Career Pathways: Helmsman LLC’s Collaboration with SMU and POLARIS

At Helmsman LLC, we recognise that the journey from law school to the workforce is rarely linear – and almost never as straightforward as it may be thought. This is why we were pleased to partner with Singapore Management University (SMU) and POLARIS, SMU Law’s alumni mentorship programme, on the Mentorship Foundations Workshop for SMU School of Law students.

Our Daniel Ho (Counsel), Irvin Ho (Senior Associate), and Marisa Tse (Head of Corporate Communications), worked closely with POLARIS to design and deliver a session that provided students with a candid, behind-the-scenes perspective on what a career can look like in legal practice. While law school equips students with  foundational legal skills, it may not always convey the realities of life after school or the diverse career paths that may follow. This programme was intended to help bridge that gap. 

Through a rotating fireside chat and open Q&A session, mentees were able to:

• Hear directly from our practitioners across a range of practice areas and backgrounds
• Gain an appreciation of what day-to-day work entails in different parts of the profession
• Obtain insight into the setbacks, detours and unexpected opportunities that shape a career 

This was done in an environment in which questions were encouraged and candid reflections were the norm. Our speakers shared not only their successes, but also lessons learned from challenges along the way.

This collaboration reflects our belief that the profession is strengthened when lawyers at every stage are open about their journeys, and when students receive realistic, nuanced perspectives on what lies ahead. We look forward to continuing to support SMU’s mentoring community and to contributing to the development of the next generation of lawyers.

For further enquiries, please contact:

Marisa Tse at marisa.tse@helmsmanlaw.com