The Legal Eagle Podcast

In this episode I speak to Eugene who is a superstar lawyer who runs his own law firm and sells coffee machines as a side hustle. In this episode we explore how we can practice law effectively and still have side hustle(s). Tune in to this interesting conversation as Eugene shares on how to he sparks joy in his legal career.

Special Promo code for listeners: Sarahmae

@ https://thelawfulgood.sgto get 20% off machines, and grinder coffees and 5% off accessories 

@https://www.arklaw.com.sg/our-team/

Tune in to find out more. 

Happy New Year Everyone! I am so excited to kick off 2022 with a new podcast series called ‘Barrister to Barista’ where we hear stories of featured Singapore lawyers who have ventured out into the coffee scene and pursued a coffee business.

Denise Lum is a former corporate lawyer at Shearman & Sterling LLP and is now a proud co-founder of Maxi Coffee Bar here in Singapore. Denise graduated from University College London in 2011 with a Bachelor of Law (LLB) and soon after, she passed the New York Bar in 2012. Being a young successful female entrepreneur in the F&B space, she is certainly an inspiration!

“Be very sure of your WHY because that is the one thing that will keep you anchored and that you have to come back to regardless of whatever uncertainties and circumstances and whatever it is that life throws at you”.

Denise always felt like she wanted to wear a different hat and together with her business partner, Joy, they have created an organic community with tremendous support. Denise shared with us that they had to get creative during these uncertain times and ended up building an online delivery platform that caters both their drinks and full café menu.

Despite her significant career change, Denise managed to strike the balance to lead as a boss of her business. What impressed me the most was her sharing that we should hold onto that authenticity while staying humble and wanting to grow and learn!

Check out Maxi Coffee Bar on Instagram @maxi.coffeebar and visit their coffee shop at 6 Ann Siang Hill, Singapore 069787.

Let’s talk about it! Welcome to our new podcast series where we have short conversations with our guests on the latest trending law topics here in Singapore and around the world.

In this episode, I am joined by my legal intern Kok Chee, a Year 2 law student at National University of Singapore (NUS). We will be discussing whether children do, and should get a say during divorce proceedings.

Tune in to find out more.

Let’s talk about it! Welcome to our new podcast series where we have short conversations with our guests on the latest trending law topics here in Singapore and around the world.

In this episode, I am joined by my legal intern Michelle Lynn Fernandez, we will be discussing an area where some critics might say the current scheme is too female-centric, and does not reflect changing norms and paradigms- should wives have to pay maintenance to their ex-husbands, if they are earning more than their ex-husbands?

Tune in to find out more.

Let’s talk about it! Welcome to our new podcast series where we have short conversations with our guests on the latest trending law topics here in Singapore and around the world.

In this episode, I am joined by my legal intern Matthew Chu, a Year 3 law student at Singapore Management University (SMU). We will be discussing physical discipline in the context of family law - looking at current societal perceptions of corporal punishment towards children.

Tune in to find out more.

Let’s talk about it! Welcome to our new podcast series where we have short conversations with our guests on the latest trending law topics here in Singapore and around the world.

In this episode, I am joined by my legal intern Eileen Lim, a Year 3 law student at Singapore Management University (SMU). We will be discussing the concept of sole custody - specifically couples, whether they are married or unmarried and are going through a separation.

Tune in to find out more.

Let’s talk about it! Welcome to our new podcast series where we have short conversations with our guests on the latest trending law topics here in Singapore and around the world.

In this episode, I am joined by Danisha Thadani who is a qualified lawyer with a keen interest in family law. We will be discussing the rights of unmarried couples who have children - in relation to child maintenance, assets and custody, care and control. 

Tune in to find out more.

Let’s talk about it! Welcome to our new podcast series where we have short conversations with our guests on the latest trending law topics here in Singapore and around the world.

