You are on page 1of 5

2017 NUS Law Faculty Commencement ( 8 JULY 2017)

Address by V K Rajah SC

Professor Simon Chesterman, Dean Faculty of Law

The Class of 1961

Distinguished Guests

Parents and Family Members

The Class of 2017

Introduction

First, may I extend to you the Graduates, your Parents and Family Members,
my warmest congratulations on this happy occasion. This is certainly a high
point in your lives but should not be the high point. The world is now your
oyster.

I remember nothing of use was said at my graduation. Indeed, I only remember


how relieved I was when the ceremony was over. I am therefore acutely
conscious that I have a limited amount of time to say a few things that might be
useful to you as you journey through life, particularly legal practice. I must
confess though that I am not quite sure why Professor Chesterman accorded me
this privilege of addressing you today. I am currently an unemployed NUS Law
Graduate, though in mitigation, I could say it is entirely by choice. Perhaps, it is
to let you know that one can live meaningfully outside the law? I can confirm
this as I just returned yesterday from the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
Regardless, I had little hesitation in accepting his invitation as my Sabbatical is
about to end. So today, I would like to share with you some observations on the
legal profession, provoke some thought as to the type of lawyers you aspire to
be if indeed you practice and assure the parents of those who choose to leave
the law your children have not just wasted 4 years of their lives.

NUS Law and its alumni

NUS Law Faculty is today undoubtedly the region's Premier Law School. Its
graduates have, over the last 60 years, blazed a path for you even as they
excelled in many different fields beyond the law including diplomacy, high
finance, the business world and the arts. Many alumni are recognised
internationally as the equal of the best who have graduated from the most
storied Law Schools anywhere.

The Class of 1961, Singapores very first law graduates, are well represented
here. Some of them initially faced some job discrimination. Englishmen who
then ran the largest Law Firms thought that those who qualified in England had
a superior hallmark. But the Class of 1961 quickly put that misconception right.
I would like to recognise three of them that as a law student I looked up to.
Chan Sek Keong, the finest legal mind Singapore has known. Tommy Koh, the
finest diplomat Singapore has produced. TPB Menon, Singapores finest
Chancery lawyer until he left active practice. They are here today to personally
welcome you to the legal fraternity and demonstrably show that the legal
profession is more than a business. We are a community bound together by
shared values, ethical precepts and common aspirations.

My graduating class of 1982 has often been lauded. Many of my classmates


have excelled in the legal field. I am sure they will not cavil if I designate the
Class of 1961 the Wise Class and add that the Wise, in my estimation, trump the
clever in making a difference to society and lives. In mitigation, I should add
that the Class of 1961 had a 20 year headstart and witnessed first-hand
enormously turbulent times in Singapore. This shaped their approach to the
practice of law. In my professional dealings with members of the Class of 1961,
I have found them to be unfailingly courteous and even-handed. The Class of
1982, I must add, continues to evolve positively and could in time receive a
similar accolade.

Graduates new beginnings

Thanks to the hallmark NUS alumni have created, most of you will have little
difficulty in securing your first training contract here or even in most common
law jurisdictions. Indeed, the Dean confirms that this is the current happy
position for you. While some of you may not have secured placements in your
law firm of choice, do not see this as a set-back. Size should not be the critical
factor in determining where you cut your teeth. Some large firms are not
investing enough in the personal supervision of trainees and many do not now
retain all their trainees. At this stage of your life, what is most important is that
you get to work with good lawyers who care deeply about the law - what it can
and should do. Good lawyers exist in all types of firms. I speak with some
personal knowledge as I joined a four-person firm on graduation. As an aside, I
never left that firm for another. In 2004, when I left practice, the firm was the
second largest law firm in Singapore. I state this to illustrate how one can adapt
as situations change.
As you start your professional journey you will find there is much to learn. You
will want to emulate apparently successful lawyers and perhaps think it is
necessary to assume some of their traits in your quest for professional success.
A word of advice. Dont. Be yourselves. By all means, absorb all the
professional lessons but do not blindly absorb all the personal attributes that you
witness. There are practising lawyers who have changed their identities and
become uncaring in seeking to secure their clients ends. They practice
ostensibly within the letter of the law without observing its spirit. Worse, some
even place their own interests head of their clients in padding their bills and or
cutting corners by not putting in the requisite effort.

