What I learned about myself during the  attachment/mini-pupilage in Alex Chang & Co.

It began with a seemingly normal day, when I, started my  attachment/mini pupilage in a pure litigation law firm that situated around KLCC.   I was early and Mr Alex Chang (“Boss”)  invited me to have breakfast.  Unfortunately, I had breakfast and Boss gave instructions to Danny to give me more instructions to buy breakfast. Unfortunately,  I  bought the breakfast requested by taking away the food and drinks in different plastic packaging.  My actions have left Boss flabbergasted, in a bad way.

However, he composed himself and skipped breakfast. I was confused at first and it was dawned on me after it was explained by the boss that I should have ordered and waited for the rest of the team to come down and have breakfast.

That was the first strike and what I  learned about myself in this event is that I must be good in taking instructions.  The reason I am not as such is because I always overthink or restricted myself into the conservative box of understanding the instructions given.

On Day 2, towards the end of the day,  I was given another assignment by Boss which is to read a file.   I was asked about the principles of Order 18 Rule 19 Rules of Court 2012 (ROC 2012) in which I cannot answer because I didn’t prepare promptly for any questions  thrown on me and I could not answer the question specifically.

The issue became worse when I could not answer the same question on  Day 3 as I understood the question wrongly and was  giving answers which were  not specifically for the question above.  That incident made me realized that I am not good in understand the instructions and questions given under the guidance and honest declaration from boss.

For 26 years, Boss was the first person who pinpointed the problem  to me in which I am very grateful as without learning one’s weakness, changes cannot be done to rectify the weakness itself.  I am learning a lot from Boss while I am doing attachment/mini-pupilage in Alex Chang & Co as there are no person as honest and blunt as him.  I also learned how to do file search in Kuala Lumpur High Court, identifying important Order in ROC 2012, the oral method to cross-examine, drafting of different documents in Court, how to present a case, how to support a principle in law, always have your law in your fingertips.  Of course the method of  presentation   as  a litigator.

I am eternally grateful to Boss and his “Pan Mee” theory will always keep close to my heart.  Thank you for the guidance.