Is it time to do away with “Dear Sirs”? The Singapore legal industry has certainly seen more female practitioners today than before. We can do better by not addressing and grouping all female practitioners into a standardised template of “Dear Sirs”. Shouldn’t this be the moment to act upon the principles of inclusivity and gender equality by addressing both male and female professionals respectfully? In this episode, we discuss the possibility of introducing a change like this to improve workplace inclusivity.  

Our special guest is Marianne Marchesi, Founder and Principal Lawyer of Legalite - a new kind of law firm that aims to simplify legal services. She was also awarded Sole Practitioner of the Year at the Lawyer’s Weekly Australian Law Awards, and more recently, she won Partner of the Year (SME) in the 2019 Lawyer's Weekly Women in Law Awards.

Tune in to find out more.

You can reach out to Marianne through the following platforms:

Website: www.legalite.com.au

Instagram: @legalite_au

Let’s talk about it!Welcome to our new podcast series where we have short conversations with our guests on the latest trending law topics here in Singapore and around the world.

Singapore is in discussion to adopt a no-fault divorce principle. Will this help to make divorce processes less hostile between parties? With the UK implementing something similar this year, we hear it from Sonny’s perspective on this new law. Do these changes affect British expats in Singapore? Can it take away the blame element?

Our first special guest is Sonny Patel, a qualified English solicitor with 15 years post-qualification experience and Partner and Head of the Singapore office of Expatriate Law. Sonny currently acts for British expatriates and conducts their family proceedings through the English courts.

Tune in to find out more.

You can reach out to Sonny through the following platforms:

E-mail: sonny@expatriatelaw.com

Website: www.expatriatelaw.com

Instagram: @expatdivorceasia

In this final law and technology episode, our guest is from Manchester, England in United Kingdom. Eimear McCann is a former lawyer who is currently Head of Strategy at Summize and a visiting Lecturer at the University of Law.

Eimear was always up for the challenge and wanted to be a part of the ongoing digital revolution. She saw passion and energy in the legal-tech space and knew that new and upcoming tech-innovative tools were there to help businesses transform and streamline their processes. 

Eimear shared that if we can just get the repetitive stuff automated, we can get back to relationship building. The design element matters and should be the starting point to helping businesses adopt technology catered to their business needs. One thing is for certain and that is the usage of technology bridges the communication channel efficiently between lawyer and client.

You can reach out to Eimear through the following platforms:  

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/eimear-mccann-79b171109/ 

Website: www.summize.com 

In this new law & technology episode, our special guest is from the San Francisco Bay area in California, USA. Erin Levine is the CEO of Hello Divorce and Levine Family Law Group, a certified family law specialist, a Duke law & tech accelerator grand prize winner and a mother to two beautiful children. 

Erin inspires us all with running her own legal tech company despite not having a technology background. As an entrepreneurial woman, she believes nothing is stopping you from starting your own business. All you need is consistency and be willing to keep at it. Hello Divorce, an accessible online legal software and transparent document system was really designed to be a viable product to help people avoid the stress and high costs but still get lawyer results. 

Faced with the challenge to convince lawyers that legal software will not destroy them but contrary, Erin believes people would always need lawyers regardless. She sees this as a unique opportunity to show lawyers that there is a sustainable way to practice law – to have a well-designed product that is both accessible and affordable for consumers. Ultimately, Hello Divorce is a legal platform intended to serve the clients’ needs no matter what stage of the divorce they are in.

You can reach out to Erin through the following platforms:  

E-mail: erin@hellodivorce.com 

Website: www.hellodivorce.com 

Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3cweRPh 

Instagram: @hellodivorce 

In this new episode of Law and Technology series, I got to interview Kelly Forbes, Co-Founder and Director of the AI Asia Pacific Institute, a non-profit, independent organisation working to build an inclusive and responsible AI ecosystem. She is also a dual qualified lawyer (Common and Civil Law) and has led the International Law Association (ILA) as President of the Victorian Chapter in Australia. She even served as one of the ILA founding members in Singapore.

Kelly Forbes’s journey has taken her from Brazil to New Zealand to Australia and finally to Singapore. Her switch from being a lawyer to a law-tech entrepreneur started out when she worked with a start-up company that investigated challenges with technology. Her fascination grew and she began to focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential, risks and implications surrounding legal, social, and ethical issues. 

