Let me pen down my WP experience, just as I have done before for previous attachments.
I started on a memorable date of 18-8-08 :) While I was supposed to be at the office at 9am, it was not only until perhaps 9.20 - 9.30am when I was finally brought into the office. Along the way, I met JY who was also currently working there. Was nice to see a familiar face in a strange, new surrounding :)
I was pretty surprised when I was told that the WHOLE DAY on my first day was just training. And I was thinking, what training?!! I mean, its not like I'm gonna really get anything real to do. Perhaps just tons of research. Or something.
I was brought into a room where I met BC who was the student attachment coordinator. After a small chat, we went through some slides as BC was explaining some things about the firm and how the firm operates. Subsequently, other coordinators came in and gave a small talk on their designated topics. As I was actually caught offguard that the training will be a WHOLE DAY long, I was longing very very much to have a visit to the loo. I paiseh to walk out halfway during the training to go to toilet. And also, I did not have a substantial breakfast - mere oats did not last me past the morning. During a talk about Finance, my stomach was grumbling and growling - I felt really bad as I felt that I was going to vomit infront of the person who was giving the talk. I made a mental note there and then to have a HUGE breakfast the next time I go for work.
The talks were very impressive. It wasn't so much so about substance, but more of the feel of the firm. It feels really good to have someone brief you upon the history of the office, and to give an idea on how the firm works and operates. I was also told about the other things that the firm develops upon - VIP compliance, Business Development, Talent Management....etc. This impressed me, cause I feel that I understand the firm better and how professional things are over there. WP is a KL office of Baker & McKenzie, and being an international law firm, there are many standards that WP has to accord to, and lots of coordination to adhere to. Example, VIP compliance is standard everywhere, conflicts of law & interest are avoided, etc. It was then that I realised how big a scale things are looked at.
After a few talks, it was time for the library tour. Oh my, the library was definitely undersized, compared to other firms! I was literally shocked. Perhaps only twice the size of my single-Holborn-room. Since it was small, = not many books. But after being there for a month, I have great respect for the librarians. It was then that I realised its not the amount of books you have in the library (most law libraries are filled with journals and reports anyway, so its the texts that matter), but more importantly, how efficient and updated the librarians are. The librarians are amazing people who make the lawyers' lives easier. They are so up-to-date and they know everything that goes around in the library. They update lawyers everyday on the news headlines, and inform lawyers when some new books/The Edge comes in, when the new issue of AMR is out and what are the featured cases......very highly efficient. They have got a very good catalogue system and case law system. With lawyers burdened with lots of work, competent and able librarians make the lawyers' lives easier, with their efficiency, knowledge, and their ever-ready-to-help attitude. And that made me realise that that should be the role all law librarians should aim to achieve.
Finally then, it was the highlight of the day: LUNCH. Oh yea, I couldn't wait to unleash the glutton in me. It was then that I met Buddy, who kindly picked me up from the training room and then we headed to my all time favourite cuisine - dimsum!:) (And we all know how much Istee can eat during dimsum) Though Buddy asked me to order, I just couldn't order. The indecisiveness came back. Should I take the wu kok and salad har...but then its deep fried, should take the steamed ones..but then the deep fried nicer lah...but then oil..but then but then BUT THEN! So I left it to Buddy to choose, and he order probably all deep fried (yes!). Which I had no problem with, because I was so hungry and I get to eat good food that I like. It's a win-win situation. Buddy mentioned that he's my buddy cause BC thought that both of us will get along (comparing CVs). As Buddy and I got to know each other a little better over lunch, I thought Buddy was really nice and that I've got a good buddy!:)
We had a 2 hour lunch!(12.30-2.30pm) By which it was time for me to go back and finish the rest of my training. After that, I was brought around the office to say hi to everyone (hi = introduce myself and shake hands), to EVERYONE. There were many faces and names which I did not remember on my first day. Many a time I had to ask the "What's your name question" over and over again. I was then shown to my place, which is next to Adrian. I was so surprised: I was placed in a ROOM, with my OWN COMPUTER, with my OWN LOGIN & PASSWORD, with my OWN EMAIL, with my OWN EXTENSION. Wow. It was then I realised how important this is - how much was expected of me, how serious I was supposed to take this. Attachees at other firms definitely do not get this kind of treatment, even pupils in other firms hardly get a LCD computer and their own phone line. This is the kind of respect I greatly appreciate from the firm. That us attachees have the ability to do real work, and that we're not there for just some menial work. That everything we do actually matters.
After talking to Adrian, I was shocked with horror to discover that my photo had been circulated to everyone in the office through email by the admin, so that everyone knew there's this newbie walking around in office. EEEEEEEEE.
But this is what I have come to appreciate from the firm as well. That once you enter, you are properly introduced to everyone, to show that you actually matter to the firm. That your presence marks a difference. Unlike a normal scenario whereby most people don't take the effort to know the attachees, or even bother to know whether if a new one has arrived or not. No one's to blame for this, people are busy, but this is just an extra effort by WP which will set it apart from the other firms. You feel greatly welcomed.
