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By Fiona Poh, Solicitor, DLA Piper

Trials and Tribulations: Faith Cheok

Law school has many memories, but none as memorable, or traumatic, as the penultimate and final years when clerkships and graduate positions open. When it came to applications, many of my peers who volunteered at a community legal centre had a distinct advantage. I approached Faith Cheok, curious as to what a Principal of a CLC does, and left feeling humbled after getting to know her: a high achiever, human being, and above all, a parent.

Faith was formerly the Principal Solicitor and Acting Manager of Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) as well as the Principal Legal Officer at the Mental Health Law Centre. In October 2018, Faith commenced her role as Senior Solicitor for policy and law reform at CCLSWA. She shares how she found her purpose in the law and how she balances her career with life.

What has been your journey in law?

I thought I would be a chemical engineer! But alas, my aptitude for science was limited, despite getting good grades. Fortuitously, I ended up a lawyer.

I was born and raised in Singapore. My parents were very poor, and being illiterate, thought finishing high school was good enough for me. They assumed I would finish high school and start working. But I was offered a place at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Law School. NUS was the only university in Singapore back then, and their law faculty was rather prestigious. So I jumped at the chance, without thinking through what a career in law would be like.

For a long time, Law School and law practice did not suit me. I struggled to fit in, as many law students at NUS and lawyers then were from affluent, upper-middle class families. Also, studying was a misery, as the pressure was

tremendous. Studying in the Singapore jurisdiction meant a juxtaposition of local laws and the laws of the Commonwealth jurisdictions. We had to consult authorities as wide as English, Indian, Malaysian, and Privy Council decisions. There were no online resources then, so there was no letting-up of constantly trying to get one’s hands onto hardcopy reference materials.

When I started practising law in Singapore, I realised quickly that the ideals of the law, and getting justice, were vastly different stories. I practised in civil and family law litigation, and saw all too quickly my clients’ disillusionment and disenfranchisement with the legal system: the adversarial nature of the law - which usually meant airing both parties’ dirty laundry – and the costs of getting justice. I came to live in Perth when my husband Ken pursued his Masters and PhD in Physics. Then, I seriously thought about giving up the law, thinking that there surely must be a more meaningful

vocation for me, where clients did not feel ripped off by the system meant to help them. Initially, I tried my hand at teaching law, and at selling real estate. However, the lawyer within me kept creeping up. I sat on several private school boards as the legal liaison board member, and secretary, dealing with compliance and governance. I became qualified in WA, went into an in-house role before moving into private practice in insurance litigation, and then finally finding community law.

For me, the penny dropped when I got into community law, at Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) (CCLSWA). Before then, I had no idea that community legal centres even existed. When I started practising in community law, I finally found fulfilment in pairing my legal skills with helping people access justice. That was the first time I felt happiness and peace being a lawyer. But beware if you are considering a community law career: it does not lead to a fat pay check, or to the hallowed halls of glory.

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You have a jam-packed resume. How did you manage your time? What were some of trials and tribulations you encountered during this time?

I volunteered on the board of several school associations for several years, while also working either in-house or in private practice. I burnt many weekends doing the board work, and many weeknights too. But I have no regrets, as

it was meaningful work, and I worked with a most committed bunch of fellow board members, most of whom were volunteers.

And, really, I don’t think that I managed my time well. I am prone to throw myself into work and whatever goals I put my mind to. At that time, Ryan and Lauren were in primary school. My flawed idea of time management was driven by trying to have it all: career, marriage, children, fitness, social life, and community involvement. What a lie I perpetrated for

myself! For quite a long time, I would try to fit a pre-dawn run, ride, or swim; rush home to feed my kids and get them to school; head to work; rush home to do mommy activities like reading, homework, play dates, and sports, then start the drill again the next day.

I was a wreck mostly. My longsuffering husband Ken probably thought it was another of my manic phases, and patiently waited for me to survive it. Ken’s mom too lent a hand and helped us out,

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22 | BRIEF DECEMBER 2018

to make sure the kids were fed proper food! I am very fortunate that I have a spouse who is much wiser than I am. He is my anchor. Without Ken, I will not be who I am today.

The wiser and older me now believes that it’s better for me to find a quiet space and practise presence of mind, so that I can think clearly and function more effectively, rather than lurch from one activity to another. For most ambitious go-getter professionals who are also parents of young children, we need to make the difficult choice between being the professional that we want to be, and being the parent we should be. This is particularly true for women, since it is still usually the mothers who choose to carry more of the caring responsibilities.

