Ng Jern-Fei QC is a Malaysian and an English barrister and who was recently made Queen’s Counsel in February 2018. On 18 June 2018, Jern-Fei was very kind to speak at an interview session hosted by the Asian International Arbitration Centre. The session was titled ‘Defying Expectations: Thoughts on life as a barrister and the opportunities and challenges at the Bar.’ Some of the areas covered his motivations to practice at the English Bar, his successes and failures, and the skills needed to be an advocate.
It was a very interactive interview event with the interviewers Tatiana Polevshchikova (Senior Case Counsel, AIAC) and Crystal Wong (Senior Associate, Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill). There were also a lot of questions from the floor, with the majority of attendees drawn from young lawyers, law graduates and law students.
It was an inspirational session. Jern-Fei was very generous in sharing his knowledge and experience. I have had the privilege to have worked with Jern-Fei on several matters over the years. He is a role model for many lawyers and Malaysians out there.
Set out below are excerpts I took from the session. Any misquotes or inaccuracies are mine alone. Continue reading
