Expertise

I sometimes get questions from others like, "what you are doing is simple, why do you need to charge so much?"  or "Why lawyer always charge so much?" or "It is standard right?" or "All you need is just to copy and paste". 

I got a pupil a few years ago.  She always thinks she is more capable than anyone else and definitely, smarter than me, academically wise, I am sure she is.  So, since she was full of confidence that she can get things sorted easily, I gave her tasks and works that I think is easy for her to accomplish. After all, it is just copied and paste right? So, I gave her some tasks, together with at least 3 samples.  It took her more than a month to come back to me.  What's more bizarre was, there's tons and tons of mistakes and points that are not properly assessed and done.  When I asked her why? She said she doesn't know how to do it and I wasn't guiding her.  I wonder how am I suppose to guide her.  If I guide her, it is basically telling her to just follow my idea, my methods and copy everything verbatim.  What will she learn to do then?  After a few times of what I thought I am giving her an opportunity to explore and to learn, not that she doesn't appreciate my efforts, but she compliant that I did not teach her much.  The problem is, she refused to try and make some mistakes and learn from them.  It is all goes to her being too proud of herself.  She thinks by avoiding doing it, she can do better in future.  That's not my way of teaching and certainly a wrong way for someone to try to learn something (in my opinion).  So,  I gave up giving her the opportunity (because I do run a business in case you don't realise and matters do need to moves on).  I can't wait for her to sit on the files forever until she gets to know how to do it.  If she didn't put effort into it, it's not my problem.  At the end of the day, it's her future problem.   Of course, she is not practising now.  

Is my job easy to be done?  A practising lawyer who is in her 8th year, that I was trying to coach in the past few months will tell you now that, it is not.  Regardless of how many samples, how many ideas, how much analysis, meetings, etc with her, she is still unable to conduct a full trial to her satisfaction because there are so many surprises along the way, so many issues to deal with that she eventually missed out and she has to call me to ask, "Ok.  This is it, I am not trying anymore.  Can you please take this case". I am not saying I am good.  I am saying, that's what I have been doing and I know how to get it done rightly and accordingly.  That's me, I am an advocate, a counsel, a barrister.  I think differently and it is just difficult for me to unplug from the skills, training, knowledge, experiences that I have.  Something that I have done in the past 16 years.  

So, when the headhunter company called and asked me what's your expertise, I can tell them, besides attending Court, I am no good at anything at all.  That will also mean, no corporate company will want someone like me in their organisation or company unless they want someone to make sure they comply with regulations, laws and others and so their products, their client's benefits are protected or, someone to advise them since this is the issue, what's the best-case scenario and what's the worst-case scenario and what are the steps to be taken.  But how many will need people like me in the corporate world? 

While waiting for an opportunity to leave law practises, I do, however, need to focus on what I can do now in helping others to get out from their legal issues faced.  No. if you think a layman can do a lawyer's job, from the drafting of an agreement to going to Court, then go ahead, save some money ... and you might lose long term clients or you will end up paying more fees at the end.  Lawyer charged according to a scale fees here in Malaysia.  Compare to other countries, Malaysia's fees scale is really cheap and yet, there are still many people trying to save up that money for other things instead of using a lawyer's expertise to secure their own interest.  To me, that's a very stupid investment.  

Even a trained lawyer might not be able to do certain works.  What more a layman? So, don't be stupid and tell the judges that you want to defend yourself.  The option is there, doesn't mean it is beneficial to you because a case does involve issues of facts and laws.  What are they? If you don't understand that itself, you need a lawyer. 

- Expertise -