A peer once told me that our work is stressful because it requires us to be right all the time. The cost of getting things wrong is high. The work we do doesn’t save lives, but it does have an impact on others’ livelihoods. We assist corporations with buying and …

While working on corporate transactions can be demanding, I often wonder if it’s possible to truly enjoy the process, not just the celebrations after the transactions are completed.   I find it becomes more enjoyable when: ◼️ The team shares the same goal. ◼️ Everyone involved in the transactions is …

Many years ago, I walked into a junior colleague’s cubicle and saw him “buried” amidst stacks of documents. There were piles of documents stacked on the floor, spilled across his desk, and lined the shelves. He smiled while we chatted, but I could see he was stressed. That image stayed …

I’m glad someone is talking about this essential though not so glamorous side of legal practice—bill collection. Our payment term is 30 days, and I send periodic reminders if an invoice isn’t settled on time. No client has ever said, “Don’t worry, you can take more than 30 days to …

Working on corporate transactions in a legal career can be pretty stressful. It’s often a race against time while ensuring accuracy in identifying material issues and drafting high-stakes provisions with clarity. Many lawyers have heard how a missing or misplaced comma can cost companies millions. Many late nights and weekends …

When I sent my car for repair, I paid a deposit for the mechanic to diagnose the issue. Once the issue was identified, I was provided with a fee quote. After agreeing to the fee quote, I was asked to pay 50% of the charges upfront before any further work …

I attempted to negotiate a discount with my dentist only to be met with a firm response regarding their fixed price. The justification given was that the clinic had incurred expenses in acquiring equipment to enhance services provided and it’s the same price for everyone for the same services. I …

When conducting legal due diligence for M&A or other corporate exercises, despite thorough planning, I often find my team under time pressure. This is due to the narrow window between receiving the necessary information from the relevant parties and our delivery deadline. I’m often asked when we can provide our …

My colleague prevented me from inadvertently voting for “I prefer to work than going on the Firm’s trip”. Our Sports Committee sent an internal email to everyone at Tay & Partners to vote for our preferred destination for our firm’s annual trip. Failure to vote would be deemed as preferring …

I bought this book to seek solace during a period when I was up to my neck in running corporate transactions simultaneously, each with pressing deadlines. When working as part of a group of advisers for a mutual client’s corporate exercise, no adviser wants to be the one to drop …