On that count, I finally chose to be a parent first, as I could not cope with the demands of both private practice and parenthood. I did not always do my parent role well. My kids did suffer as a result of my conflicting decisions. I was too often a ranting, raging, reluctant mom, worrying sick about work when I was meant to spend time with my kids. For a while, I relied on caffeine in the day to be alert, and on alcohol at night to wind down. My choice to choose my kids first was in fact what led me into leaving private practice and into community law. In that respect, it was a win-win decision for me. But the journey getting there was certainly fraught with conflict and restlessness.

What drives you to work so hard?

I hold others and myself to high standards and values; of personal integrity and work ethic. I really struggle when I see people talk a certain talk, but do not walk it. And there are too many people who do that; they are not even politicians!

But if I am being honest, another reason for my drive stems from my own insecurities. However – as a counsellor once told me – that is not necessarily a bad thing. While the fear of failure taken to the extreme is debilitating, in the right doses, my insecurities have made me get out of my comfort zone and achieve milestones. My challenge is to know and respect my limitations, and not harm myself or others on my driven journey.

What are some developments on the horizon for community legal centres?

The looming challenges for CLCs are the uncertain state of funding, and the striving for efficiency in service delivery. To serve clients well in a tight funding

environment, CLCs need to avoid being isolated, smaller practices. For instance, accommodation, debt, physical health, domestic violence, family law, and mental health issues are often interrelated issues for our clients, and it would help to organise our services to minimise our clients’ merry-go-round journey for legal assistance. The problem is that many CLCs are too busy doing their core work, to afford the luxury of working on strategies. But it is essential to work on strategy. The demand for CLC assistance will never stop, and the fear of losing funding is unhelpful. But undoubtedly, we need to look at the bigger picture.

Have you got any advice for junior practitioners?

I would encourage you to fearlessly guard your integrity and character, and never, ever sell it to someone else or for something else. Your integrity is far more important than your reputation. Reputation is often over-rated. To quote John Wooden, a UCLA basketball coach, “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

When I unpack that, it affects how I carry myself in all spheres of my life: family, social, professional. I strive to be the same honest person to others as I am to my family as well. Of course I let my guard down more with my loved ones than I do with others, but I strive to be as true to all.

Also, it is important to continue cultivating genuine relationships within and outside of the law. Some of my best and closest friends are from within the law or law-related: my mentors, whom I go bleating to whenever I face challenges; and my closest colleagues, who are my friends in need. Many of my close friends from outside of my law circles are among my greatest cheerleaders. They are my compass for normal life outside of the law, as they come from other walks of life, and so provide a different perspective on what life is.

Look for a few mentors for your growth as a professional, and as a person. Do not settle for a mentor merely because they are “somebody” in others’ eyes. Look for mentors who are genuine and interested in investing in your life. Our mentors need not be for the long term; they could be mentors to us for a season in our lives. You will find that as you grow, you become a mentor to others on their journeys.

Be prepared to go out on a limb and challenge yourself. Get out of your

comfort zone and acquire new skills, new networking contacts, new friends, and new perspectives. Never, ever be afraid of failure. Yes, I owned up earlier about my insecurities and my fear of failure, but I tell myself to keep trying, keep moving, and to keep learning. If you fail, give yourself space and time to recover, then pick yourself up and move on. Again, to quote John Wooden: “Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts.”

Finally, there are many aspiring, and junior lawyers who are looking to practise in community law. Can you share what you look for in your colleagues and your team?

In my former roles at CCLSWA and Mental Health Law Centre (MHLC), I recruited many staff members and volunteers. No matter the position the applicant is applying for, be it a paralegal, administrative or a solicitor role, and even if it was for a volunteer position, I looked for the same thing: people who use their heads and hearts. Obviously, intellectual rigour is important, but I also looked at whether that person was teachable, and had integrity. A person with an impressive intellect may not be the right fit if they are arrogant, unteachable, and think they are better than others. Integrity and a hardworking ethic are non-negotiable pre-requisites, for me.

I believe that if we have the right people and culture in an organisation, we can achieve magic, even if we have but a small team, with limited resources. I have seen that magic happen several times in my career at CCLSWA and MHLC. If we don’t have the right people and culture, the environment could become toxic or burdensome.

I very much believe that culture is the most crucial determinant of sustainable success in an organisation; culture will eat strategy for breakfast, every single time. Ethical, strong leadership is vitally important. If leaders and managers are not ethical but instead care more about their own careers and images, then even if there is success for the organisation, it will be not be sustained success, and it will surely not be a constructive workplace for staff.

Be careful about choosing the right organisation and people to work for. People who preach a lot about how much they care for the organisation’s causes, or for their clients, or their colleagues, may not in fact walk their talk.

With the scenic university campus as the backdrop, the Law Society is excited to announce the 2019 CPD Summer Getaway.

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Friday, 22 February 2019University Club, Crawley WA

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