This article is part of our Singapore Spotlight series, profiling our lawyers based in our Singapore office. In the series, we find out about their backgrounds, their journey through law and hear why Singapore is important to them.
Ethan leads the aviation practice in Asia and is based in our Singapore office. His practice includes working with major airlines, lessors, banks and investors, on some of the largest and most significant aviation transactions in the Asia-Pacific region. He also advises clients on derivatives and structured products.
I knew I wanted to get into law when… I read two novels by John Grisham in high school – A Time to Kill and The Rainmaker. I wasn't particularly interested in a career in law before then. (My passion was in economics, which was why I eventually did a double degree in law and economics.) But something in those books spoke to me – I felt this is a profession where you can make a difference.
I chose aviation finance because… The transportation sector is close to my heart as my dad was a welder at Keppel Shipyard in Singapore for most of his career. Entering the aviation sector felt like a natural evolution from that and I like the fact that I am part of an industry which has real utility to people and creates good jobs across many different professions.
The thing that motivates me most is… Working with clients who are also my friends. The hours are a lot more tolerable when you are working with people you like. And I wouldn't be here without their support!
The work achievement I'm most proud of is... Watching juniors progress and grow as lawyers. I'm grateful to be part of a firm which cares about developing our people and holding fast to our values. In fact, at our annual partners' conference, that's the focus of our conversations – nobody's harping on about profits, billables or collections. I'm a firm believer that if you get the basics right, everything else will fall into place.
The thing that makes Singapore such an exciting place to be is… To be honest, "exciting" is not a word typically associated with Singapore. I do think we are quite unique, being a global financial hub in Asia with a stable system and predictable rules. Given the current geopolitical environment, it is increasingly important for businesses to have a presence in a place like Singapore which acts as a neutral bridge between the East and the West.
One opportunity in this region… The rapid growth of private wealth as Asia develops and moves up the value chain. Increasingly, we see that private wealth is becoming an important source of equity and debt funding for transactions in the region.
Somebody that has inspired me during my career is… V. K. Rajah (former Judge of Appeal and Attorney-General of Singapore) whom I clerked for when I was fresh out of law school. His drive and work ethic are just incredible – even when I was a young man, I had trouble keeping up with him. He has a remarkable ability to think out of the box and the willingness to forge new paths. I wish I had more time to learn from him but I'll do my best with what I have!
One thing I wish I knew when I started my career is… The importance of consistent effort. In private practice, there will always be frustrations and distractions – through all that, it's important to stay grounded and fix your eyes on your goals.
One future trend in my practice area is… It has to be AI. There is a lot of room for automation in what we do and it will help reduce human error. Lawyers can then focus on adding value to the client through strategic thinking, mitigating uncertainty, managing relationships and negotiating outcomes.
One thing you don't know about me is... I am the proud "paw-rent" of five cats, Blini, Bambi, Heidi, Pudding and Midnight. My wife and I take care of another five community cats in our neighbourhood. My favourite weekend pastime is snuggling with the kitties while spinning up my favourite bands like The Smiths, Unwound and Switchfoot.