*demand*

I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT I WANT

Welcome to the service industry.

trial.

Yesterday I attended a trial with three parties and four lawyers - the Plaintiff and his lawyer, the Defendant and its lawyer, and the Third Party and its lawyers, i.e. boss and me. 

Boss let me conduct most parts of the trial, stepping in only when I really needed help.

I watched the lawyers as they joked around about kangkung before trial.

I smiled as my boss gave the other lawyer hints about procedure during trial.

I observed their passionate but civil debate about whose client was in the right or wrong over lunch. 

I listened as they commented on my performance. 

I huffed and puffed as we climbed the court's steep (to me lah) flights of stairs to the top floor after lunch for another round of trial.

Today, I received news that a pupil-in-chambers's petition to be called to the Bar was struck out because members of the Bar objected to his admission as an Advocate and Solicitor. The pupil was deemed unfit to be an Advocate and Solicitor because he had previously been found to be an uncredible witness who had tampered with evidence and abused his power in a previous matter.

Despite us being the butt of jokes and the "lawyers can't be trusted" I hear every now and then, 

I must say, 

I'm proud to be a member of this profession.

And I'm especially proud to be a member of the legal fraternity in good ol' Malacca. 

People say nothing ever happens here, 

but I say everything I need to be a good lawyer,

is right here.

=)

powerful thing.

it's a powerful thing - 

when you first experience the death of a friend you've been praying for.

it's been almost four years, but i still feel it today, although i know he's more than ok where he is now.

to date, three of my friends have passed on. 

news of death does something to you. 

a tiny gasp, a slight choke, a tear, a deep breath, more tears, deeper breaths.

kinda puts things in perspective. 

these eyes were made for greater things than seeing the faults of others,

these hands were made for greater things than temporal things, 

these ears were made for greater things than listening to gossip, 

this mouth was made for greater things than slander, 

this heart was made for greater things than grudges, 

this soul was made for greater things than Earth.

because the God who made them is greater than what our puny minds can imagine. 

was never a fan of resolutions. became less of a fan after i worked through the new year.

things aren't great where i am, especially in mgc. 

but you know what?

i have a duty to honour not only my God, 

but the memories of those who have returned to Him - 

His servants, my friends and fellow labourers. 

i have a mission to accomplish before my own return is due. 

no time to be miserable. 

no time to whine.

no time to mope.

no time to waste.

Father, 

let the harvest come.

favourite client.

Ok, I admit it. I have a favourite corporate client. 

The people there are always so nice, even if they're called to court to testify because someone dragged them into third party proceedings.

I always feel better after a chat with them.

Kinda changes my mind about people affiliated with the government.

=)

brain-fall.

I wish people would stop calling me when I'm working on submissions. 

It's like my brain dropped out of my head and I can't think anymore.

"Hi Lim, how are you today... hehe =)"

How am I?

Prayer meet tonight - can't wait to hear the first mini-sermon for the meet by Kenneth.

Musicians roster for Jan - Jun 2014 still not done, waiting for various parties' confirmation.

First Teens Club meet on 11.1.2014 afternoon, supposed to welcome the teens back to the Club. Nothing moving yet.

First Young Adults meet on 11.1.2014 evening, I'm in charge of backup games. (oklah, making people play silly games is fun for me)

Submissions due on 13.1.2014, the same day as the hearing date for a summary judgment application against our client.

Affidavit in reply due on 17.1.2014, must be sent to client to be affirmed by 16.1.2014 latest. Oh, and we haven't done the meet-client-to-decide-how-to-reply part yet.

Trial on 15.1.2014, I'll be counsel this time. (Whee! and Eee!) 

Wedding stuff (this one quite fun).

Bankruptcy notices not prepared yet because of the backlog caused by a certain clerk.

How am I?

I was feeling awful until that message came in.

Love-hate relationship with clients - they bring us trouble, but without their troubles, our profession holds no meaning. We're like the man of the appalling trade in Emily Dickinson's There's been a Death, in the Opposite House. maybe that's why we dress like we're going to a funeral.

Anyway.

Today's relationship is one of love. Thank you, dear client.

"no use crying over spilled milk"

most of the time, it's not about the milk.

it's about the fact that someone else spilled their milk all over your floor and won't clean it up.

when...

