The National Young Lawyers’ Committee has just launched its survey of working conditions of the junior Bar. I understand it is the first time such an official survey is being carried out.
I was initially very skeptical at the idea of such a survey. As such, I was extremely reticent in providing my comments during the formative and planning stages at Committee meetings. (Click here to download the English version or here for BM version of the Survey Form on the Working Conditions of Young Lawyers in Malaysia)
It was my view that the survey merely served to lend credence to the general attitude of “victimisation” that seems to prevail among many of my fellow junior members of the Bar.
Many junior members have a multitude of complaints about the way they perceive that practice is treating them. Comments along the lines of “Poor little old me, photocopying/being paid peanuts/always being scolded by my boss/Court staff etc” are often bandied around.
Is not one of the roles of our profession to find practical and workable solutions for the problems faced by the public? How can we on one hand say that we uphold justice and protect the interests of others when on the other hand we do not even feel capable of protecting our own?
Having pondered over the issue however, I have come to the realisation that the survey does the complete opposite!
If we, as junior members feel ill-treated, we ought to do something about it.
All the wasted hours and energy spent complaining about our work conditions in court canteens and over social events may finally be productively channeled in a way which will actually make a difference in our professional lives.
After collation of the results (we need at least a return of 4000!), the plan is to publish a report on the survey; and thereafter to dialogue with employers. Ambitious no doubt, but I believe it is a small step in the right direction.
It is very easy to talk and criticize.
Dreaming only does not achieve anything.
Ideas for improvement which are not acted on and applied have little value. They are worse than a useless idea or a non-idea.
It is up to us to shape our working lives. We CAN do something about it.
Please help us to help you – take 15 minutes today, fill and return your forms to the Bar Council.
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Talk on Summary Judgement (25 May 2012) Organised by the Selangor Bar Committee, this talk will take place at 5:00 pm, at the Selangor Bar Committee Auditorium, on 25 May 2012 (Friday). The talk will be conducted by Ramesh Supramanian. Click on the link above for more details.
Seminar on Tax Issues in Financial Transactions (25 May 2012) Organised by the Kuala Lumpur Bar Professional Development Committee, this seminar, featuring S Saravana Kumar, will take place at 3:00 pm, at the Kuala Lumpur Bar Auditorium, on 25 May 2012 (Friday). Click on the link above for more details.
Dialogue with Criminal Law Practitioners (26 May 2012) Organised by Bar Council, this dialogue will take place at 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, at the Raja Aziz Addruse Auditorium, Bar Council, on 26 May 2012 (Saturday). Click on the link above for more details.
Conference on Competition Law (31 May 2012) Organised by Bar Council with the support of LexisNexis, this conference will take place at 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, at Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel, on 31 May 2012 (Thursday). For more details or to register, please contact Vilashini Vijayan (03-2050 2095; vila@malaysianbar.org.my). Click on the link above for more details.
Talk on What Clients Want (7 June 2012) Organised by the KL Bar Practitioners' Affairs Committee, the talk, presented by Ong Eu Jin, will take place at 5:00 pm, at the KL Bar Auditorium, on 7 June 2012 (Thursday). Click on the link above for more details.
4th LAWASIA Family Law Conference, Penang (13 and 14 July 2012) Supported by Penang Bar Committee and the Malaysian Bar, this conference, themed “The New Global Family: Emerging Trends and Challenges to Family Practice”, will take place at Traders Hotel, Penang, on 13 and 14 July 2012 (Friday and Saturday). Click on the link above for more details.
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The National Young Lawyers’ Committee has just launched its survey of working conditions of the junior Bar. I understand it is the first time such an official survey is being carried out. 
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