The Practice
I am taking a page out of Seth Godin’s book “The Practice: Shipping Creative Work”. According to the book, the image below is a meme based on an old comic instruction manual on how to draw an owl. Step 1: Draw two ovals and a line. Step 2: Draw the …
The Authentic Lawyer Manifesto
I have been told a few times that I am too idealistic. I have always thought that maybe I should just keep my idealistic thinking to myself and do it my own way, however futile that may be… …until I read The Authentic Lawyer Manifesto by Build Your Book. It articulates …
Why not?
Can I study law? Can I study overseas? Can we (my family) afford the tuition fees? Can I get a place for pupillage? Can I be a lawyer? Can I be a senior associate? Can I be a partner? Over the course of my career, these are the questions I …
Using checklist to improve your work
My checklist when reviewing a draft circular or other submission document for a corporate exercise looks something like this: 1. Review my team member’s comments on the draft document as I peruse the draft document. 2. Add on my comments. 3. Once I have reached the end of the draft, …
Seek progress, not perfection
In the first few years of my practice, I was reluctant to introduce myself as a lawyer. In my mind back then, lawyers were supposed to be smart, looked the part and knew answers to all legal questions. I didn’t feel that way about myself. There was also fear that …
Your work is important
“Your work is important.” When someone said this to a group of lawyers including myself, the statement made me pause and think. I have seen my peers in corporate finance/ equity capital markets (ECM) practice getting disillusioned and burnt out. I am not immune to these feelings, especially when a …
What is it like to be a corporate lawyer?
Someone asked me whether being in corporate practice is less stressful and less hectic than being in litigation practice. I think this kind of generalisation is not particularly helpful. Different law firms have different cultures and expectations of their lawyers. Clients’ demand would also determine whether a particular project or …
What does a corporate lawyer do?
Some of my close friends do not know what I do for a living. They know I am a lawyer. I think they know I am a corporate lawyer. But they have no idea what I do exactly. They are not in the legal profession. Tell them my practice areas …
Deciding on practice areas
I decided early in my career that I would not go into practice areas which are more “personal”. Corporate laws seemed to be a more neutral choice. I probably got this wrong. *** I do not know of any lawyer who enjoys setting out tedious information on target companies in …
All in a day’s work of a M&A lawyer
One of the M&A negotiations I had took place during a fire drill. We were not notified in advance that there would be a fire drill in our office building that day. My colleague and I were in the midst of a con call when the fire alarm went off. …