...your office boy doesn't file an important document although you told him to

and doesn't tell you until 4.45pm when you text him

the commissioner for oaths refuses to attest to your client's signature 

because the court registrar has been harassing him

no commissioner for oaths is willing to stay past 5.00pm for your client

you have to go to court at 8.00am tomorrow because of someone else's mistake

you only have a small window of 15 minutes because your client has to be off to Sepang

you walk in the rain to get mixed rice for your grandma because she won't eat anything else

you get back home to find she's moved several items in the home

and you have to move them back

you take in the clothes and fold them

you have a nice dinner and conversation with her thinking she's finally normal

you talk on the phone with your mum for 2 minutes

she's away in KL with Dad 

you've got to do some chores

then you think you might want to get some work done

you even brought some files home

and then your grandma's washing her polystyrene packet in the sink

you take it away from her to throw it away

open the thrash can

to find she's peed into it

and the other one too

you ask her why she did that

she answers, "Do means do already lor"

.

.

.

i think i discovered the true essence of the saying, 

"this is the last straw"

we have an important meeting today

and of course my clerk didn't do the work I told her to do for this meeting.

i'm sick, 

i'm tired, 

i'm sick and tired of straws.

thank God for family, 

the fiance who helped me clean the thrash cans, 

and tonight's birthday cake.

I have GOT to...

I have got to learn to deal with phone calls.

For that matter, I have got to come up with a skema jawapan for the question "Hi, how are you?"

Maybe tell my life story in 100 words or less. Hm.

Why do people ask questions they don't really care to know the answer to anyway?

hairdresser lawyer.

just because lawyers are in the service industry doesn't mean you can treat us like your hairdresser ok.

-_-

Longest sentence in the world

"The respondent did not allege in his statement of claim that there was another breach of duty on the part of Mr. Hilborne or his firm in failing to exercise the care and skill that any reasonably careful competent solicitor would have exercised by advising him that he should be ready able and willing to complete on the terms of the alleged contract of 9th April 1963 whether or not he had signed the alleged contract because it was a reasonable interpretation of the contents of the letter of 20th May 1963 that the vendor would either give vacant possession on completion or was bound to give vacant possession if there was no term in the alleged contract of 9th April 1963 expressly stipulating that the sale was without vacant possession or subject to tenancy."

-- Per Wee Chong Jin CJ in Ke Hilborne v. Tan Tiang Quee; KS Chung v. Tan Tiang Quee


(wonder what it would sound like if he spoke it)

Rule #2 of Legal Practice.

(not that I'm actually already practising, but you get what I mean)

Everyone lies. 

Ok.

Maybe that was a bit cynical.

How 'bout...

Don't believe everything you hear.

Let the documents speak for themselves.

But don't believe everything you read either.

Be prepared for surprises.

Everyone has those clients.

They either tell outright lies, 

hide things because they think they know what they're doing,

think they're telling the truth but aren't, or

think they know but don't.

You can be so convinced of your case one day, and totally undone the next. 

"Surprise!"

Not fun.

Some have met *'bad learned friends', as Chelsea put it.

They either tell outright lies, 

hide things because they know that will win their case, 

teach their clients to lie, 

butter up the judge when everyone's looking, or

stab you in the back when no one is, 

or maybe all of the above.

I used to think - if everyone just played by the rules and seek the truth, the way we're supposed to, then we can be proud of our legal system. And maybe people will stop telling lawyer jokes. (ok, this one is a bit far-fetched)

But now I think - Ok, people are not going to play by the rules. So what do I do?

I do occasionally come across lawyers who wear integrity underneath their robes. It's refreshing, really, to be able to look at a lawyer in court and not have to worry that he's lying through his teeth.

It's also refreshing to meet clients who prove that they are honest people making a genuine claim in court.

It's refreshing to not have to stop myself from saying, 

"Yeah, right," 

"Yeah, whatever you say," 

"Yeah. Idiot."

It can be quite confusing sometimes, to be skeptical at work, five days a week, then go to church and trust. Trust that I can trust my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Trust that I can trust.

I think that's why it's important to trust Him day after day. 

