Sebastian Su Kar Wai

Legal Skills was a module which, in many ways, was unexpected to me. Prior to entering Law School, my impression of the syllabus and curriculum I would be exposed to was purely academic and analytical; in other words, very foused on reading and writing. At this point in time, however, I have come to recognize the significance of Legal Skills, particularly in shaping me for legal practice in the future as well as supplementing the process of reading law. This is because I greatly developed my soft skills throughout the lectures and assignments in Legal Skills. For example, the lectures focused on the development of soft skills such as how to give effective speeches, such as by being succient, clear and by having proper manner. Legal Skills supplemented the academic-oriented aspect of my learning by teaching me necessary skills in order to do well in assignments, for instance, the talk on how to gain access to resources on online databases such as LexisNexis and Westlaw greatly helped me in studying other subjects. The lecture on oratory skills served as a timely reminder of the attributes and qualities of a good speech, at a time when my involvement in debating and other public speaking activities had taken a back seat to the academic demands of law school. The talk by the Industry expert Mr Choon Hon Leng from Raja, Darryl & Loh provided me with an insight as to what interviewers prioritize and view favourably when selecting candidates to intern and chamber at a law firm. All of this makes for great practical knowledge, seeing as I most probably will return to Malaysia to seek employment upon graduation from law. I also now know what to expect when attending an interview and which skills to brush up on in day-to-day life as a law student. In addition, the various assignments in Legal Skills, such as the creation of this very E-Portfolio, have provided me with the opportunity to reflect on and articulate my thoughts and feelings about my journey through legal education, which I would otherwise not have done if it wasnt for Legal Skills. This serves as not only a timely reminder that of my intentions of studying law, but also assists me in thinking critically and understanding the law better as I carry out research and seek to better understand the law on my own, using the skills taught in this module. Other assignments such as the timed writing and answering of essay and problem questions served to prepare me for my semester exams and guided my written approach to the written assignments I had. One of the assignments I am currently preparing for, an oral presentation pertaining to the issue of the imposition of dress codes in governmental offices, drills my critical thinking as well as my societal awareness of the conservative and liberal elements in different societies and countries, which contribute to different perceptions on what constitutes 'indecency'. Attached on the right side of this page are two articles attached as sources of my reading in the assignment. In hindsight, the development of knowledge in this module is not only the most practical as it served as the enabler to increase my knowledge and to communicate it best, be it on paper or by mouth. This will also undoubtedly contribute to my legal career in the future, as being able to articulate my arguments should I appear in front of a judge one day, to be able to use and access LexisNexis to create bundles of documents and to be able to write well are all traits and aspects of good lawyers who are effective at doing their work. Thats is why Legal Skills is important, as it not only contributes to my pursuit of success now in my capacity as a law student, but it also lays the foundations to my future success as a lawyer.