General advice on legal profession

Let me now touch generally on the progression of the legal profession. The way
law is practiced has, over the last 60 years, radically changed. In no small way,
this is because of technology. Imagine this, when the Class of 1961 graduated
high-end technology meant the electric typewriter. On the plus side, once they
left the office they had the privilege of being inaccessible. Alas, this is no
longer the case and every professional very quickly learns that the price of
being inaccessible is the loss of clients. But the most profound changes to the
profession have come about because Singapore has evolved to become a global
hub for finance and business. The legal profession has been one of the chief
beneficiaries of this. Cross border work has become a staple for many legal
professionals today. I do not think that lawyers today have any right to try and
deny clients access to the best legal minds available, Singaporean or
international. 60 years after Singapore started its first Law School it would be
sad if lawyers still plead for protection from international competition. I think
that in the years ahead you will have to face up to the reality of even more
competition. This requires you to relentlessly update yourselves and
continuously upgrade your professional dexterity. Read widely outside the law.
The practice of law is inexorably shaped by occurrences outside it.

Life lessons

I have managed a large law firm, held office as an Appellate Judge and been an
Attorney General. I will say that I found private practice the most stressful
though I am shortly returning to it without diffidence. Perhaps, you may find it
useful if I share with you a few life lessons in the context of being in the legal
profession.

Foremost, you must have a deep appreciation that the practice of law is
ultimately about values and that it has a real impact on people's lives. As
professionals we subscribe to higher values that must always include fair play.
Further, law firms and lawyers must have a larger purpose during their
professional existence. Practice should not be defined by just billing targets,
profits and compensation. Lawyers should try and do right within the remit of
their instructions. Unlike the hospitality business, the client is not always right.
A good lawyer does not slavishly follow the clients instructions. Instead, he
counsels the client to achieve balance. A solution centric approach to every
problem rather than simply notching wins for clients is always to be preferred.
Good professionals can and should also be good people. Place yourself in the
shoes of the opposing party. Be fair in negotiations. In resolving disputes,
encourage mediation whenever it can help. As a Judge, I saw far far too many
cases that should never have been litigated.

Clever lawyers seek to invoke the letter of the law and employ procedural
thickets to advance their clients cause without regard to the spirit of the law.
The wise lawyer knows that when the opposing party feels that it is cornered it
has little alternative but to fight fire with fire. Remember Newtons third law.
Not infrequently, this results in questionable Pyrrhic victories. Unsurprisingly,
the cynical say that often the only winners in litigation are the lawyers.

As young lawyers you will find yourselves suddenly in open seas adrift in a
world of strange jargon, colourful personalities and not infrequently exposed to
ethically challenging situations. You will need to acquire an entirely new set of
navigational tools as you leave behind a phase of structured learning. When
unsure, dont. When in doubt, ask. This is not a sign of weakness but strength.
Working blindly can have adverse consequences for you and your clients. Do
not be just your clients mouthpiece. When clients are difficult try and
understand their perspective. When they are unreasonable, reason with them.
When they seek improper ends, drop them. I know you will not be in a position
to do this for some time but never forget that no client is worth the sacrifice of
your professional integrity and peace of mind.

Do not be obsessed about compensation and or status. Take the long term view.
Acquiring good experience is in the long run more valuable than short term
material benefits. Never over-extend yourself financially or be beholden. This
will compromise your mobility and ultimately your independence. In life,
always maintain the walking capital to walk away from any job that you are
uncomfortable with.

Do not stay on longer in the legal profession than you have to if you are
disinterested. As in any field, only those with passion will excel. For those of
you who find your passion in the practice of the law you will find it
intellectually stimulating and personally satisfying. It may not offer the greatest
financial rewards but most of you should find it more than adequate. If you have
no passion for practice or would like to experience working in other fields, do
seriously consider your many other options. Unhappy lawyers are not just
unhappy persons but a lack of commitment can have adverse consequences for
others. Find your passion by all means. Today, a law degree opens many doors.

Do not measure success by either your compensation, the type of work you are
doing or wider recognition. In my book, true success is how satisfied you are at
different points of time in your lives with what you are doing. By this yardstick,
the understated lawyer in a small firm who often makes a difference to the lives
of his clients may be more successful than the lawyer in a large firm anxiously
pursuing his next big corporate deal.

Do not blindly accept the status quo in whatever you do. You may not be able to
change the landscape today but that does not mean you should lose your
idealism to do good. Going against the tide is never easy but as lawyers you will
be asked from time to time to do this. Remember, might is not always right.

Conclusion

I conclude, by emphasising that you are on the cusp of entering a profession


with rich traditions, established conventions and noble aspirations. Try and be
lawyers with good heads and good hearts. Be wise lawyers. In Singapore, we
have many clever people but not enough wise ones.

As you take different paths, do stay as closely connected as the Class of 1961.
Help each other make a difference.

I do hope that when NUS Law School commemorates its 100th Anniversary you
will be remembered as not just the 60th Anniversary Class but as a cohort that
has done good for Singapore.

Congratulations once again, and thank you.

You might also like