Not just after TGIF Day and before Blue Monday, 

but every day of the week, 

from Blue Monday to Blue Monday.

It's easier to trust that way.

Because in the midst of all the untrustworthy people I meet everyday, there is one who remains steadfast, come what may.

*Lawyers refer to opponents as 'learned friends' in court.

strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow.

Great is Your faithfulness
O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with You
You change not, Your compassions, they fail not
As You have been, You forever will be.

Great is Your faithfulness!
Great is Your faithfulness!
Morning by morning, new mercies I see
All I have needed, Your hand has provided
Great is Your faithfulness, Lord, to me

Pardon for sin and a peace that endures
Your own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine
With ten thousand beside!

sharp.

Some people are very sharp with their words.

*dramatic ouch gesture*

Good time to practise humility and grace.

Practice makes perfect.

some clients.

A: "What's the status of Agreement X? I asked you a month ago."

B: "Sorry, my boss hasn't gotten back to me. I'll get back to you later. By the way, what's the status of Agreement Y? I sent it to you 2 months ago."

A: "Oh, that one is still pending. My boss hasn't gotten back to me."

*after 30 minutes*

A: "What's the status of Agreement X?"

B: "Hey Mr A. My boss still hasn't gotten back to me."

A: "You didn't call your clients to ask ah???? I've waited for months!!!"


Pot calling kettle black in loud whiny voice.

So annoying.

out of context.

One gets so tired trying to correct people who keep taking things out of context.

May be a futile exercise, since one's correction may also be taken out of context.

Why does one do this to oneself?

(public: "Who on earth is this 'one'????")

Nursery rhyme.

If the Hole-Puncher just did things right the first time, 

the Paper-Arranger wouldn't have to exist.

*to a tune yet to be concocted*

If you've worked in an office with shelves and shelves of files,
you know what I mean.

Unless, of course, you've been a Hole-Puncher your whole life.

Just yesterday, I was playing the nursery-rhymey Paper-Arranger. Today, I punched two slightly misaligned holes as a Hole-Puncher. 

And I thought, "Ah. It happens."

And I didn't proceed to punch better holes.

You know,

Everybody gets to be a Hole-Puncher at some point of their lives. And everyone has been a bad Hole-Puncher at some point. But not everyone gets to be a Paper-Arranger. 

Because to be a Paper-Arranger, you need to care enough to brave the bad holes that will make the simple act of putting every document back in place very difficult.

I'm glad that Someone cared enough to be the Good Paper-Arranger in the life of this Hole-Puncher.

On days when I think extraordinarily high of myself, I will remember this nursery rhyme:

If the Hole-Puncher just did things right the first time, 

the Paper-Arranger wouldn't have to exist.

And on days when someone makes me think extraordinarily low thoughts about myself, I will remember this nursery rhyme:

If the Hole-Puncher just did things right the first time, 

the Paper-Arranger wouldn't have to exist.

why the same nursery rhyme rebukes and comforts at the same time is another discussion for another day.

Rule #1 of Legal Practice

DO NOT tell your client he has a good case.

If you accidentally make that statement, QUALIFY it.

He may have a good case, but bad opponents. 

Makes all the difference.

numbers.

I try very hard not to let the lack of numbers affect me and what I do.

But when it's down to just a handful of people, it's hard not to keep count.

Thinking I'm alone won't help anybody, won't help anything.

But it's hard not to feel alone.

It's hard to forgive people who leave to go after their own dreams and ambitions.

It's hard to understand why people don't think of the people left behind.

These thoughts make me question my motivations.

To feel or not to feel...

Is that the right question?

What's the right question?

Or what's the right answer?

It's hard to think when I'm feeling down.

It's hard to be thankful for what I have when what I don't have is so glaring.

It's hard to be victorious when I feel so defeated.

It's hard to encourage one another when we each need encouragement ourselves.

I wish people would leave properly.

I wish people would at least stop to THINK before they leave.

I wish people would stop to ENCOURAGE those left behind before they leave.

I wish people would stop saying, 

"God will provide"

or

"There's still who-and-who around"

while they happily up and leave.

Irresponsible statements.


I wish everyone would just stop leaving.

when legal terms are not cool.

 

“as is where is”

translated:

“sebagaimana adalah di mana adalah”