One of the first few assignments were Memos from CL! I nearly fainted when I heard what I was assigned to do. To start off, I have not even started second year. And, my attachments at other firms literally taught me nothing about Memos. Heck, I've not even heard of Memos to begin with! Anyway, a Memo is something like an "answer script" to the issues put forward by clients. Essentially, what it contains is a brief background of salient facts, issues that are to be considered, followed by advice. The first 2 sections are manageable...Finance jargon is a little tough to handle but is doable. The advice bit is really the tough part. Having NO legal knowledge AT ALL in banking or finance, I have no idea where to start. Or how to start. It was my first time hearing about BNM Guidelines and Exchange Control Notices. What the hell were those?!! And how do I apply them?!! And how do I make a nothing into a something?!!
Thank goodness for Buddy. He gave me several templates to have a look to get a flavour of what these things are and what is expected of me. Those templates/ other Memos really helped a lot! I was finally able to somewhat finish a draft, which I doubt had hit the sweet spot, but nonetheless...nearing the core of what was expected of me.
As days passed, I found the work very challenging and sometimes tough to meet deadlines. I sweat especially when the clients want something NOW. The scope of work I got was great - I have never done (or even heard of!) many many things before. Memos, opinions, different types of research, news compilation, tax update (!!!), translations, phone calls to government departments, status updates, narration, form 14As...and plenty of research. It really gave me a clearer idea of what lawyers do, as I was involved in matters from the start till the end.
Stress & deadlines are something that I don't have to blog about. Because I will always remember how it felt. Once I get a piece of work, especially research, my heart goes thump thump thump cause I think research is my weakest point - research is something very wide and there can be no end to it, there's always a lot of unexplored areas waiting to be discovered. Me (= don't like reading) don't do well in research. Also, especially when people are depending on you to deliver...my heart beats even faster. I'm very much afraid so many times that I can't deliver whatever they are looking for, or I can't meet the deadline, or the quality of my work is crap....
It was great to be in such an intellectual environment, where you are thrown into the deep end. And that is where you learn to become independent - and thus enhance the abilities that you have within you. I like the fact that the partners and associates trust us attachees enough to hand us work, unlike the common view of partners/lawyers who feel that attachees are not capable of doing much. This is wrong. As an attachee, if the partners/lawyers feel that you are not capable of handling a matter, you will automatically doubt yourself and just give in, believing that you can't do it. At WP, you are forced to learn and to build your skills around the assignments that you have been assigned to. It is a great feeling when work is assigned to you, because you feel that lawyers trust you enough to handle the work. And also, I feel the reciprocal respect when I'm included in emails between clients, for follow ups, or for the work I've done. And thats a great feeling - you can actually see your own piece of work being sent to the clients, and it is then you realise what a big impact your work has on a matter.
Another good feeling is when you get good feedback from the partner/associate whom you've done work for. I was very very surprised and delighted when AW wanted to see me personally to commend me for the short piece of research that I had done. While I do feel that it is one of my better pieces of work, the process of getting there was quite a something. I had to make numerous calls to the IRB, whereby I was transferred to and referred to someone else EVERY TIME someone answers the call. No one wanted to answer my question. This was soo annoying because I had to make over 10 - 15 calls just to get someone to answer ONE question. And finally, when someone did answer my question, I decided to make full use of the conversation and bombard the poor lady with my questions. As I was a total noob in tax, I had to ask the most obvious questions, until I could hear her "sigh" a couple of times. I noted the impatience in her voice as she was explaining the basic ideas behind taxation in Malaysia. Ohhh well. But its this small compliment that really really made my day. It is something that I appreciate and I will continue to keep it at heart in whatever I do :)
At the end of the day, it's really not about the pay. Even I almost forgot to claim my pay until like maybe 15mins before end of work time?! Ahhh. The last day was really something - perhaps the most relaxing day I ever had. Work came in slowly, I took my time with my last research and the status update for some agreements. I cleared my desk, feeling somewhat nostalgic leaving the place...siting next to Adrian for a month. Though he's been really busy, it was good to have someone around to chill with once a while.
Those of you who know me, I'm quite a rather shy person. I like to come in quietly and leave quietly. However, the experience insofar has greatly enriched me and being there for a month, I was definitely going to miss the place and the people. I decided to get the office a cake (which unfortunately didn't seem enough...must get some more next time) and also sent a mass email to the whole KL office saying bye. It wasn't a tearful event or anything, but ofcourse it felt quite nostalgic. This was a place that I have been spending ATLEAST 10 hours a day for the past one FULL month (no leaves taken). (As usual) I went around taking photos with the people I've worked closely with for the past month...the attachees - Sharmini & Serene, the librarians - CL & GC, the pupil who delegated work to the attachee - Fariz, roomate, Buddy and JY. Perhaps I was too late in seeing the rest because I went around saying my byes when people were already leaving office for home.
Some photos of the people in the firm (some are not posted due to personal requests):
Thanks everyone for the valuable experience insofar. The internship was truly memorable, and I have learnt lots about responsibility, accountability, maturity and relationships.
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