“Wanting to be a someone else is a waste of the person you are.” A career is a long journey of good and bad times, and of comebacks. No career can guarantee you good money at all times.

In the 1980s when the people of my generation looked for being a lawyer, the handsome reward of the profession was a major consideration. All things of the world are in a constant state of changing, and this is more so in the present “AI era”. Occupations can often come into being needed or go out of being popular.

Any sensible, if not unregretful, choice of career nowadays must be based on the following formula of 4 factors: interest + ability + life mission + material needs = career

When you want more than you need, it will not be a need and that demon in your heart is called “desire”.

Do you want to study law and become a lawyer? I devise a hopefully useful checklist for you to assess your suitability:

1. Do you enjoy reading or writing for more than a few hours per day? Even on Sunday?
2. Do you enjoy debating serious issues?
3. Are you quiet, or eloquent and have a way with words?
4. Do you like meeting people especially strangers who will air to you their grievances for hours (they are what your clients will be like)?
5. Do you love socializing, either with the people that you are working with (law is often a kind of teamwork these days), or with the people who are your clients or potentially will be your clients?
6. Can you tolerate memorizing, because lawyers, off the top of their head, do have to tell what rules and regulations are during law examinations or at work?
7. Do you get used to logical thinking and achieving a reasoned conclusion by reconciling the conflicting ways to look at a situation?
8. Can you cope with the stress of hundreds of emails, phone calls and messages per day?
9. Can you stand the mental and physical pressure of a demanding work environment?
10. Do you have a life mission and a strong sense of justice?

I have been the Clerk of Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for around 20 years. I have seen multiple times disciplinary cases in which a lawyer was punished because of non-compliance or misconduct. Our profession has strict rules and codes of conduct to limit a lawyer’s freedom to behave as he wishes like a layman. A lawyer must conduct himself properly and respectably at work and in private life. When the negligence of a lawyer being the failure to exercise the care in handling a case that a reasonably prudent lawyer would exercise in such circumstances, he or she will be punished professionally or be liable to the client in terms of compensation in a civil court claim.

The unethical or improper conduct of a lawyer will lead to worse consequences. When the conduct is a crime, he may go to jail. The conduct of a lesser degree may trigger the Law Society to refer the matter to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal for disciplinary prosecution and proceedings against him. All in all, being a lawyer will imply civil, criminal and professional duties of care and compliance.

Then, is it bad to be a lawyer? Not really. Lawyers earn stable and decent incomes. Not expecting to be rich, he or she will unlikely face any hardship of poverty. A law student can become a solicitor, barrister, government legal officer, judge, in-house lawyer, mediator or arbitrator. All are related jobs.

Being aware of the law allows you to live confidently, protect yourself against abuse by other people, and defend yourself or family member legally when needed. Law trains the mind by developing critical thinking skills, the ability to solve problems and the charm to communicate persuasively.

One cannot escape the risks of tomorrow by not realizing them today. There are 2 important challenges for the legal profession in Hong Kong. Hong Kong used to be the gateway to China, as we acted as an intermediary in a lot of commercial activities between the Mainland and the rest of the world. Nowadays, the Chinese Mainland is strong, independent and walk in front of Hong Kong. Many trading and financial activities are handled directly in the Mainland. The legal businesses do not necessarily have to take place in a city like Hong Kong with a population of only around 7 million. Legal knowledge is also not easily transferable due to variations in law across different jurisdictions and the different legal practices of such areas. This is why I strongly advise young professionals to take examinations to be qualified also as a “lawyer in Greater Bay Area” of China so that they can practise law outside Hong Kong in the Pearl River Delta of Guangdong Province. Young lawyers must try to get a foot in the new door and adopt a Plan B for their future!

AI (artificial intelligence) is unlikely to completely replace lawyers, but it will substantially reshape the roles and practices of lawyers. AI, when getting more and more sophisticated, in terms of knowledge and responding to prompts in the coming 10 to 20 years, can automate many simple tasks of lawyers, and can help the men in the street save their legal expenses significantly. The replaced jobs are such as legal research, government applications and some drafting.

Even after downturns and setback, there is always a new environment with a new opportunity to begin again. Lawyers must be positive and stay diligent, responsible and adaptive. Perhaps in the near future, we may be allowed to have a cross-disciplinary practice. Don’t be surprised if a law firm will offer business consultancy or estate agency services one day!

There is a good saying, “When in doubt, trust your instincts. They will guide you in your career decisions.”

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