Learning opportunities overshadowed by unhealthy environment - Associate Othman Hashim Chen Employee Review

A lot of opportunities. Really. I was placed in the Civil Litigation department. The role is meant to have one senior and one junior, and that seems to be the plan. In reality, however, it often becomes a situation where only one junior is handling the work. This makes the experience feel very lonely. There is very little to no guidance. At times, you are responsible for more than 300 files on your own. This creates constant stress and anxiety. You worry about making mistakes, about being responsible for matters beyond your level, and about tasks you were never properly taught. Most of the time, you feel lost, overwhelmed and panic.

The workload and the ability to cope with it vary greatly from one individual to another. If you are hardworking, disciplined, and resilient, you can manage. However, in Civil matters, work is rarely reviewed. Drafts are often not checked, and it becomes your own responsibility to seek guidance and find someone willing to read and correct your work. Overall, this role feels like a quiet and lonely journey. You are mostly on your own, and it is especially difficult if you do not have a strong support system. It is a place where you learn to survive, but growing as a junior can be very challenging and sad.

Everyone here is just overworked, tired, and honestly can’t stand each other. We hate each other. Really. Make sure you come in with a good salary, otherwise you’ll feel like an idiot. And there’s this one guy who keeps brainwashing you into thinking that taking on all his work will help you gain experience, when you already have tons of work on your plate as if that isn’t giving you any real experience.

At every gathering, there’s always a fight or some kind of issue. It’s exhausting.