The question remains if there are laws in place that will respond to new arriving systems with the right kind of ethical frameworks. What are the set guidelines and implications? Kelly addresses the principle of human intracity and stresses the need for stronger conversations and better understanding around AI. 

As much as AI is being adopted everywhere today, does this foundational technology provide solutions as well as its own challenges and liabilities? Tune in to hear Kelly share on two big cases involving artificial intelligence and which country has it down well with both AI ethics and framework. 

You can reach out to Kelly through the following platforms:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-forbes-62453450 

Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3kiG8Hl 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AIAsiaPacific 

Website: www.aiasiapacific.org 

In this new episode of Law and Technology series, I got to interview Ana María Alvarez, a dynamic individual whom I had connected with at a FLIP (Future Legal Innovation Program) networking event here in Singapore. She is a qualified lawyer in Colombia and practiced for 2.5 years before shifting her career to the legal tech space. 

Ana aspired for a better story and launched a legal tech challenge on LinkedIn to give visibility to legal tech startups with customer-centric products. It got traction and soon after, she transitioned into the role of legal content and community manager at BRYTER (Berlin, Germany). 

Ana gained a multitude of experience from connecting with people that she has met along the way. She strives to be a team player by working with the technology, supporting the lawyer users, and implementing new products and processes. She believes that changing the minds of those who deliver these legal services are a critical part of the legal tech evolvement.

Ana also reveals the side to upscaling oneself through initiative, and to not forsake the business side of things because there is always potential for growth and opportunities. 

Tune in to hear Ana share more about her journey and hear her thoughts on where the legal landscape is going in the next 3 to 5 years. 

You can reach out to Ana through the following platforms: 

Email: pam.alvarezm@gmail.com 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ana-alvarezm 

In this new episode of Law and Technology series, my intern, Matthew, and I have the privilege of interviewing Akshat Singhal. He is the CEO and founder of Legistify.com, a tech-enabled, on-demand legal concierge platform that uses technology to effectively connect lawyers with users in need of legal help. It has over one million users on the platform and 5000 new enquiries generated every month. Akshat was also nominated by Asia Law Portal as one of the 30 people to watch in the business of law (Asia) in 2017.

Akshat Singhal always had an interest in building something on his own and even worked on different start-ups during his sophomore year in college. With a background in civil engineering, he somehow found himself in the legal sector where he noticed the prospect of supplying conventional processes with efficient technology. Akshat shares with us the initial days of building Legistify and despite criticism along the way, he handles it with the right attitude and in so doing, maintains the true entrepreneurial spirit.

Tune in to hear Akshat share more about the legal services Legistify provides as well as their ongoing projects. One thing is for certain, legal businesses have the potential to grow by actively incorporating the usage of technology. 

You can reach out to Akshat through the following platforms: 

Email:  contact@legistify.com 

Website: https://www.legistify.com/legalservices 

In this newly launched “law & technology” series, I have the privilege of interviewing Chan Yuk Lun. He is the founder of SingaporeLegalAdvice.com, an all-round legal platform in Singapore that has served more than 200,000 monthly visitors needing help with their legal matters. Besides running the website, he has also written articles and enjoys going around talking to lawyers. Yuk Lun has also been listed in Asia Law Portal’s list of 30 people to watch in the business of law in Asia in 2017. 

Yuk Lun always had an interest in building websites and his skills translated to the successful built-up of SingaporeLegalAdvice.com. As a lawyer turned entrepreneur, he took steps to carve out a different pathway for himself. With hard work, passion, and persistence, the legal platform is now in its sixth year of linking up lawyers and potential clients. Inspired by similar platforms in the UK, US, Australia and Japan, Yuk Lun has certainly fine-tuned the platform to fit Singapore’s market size and needs. Tune in to hear Yuk Lun share more about the platform’s standardized pricing guidelines and how SingaporeLegalAdvice.com is connecting people to lawyers through its convenient and seamless user-interface. 

