Internships at AEI: Tham Mei Shuen

1. Tell us something people don’t often know about you.

I did my law school interview in a karaoke room.

2. What did you learn from the internship – best takeaway?

My best takeaway from this internship is getting exposure to corporate and transactional work. I had been interested to explore the practice area of M&A and see the kinds of work that law firms provide to start-ups, having dabbled in the entrepreneurship and VC scene previously. I am grateful that AEI gave me the chance to work on a wide range of tasks such as research, proofreading, trying my hand out at drafting and editing contracts as well as having the opportunity to sit-in on client calls.

3. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

Drafting and editing contracts was difficult as it was my first time. While we learn how to do legal research in school, the skills that we pick up in our first two years of education largely do not cover contract-drafting. I found it challenging to comprehend some technical terms or trying to incorporate what the client wants in the right manner. It helped to look at precedents, but nevertheless it was important to make sure that the edits were tailored to the specific client’s needs.

I sought help from people in the firm and they were very willing to explain to you anything you do not understand or wanted to know more.

4. What advice would you give future interns?

Try your best and keep an open mind. It may be difficult if this is your first corporate law internship but learning something and doing something new will be interesting. Also, don’t be afraid to seek help or guidance if you face any doubts even after trying to understand something on your own.

5. Did you enjoy your time?

Yes, I did! Everyone in the firm is approachable, nice and willing to help. Interns were meaningfully involved in the work that the firm did and I appreciated that we were often informed on the wider context of a particular task so we can understand the big picture better. I believe that an internship with AEI will be suitable for anyone who wants to gain exposure to corporate practice and experience a broad range of tasks.