Ctrl+F ”Help”: Finding Direction Through Mentorship
Two young lawyers, Sylvester Tan and Arthur Lim, share how being part of the Law Society’s mentorship programme has helped them navigate law practice and what they have learned from their mentorship journey.
If you are interested to learn about the Law Society’s mentorship programme, click here or contact our Membership department at [email protected]. The next intake for the mentorship programme is in 2026.
Tell us about yourself.
Sylvester: I am a practice trainee at PK Wong & Nair LLC (in joint law venture with Mayer Brown), where I was previously a relevant legal trainee. I work on corporate and commercial matters, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts and corporate advisory matters. I also spent some time working in-house at an energy company where I supported the development, operation and financing of renewable projects. Since then, I have developed an interest in energy and infrastructure projects, and have sought to do more of such matters, including recent matters involving infrastructure development, data centre financing, and carbon storage project risk analysis.
While in Perth during university, I made many friends through the Australia Singapore Law Students’ Society (AUSLSS), which was a society that my friends and I co-founded, and which I later became president of. That kept me very busy, but I’m glad to have been a part of the AUSLSS, and made many friendships there! Aside from that, I spent some time in Sydney where I qualified as a solicitor, and enjoyed my time living in a different city.
Arthur: I’m an associate at Regal Law LLC, and my practice is a bit of a mix—I handle civil and criminal matters with some mediation work. I’ve always been driven by a curiosity for how things actually work, which led me down a rabbit hole of learning IT infrastructure. It helps to have a deeper grasp of how our digital world is put together, especially when a legal problem hinges on such technical detail. I participate on the Law Society’s Cybersecurity and Data Protection Committee given my interest in this area.
Outside of the legal field, I volunteer as a repair coach with Repair Kopitiam. It’s partly a rebellion against our disposable culture, but it’s also a great reality check. You can spend all day navigating complex legal arguments, but nothing brings you back down to earth quite like being foiled by a broken toaster. This mix of interests is what really set the stage for seeking out a mentor.
Why did you take part in the mentorship programme?
Sylvester: At the time, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but thought that it would be a good opportunity to meet someone who was more experienced and who would be able to shed some light on the “whats”, “hows” and “whys” of practising as a lawyer. As someone exposed to both private practice and in-house, I was interested in speaking with someone who had similar experience and whom would be able to share their perspective (and some advice) about their journey and decision on why they opted for their chosen career path. Additionally, I was keen to learn more about the energy sector, in particular what roles lawyers play in this space, and how they interact with the other players as well as with stakeholders. Ultimately, I was paired with my mentor Sarita, an energy lawyer working on projects involving emerging energy technologies, such as green hydrogen, who is the head of legal for the hydrogen business and is also part of the group global team focusing on M&A, and has had significant experience in private practice as a corporate lawyer.
Arthur: While I enjoyed having this unique mix of skills across law, technology, and mediation, I honestly wasn’t sure how to make them work together in a structured career. I knew what I was interested in, but I couldn’t quite articulate how they formed a cohesive legal practice. I felt I needed help connecting the dots.
I was looking for practical guidance from a senior practitioner. I wanted someone who could give me a frank assessment and help me figure out how to frame my technical background as a real asset to clients. I needed to learn how to communicate my value proposition clearly and find a viable path forward for a lawyer with a background like mine.
How was the journey with your mentor? What did you take away from it?
Sylvester: When Sarita and I first met, we hit it off perfectly. I had many questions at our first session, some of which were broad and during our conversation we touched on topics across many different subjects. At the time, it felt a little nerve-wrecking to be having lunch with a senior lawyer in front of me. Thankfully, Sarita was very good at answering my questions and provided substantive answers, which I was able to build on during our conversation. Sarita also shared with me her perspective during her time as a junior associate, and later on as a partner of the law firms she had worked at, and now as a head of legal at an international energy company. It was very interesting to hear her perspectives as she described that each of her experiences drew upon different focuses, priorities and skillsets, and were unique as to the environment and dynamics.
My first takeaway is that, as junior lawyers, we need to master the fundamentals and not shy away from hard work, even if it takes time. The idea is that doing more of this will make us quicker, more agile and more resilient to taking on challenges. The second takeaway is that we should be brave and willing to challenge ourselves by pushing beyond our comfort zone, such as by taking the initiative to draft first cuts of documents or client emails, tracking progress of matters, and if familiar with a matter providing suggestions to your superiors where this would add value. Lastly, I think that a little encouragement and support from one person to another goes a long way, and that we should all do our part to help each other succeed.
