meeting new friends and colleagues in the restructuring and insolvency space. I am also enrolled in a course on international insolvency law which is an area of law I’ve developed an interest in since starting my career.

9 to 5 you are a lawyer, but what do you do from 5 to 9?

Outside of work I’m an Ultimate Frisbee athlete – I’ve been playing the sport for a decade now and am fortunate to have had the privilege of representing the nation on both the regional and international stage in various tournaments. Aside from allowing me to stay active and recharge, being an athlete has undoubtedly helped shape my mindset to approach my work with the same drive and commitment, and stay connected with a community of like-minded people with the same competitive fire.

My team (Chuckies) is made up of a mix of working adults and student athletes from all over Singapore and you might catch us competing in some of the local tournaments!