I last saw them in 2007. They are two kind souls who made my years studying in the UK such a beautiful chapter in my life. I have been thinking about them lately and finally reached out after all these years. Whenever I look back on my time in the …

In a profession where I am constantly analysing, justifying, explaining and negotiating, not for myself, but for clients and team members, every little kindness goes a long way. To the stranger who helped me press the lift button while I was carrying a heavy box, thank you. A client replied …

During her visit in KL, my mom asked another family member to call me when I was still not home past 9 pm after a work meeting. I found it rather amusing. I’m an adult and have lived away from her for decades. Over time, I suppose I’ve gotten used …

The first time my family visited me in KL, it was during a long public holiday weekend, shortly after I had moved into my new place. I had barely settled in. There was no proper furniture yet. At the same time, I was in the middle of a hectic M&A …

17 years. That is how long I have been in the legal profession. Over the years, there have been many transactions done and dusted, and many people I worked with on those transactions have since moved on to other paths. There are not many people I can turn to and …

In legal work, some urgency is expected (hopefully not all the time). No one has ever said to me, “Take all the time you need to complete the work.” Most of the time, the instruction is to get the work done by X date, turn it around fast, asap, or …

I still remember being asked more than a decade ago, during a pupillage interview, what my career aspiration was. I said something along the lines of aspiring to be an excellent lawyer recognised by Chambers and other leading guides. The truth is, at the time, I didn’t really know what …

One of the first things newly qualified lawyers learn (if they haven’t already) is how to use track changes in Word. It’s a simple but powerful tool. It lets the partner, the person reviewing their work, or the counterparty’s counsel quickly see what’s been amended. (In theory) it saves time, …

Before you even get legal advice, there’s a lot that happens behind the scenes. I spent more time this week communicating with prospective clients, going through the information they shared and preparing fee proposals than on actual legal work. However, this is often where the work begins. Before I prepare …

“I don’t know how you do it,” a client told me recently, after we pushed through multiple rounds of compliance work at a relentless pace. It’s probably not a good idea to respond with a cheeky, “I also don’t know how I do it.” 😆 The truth is, when I …