Interview with Khelvin Xu

We sat down with Khelvin Xu, our newest Director, to explore his passion for law, his motivations, and his stress-busting tips.

Tell me more about yourself.

I am a geriatric millennial who expected to last no more than a couple of years in private practice but subsequently stumbled into running an independent legal practice.

I enjoy finding solutions to problems, testing my wits, and having meaningful conversations. I’m blessed to be able to do these every day – primarily thanks to my kids, but also in the course of my profession.

I recently joined Covenant Chambers after spending 15 years at my very first firm – from pupillage all the way through to partnership. Just as Bilbo Baggins departed the Shire after many years of peace and comfort at Bag End for one more adventure, I’m looking forward to the journey with Covenant Chambers.

What inspired you to become a lawyer, and why are you still a lawyer?

I thought it would be fun to argue for a living. I suspect that I was a very annoying child.

Also, my instinct is to root for the underdog, and I was drawn to the idea of taking up just causes on behalf of those who deserve vindication.

Ultimately, I’m still lawyering because I still find the work stimulating, meaningful, and fulfilling – and I’m still having fun.

What are your areas of specialisation?

I specialise in complex cross-border commercial disputes, with a particular focus on technology-related disputes. Which is a fancy way of saying that I’ve handled a number of disputes involving cryptocurrency, faulty machinery and technology, and tech startups.

Apart from appearing in Court, I handle international arbitrations regularly and relish the opportunity to demonstrate to foreign counsel and tribunals that Singaporean lawyers are more than able to match up to the best of the best in the international arena. Or maybe I just succeed in making counterparties think that I’m insufferable – who knows?

What were some cases you handled that left a lasting impression on you?

One of the earliest matters I handled was a commercial arbitration between a Japanese client and a Hong Kong counterpart. It was memorable because even as a young associate, I was given the opportunity to run the file largely on my own, and was even sent to Japan to prepare witnesses ahead of the hearing. There were also many twists and turns in the matter – after the other side made various allegations on matters that none of our existing witnesses had personal knowledge of, we were able to persuade one of the client’s retired senior executives to come out of retirement to give rebuttal evidence (notwithstanding that he was under no obligation to do so). The matter ended with a resounding victory for the client, which is certainly not always the case!

Another memorable matter I handled more recently was for a pair of aged hawkers who suffered injuries in a motor accident. The matter went for a trial, and we secured monetary damages in the 7-digit range. Although the monetary damages could not restore the lifestyles or the quality of life that my clients enjoyed before the accident, or take away the pain that they had suffered, I felt that the outcome made a real difference to real people – it did not simply affect the numbers on a balance sheet.

What gives you the most satisfaction in your work?

I come alive in the Courtroom and before arbitral tribunals, and when representing clients in mediations. I was bitten by the advocacy bug early on – I argued my first contentious Court hearing mere months after being called to the Bar and conducted my first trial as lead counsel in my 2nd year of practice. Even today, I get a high from delivering a persuasive and effective piece of oral advocacy that leads to a desired outcome.

How do you handle the stresses of work?

In no particular order:

(a) have a little moan with colleagues about the latest stunt that an opposing counsel has tried to pull, or the unreasonable timelines that have been imposed on the team, and maybe crack a joke or two about it. That always lightens the mood;

(b) remind myself that the ability to handle stress is like a muscle to be trained and that the stressful situation I’ve found myself in is an opportunity to learn and grow. Sometimes, I’m almost able to convince myself of this; or

(c) pop out for a bowl of ramen. I long for the day that the Niboshi ramen from my favourite joint in Japan becomes available in Singapore.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work?

I muck around with my kids and disturb my spouse.

I read – a lot.

And when I have a free weekday morning (which isn’t often), I head to the cable park for some wakeboarding.