You can reach out to Yuk Lun through the following platforms: - 

Email: hello@singaporelegaladvice.com 

Website: https://singaporelegaladvice.com 

In this new episode of the divorce series, I have the privilege of interviewing Ian Kennedy AM, a founder and Senior Partner of Kennedy Partners, a forefront leader in the development of family law and a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Australia Day Honours List for his services to the law, legal education and national and international professional organisations.

Ian’s legal career evolved from being an industrial advocate in the national scene to handling white-collar crimes and then finally settling in family law. He reminisced on how it was a fantastic time to be learning family law back in 1976 as it was a collaborative effort and it provided the opportunity to break down the barrier between bench, bar and solicitors. 

Not only is Ian highly recognized by his peers, his love for teaching and learning is also paired with mentoring, where many under his wings have succeeded. Indeed, family law is unique in its own field and most people are willing to share their experience, knowledge and ideas. Tune in to hear Ian share more about his written papers on law reform, his experience taking on interesting cases and his advice to law students and upcoming young lawyers. 

You can reach out to Ian Kennedy AM through the following platforms: 

Email: ian.kennedy@kennedylaw.com.au 

Website: www.kennedypartnerslawyers.com.au 

In this new episode of the divorce series, I have the privilege of interviewing Clarissa Rayward. She is the Director of Brisbane Family Law Centre as well as a podcaster, author, business coach and speaker. It is evident that she loves people and has fun working and doing what she does best. Her motivation comes from her desire to make a difference in the world and to bring about social justice. At an earlier stage of almost letting go of her practice, Clarissa journeyed down a path of discovering the psychology behind happiness and positivity. Tune in to find out the five key things mentioned in her book “Happy Lawyer, Happy Life – How to be happy in Law and in Life” that will give you the best chance of happiness as you navigate between work and relationships. You cannot take emotions out of family law but you can begin to learn and practice the technique of differentiating empathy versus sympathy. Clarissa reminds us to never forget the beautiful and good things, and if you are thinking of pursuing law or are at a crossroad to start your own firm, just do it!

You can reach out to Clarissa Rayward through the following platforms: 

Email: hello@happylawyerhappylife.com

Website: www.happylawyerhappylife.com

Podcast: www.thehappyfamilylawyer.com/podcast

Webinar replay: https://youtu.be/K-5BU3PooJc

Books: “Happy Lawyer Happy Life- How to be happy in Law and in Life” https://bit.ly/2Hnry1R

“Splitsville - How to separate, stay out of Court and stay friends” https://bit.ly/3klRWrc

In this new episode of the bold and beautiful series, brother-and-sister team Aaron Ng, head of Corporate Communications team at Focus on the Family and Delia Ng, head at FamChamps, shared with us their personal stories of how it was like growing up in a divorced home setting at such a young age. Because of a fragmented family structure, there were periods of distrust, disappointment, and rebellion. In the midst of uncertainty and frustrations, our guests found hope, balance and stability through strong role models – their grandparents, teammates and family friends. By extending forgiveness and reconciliation, they were able to forge better relationships and bring value into their marriages.  A few things that stood out were the importance of intentionality and communication between husband and wife, dealing with expectations and being mindful of each other’s emotions, space and time. Tune in to discover the siblings’ tenacity to overcome and how they have become change agents and contributors to their community.

More information:

Websites: www.family.org.sg  and www.famchamps.sg

Podcast: https://parented.captivate.fm

Email:focus@family.org.sg and hello@famchamps.sg

Instagram: @thrivingfamilysg and @famchamps

Seasons of Marriage Quiz: www.family.org.sg/seasonsofmarriage

In this new episode of the divorce series, I have the privilege of interviewing the Honourable Diana Bryant (AO, QC), former Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia, former Patron of Australian Women Lawyers and the first woman appointed in 2000 to be inaugural Chief Federal Magistrate of Australia, the head of the Federal Magistrates' Court. Born into a family of legal professionals, Diana’s mum ran her own all-female law firm and has always been a role model in her life. In the midst of gender disparity, Diana found herself in a position where it was an equal playing field in Perth, Australia, as the new legislation had just come into place. She has voiced out the need for judges intervening in divorce proceedings and initiating processes where children are involved to a greater extent. She even took on a watershed case in the High Court of Australia with an all-female team despite it being her first appearance in the High Court. Diana is an inspiration! It has motivated me to step up to unique and challenging cases, despite the odds.

