“The five weeks of internship I had at Chia Wong LLP was a tremendously rewarding experience. It was not only legal knowledge that I gained, but also the prized opportunity to observe and learn from experienced lawyers like Mr Chia and Ms Wong through their interactions with clients and lawyers as well as their court appearances. I was given a wide array of tasks including drafting of legal documents and legal research. The tasks, although challenging, taught me so much that textbooks could not. They also gave me an interesting glimpse into the work of a litigator. The lessons that I’ve learnt throughout my internship and the invaluable advice imparted to me by Mr Chia and Ms Wong would serve as constant reminders of what it means to be an excellent lawyer.”

The best lesson I’ve learnt from this internship is not about how much I’ve gained or learnt from Mr. Chia Boon Teck and Ms. Wong Kai Yun, but how much I remain ignorant of. I was consistently prompted to articulate and justify my moral and legal convictions in Mr. Chia and Ms. Wong’s company, an intensely demanding yet fruitful exercise. Through these Brahmodya –like discourses, usually rendering me speechless, I became vividly aware of the inadequacy of my knowledge through my impotence of speech. I am grateful to the two lawyer’s patience and honesty during those sessions.

 

Under their patient guidance, I was fortunate to experience the ground and gist of a litigation lawyer’s world by sitting in Mr. Chia’s meetings with his clients. Plenty of mistakes were made, but forgiveness was generously doled out, as Mr. Chia and Ms. Wong took time out to explain to me the issue, as well as the implications of my ignorance with refreshing candour.

 

There was never a day that passed without a moment’s learning, and more importantly, discovering what I was ignorant of. I greatly admire not just Mr. Chia and Ms. Wong’s clarity of thought, prowess of languages, meticulous work ethics, and brilliant minds, but also their kindness, sincerity, and gentility to everyone around them, be they clients, laypeople, employees or mere interns. I am convinced that an internship with Mr. Chia and Ms. Wong will galvanise a student’s desire to study law, and aspire to the highest academic and ethical standards of a lawyer.

"I was only an A-Level graduate when I interned at Chia Wong LLP. However, from knowing next to nothing about law and the legal profession, I ended my internship experience not only with the hands-on experience of working in a private law firm, but also with my understanding of legal work transformed.

During my five weeks in Chia Wong LLP, I was exposed to a variety of cases relating to criminal, civil and family law. I was given the opportunity to try my hands at legal paperwork and legal research, attend Court hearings and sit-in during meetings with clients. Mr Chia and Ms Wong also took time to explain to me the manifold aspects of law and even offered practical advice on the legal profession.

Beyond this, I got to experience what law school will not impart to its students - the workings of the legal sector in practice and in reality. Prior to my internship, I had many misconceptions and doubts about the legal profession and my choice to pursue law in university in the future. However, this internship has allowed me to understand what legal practice is really about, as opposed to what it is commonly portrayed or perceived to be. With this overview of law and legal practice, I now have a better idea of what to expect in law school and am furthermore assured that law is indeed something I want to pursue.

As a small firm, the environment at Chia Wong LLP is warm and personal. Throughout the internship, I felt included as a member of the firm and that my work was - to however small an extent - important and contributive. Mr Chia, Ms Wong and the Legal Executives have demonstrated the diligence and professionalism that go into a successful legal practice. Beyond showing me how a law firm operates, my internship experience at Chia Wong LLP has shown me how a legal practice ought to be conducted."

"I first applied for an internship in Chia Wong LLP in November 2009. Back then, I was told that Chia Wong LLP did not have any intern positions available for the time period that I was interested in. But the politeness of the email I received left such a deep impression on me that since then, Chia Wong LLP had always been the firm that I wanted to intern for. So I applied again in 2010, and had the good fortune to intern with the firm for 6 weeks from January to February 2011.

On the first day of my internship, Mr Chia gave a talk on criminal law to the journalists in SPH. The talk was engaging and interesting, and served as a wonderful introduction for me to understand the difference between the Singapore legal system and the Australian legal system.

