Start As You Mean To Go On: The Young Lawyers Supplement A Special Supplement of the Singapore Law Gazette • July 2013 PAGE 04 ADVICE TO LEGAL NEWBIES PAGE 14 A GEN X Boss’s SURVIVAL KIT PAGE 24 WHEN THINGS GO WRONG R R MTax_LawGazette_outline.ai 1 26/06/2013 4:43:02 PM A Message from the Chairman, Young Lawyers Committee To the 2013 newly qualified advocates as a qualified advocate and solicitor. I your colleagues, no matter how senior, and solicitors of Singapore, my enjoyed every moment of this exciting were once young lawyers and they are congratulations on finally “making it”. change of my life, until the day I stepped “survivors”. They too would have gone Take heart, your journey has not ended, into my new office and realised I was no through the trials and tribulations of but has merely started on a new path. different and no wiser than yesterday meeting deadlines and expectations. When you look around you today, you when I was a mere pupil (“trainee” in Look to them for guidance and gain will see not just fellow lawyers, but current terms). insight from their invaluable experiences friends who will be travelling that same from young lawyer to the influential journey with you. The path of a young lawyer, as many will member they are today. find, is not akin to the glamorous life I vaguely recollect a day where the skies of Harvey Specter nor is legal work as Even in those darkest nights when you were overcast, the sun barely peeking simple and painless as Mike Ross makes are the last one in the office, with no through the clouds. I found myself it. It is a hard path with late nights of end in sight, it is not a time for despair standing in open Court waiting for that researching, drafting and churning out but to persevere. It may not be apparent moment where the clouds would part documents one after another and steep while you are researching a non-existent and I would be bathed in warm light. learning curves. It is not to say that each stance in law or throwing out a 200-page I would be transformed from a mere step you take and each lesson you learn agreement you laboured over, but each young naive mortal to a sage of such is not worth the sweat and tears; the key moment spent and each ounce of energy wisdom and experience. You will come is to “survive”. invested will be paid out in experience to realise reading on, that moment never and more opportunities. made its appearance. During all the trip ups and detours of my career path, I have found two key As my journey to sage-hood of wisdom I was called to the Singapore Bar many elements to “surviving” – Knowledge and experience continues, I warmly moons ago and like you, I entered a new and Perseverance. welcome you to your new adventure. stage of my life, both personal (some question its existence) and professional. Knowledge is a priceless commodity but Genevieve Doris Lai Bright eyed and full of confidence, I many seem at a loss as to how to obtain Chairman, Young Lawyers Committee 2013 bounced into my new esteemed life what is so easily accessible. Know that The Law Society of Singapore A Special Supplement of the Singapore Law Gazette • July 2013 | 1 04 14 Contents Editorial Board 01 A Message from the Chairman, Mr Gregory Vijayendran, Ms Malathi Das, Mr Prakash Pillai, Young Lawyers Committee Ms Celeste Ang, Mr Chua Sui Tong, Mr Joel Teo, Ms Lye Huixian, Mr M Lukshumayeh, Mr Marcus Yip, Mr Mohan Gopalan, 04 Advice to Legal Newbies Mr Rajan Chettiar, Ms Simran Kaur, Ms Supreeta Suman, Ms Vanessa Lim, Mr Vincent Leow, Mr Yeo Chuan Tat, Mr Yeoh Lian Chuan 07 One Man’s Experience 14 A Gen X Boss’s Survival Kit Published by LexisNexis 3 Killiney Road, # 08-08, Winsland House 1, Singapore 239519 16 Sunscreen Tel: (65) 6733 1380 Fax: (65) 6733 1719 17 The Truth Beyond Jurisprudential http://www.lexisnexis.com Ideals, that Flashy Convertible Associate Director, Contract Publishing Ivan Yap and the Recurring Self-doubts in Editor Chandranie Perspective Designer Ryan Yee Advertising Account Manager Anthony Eng 21 Surviving Your First Year in Printing Markono Print Media Pte Ltd Practice 24 When Things Go Wrong 21 26 An Interview with the “Survivors” 24 A Practical Guide to SG Data Protection Law ad - SLG_Layout 1 7/15/13 5:21 PM Page 1 A Practical Guide to Singapore Data Protection Law by Winnie Chang The Personal Data Protection Act 2012 ushers in the new data protection regime in Singapore. The new data protection law aims to protect personal data of individuals, while balancing the need for private organisations to collect and use such data for legitimate and reasonable purposes. This