Arthur: I have to admit, I might have gone into this a bit too uninformed. I’ve never really been “mentored” before in the legal sphere, and my mental image of mentorship was basically Luke Skywalker finding Yoda on Dagobah—I was expecting mysterious wisdom, maybe wishing for some levitating rocks. I had expressed my interest in the TMT practice area on my form provided by the Law Society’s booth promoting the Mentorship Programme at my Mass Call in August 2024, and that was how I was paired with my mentor, Jasmine Goh. Our journey was thankfully free of swamps and involved much better food. We clicked almost instantly, largely because we discovered we were both young parents who shared the same gripes. That immediate human connection built a brilliant foundation for the mentorship.
Because we were so comfortable, it was easy to dive into the professional advice side. Jasmine has seen much further down the TMT road that I was so curious about. She was the one who helped me draw up the roadmap. She has a real talent for identifying areas you might be lacking in and giving direct, encouraging feedback. She helped show me that my background wasn’t just a quirky add-on, but something that could be genuinely useful. Crucially, she taught me to articulate the “so what?” factor—how to translate that technical insight into tangible benefits for a client. The experience was incredibly validating and confirmed that you don’t have to fit into a pre-defined lawyer-shaped box to succeed.
Do you feel more confident about practice now?
Sylvester: Yes. With some encouragement from Sarita (which sometimes is all you need), I was brave enough to incorporate the strategies for growth into my daily work. In my experience, making mistakes can be one of the best ways to learn and to grow (in the right setting, and in the appropriate environment to do so). I find that there are two points of growth to this. First, by daring to venture out of your comfort zone and providing yourself more opportunities to make mistakes. Second, by using those opportunities to try your hand at something, and if you make mistakes, by learning from those mistakes so you don’t make the same mistakes again, and if possible by also figuring out ways to do things more efficiently. In my opinion, this process also develops grit and judgment which I believe are attributes that would serve us well in this profession.
Arthur: Absolutely, and that confidence was a direct result of Jasmine’s guidance. Before the programme, I felt like I was juggling different professional identities—the lawyer, the tech guy, the mediator. Jasmine was the one who showed me they weren’t separate hats to be worn at different times, but rather complementary aspects of a single, integrated approach to problem-solving.
Her contribution was incredibly practical. She gave me concrete strategies for communicating with clients, networking and the language to frame my value. It was Jasmine who helped me draw the blueprint for those career conversations, turning abstract skills into a clear service offering. Any confidence I have now is really a reflection of the clarity she provided.
What is the next step for you?
Sylvester: Right now, I am focusing on developing my skillset and knowledge.
First, I have been getting more involved in my work and put my hand up to assist in more matters. Where possible, I would ask my superiors if I can take a more proactive role in matters and offer to draft first cuts of documents or emails to clients. Even if I am not necessarily put in such a role at first instance, if for example a client were to send an email to my senior where I am copied, I would read the email and look to consider this from my superior’s perspective, think about what needs to be done by when, and who needs to do what. In so doing, as junior lawyers, I think this will develop our sense of ownership and independence which will inevitably show in our work quality, organisation and confidence.
The second thing that I am doing is my own personal development, which in my case involves reading books which would further my knowledge and skillset. In terms of my skillset, this involves being familiar with a variety of precedents (and thinking why things are drafted in that way, for what purpose, and whether this can be improved) and internationally-recognised contract templates (such as FIDIC form contracts), and reading manuals and guides on contract drafting, following which I would seek to implement and incorporate into my daily work. In terms of developing my knowledge, I am currently reading various books on subjects that I’m interested in to broaden and deepen my understanding of such areas. Most often, this would typically be books written by lawyers. However, for particularly technical subjects, I have ventured to reading books written by non-lawyers, such as those written by bankers and engineers, for instance on project finance and LNG markets/operations. This would enable me to expand my understanding of the subject from one that is purely legal to one that is also commercial and operational, in order to see things from multiple perspectives.
Arthur: The next step is less about a grand plan and more about embracing the variety of the work. While my tech focus is a core part of who I am, the mentorship gave me the confidence to apply my problem-solving approach to a much wider base of matters. I’m fortunate that where I’m at, every day feels a bit like Christmas because there are always new files to unwrap, with new facts and new challenges.
I’m also looking to bring my mediation skills to the forefront, especially for tech disputes. I believe a lot of conflicts can be resolved more effectively if the person in the middle understands both the legal principles and the technology at the heart of the disagreement.
This whole experience has made me a true believer in the power of mentorship, and I can’t recommend this programme enough. It’s a powerful reminder that none of us builds a career in isolation; we all benefit from the guidance of those who’ve walked the path before us. Looking ahead, I absolutely hope to contribute back to this ecosystem. Perhaps one day, when I’ve navigated a bit further down my own road, I’ll be the one providing the grub and helping another lawyer draw up their own unique blueprint. It’s a profound privilege to be guided, and I think it would be an even greater one to help someone else move forward.