During the course of my internship, I sat in clients' meetings, conducted legal research, and drafted affidavits and submissions. Although I had expected these work from reading other interns' feedback, I did not realise the difficulty of the tasks until it hit me in the face. But Mr Chia and Ms Wong were never impatient with me. Instead, they took the initiative to give me feedback, and told me everything I wanted to know about practising law in Singapore. From my internship, I gained insights into the legal profession, picked up skills that I can apply to my legal studies, and cultivated the values of patience and perseverance.

I am extremely grateful to Mr Chia, Ms Wong and the helpful legal executives. I am so glad that my first internship is with Chia Wong LLP."

"I had a terrific, exhilarating December interning with Chia Wong LLP. I did not know what to expect, especially since it was my first internship. From the very first day, I was given important tasks and was involved directly within the firm. The tasks were interesting, challenging and at times intriguing. It opened up a whole new dimension to my understanding of all things legal.

Most importantly, the guidance and advice provided by Mr Chia and Ms Wong were really what made my entire internship so rewarding. They always ensured that I was involved so that I could see for myself how they worked. Through Court visits and client meetings, an intern can learn for himself/herself what no one can really teach. Through such experiences, I emerged with a sense of enlightenment, clearing away the fuzzy ideas I had about how things worked in the legal world.

Mr Chia and Ms Wong are also amongst the most dynamic and driven people I have ever met. This is certainly one of the reasons why they make such excellent mentors. Through them, I see the many different facets of a successful legal practitioner. Their abilities and mindsets left me simply awestruck."

"This was not my first internship experience, my time at Chia Wong LLP was memorable. The two particular areas of law that I had the chance to experience here were family and criminal law. I did not realize how much work is required to be put into every case to get it to the final stage for hearing in Court, and that it begins from the very first meeting with the client. Every single person tells a different story, and yet the law must be morphed to fit them and that's when the lawyer comes in. Mr Chia and Ms Wong are highly experienced in their jobs, and just by observing the way they approach each and every case is a lesson in itself. I am glad to have chosen to apply to Chia Wong LLP for the internship because the insights I have gained here have changed my perspective of the law."

"Feeling dissatisfied from previous internships, I took up an internship with Chia Wong LLP. After my time here, I am pleased to say that the firm has more than exceeded my expectations.

The size of the firm ensures that work is always plentiful and I hardly found a moment where I was not occupied with drafting letters of demand, affidavits, or submissions for court hearings. Sitting in for the meetings where the partners advised clients was insightful and an eye-opener to the real world of criminal and matrimonial proceedings. Trips to court to record notes of evidence were a treat too as they gave me a chance to observe the fascinating yet subtle art of cross-examining witnesses.

Chia Wong LLP further sets itself apart from other firms in the way I was treated as a contributing member of the firm. An intern is only as happy as he is utilised, and I definitely felt that my efforts did not go unnoticed here.

I am glad that I took up such an opportunity, for it has given me a new perspective of the local legal environment and renewed my enthusiasm to embark on this enthralling and exciting line of work. Thank you Chia Wong LLP for this wonderful and enriching experience."

"Upon completing the second year of my undergraduate studies, I took up an internship programme at Chia Wong LLP during my summer vacation. I wanted exposure to the culture and working style of a litigation firm. Whilst it was a short stint, my internship had been extremely fulfilling and rewarding.


Despite their busy schedules, Mr Chia and Ms Wong still took time off to talk to me whenever they could, be it about work or their personal experiences in the profession. They were always kind and approachable, and open to me asking questions. I was also given the opportunity to sit in client meetings and observe in court proceedings. I am inspired by the passion they have in what they do, their professionalism and compassion towards the clients.


Self-reliance is also very much emphasised. The work assigned to me, at times, pertained to aspects of law which I had yet to study. However, that challenged me to pick up the relevant skills and knowledge, and complete the assigned work, alongside other tasks, before the deadline. Apart from legal research, I was also asked to draft documents such as affidavits, pleadings, wills, and review agreements. I was given sufficient room to learn and grow. At the same time, I would be advised on aspects in which I could improve on.


Throughout my internship, my mentors and the legal executives made me feel welcome and I looked forward to going to work every day. I am grateful for the invaluable experience, and I would like to thank both Mr Chia and Ms Wong, and the legal executives for making my internship such a fruitful and memorable one."

