The legal industry in Southeast Asia is highly competitive with a great number of talented individuals. ALB speaks with Cavinder Bull, SC, who was ranked as one of the 2024 ALB Top 15 Southeast Asia Litigators. The list features exceptional lawyers from seven different countries, highlighting the impressive talent pool in the region.

What do you enjoy most about being a litigator? What keeps you passionate about your work?

Each case is a puzzle requiring deep analysis and careful thinking. I find the intellectual challenge of understanding a legal problem and finding a practical solution thoroughly engaging. Having said that, the best moments for a litigator are when he is on his feet in Court. The chance to engage with an experienced Judge, to spar with strong opponents and to cross-examine interesting people; these are the best parts of a litigator’s professional life.

In what ways do you actively mentor or educate junior lawyers within your firm to ensure the continuation of high-quality litigation representation for your clients in the future?

I talk as much as I can with my younger colleagues, especially in the context of cases we are working on together. I find that the best way to help younger lawyers develop is to involve them as much as possible in each case and to make sure that they walk together with me from the beginning of the case to the end. Each case teaches us so much and involving them in every aspect of the case ensures that they sharpen my thinking even as they learn and grow as lawyers. Giving young litigators opportunities to make arguments in Court or to examine witnesses is also crucial to the development of a young litigator. Those opportunities are hard to come by because clients always want the most senior lawyer to do the advocacy but finding those opportunities for younger colleagues pays huge dividends in growing the talent we have in Drew & Napier.

What general advice do you give clients about how to handle litigation?

I often tell clients that litigation demands stamina from them. The litigation process can be trying. It demands their time and attention. There are ups and downs in the course of any case and they have to have the stamina to go through that difficult process if they want their legal rights vindicated. This is also why I often encourage clients to mediate before litigating. At least they will know that there was no other way to resolve their prob-lems before they turn to litigation. I also tell them that if they have the requisite stamina, they will find us firmly in their corner throughout.