‘You need to think about your legacy.’
Although I have moved many calls to the bar, only a few stay in touch after they are called. That is perfectly fine. I understand that to be the nature of the job. I am, after all, called for the sole purpose of being a midwife to the birth of a new lawyer. After the birth of a child, a mother rarely ends up best of friends with the midwife. It is the same with calls to the bar between freshly hewn lawyer and an aging but well mover, except without the blood, green poop, umbilical cords and like being involved. We usually part ways after the obligatory call day picture. We may or may not meet after that. There are two exceptions to that. The first is me desiring to move a particular pupil’s call. This is extremely rare. In my entire experience of moving calls, there was only one person that moved me to insist upon it. It was only natural we would continue to keep in touch. We had a great relationship with each other before the call and continued to have one after. The second is if the pupil themselves came back repeatedly to me for advice, a chat, or catch-up after the call. This is not common but it happens from time to time. I don’t push for it. If it happens, it happens. And it has to happen naturally. It’s nice when it does happen. There’s that sense of serendipity about it. Long (not his real name) came from the second exception. Shortly after his call, he sought me out for advice about his work and career. From time to time he would drop by and pay me a visit. We have kept in touch for more than half a decade since his call. It is always a pleasure to catch up with him when he drops by the office. He is a young man with a lot of ideas. I like to listen to ideas, especially from the young; they have fewer constraints about them. It’s also of interest to know what’s coming. Our talk often tended towards the business aspect of legal practice than the law itself. However, on the last occasion together last year, after some catching up, he broached a topic he never traversed before. “Sir, have you thought about your legacy? You know, how you want people to remember you?” he asked. I gazed into the sky searchingly. The white clouds streaked across the azure sky like heavy skidmarks before fragmenting into little wisps of smoke in the distance. I turned to him and pointed to myself with the ends of both my hands. “You talking to me?” He chuckled. “I’m serious, sir. You should, you know. You need to think about your legacy,” he said, his face radiating earnestness. When I considered it, I had a healthy laugh about it. I saw his look of puzzlement as I tried to wind my laughing down as quickly as possible. I felt bad for doing so since he was genuine about it. “Thank you, Long, for asking. I’m flattered. But you know, the way I see it is I am just a middle-aged lawyer practicing in a little law firm in a shophouse somewhere in PJ. I get by. I have my bit of fun. But I’m not Najib rich. I am not part of a political family dynasty. My family is not royalty. I have not done anything great for the country. There are more well-known, well-connected, well-liked lawyers around. I’m a nobody. And to be honest, I don’t think it’s within my control how I want people to remember me. I can do all the good in the world but if people want to believe what’s convenient to them, what to do?” “Ah, sir, you are too modest as to be unfair to yourself. You speak as if you have accomplished nothing but you have. You have a good reputation. You are known for the right reasons. That is something. I heard of you even before I was a pupil. You are often interviewed and featured in the media and involved in high-profile public interest cases. You have written an advocacy book. Ha, I am embarrassed to say, I haven’t finished it yet. I plan to soon. Oh and, sir, can you please sign it for me later? I brought it with me.” “Of course. Of course.” “Thank you, sir. As I was saying, you are known…” “Okay, Long. Okay. I know where you are going. Suppose you are right in what you say. I still think it is trying to make too much from too little. There are other lawyers far better than myself. I just hope it’s a few instead of many. But, Long, thank you for thinking well of me.” “I understand how you think about it, sir. I won’t raise it anymore but I have to tell you this. Please think about it, sir. You may dismiss it today, but consider it another day.” I told him I would. With that, we moved to discuss our usual matters. As promised, I did give the idea some thought. A few times, at least. Having done so, I believe my initial instinct to be correct i.e. I don’t think it’s within my control to impose on others how I want to be remembered after I am dead. There is for one, the problem of enforcement. I don’t believe in ghosts, so I won’t be around to haunt them. More realistically, more famous, powerful, rich, cleverer, and influential than myself have been forgotten to the ages. Some built monuments, left foundations, established schools, charities, and so on. Few remember them now. The information may be stored on Google but we don’t remember them. Storage is not remembrance. Many of our and the younger generations don’t know who these people were. What is more, these days our daily struggles are so thick with work, hustling, rest, family,
