Decades-old problem, still unresolved

"What's wrong with being a strawberry?"

Trained through "sheer obedience"

Young lawyers navigate bad bosses

Incentives for senior lawyers to change?

Older vs younger lawyers

Judge wants lawyers to drink from a straw

Working through childbirth as "role models"

No consequences for workplace bullying

Why lawyers leaving matters

"Why can't we do better?": Yu Fu

Are Singapore’s lawyers doing ok?

The Legal Profession Sustainability Study, which was released on June 23, suggests that lawyers were leaving the profession because of toxic bosses, inflexible court timelines, punishing deadlines and the constant need to be available 24/7.

These are just some of the grievances aired in the study, which had 31 in-depth interviews with former judges, legal academics and lawyers from diverse types of firms. There was also a survey done with 855 practising and former lawyers.

What is the cost of becoming a lawyer in Singapore, and is it worth it any more? If these issues have been raised for more than 30 years, will this study change anything?

In this episode, I speak with:

• Zhang Yu Fu, a junior lawyer at Dentons Rodyk, who was called to the bar in April 2026 and took part in the study, and

• Wong Yi, the General Counsel for construction company Lum Chang Holdings, and previously worked for one of Singapore’s Big Four law firms. He was also the chairman of the Young Lawyers Committee for The Law Society of Singapore from 2014 to 2019.

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:23 A decades-old problem that hasn’t changed

4:50 “What’s so wrong with being a strawberry?”: Yu Fu

10:28 Trained through “sheer obedience”

15:08 How young lawyers navigate bad bosses

17:06 Any incentive for senior lawyers to change?

21:13 Generational gap between older and younger lawyers

28:34 Judge wants lawyers to drink from a straw

32:55 “Role models” for working through childbirth

34:44 No real consequences for workplace bullying

37:18 Why lawyers leaving the profession matters

40:40 “Why can’t we do better?”: Yu Fu

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: https://str.sg/8KNT

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh & Natasha Liew

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law & Zachary Lim

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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#tup #tuptrf

Are Singapore&rsquo;s lawyers doing ok?
The Legal Profession Sustainability Study, which was released on June 23, suggests that lawyers were leaving the profession because of toxic bosses, inflexible court timelines, punishing deadlines and the constant need to be available 24/7.
These are just some of the grievances aired in the study, which had 31 in-depth interviews with former judges, legal academics and lawyers from diverse types of firms. There was also a survey done with 855 practising and former lawyers.
What is the cost of becoming a lawyer in Singapore, and is it worth it any more? If these issues have been raised for more than 30 years, will this study change anything?
In this episode, I speak with:
&bull; Zhang Yu Fu, a junior lawyer at Dentons Rodyk, who was called to the bar in April 2026 and took part in the study, and
&bull; Wong Yi, the General Counsel for construction company Lum Chang Holdings, and previously worked for one of Singapore&rsquo;s Big Four law firms. He was also the chairman of the Young Lawyers Committee for The Law Society of Singapore from 2014 to 2019.
Highlights (click/tap above):
2:23 A decades-old problem that hasn&rsquo;t changed
4:50 &ldquo;What&rsquo;s so wrong with being a strawberry?&rdquo;: Yu Fu
10:28 Trained through &ldquo;sheer obedience&rdquo;
15:08 How young lawyers navigate bad bosses
17:06 Any incentive for senior lawyers to change?
21:13 Generational gap between older and younger lawyers
28:34 Judge wants lawyers to drink from a straw
32:55 &ldquo;Role models&rdquo; for working through childbirth
34:44 No real consequences for workplace bullying
37:18 Why lawyers leaving the profession matters
40:40 &ldquo;Why can&rsquo;t we do better?&rdquo;: Yu Fu
Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Read Natasha&rsquo;s articles:<a href="https://str.sg/iSXm"> https://str.sg/iSXm</a>
Follow The Usual Place podcast on IG: <a href="https://str.sg/8KNT">https://str.sg/8KNT</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/v6DN">https://str.sg/v6DN</a>
Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by: Eden Soh &amp; Natasha Liew
Executive producer: Danson Cheong
Producers: Natasha Ann Zachariah, Elizabeth Law &amp; Zachary Lim
Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/icyB?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
--
#tup #tuptrf

Natasha and her guests unpack the latest current affairs, every Thursday.

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests. 

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.&nbsp;
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Executive producer: Danson Cheong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

The Usual Place

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Executive producer: Danson Cheong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Executive producer: Danson Cheong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media