Legal Consultant Profile: 'The Flexible Athlete' Grace Liang.

1. Hi Grace! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I was born in Guangzhou, but I grew up in the (sleepy but charming) city of Lower Hutt, New Zealand.  I’ve always dreamed of living in Hong Kong for a period of time.  My family speaks Cantonese, and I always wanted to be immersed in a Cantonese-speaking place where I can learn to read and write.  I am happiest in the outdoors (preferably running, cycling or swimming), and when making or eating food with friends. I’m loving the hiking opportunities in Hong Kong, but the hills are not to be underestimated – especially in summer!

2. What made you leave the more ‘conventional’ legal practice to join the ‘Gig Economy’ as a legal consultant?

This year I have been doing a bit of travelling (I came to Hong Kong fresh from an extended trip to Central and South America).  I slipped into legal consulting as it gave me the flexibility to take on work when I needed while also continuing to travelling in between.  

3. How has your experience outside law helped your legal skills as a consultant? - What have you found is the "value add" or "special skills" that you bring to a client as a legal consultant?

Growing up, I worked a lot of odd jobs  – shoe salesman, assistant at a beads / jewellery store, tutor, volunteering for citizens advice bureau - but all of which were people-facing and people-oriented.  One thing I learned early on from these roles is that first listening and being empathetic to the particular customer or client’s needs, concerns or goals (no matter how big or small) is very important.  It builds trust. 

4. What changes have you seen in the operations of law in the recent years?

There is a lot of literature out there about tech ‘disrupting’ the legal industry (which has a certain negative connotation), but I think introduction of tech in legal ops has also assisted lawyers and consultants to deliver services more efficiently, be it in a consulting environment or in a traditional law firm - even down to small things we take for granted, like client onboarding, AML, billing etc. 

I also think client expectations around costs and service delivery have in the past years tightened significantly, and the evolution of legal ops is driven by these cost pressures and expectation of efficiency. 

5. What would you say to lawyers in private practice or in-house who are considering a more flexible workstyle?

In the short space of time I have been with KorumLegal, I have gained exposure to different clients in different industries, and worked with consultants from all over the world.  It is a very supportive community, and I have loved the diversity of work!