Mistakes in corporate law don’t always come from big decisions. Sometimes, it’s the small slip-ups that leave the biggest impression.

I try to get names and honorifics right in every email. It’s a small thing, but to me, it signals respect and professionalism.

One evening, after a long day and in a rush to wrap up, I accidentally mixed up the names of two people in a reply.

I realized my mistake the moment I hit send. It bothered me so much that I set up a 2-minute delay on all outgoing emails, giving myself a buffer to catch mistakes. It worked but it also created friction. That short delay felt like forever when I needed to reference an email in a fast-moving conversation. Eventually, I removed the delay. But that incident stuck with me. Now, I pause and check the details before I hit send.

In corporate transactions, attention to detail isn’t optional. It’s part of the job. After all, there is a real difference between USD10 million and USD100 million, even though it’s only one extra zero.

This post was first posted on LinkedIn on 1 June 2025.