I’m 57 this year. I’ve been a lawyer for over three decades. Some of my peers have left the profession. But I
stayed because I’ve grown to find meaning in what I do. In particular, I handle conveyancing (legal process of dealing with real property). It might seem simple, but it’s not. There’s a lot of details involved and clients can get emotional over their homes.
I have one philosophy that I stick by strongly - everyone should be treated with respect. I relate at their level, I refuse to see myself as ‘higher’. With this particular mindset, take time to explain to clients the nuances of the law and really listen to their needs and concerns.Sometimes it takes about an hour, when a competitor might do it in 5 mins (i.e just sign here, here and here). Whether its a simple HDB sale or multi million dollar plot of land I treat them the same.
My staff sometimes wonder “Mr X, why are you investing so much time on each client? ”. Well, there was one time my staff were calling for me. A lady had come into our office upset and frenzied, and could not be calmed down. I came in and looked at the records, and realised she was my client from 12 years ago! Of course, I couldnt recognise her (I see almost 8 new clients everyday), but I called out her name. She turned and exclaimed “ Oh Mr X, I remember you!
Immediately, from a cold expression she broke into a smile. I think from the incident my staff knew the answer to their initial question.
What keeps me sane all these years? People. The law may be settled and trite, but clients are new. Everyone presents a different and a new connection to be made. Sometimes, I walk down the street in t-shirt and shorts, people might recognise me and say “Mr X, you did this case for me years ago, my wife
and I always talk about you!”
I do tell people - find something compelling beyond your work that you love. For many, work is not an overwhelming passion, so there has to be something else that keeps you going. For me, I took up sailing in my mid 20s, and find joy competing in races till this day. Sailing is a lot like life. You need physical and mental strength to deal with the changing winds. You can’t change the winds of life, but you can surely control the angle of sail.
In the last decade, I had to sail less because of my back. I went swimming instead, and a friend suggested me to try a triathlon. I got hooked. A company organizing triathlons approached me recently. They said : ‘At your age, you can be a great ambassador for the sport!” So I took it up, and now they sponsor my gear and my races.
My family is still concerned whether it's all too strenuous for me. But I tell them: everything in moderation. I can monitor my heart rate and pace myself. If I don’t exercise, I will probably sit in the office, work all day, get a paunch and waste away.
It’s rare to see a lawyer that does cosplay. I have to mask my true identity (just like the superheroes of old) because there’s still stigma around it, as a frivolous activity or escapism. But I do it for a specific reason - it sparks pure joy and awe in people. I started out because a friend needed volunteers to bring cheer to the kids at an autistic centre for kids. I thought, Why not? I believe in stepping out of my comfort zone, nothing to lose. It was amazing, the kids absolutely love it. They scream with joy and wonderment.
There’s something special about the alter ego, the lure of a hero that opens hearts and minds. I now have quite a collection of costumes that cost me quite a tidy sum. I do it purely on a volunteer basis, to raise money for charity events or to bring cheer to beneficiaries. As a lawyer, I also volunteer at old folk homes’ to ensure proper protocols. I find it hard to relate to the elderly, as they are quite guarded. But when I visit as Batman, it’s the complete opposite. They say “我认识你,你是 Batman!” (Even as a nurse, it might be hard for them to get them to eat their food. But when Batman says it, they listen. LOL.
