An Intern’s Log - Glen Lim
Glen Lim from the University of Birmingham details his five-week internship experience with us. Read how his time at Covenant Chambers led him to discover the “volatile, yet impactful” life of a lawyer and provided clarity and optimism amid the pressures of being a then second-year law student.
I would say my internship at Covenant Chambers was a positive one. As it was my first ever internship, I really didn’t know what to expect. To be fair, that is the case for most interns. I had always been frightened by some of my friends’ internship experiences of other firms — from ugly shoutings to alleged book throwings. After spending 5 weeks there, I can’t say that it’s anything negative or horrifying — rather, it was a fruitful and eye-opening experience. On the first day, I entered the law firm with much anxiety and stiffness, to the point where I was almost suffocating in that necktie. Fortunately, I was greeted by the very warm and friendly Head of Human Resources, Evelyn, who calmed much of my anxiety and gave me a brief overview of the firm. Afterwards, the casual and easy-going Head of Business Development, Lemuel gave me a tour and introduced me to everyone else.
I was fortunate to be under Counsel Andrew Chong. The diverse array of cases given by Andrew also exposed me to different areas within litigation. I enjoyed the work very much as they were ‘exciting’ (the facts of the cases) and eye-opening. Throughout the time I was under Andrew, I have personally witnessed how unpredictable and volatile, yet impactful, the life as a lawyer could be. There were times when obstacles cropped up. Several examples include a client’s indecisiveness was potentially jeopardising the case and a request was denied by the court, reducing the amount of time for submissions. Despite this, Andrew’s presence of mind and quick thinking were able to solve these conundrums. There were times when I felt like I was going in circles, and the results were hitting a dead end. Despite his hectic and unpredictable schedule, Andrew took time to break down legal concepts and equip me with skills and materials to complete assignments, even late at night. Andrew’s mentoring and guidance helped me to be more efficient and thorough with my work. He also gave meaningful and pragmatic lessons on professionalism and work ethics which can be applied to all jobs and future work experiences. This is also evident through his reassurance and commitment to his clients.
I was also blessed to have met and worked with one of the directors, the warm and cheerful Chia Huai Yuan. Because of him, I was able to witness the commissioning of oaths and meetings with consultants. He also brought me to courts where I witnessed exciting back-and-forth exchanges between him and the opposing counsel. Huai Yuan is down-to-earth and approachable. His never-ending smiles and positivism are something inspiring. I believe anyone, whether intern or associate will have much to learn from Huai Yuan. Being in my second year of law school, I was still unsure of which route/ specialisation I would prefer. Despite already choosing my modules for my final year, I feel it is too early and unrealistic to figure out what I wanted to do. Adulting and thinking about jobs and careers are often daunting and worrisome (the statistics on lawyers’ attrition rates does not help as well). The one-on-one meetings and discussions with Huai Yuan and another director, Khelvin Xu gave me relief and comfort. Their insights and experiences have also given me greater optimism and ways to discover my strengths, weaknesses and passions.
One thing that has made this firm noteworthy and memorable was how closely knit the firm is. It is rare to find or hear of a firm that does bi-weekly breakfasts together (mee goreng was really good) and how conversations can be casual and light-hearted, especially by Andrew and Ee Yang. Another significant memory was the Monthly Group meetings by the firm’s managing partner, Lee Ee Yang. I had thought it was going to be another motivational speech to boost billables. I was taken aback when Ee Yang encouraged work-life balance, something which is contradictory to what managing partners want.
My overall experience was a positive one. No matter how small the work contribution was, and the number of mistakes made, everyone was appreciative of the work and gave constructive feedback. I am thankful for everyone’s patience, grace and mentoring.
