Charlize Theron has a beautiful tan in Italian Job

I would like to thank everyone who sent me birthday wishes.  I’m happy to have many friends and I feel my life has enriched, knowing all of you.

 

2005 is quite a year for me.  New responsibilities, new challenges.  I want to meet these challenges and conquer them.

 

I’m 31 years old already.  I’ve not had a satisfying career.  For many years now, I’ve been doing something that I’ve never particularly enjoyed.  Why?  Probably a combination of external factors- I’ve studied law so the natural step to take is to practise law.  People have this perception that lawyers earn a lot of money but that is far, far from the truth.   Generally, professionals are paid little, but in return their professional responsibilities are far greater.  In other words, the little that professionals get paid does NOT commensurate with the level of responsibility that is placed on them.  If I as a lawyer cock-up a clients’ case I can be liable to a suit in negligence.  Ditto to doctors, engineers, accountants- professionals, who generally earn little. 

 

“What about starting up your own legal firm?” I’ve been asked that.  My answer to that is- very tough and difficult.  Unless you are well connected, it will be very difficult to penetrate into the already ultra competitive legal market.  I’ve found that in order for a legal firm to survive (and I mean survive, not make profits), a lawyer would need 2 portfolios- Banking, and Conveyancing (property) work.  By banking I mean credit card, loans, Hire Purchase matters and so forth.  This can be called debt collection matters, where you as a lawyer will prepare the necessary documentation of a legal process, from start to finish.  That would mean, for example, sending out legal letters of demand to the credit card defaulter, and followed by the drafting of summons, and statement of claim, the filing into court of all the documents, attending court, and seeing the case to conclusion.  Now, with banking matters, first and foremost, you would need to be in the Panel of lawyers of the bank.   That would be a difficult task in itself because there are probably hundreds of banks in the Panel itself, fighting for work.   But being in the Panel itself is not enough.  You’d need to have someone (whose position is high enough) to favour you.  Therefore, being in the Panel does not guarantee you work.  And even if you do get the work, you are forced to undercut your fees because every other legal firms are, in a bid to stay competitive.  If you charge, example RM500 per file, you would definitely need a high volume of files in order for your firm to stay afloat.

 

By conveyancing I mean preparing the Sale and Purchase Agreements for the sale of properties.  If you have a property developer who favours you, then in a new housing development, they will use you as their lawyers to prepare the Sale & Purchase Agreement in respect of the houses.  From there you get a percentage.  Even that needs volume. 

 

At the end of the day, it’s all about your contacts, and who is willing to give you the business.  It will be very difficult for to be out there, scrounging for business.

 

Plus, my focus has changed.  True, we all need money to survive, but our jobs should not be the be all and end all of everything.  Plus, if we are going to do something for most of our lives, we should find something that we have a passion for.   And, there must be time for R&R.  No point in working so hard and earning loadsa money but be in poor health.  I’d rather earn less and be in excellent health.  Happiness is not measured by material possessions.  Happiness is being passionate and having a strong belief in something you do, being healthy, and having your family and loved ones to share that life with. 

 

I’m not entirely certain where I’m heading at this point.  There has been talk of some plans, which is currently in the negotiation stage.  There are some ideas and I genuinely see some good prospects.  It won’t be easy, but it will be something I have a passion for.   We’ll see how that goes.

 

Workout?  I ran at KLCC park yesterday.  An easy 8 lapper.  The laps got progressively quicker.  The first 4 laps were run in roughly 28:00.  The 2^nd 4 laps were run in about 24:00

 

Birthday celebrations tonight will be dinner with the family.  I fancy some steak.