Site: http://www.worldcongress.co/the-board/the-honourable-diana-bryant-ao-qc/

#chiefjustice #familycourt #australia #worldcongress #familylaw #childrensrights #lawyer #singapore #hagueabductionconvention #children #avoicenotachoice

25th August, 2020: Admission day for new qualified Singaporean Lawyers

Are you a student thinking of pursuing law? If you are just about to embark on your legal career, do you wonder if you are suited to a career in law? Or are you a lawyer who is jaded by legal practice?

In homage of all the Singapore lawyers getting called to the bar today, here is a bonus episode where I got to interview my childhood friend Candice Tan, founder and blogger of Legal Brew, a lawyer with a passion for learning, an educator and a could-have-been astrophysicist.

These are just some questions you may have asked yourself from time to time. In today’s episode, we discuss our different paths we took towards becoming lawyers and rediscover our passion behind it. Travel with us down memory lane as we share about our experiences from our international exchanges in Hong Kong, Italy, West Africa, Australia, Malaysia and Switzerland.

In the cases that Candice takes on, she sheds light on the reality of mental health battles that Clients go through and the power of redemption during her time spent working at the homeless clinic.

I love what she shared on the episode: ”You empower your practice when you realise that you actually need a team and you cannot do it all by yourself.”

By acknowledging a crisis moment in her life, Candice goes on her new journey of finding her life’s purpose again. If you have a general curiosity of the law, the Legal Brew is a blog that helps to demystify the whole process of law through engaging articles and interesting stories. What is that legal spark for you? Tune in as we talk about the importance of mentorship and how we navigate and balance our fulfilling careers.

You can reach out to Candice Tan through the following platforms:

Blog website: www.legalbrew.com.au

Email: hello@legalbrew.com.au

Recommended book: Mindset - Changing The Way You Think To Fulfil Your Potential https://www.bookdepository.com/Mindset-Updated-Edition-Dr-Carol Dweck/9781472139955?ref=grid-view&qid=1597825945768&sr=1-9

#singapore #legal #career #lawyer #masscallday2020 #legalbrew #blog #australia

In this new episode of the divorce series, I have the privilege of interviewing Jeremy Morley, an international family law attorney from the US who is an expert in international relocation and international child abduction matters. Jeremy’s strong passion for helping families and children translates through his participation as an expert witness in so many international cases. Out of the topic of The Hague Abduction Convention arises the interesting question of how Courts determine 'habitual residence'. In the midst of intense preparation for these cases, Jeremy highlights the need to be honest and empathetic with your clients. Certainly, as countries are still tackling Covid, the normality of work has shifted drastically to bridging platforms such as Skype and Zoom calls for remote mediation and hearings. As a firm believer in mastery, Jeremy Morley ends this podcast session with a few words of wisdom for the upcoming aspiring lawyers.

You can reach out to Jeremy Morley through the following platforms: 

Firm website: www.international-divorce.com

Email: jmorley@international-divorce.com

His books: International Family Law Practice: https://store.legal.thomsonreuters.com/lawproducts/Treatises/International-Family-Law-Practice-2020-ed/p/106660958

The Hague Abduction Convention: Practical Issues and Procedures for Family Lawyers:https://www.amazon.sg/Hague-Abduction-Convention-Practical-Procedures/dp/1634255690

Singapore case referenced: TUC v TUD [2017] SGHCF 15

Most of this series has been focusing on the differences in family law systems around the world. In this episode I look at a real life victory of a woman who went through a divorce at a young age but came up stronger, wiser and more resilient than ever.