book will introduce you to the Personal Data Protection Act and provide general guidance on complying with the Act. Written in plain English, the book summarises the new legislation and offers practical tips to make compliance with the legal requirements easier. It provides key insights and guidance, by looking at the typical life cycle of personal data processed in any private organisation, from collection, storage, use to disposal of the personal data. This concise and practical guide will be essential reading for anyone who needs to know about data protection issues in Singapore. Adopting a practical approach to explaining the new data protection law and its implications for local and international businesses, this book will provide in- house lawyers, businesses and their staff a head start in better understanding the new data protection legal framework and devising an effective compliance strategy. About the Author Winnie Chang is a Partner and Head of Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) at Singapore law firm, Colin Ng & Partners LLP. She leads a regional TMT practice focusing on Singapore and other key markets throughout Asia. Winnie has represented a broad range of clients, from start-up companies to large multinational companies based in Asia, Europe and the US, on a wide range of TMT-related commercial, corporate and regulatory projects. She regularly advises clients on technology, telecommunications, outsourcing, e-commerce, media, information security and SG$ data protection matters. * 74.90 ISBN 978-981-440-603-1 *includes GST Order Now! via our eBookstore @ www.lexisnexis.com.sg/store To purchase, please contact our Helpdesk at Tel: 65-6349 0110 or Email: [email protected] http://twitter.com/HelpLNSG http://facebook.com/LexisNexisSingapore http://www.linkedin.com/company/LexisNexis-Singapore Advice to LEGAL NEWBIES Dear legal newbie at the top of the priority list. Clients are So - if you are up to it, here’s my advice: now more sophisticated and demanding. few weeks ago, the Singapore Cheap and good advice are what they look Eight “Dos” … Law Gazette approached me to for. A write an article giving guidance 1. Be diligent and hard working to newbies like you as you prepare to be So what is it that attracts so many of you called to the Bar. I was hesitant at first. to legal practice? Is it the pride and joy Let’s start off with those familiar but Who am I to spout fatherly wisdom? of being an advocate? Is it the salary? Is fundamental characteristics – diligence There are many more old timers in it out of a desire to be part of the organs and hard work. Your Master or Mentor practice who run successful law practices. of State that serve the administration of has signed your Diligence Certificate; At times, I find myself in need of wisdom justice? Is it the glamour of indulging in you get called to the Bar in the once in and peer advice in the practice of law. But the thrust and parry of Courtroom battles? a lifetime “feel great” experience. You after deliberating, I decided that perhaps Saving an accused from the gallows is but are now on your way but as a newbie. this contribution (whatever it is worth), a small though crucial part of the work of You are fortunate that you have been may help you in your pursuit of the legal a criminal lawyer. Not everyone is willing identified and hired as a lawyer profession after your five long years of or able to be a criminal lawyer. potentially with excellent quality. study. However, it will be usual for your I have come across many interns and hard-nosed employer to expect you to Routine Work and Drudgery – “A” level graduates with excellent grades put in more than eight hours per day. Are You Up for it? who were enamored with the prospect of Consider yourself “lucky” if you work being a lawyer and being able to (one day) on average less than 10 hours per day. Day in, day out, a lawyer does his rounds, represent an accused person or work with Saturday is always the reserve day if working on files, sometimes without top-notch lawyers on billion-dollar deals. you cannot meet deadlines. Normally, respite, even on weekends. Family life Perhaps you stand “tall” telling your uncles this demand is not too difficult to sometimes has to be compromised; the and aunties the scope of your work in the meet. In fact, most newbies welcome forgiving spouse is now hard to find. big five legal firms. There are also those the opportunity to show how diligent Client’s satisfaction (always insatiable) is who are too shy to reveal why they chose they are in the tasks assigned to this profession.