"My time at Chia Wong LLP was a very rewarding experience. During the course of my 4-week internship, I was exposed to a wide range of legal work, including drafting legal documents, sitting in for clients' consultation, legal research and attending trial sessions. This being my first internship, some of the tasks that I was given were initially rather challenging to me. However, Mr Chia and Ms Wong were very good mentors who were always willing to guide me along and share their experiences. It was important to them that we learn from our internship, contrary to what I would have expected. Because of Mr Chia and Ms Wong's patience, I have gained invaluable skills from this internship. Their words of wisdom will remain a constant inspiration for me in the future. It was a privilege to have interned at Chia Wong LLP."
"One could be easily forgiven for having qualms about granting an internship to an "A" level student without any legal background or knowledge, but this was not the case for Chia Wong LLP. Unlike most other law firms, Chia Wong LLP replied to my enquiries with amazing promptness and granted me the rare opportunity to intern at their firm for five weeks. Thus, before the internship had actually started, I had already formed an excellent first impression of them and in the following weeks, I was not proved wrong.

 

The internship allowed me a first-hand peek into the legal profession, where I hoped to work someday. I was assigned a multifarious array of tasks, ranging from somewhat mind-boggling legal research to taking notes of evidence for criminal trials - there was never a dull moment at work. More important was the invaluable learning process. Even though I bumbled around and made mistakes, both lawyers believed in second chances and took time out of their jam-packed schedules to guide me onto the path of enlightenment, and helped me to conquer the steep learning curve, to phrase it rather melodramatically.

 

Through attending cases in court and informal discussions, Mr Chia and Ms Wong provided me with precious insights on legal education and life as a lawyer. To this date, their advice remains poignant and fresh in my mind. To describe the internship as merely helpful is doing Chia Wong LLP an injustice: it was well-tailored, exciting, informative, eye-opening and intimate. I completed this five-week internship in a beautifully-furnished office, accompanied by pleasant and accommodating people, and I bear memory of it in sincere gratefulness."

"When I was accepted as an intern in Chia Wong LLP, I was only a year 1 Law student who knew little about Singapore law and the legal industry. This internship experience augmented what I've learned in school, and exposed me to various areas of law, including but not limited to Family, Tort, Contract and Criminal Law.

 

Despite my conspicuous inexperience, it was with heartfelt appreciation that I was given the opportunity to carry out tasks relating to actual files, ranging from collating the bills to helping to draft legal documents. I was also privileged to be able to accompany Mr Chia to the Courts where I could obtain first hand insights into the cut and thrust of the court room. I must thank Mr Chia for guiding me and spending time to explain to me the intricacies of the law.

 

I also got to observe how Mr Chia and Ms Wong present themselves professionally in front of clients; and also being concerned with the clients' personal welfare when the need arises. I witnessed how they demonstrated key qualities of a good lawyer, such as possessing good analytical, interpersonal and public speaking skills. These invaluable hands on experiences definitely cannot be replicated in a lecture.

 

The learning curve was very steep for me as Mr Chia and Ms Wong are people who held high standards for all their staff. I believe that this has put me in good stead of what is to be expected when one eventually enters the legal fraternity."

"I completed a four-week internship at Chia Wong LLP during my Summer vacation and found it to be an extremely rewarding experience. Mr Chia and Ms Wong were both very approachable and always willing to provide constructive feedback on any work that I completed. As I was not familiar with the legal system in Singapore I was very appreciative of the time that they took to explain parts of the law to me that were different in Australia.

I was able to gain an insight into how a private law firm operates as well as see, first-hand, the type of work that the partners complete. The experience that I gained during my four weeks was invaluable and I appreciate the time that the partners took out of their schedules to help me learn and grow. It was an experience that I will never forget."

"What struck me most about both Mr Chia and Miss Wong was their humility and kindness, something that I never really defined lawyers by. In the course of the internship I had the privilege of observing the strong sense of honorability and responsibility that both mentors possessed, and the pride they took in the profession. The gratitude on the clients' faces after court cases showed me the immense impact on lives the lawyers had, and made me desire to follow in their footsteps should I ever join the profession.

