Interview with Rebecca Soh
Get to know Rebecca! Our newest Associate shares her insights on finding satisfaction at work, managing stress, and her favourite things to do off the clock.
Tell me more about yourself.
Hi! My name is Rebecca. I’m relatively new to practice – I was called to the Bar in 2023 – but prior to that, I had accumulated a few years of experience in the legal industry within the public sector.
If I had to describe myself – which I often do with the help of various personality tests that I love to take (and then subject my loved ones to) – I’d say I am a person who loves to learn new things and who likes to have meaningful conversations with the people around me. Law gives me the chance to do both.
What inspired you to become a lawyer?
In the beginning, I wanted to become a lawyer because I thought it was a great way to help all kinds of people. I think the fundamental principle holds true, but in a slightly more measured way. To me, lawyers are meant to be problem-solvers, but sometimes you have to be the “bad guy” and remind clients that what they think they want to do may not really be in their best interests.
On a more light-hearted note, I’m not one to settle for being “wrong” in an argument. So that sense of tenacity (some may call it stubbornness) coupled with an argumentative nature has led me here.
What are your areas of specialisation?
I have experience in quite a broad range of legal work. I started off as a transactions lawyer, focusing on agreements for whole-of-Government tools and services. I eventually moved into the litigation sphere, by first gaining experience in community law matters, but am now transitioning into a role with a focus on civil and commercial disputes.
What was one case you handled that left a lasting impression on you?
I don’t have a case to raise in particular, but one aspect of legal practice that has left an impact on me was being a Duty Lawyer while on secondment at the Legal Aid Bureau. This meant seeing applicants who had come into the Bureau for legal advice on any particular issue they were facing, and if necessary, we had to assess if the matter was one that the Bureau could assist the applicant with further. The experience was memorable because you would never know what legal issues the applicants would present with that day – sometimes the problems were very grave and heartbreaking, sometimes less so. But the experience really keeps you on your toes and trains you to ask applicants the right questions to figure out what is truly going on.
What gives you the most satisfaction in your work?
I get satisfaction from solving difficult problems. Sometimes it’s about understanding very complex factual scenarios that underlie particular disputes, or about trying to come up with creative solutions to a problem that seems intractable.
Another thing gives me satisfaction is working collaboratively – I enjoy the process of bouncing ideas off colleagues, and likewise being a sounding board for ideas that may seem farfetched but are often actually very useful in the long run.
How do you handle the stresses of work?
It always helps when I talk to someone I trust about what is going on and the particular problem I’m facing (without breaching any rules of confidentiality, of course). For me, acknowledging the stress is always the first step in trying to get over it.
I also like to take my mind off the task at hand by indulging in my hobbies, whether that be a yoga session at one of the many studios near the office, or walking to grab a coffee from a place nearby.
If I’m home, I’ll step away from the computer and give my dog or either of my two cats a little pat and scratch behind their ears before going back to work.
How do you like to spend your time outside of work?
I am what you’d call a “music person”. I look forward to Fridays, not just because it means the weekend is almost here, but because that is commonly the day for fresh music releases during the week. Although I don’t make music as much as I used to, or as much as I wished I could.
On the weekends, you can find me off at the races during F1 race weekends. I also enjoy exploring new food spots with my family and friends, and cataloguing my food adventures – hit me up if you want a list!