“Two persons may go through the same experience, but no two persons will experience the same thing,” – Alex Chang
The Beginning
1 In the first week of my attachment, I was tasked to write an article on Private Car Insurance as a part of Alex Chang & Co’s (hereinafter the “ACC”) Corporate Social Responsibility effort. The article was aimed to inform the general public of legal issues regarding motor insurance.
2 Although the subject matter sounded simple, completing the article was harder than expected. I had to go through private car insurance policies, read through relevant cases, and call insurance brokers to avoid providing the wrong information.
3 Furthermore, the task’s main challenge was for me to condense all the information I had obtained into an article whereby any person who reads it would be able to understand immediately. As I lacked the skill to overcome this challenge, Mr Chang guided me by frequently reviewing my drafts and giving me advice for my betterment.
Improvement of Soft Skills
4 As an introvert, personal and professional interactions are nightmares. It used to be difficult for me to be able to coherently convey my thoughts and opinions. However, the staffs and legal assistants provided a great help in settling me in as part of the ACC family.
5 Mr Chang himself was the greatest help as he would often strike casual conversations with me. In order to boost my legal skills and also pull me out from my introverted shell, he would also give me trial files to peruse and present on by the end of the day.
6 I would be grilled to crisp on the trial files I read as I kept missing the important facts and details. But in the end, I was able to not only present my understanding of the files, I was also able to assist in relevant legal research that was applied to the submissions.
Experiences in the Field
7 Aside from assisting Mr Chang in research and drafting matters, I have experienced various opportunities outside the office.
8 I have attended an appeal hearing at the Palace of Justice, and the Professional Ethics talk at Bar Council. I was also invited to attend the most memorable event of the 29th Sultan Azlan Shah Law Lecture by the Master of the Rolls of England and Wales, the Right Honourable Lord Dyson.
9 Being invited to all the court proceedings and events, I cannot help but feel honoured and welcomed into the ACC team.
Amiable Work Atmosphere
10 One of the common stereotypes of legal firms is that the work environment is always full of stress and there is no time for fun. I can easily say that the ACC breaks that stereotype.
11 Despite the diligence and hard work they demonstrate during work hours, they are also able to joke around and create laughter in the office.
12 Moreover, from the perspective of a Muslim, Mr Chang and the rest of the ACC were extremely considerate of my situation. For example, they provided a closed praying area, and a different set of cutlery for me to use. They would also insist for me to dine together on special occasions and specifically cater to my dietary restrictions.
Appreciation
13 My development at the ACC was not limited to legal skills, but it is also extended to my personal growth in tackling my inherent flaws and shortcomings.
14 Therefore, I would like to thank Mr Alex Chang for this wonderful opportunity. I would like to also thank Mrs Chang, Ms Chow, Ms Wong, Miss Lim, and Mr Soong for the guidance and kind treatment I had been receiving throughout my time here.
15 To conclude, it is true that no two persons had ever experienced the same thing from the same experience, but I do hope that future attachment students would be able to experience growth as I did from doing my attachment at the ACC.
Iman Izzati Azhari
LLB Hons. IIUM
