“Are you an aggressive lawyer?”
Every once in a while I get these fetish-type requests. “We want someone strong and aggressive.” “We want a fighter-cock kind of lawyer.” “We want you to attack them.” “We …
My Legal Baptism
In my twenty-three’ish year career at the Bar, there were two times I wanted to quit legal practice. The first time was after my legal baptism. And no, it wasn’t …
‘You can scold me, sir.’
Every now and then a pupil or an intern will tell me: “Sir, I am really willing to learn. If I do anything wrong or make a mistake please feel …
The Sure Win Case
I call such cases ‘sitters’. I don’t often get sitters. Rarely, actually. But that’s fine with me. On the regular, I’d prefer not to do sitters. If I did, I …
‘You need to think about your legacy.’
Although I have moved many calls to the bar, only a few stay in touch after they are called. That is perfectly fine. I understand that to be the nature …
Renouncing Islam in the Federal Territories of Malaysia
These are my views on the Federal Constitution, the law and its practice where it relates to apostasy, and my experience conducting such cases in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya in …
The Legal Savants and The Uninclined
I have come to the view that there is a spectrum of people in legal practice. On one end are those that not just love the law and legal practice, …
‘How do you get work?’
One of my younger colleagues asked me this question the other day. ‘That is a good question,’ I replied. ‘Thank you, sir,’ he said. ‘I reply ‘good question’ to questions …
Going up against a senior
Going up against a senior lawyer is often a daunting and stressful experience. It is especially so if we are fresh lawyers. Even if we are not fresh lawyers, there …
A siesta in the afternoon
Afternoon court sessions are a challenge to get through; especially after a heavy lunch. It is for this reason, no competent litigator would or should eat a full-on banana leaf …
Witness Statements and the Abstraction of Justice
In Malaysia, witness statements contain the questions asked by a lawyer to his own witness with the answers given committed to writing. They serve as the evidence that a witness …
The “Tell me when I go wrong” speech
If you worked with me, whether you are a lawyer, pupil, intern, paralegal, or clerk, at some point, you will hear the following speech from me. You wouldn’t have heard …