(This is an ongoing online novel started as a fictionalised events of my life. Its based on true events not all experienced by me but there were some total fictions too)
My call to the bar, where I was annointed with the title lawyer at large, was with an endorsement by the then High Court judge who was an old friend of my parents. There were two other would-be lawyers that day, one lady and another guy, whom I am indebted to for agreeing to have the usual after-call-to-the-bar party at the only four-star hotel in Seremban, then. It actually broke a tradition or two and being lawyers, that was considered a big no, no.
Most of the parties before were held at the Royal Sungei Ujong Club which was the traditional place since someone started it long ago. Usually the menu will be the usual mee goreng and some finger foods and the lawyers who had cases that day (we still worked on Saturday then) would turned up in droves. The speech by the masters were usually short and were peppered with the masters achievements and not the pupils.
When mine was held, my master was eloquent enough to make sure I was mentioned and she was praised with just a hint of self-upliftment. Maybe it was due to the High Court judge being in attendance, who usually would not attend these events. I have my parents to thank for willing to spend a bit on having it at a hotel.
As of that day, I was a full-fledged lawyer and I was presented with a new dilemma.
What do I do now with my new title?
Do I go further my study with an MBA or an LLM? Do I stay at my master's firm and became the only male lawyer there? Do I opt for civil service? Do I join the AG's Chamber?
All these choices swirled in my head but I finally found the courage to do what I have always wanted. That was to be my own boss.
It all started when I heard about how certain lawyers offer themselves to be freelancer and help big firms in completing legal jobs. As these freelancers were lawyers who were either retrenched during the previous year due to the recession or very senior lawyers who couldn't be bothered to have to go to an office every day, I was neither. I was determined to be one of the few who was fresh from being a pupil to offering freelance service to the world.
Again, I brought down to earth when I was told in Seremban, no one really hire freelancer as the pay for lawyers in Seremban were quite low. Everyone could afford at least one Legal Assistant.
I was crestfallen.
I told my master and the other partner of my decision and it surprised both of them. They were hoping that I would stay on and be the man of the office. They were shaping me to be their protege and I noticed that fact when I had to attend a few of meetings with clients who were not under my portfolio. It was good to know I was wanted but I made my case and left.
That was when I was proposed by someone who never met me before. The same hotel that witness me celebrating on my memorable day was also the place where my new life began. An ex-Deputy Public Prosecutor was looking for a partner for his new legal firm and when he heard that I was looking for freelance job, he offered me an office and a share in his partnership. This all happened when the hotel was used as the place for our lawyer's association annual dinner.
I accepted his offer and I thought I was going to be set for life...
My call to the bar, where I was annointed with the title lawyer at large, was with an endorsement by the then High Court judge who was an old friend of my parents. There were two other would-be lawyers that day, one lady and another guy, whom I am indebted to for agreeing to have the usual after-call-to-the-bar party at the only four-star hotel in Seremban, then. It actually broke a tradition or two and being lawyers, that was considered a big no, no.
Most of the parties before were held at the Royal Sungei Ujong Club which was the traditional place since someone started it long ago. Usually the menu will be the usual mee goreng and some finger foods and the lawyers who had cases that day (we still worked on Saturday then) would turned up in droves. The speech by the masters were usually short and were peppered with the masters achievements and not the pupils.
When mine was held, my master was eloquent enough to make sure I was mentioned and she was praised with just a hint of self-upliftment. Maybe it was due to the High Court judge being in attendance, who usually would not attend these events. I have my parents to thank for willing to spend a bit on having it at a hotel.
As of that day, I was a full-fledged lawyer and I was presented with a new dilemma.
What do I do now with my new title?
Do I go further my study with an MBA or an LLM? Do I stay at my master's firm and became the only male lawyer there? Do I opt for civil service? Do I join the AG's Chamber?
All these choices swirled in my head but I finally found the courage to do what I have always wanted. That was to be my own boss.
It all started when I heard about how certain lawyers offer themselves to be freelancer and help big firms in completing legal jobs. As these freelancers were lawyers who were either retrenched during the previous year due to the recession or very senior lawyers who couldn't be bothered to have to go to an office every day, I was neither. I was determined to be one of the few who was fresh from being a pupil to offering freelance service to the world.
Again, I brought down to earth when I was told in Seremban, no one really hire freelancer as the pay for lawyers in Seremban were quite low. Everyone could afford at least one Legal Assistant.
I was crestfallen.
I told my master and the other partner of my decision and it surprised both of them. They were hoping that I would stay on and be the man of the office. They were shaping me to be their protege and I noticed that fact when I had to attend a few of meetings with clients who were not under my portfolio. It was good to know I was wanted but I made my case and left.
That was when I was proposed by someone who never met me before. The same hotel that witness me celebrating on my memorable day was also the place where my new life began. An ex-Deputy Public Prosecutor was looking for a partner for his new legal firm and when he heard that I was looking for freelance job, he offered me an office and a share in his partnership. This all happened when the hotel was used as the place for our lawyer's association annual dinner.
I accepted his offer and I thought I was going to be set for life...
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