The Malaysian Bar’s International Malaysia Law Conference (“IMLC”) 2026 takes place from 27 to 30 Oct 2026 at MITEC, Kuala Lumpur.
By Siti Nazatul Nadia bt Mohd Ridzuan, Azmi & Associates
This session addressed a challenge many young lawyers face today: building a practice that is both financially viable and sustainable. Technological innovation has accelerated the pace of practice and heightened the demands of clients and judges, all within a highly competitive junior Bar market. The speakers were Karen Cheah Yee Lynn, Kokila Vaani Vadiveloo, and Jonathan Muk.
Skills, Traits and Character
Karen Cheah Yee Lynn identified uncompromising integrity as the foremost trait of a junior lawyer, grounded in a clear sense of right and wrong, together with composure under pressure and a firm grip on resilience. The panel expanded on four qualities. Substance, being integrity and reputation, is a lawyer's true branding. There is no replacement for hard work: young lawyers should read and peruse the work given to them, and will find themselves a little luckier when that luck stems from hard work. Resilience means maintaining composure and controlling one's own emotions. Finally, reliability earns trust, which flows from a reputation built on integrity, hard work and resilience. On publicity, the panel noted that how one chooses to publicise oneself is subjective, but it should remain professional branding, as different platforms call for different degrees of professionalism.
Then and Now: Practice in an Age of Constant Connectivity
Reflecting on her early years, Karen Cheah recalled that nobody communicated by email; correspondence was by letter, and replies came at a pace that bears no comparison to today. Constant connectivity has created an expectation of instantaneous responses. Jonathan Muk added that judgments, too, were dealt with at a different pace, and that expectations for responses in private practice are now high. He stressed the importance of protecting boundaries through communication, referring to an independent report commissioned in Singapore and to Singapore’s sustainable practice guidelines. Observing that some lawyers are treated in a demeaning way in court, Karen Cheah reminded the audience that “we can be firm, but we have to be courteous”. On the generational divide, Kokila noted that the profession must preserve its values while changing outdated practices.
The panel cautioned against romanticising the hardships of legal practice, emphasising that a conducive practice environment is a two-way responsibility between senior and junior lawyers. Seniors should be mindful of the toll of constant connectivity, and both sides should work together to manage expectations internally and externally. Furthermore, Jonathan shared that setting up on his own gave him the flexibility to step away from such dynamics and that managing expectations is the key to managing constant connectivity.
Bringing Value in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
The panel identified two ways young lawyers can bring value in the age of artificial intelligence (“AI”): judgment, being the ability to discern and know what to do, and people skills, being the ability to connect with others without being offensive or awkward. Kokila reiterated that young lawyers should embrace AI rather than resist it, but with caution, exercising their own judgement and skill and asking whether the materials are verifiable and reliable. Extreme caution is required, and any cases cited in court must be properly cross-checked. Young lawyers should also hone their analytical skills by doing the work first and refining it later.
Defining Success and the Four Pillars of a Sustainable Practice
While success is subjective, the panel agreed that it falls under a common umbrella and that priorities shift over the course of a career. Money should not be the pinnacle of success, and young lawyers should not measure themselves by how quickly they advance, but by the kind of lawyer they want to become. With age, ambitions tend to shift towards contributing to the community and leaving a lasting legacy. The panel also highlighted the use of a Practice Direction to promote greater advocacy opportunities for young lawyers in litigation.
Kokila outlined four pillars of a sustainable practice: professional sustainability, where work meets professional standards; financial sustainability, measured subjectively against one’s own constraints; personal sustainability, to sustain relationships and a sense of self; and ethical and systemic sustainability, built on a circle of trust from which to draw strength. Jonathan further cautioned that one’s career should not define one’s lifestyle and shared that Singapore's mentorship scheme considers what mentees seek from senior lawyers and vice versa.
Key Takeaways
A sustainable practice rests on integrity, hard work, resilience, and reliability, supported by clear boundaries and a working culture in which both senior and junior lawyers share responsibility. Young lawyers should embrace technology with judgment and care, and define success not by speed or money, but by the kind of lawyer they wish to become and the legacy they leave behind.
*This article reports on Breakout Session 8, Stream B: Young Lawyers.