Singapore Big Four law firm Rajah & Tann recently named Patrick Ang as its new managing partner. He takes over from Lee Eng Beng SC, who was in the role for nine years. Ang says that while his predecessor leaves behind an impressive legacy, he himself has plenty of plans for the firm.
Ang: In his nine years as managing partner, Eng Beng has crystallised Rajah & Tann’s vision to transform itself from a Singapore-centric firm to one that is regional, in scope and scale. We grew from around 590 fee earners in 2015 to over 760 today, up nearly 30 percent. Regional sourced business now comprises about half of Rajah & Tann Singapore’s revenue. This reflects the unwavering support from our clients for which we are very appreciative, and it drives us to continue to excel and innovate so we can serve them better. The success of the firm is testament to Eng Beng’s vision and ability to catalyse cooperation among a diverse group of lawyers.
Ang: Eng Beng will continue to build on Rajah & Tann Asia’s regionalisation efforts while I will focus on our “office of the future” strategy for the network, promoting a culture of innovation and optimising efficiency across all member firms, including Singapore. With the rapidly changing legal landscape and increasing demands from clients to do more for less, law firms must be agile and plan strategically for the future. Another one of my priorities is to oversee the firm’s move to a new office at the Marina One development in the last quarter of 2019.
Ang: We recognise that the legal landscape is rapidly changing, and we need to stay ahead of the curve. The move to our new office will not just be a physical move but a shift in mindset. We want to be a more open and progressive law firm, and the move to the new office reflects that. Deploying new and innovative technologies will continue to be a priority for Rajah & Tann. We set up Rajah & Tann Technologies last year, a new subsidiary to deliver value added legal solutions to our clients, and acquired LegalComet, a start-up which provides legal tech advisory services. I am confident that our younger management team will continue to help drive technological adoption.
Ang: I am not looking to build a legacy for myself, because I believe that the success of Rajah & Tann is so much more than just me, or any other individual. The firm would not have achieved as much without the dedication and hard work of all my colleagues, and, of course, our clients who have put their faith in us. The legacy, therefore, that the new management intends to create will be to ensure that opportunities abound in the firm for younger lawyers to learn and develop into practice leaders of the future.
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