I can confidently state that both Mr Chia and Miss Wong are the best mentors one can ever have. They took the time off their busy schedules, explaining extensively what studying law entails, and the options available to us after we graduate, giving a far more comprehensive and personal picture than what one would obtain from reading such sites as those of law school websites (which would understandably gloss over the more unpleasant aspects of a study in law) . Far from trying to keep us out of the way given their exceedingly hefty workload (mountains of cases and endless appointments) they made every effort possible to ensure that we underwent our internship in as immersive an environment as possible. The tasks we were assigned were never unchallenging-we read the at times incomprehensible codes and clauses, researched into cases, drafted affidavits and attended court cases, all the while having constant guidance and feedback. There was no hesitation on our side in asking questions because we knew that the mentors would be more than willing to listen and to help. The internship has allowed me to gain exposure, and convinced me to pursue studies in law.

I would like to take this opportunity once again to thank both mentors for accomodating us for the entire period. It has been a great honor. "

"Interning at Chia Wong LLP has been extremely challenging and rewarding. The partners of Chia Wong LLP make very good tutors and the opportunity to work directly under them has allowed me to gain a better understanding of work in the litigation arena and at the same time, build up a solid foundation for my development in the legal fraternity."

"My internship at Chia Wong LLP had provided me with first-hand experience and insight into the legal system that cannot be learnt in school. This includes the opportunity to see cases through from the initial client meetings to the final court trials and also assist throughout the entire process. The partners of Chia Wong LLP are excellent mentors; they are generous with their advice and will ensure that each internship is a fruitful one."

"When I took up an internship at Chia Wong LLP, I was not yet a Law student. My purpose was to spend some time in a law firm, and expose myself to the type of work, culture and personality in the legal world, as well as familiarise myself with the legal system first-hand. I believe that I achieved many of these objectives to a large extent, and learnt some important lessons during my time there.

 

One of the most crucial lessons I learnt was the importance of self-reliance. Mr Chia had always emphasised this. He was displeased whenever I asked him questions that I could have found out myself, and made his displeasure very clear. At the same time, he was very happy whenever I could do a piece of work independently, without troubling him with many questions. Mr Chia once said, “I would rather a pupil spend a whole day solving a problem by himself and learn something, than to spend five minutes solving it simply by consulting me.” It was crystal clear then, of the value Mr Chia placed on learning process of internships.

 

Besides this, through the cases I have helped on, I learnt many other qualities of a good lawyer, such as meticulousness and attention to detail, as well as the ability to react on the spot by having a certain kind of mental fortitude. There was one occasion when, during a juvenile criminal case, Mr Chia was forced to mitigate on the spot, due to an unforeseen circumstance. He had to use information gathered from a casual conversation with the accused’s parents just half an hour before! This kind of “impromptu” mitigation plea was something that had a strong impact on me and impressed upon me the importance of knowing the case very well and being prepared for anything.

 

To those who wish to take up an internship at Chia Wong LLP, my advice to you is this: be prepared to be resourceful and solve problems on your own. Always be well-read and knowledgeable on the area of Law you are working on. Also, try to be friendly, outgoing and proactive in social settings with the Partners and Legal Executives: there is much to learn from them in these social settings. Finally, remember that a successful internship benefits both the intern as well as the employer. You must remember to make yourself useful, but at the same time, value the learning experience and take every opportunity to be self-reliant and grow through the internship."

"I completed my internship at Chia Wong LLP during summer vacation, and found it an exhilarating experience. The firm offered a more personal interaction with the partners and a rare insight on the cases dealt by lawyers. As I was not familiar with the current Singaporean legal system, there were times of confusion, which were always resolved by friendly feedback and advice from the partners, who were approachable to help me in my queries.

 

The highlights of my internship was assisting in the compilation of a List of Documents, completing a preliminary draft of a prenuptial agreement, sitting in client interviews, and learning about the day-to-day processes of a law firm. The nature of work also included legal research and handling documents used in clients’ portfolios. I was given hands-on experience, accompanying the partners to various courts, such as the District Court and the Family Court. I thoroughly enjoyed completing an internship at Chia Wong LLP as it gave me valuable experience and knowledge that will benefit my future decisions in my legal career."