Having common sense at work is essential to the success of any individual. Common sense at work is what guides behaviors because the law cannot govern everything.

In this podcast, I interview Alex Ma, a Senior Associate at SF Lawyers in association with KPMG in Hong Kong. He shares his story of how he came to study and become a lawyer, and share his expert knowledge in employment law. We discuss a variety of topics such as gender equality and cultural biases in the workplace in relation to employment. As Alex has worked in international firms such as DLA Piper, King & Wood Mallesons, I ask about his corporate experience, the lessons he has learned, and qualities to have especially for new graduates. From his experience in mentoring fresh grads, he encourages them to produce high-quality work, raise situational awareness, and develop communication skills to adapt to different people. Specifically, in the legal profession, it is extremely important to uphold integrity so clients can trust your service and the creation of great products. 

In the end, Alex gives fresh grads the question of figuring out your life goal - what do you want to do, what makes you happy 10 years from now, BEFORE embarking on a journey of career building, because ultimately, it is different for everyone.

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00:00 - Alex's introduction: Vancouver and Hong Kong, Law and Common Sense

08:40 - A Legal Perspective on the Me Too Movement

22:10 - The Pay Gap in Hong Kong, and examples from Asia

28:20 - Hong Kong's colonial legacy, equality employment, and the Chinese market

33:45 - Common legal mistakes of small and large companies

43:35 - AI and Block Chain plays a role in law, but human errors require human solutions

46:00 - The Three Pillars of a Law Firm - Corporate, banking, litigation

47:40 - Corporate Downsizing and Leaving employees - Two-way transparency is key

53:15 - How soft skills played a role in Alex's career success (and how everyone is different)

1:04:00 - Advice for new graduates - Where do you want to be in 10 years?

1:12:40 - Fresh grads working in a corporate environment - Qualities to have

Video version available on YouTube channel “Dr. Jon Tam”