Maneesha Grace (writer, blogger and educator), shares her difficult journey of walking through divorce and the stigma that comes with it. She shares her story of hope and victory. My hope is that anyone struggling through a legal battle like a divorce will learn that today is a new day. Your past does not dictate your future. Have hope for a new day. Adventure and new blessings await you.

In this episode, Maneesha mentions the book The 5 Love Languages byDr. Gary Chapman. The book's premise is simple- that relationships can thrive when we understand people better. https://www.5lovelanguages.com/5-love-languages/

You can check out Maneesha's blog at :https://maneeshagrace.ca/

Sonny Patel is an experienced family lawyer who specialises in English Law. He has a niche focus on international matters. In this podcast episode, he provides a unique insight into the divorce process in the UK and we have a chat on the key differences between divorce in Singapore and UK.

Podcast and video skilfully edited by @Matthew Chu

Graphics by @Neeshu Mathew

You can reach out to Sonny Patel through the following platform : - 

Firm website: https://expatriatelaw.com/our-lawyers/sonny-patel/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonnyexpatriatelaw/

Any lawyer or intern can empathise with the frustration of spending late nights trying to find a document or even generate legal research from thin air when the research exists in some unknown corner of a law firm. This is where the Intelllex comes in. I have a chat with Chang who help professionals spend less time looking for documents and retrieving knowledge. Intelllex takes the 're' out of 'research', thus enabling more effective legal practice management.

Check out Intellllex at: https://intelllex.com/company

Chang's email: changzq@intelllex.com

Podcast edited by @Cindy Chua 

Faiza Gabriel is an experienced family lawyer who practices in Perth, Western Australia. She comes with a wealth of experience having also practiced in Singapore.  Faiza helps separating families move forward with dignity. She is empathetic and has a frank chat with me about the differences between practising family law in Singapore and Western Australia.

You can reach out to Faiza through the following platforms:

@FaizaTheFamilyLawyer

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FaizaTheFamilyLawyer

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faizaimrangabriel

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faizathefamilylawyer/?hl=en

Most of us are working from home these to flatten the curve during this Covid-19 season. In this episode, I explore the impact that this could have on work culture generally but more specifically I talk about the the silver lining that this could bring to law firms.

An exclusive interview with Dr Anamah Tan. Dr Anamah Tan is the only Singaporean to be nominated to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women ('CEDAW').  Dr Anamah Tan was also appointed as Council Member at the International Council of Women (ICW) (Paris). For the full list of papers and publications just google her! Dr Tan shares her insights on the state of women's rights as it stands in 2020 with me in this exclusive interview.

In this divorce series I explore the lives of bold and beautiful women and how they traded their ashes for beauty. This episode looks at the life of Shivon Gunalan. We explore identity in divorce, gas-lighting and socialisation of women in the context of different cultural spaces. More importantly, we examine how Shivon became empowered in the aftermath of her divorce and in turn is empowering other women. You can check out Shivon on social media. Her business consulting firm, Ominific Associates can be found at https://www.omnificassociates.com. She is also available on all social media platforms. 

#the legal eagle # divorcelaw#singaporelawfirm. https://www.sarahmaethomasllc.com/

In my second episode, I give you a brief overview of divorce in Singapore. Hope you enjoy the show!

You can visit my firm website at https://www.sarahmaethomasllc.com or find me on Facebook or Instagram just type in Sarah-Mae Thomas LLC.

In this first episode, I talk with Cindy Chua, a law student at Singapore Management University. I share about my inspiration for the Podcast generally and what listeners can expect in future episodes. Hope you enjoy the show! Visit my firm website at https://www.sarahmaethomasllc.com; Sarah-Mae Thomas LLC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Sarah-Mae-Thomas-LLC-105981457431505/; Sarah-Mae Thomas LLC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sarahmaethomasllc

Strumming music by George Naveen Thomas

Hymn by Scott Buckley https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckley

Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/hymn-scott-buckley 

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/7Y_V17M_IqQ