22 Years of Professional Legal Practice

As I complete 22 years of my professional years, I was asked by my friend whether I am actually happy and whether I enjoy the legal profession?

I vividly remember my graduation day and Admission day (at Sydney Uni campus 1997 and at the Supreme Court of NSW 1998) like it was yesterday. Those days were filled with joy, hope and youthfulness. The young blood wanting to make a change in the world… wanting to be the change and do amazingly well to make all my loved ones and clients proud.

But as the years roll along, days into months, months to years and years to decades… and here I am 22 years later, well into my professional life. I have learnt many lessons and am grateful for the same.

I wish to share 22 snippets that I have learnt and follow each day:

  1. Love what you do and do what you love.
  2. Being a solicitor who predominantly deals with Family Law, it is a true blessing to be able to have a job, where you can serve people during their times of distress and make a difference during their difficult times.
  3. One is gifted with new 24 hours each day filled with new opportunities to explore and new lessons to learn - for each day teaches you something for sure.
  4. Never compromise integrity or truth and justice will certainly prevail.
  5. Power of compassion and kindness should never be underestimated- for they are real rare commodities in this era. Hence I love how my team works with the motto,  “People over profit”.
  6. I am grateful for the amazing gurus, mentors and angels that I have been blessed along the professional journey, who have helped me get to where I am today - always hang onto the wonderful mentors you have, ask for guidance when you need it and be willing to learn and correct yourself at all times.
  7. Feel super blessed to have had wonderful clients along the way- at the end of the day, people can tell if you truly care and once they know you do, there is implicit trust in the relationship that you build.
  8. There will always be someone doing their best to pull you down- that’s just a fact of life. I am still learning to accept it with a smile and tell myself, Let them do what they love doing and I shall continue doing what I love to do, for there is no joy gained trying to prove yourself or your side of the argument to them.
  9. Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others, belong to us as well ~ Voltaire ~ always lift others around you. It motivates others and inspires you even more to excel further.
  10. Respect comes to you, when you give it. So give it at all times, regardless of who they are.
  11. Time is the rarest commodity that no amount of money can buy. Hence I try and always be on time for any appointment. It shows that you respect the other person immensely.
  12. Never be under-prepared and being in the legal industry, you do not have a choice either.
  13. There are times when the world can be a cruel place and people can be mean. Do not feel bad to come to your room or sit in your car and cry out loud and let it go. Deal with your emotions so that you can be calm, composed and most professional at all times and the world does not have to see what you are going through.
  14. Its only with age that I have realised that I need to take care of myself as well - in the mad rush of always taking care of your boss, your client, your team, your family, your friends and foes, you forget to take care of yourself. You need to be replenished so that you can always give. So resort to what ever it takes to fill your  “CUP” whether it is sports, yoga, music , dance, a slice of cake or anything else.
  15. Work will always be there - but life slips by so quickly and so unnoticeably….. so I am learning to find JOY in every day and JOY in the journey- I realise that each day gifts us with at least one joyous moment and one lesson to learn - cherish that.
  16. As elders always tell you, there is no shortcut to hard work and success. And the reward you can reap solely depends on what you can put in. It’s that simple.
  17. There are plenty of times, you get fearful… but the art of learning and progressing is to ensure that this fear does not stop you.
  18. Life of a small business owner is far from an easy joy ride, but the joys reaped from the victories and achievements are multi fold and makes it all worthwhile.  And of course, your backbone is the wonderful and reliable team (who are indeed your family away from home) who represent you, your values and the firms goals. I am most grateful for the lovely team at F&G land - Thank you “A” team.
  19. Success to me previously meant to climb the corporate ladder, aiming to achieve the titles associated with each roles. But my family, wonderful team, clients, courts and peers have taught me over the years that true meaning of “Success” is to be a good person and to treat others right.
  20. Being positive, come what may and regardless of whatever situation you are placed in helps. Positive outcomes are achieved at all junctures if there is a positive attitude.
  21. Being grateful- for every case, every experience, every day, every moment is a blessing. And if of course, one’s professional journey can be made joyful and memorable, apart from being successful, you are indeed blessed.

I have learnt many lessons and am grateful for the same. And I look forward to many more wonderful experiences in the years to come.

With thanks, gratitude for the challenges and  love that I am continued to be surrounded with each day.

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