"How many years you have been on practice ye Maryam?" tiba-tiba beliau bertanya di hujung talian.
"Eh, saya baru lagi, Mr S. Very young lawyer, unlike you - very senior one, Sifu." sempat saya berseloroh dalam berhati-hati menyusun kata. No matter how nice and friendly he is, I shall never put my guard down even when speaking only over the phone with my opponent lawyer. Bukanlah nak sangka buruk dengan orang, cuma that is how our profesion works :D
"No, seriously. You dah berapa lama praktis?" he repeated the question very eagerly.
"I am just entering my second year, Mr S." monoton. Cuba untuk yakin, namun rasanya tak kedengaran berapa yakin haha. He is someone who has been in practice for sometimes around 15 years. I am actually honored to be in the same court, fighting over the same case with him, though being his oppponent.
"Really? Are you serious? You baru nak masuk second year ke?" ulang dia, sungguh beriya-iya. Adui.
"Iya, Mr S. Saya baru setahun lebih praktis."
"You know, I told my co-counsel the other day we met at court Melaka, Mr I tu, that you look so so matured. Macam bukan baru praktis setahun dua."
I dont know whether this gentleman is sugarcoating things ke apa. I know maybe I should not, but I still want to take that as compliment. Ha ha. Coming from my opponent lawyer, it feels good somehow. As if being acknowledged. Walaupun he may just be polite or be kind towards his young junior member of the Bar, still I want to put it down here :)
***
"Alah, cantiknya. Hmm Kak Maz suka dengar awak berhujah." di suatu pagi yang hening, tiba-tiba salah seorang warga ofis berkata kepada saya ketika saya sedang bersiap untuk menghadiri satu bicara secara atas talian. Pantas saya menoleh kepadanya, sambil tangan masih membetulkan kot dan bib di leher.
"Eh? Kak Maz tak pernah dengar saya berhujah pun kan? Janganlah usik saya macamtuu." mungkin kerana debaran, saya terasa Kak Maz seperti mengusik sebenarnya.
"Eh, tak. Betul ni. Pernah lah akak dengar awak berhujah. Mungkin bukan dengan Mahkamah, tapi dengan Bos ke..." saya terdiam. Teringat yang sebulan dua sejak PKPB/PKP ini, Boss memang selalu berada di common room ini, dan hanya sesekali berada di biliknya. Jadi, diskusi untuk fail-fail kesemuanya di common room ini, tak kisahlah fail korporat, hartanah atau litigasi. Hatta Kak Maz selaku pengurus Harta Intelek (department Intelectual Property) pun kena dengar sama diskusi-diskusi tersebut.
"Eh, tak adalah Kak Maz. Biasa-biasa je. Kak Maz mesti pernah jumpa peguam yang lagi handal. Saya ni baru sangat lagi." macam biasalah, ni bukan ayat merendah diri. Tapi ayat sedar diri! Saya merujuk kepada fakta bahawa Kak Maz ni sebenarnya baru join kami awal tahun ni, dan beliau pernah bekerja di firma-firma yang lebih besar berbanding firma kami.
"Yang handal tu dah pernah jumpa. Tapi susah nak jumpa peguam yang Kak Maz boleh kagum. Awak lah tu." komen Kak Maz ringkas. Dan mungkin sekali lagi Kak Maz cuma cuba untuk menjadi ramah dan baik, tapi tetap hati kecil ini mahu menerima pujiannya itu :)
***
"You dah berapa lama praktis ya Maryam?" tanya Puan Z sambil kami menunggu giliran kes kami dipanggil bagi pengurusan kes di hadapan Tuan Penolong Kanan Pendaftar (PKP) di Mahkamah. This was back then in 2019, when the cases kebanyakannya memang physical appearance compared to now semua nak kena online. Ereview lah, skype lah, zoom lah, exchange email lah :'D
"Saya baru nak dekat setahun puan. Still in my first year." Masa ni lagi segan nak bagitahu Puan Z ni. She has been practising for 20 years. Back then she was attending the pengurusan case being the lawyer for Defendant, and I was representing the Plaintiff. Kau bayangkan gap tuuu. Masha ALLAH.
"Really? I didnt expect that. You look so confident!" saya pandang muka Puan Z yang senyum mesra. Ya Tuhan, izinkan aku berbangga dengan diri ini ketika mendengar kata-kata ini.
"Yeke puan? Saya tengah menggigil ni." I chose to joke around to handle the compliment, that she laughed.
"Dont worry. Itu biasa. Saya pun masih lagi rasa nervous kadang-kadang." rileks beliau tabur nasihat. Maklumlah, dah 20 tahun praktis!
***
Those are among examples and experiences that I encountered, being a lawyer for setahun lebih ni. Ada banyak lagi, tapi ini yang akan diingati rasanya haha. Bila baca balik mesti korang rasa macam, ewah Maryam ni, dahagakan pujian ke? My answer will be no. Bosses saya juga pemurah dengan pujian, and teammates/officemates also always full with kata-kata semangat.
Tapi bila dengar benda-benda macam ni unexpectedly from unexpected person, rasa macam satu accomplishment. They need not to do that pun, but they still do anyway.
Dan ini antara perkara yang membuatkan saya rasa bidang guaman is an inetresting field to explore. Kau gaduh pumpam pumpam dalam Mahkamah, dalam emel, dalam surat dengan kau punya opponent. But when it comes to talking over the phone or face to face conversation, the senior lawyers, mostly (:D) have been soooo nice and kind.
Like Mr S, "yelah extension of time. I tak kisah lah Maryam. Kalau I pun I mintak extension, macam I minta haritu yang you all tak bagi tuu. Tapi I faham jee. Kalau I jadi u pun I x bagi extension macam tuu."
He was so funny over the phone, albeit so challenging to handle during the trial/hearing hehe (with all due respect sir, this is a compliment to you :D). And he was being so understanding with all the refusal we said to him over his applications etc.
'It's okay Maryam. I understand. If I were you pun I buat macam tu. Tak apa. I buat kerja I, you pun buat kerja you. We both have clients. We both have works and amanah to fulfill. Kita tengok rezeki siapa."
He sounded so positive and full with empathy. I would not say I have fallen for his words, that I put my guards down when I was communicating with him. Just mentioning here to commemorate his generosity and probably something I can learn to when I am to be a senior lawyer in the future : )
And here I am writing all these for my future reference and assurance, in case the doubt comes, again. If again I ask myself, why would u want to be a lawyer? Atau, will you quit from being a lawyer?
Ini baru cerita tentang peguam pihak lawan dan orang-orang sekeliling. Belum lagi cerita tentang kebaikan anak guam etc. Masha ALLAH.
Maryam, come back here and read this. Remember all the moments that you feel so accomplished and acknowledged. The moment you feel so appreciated. The feeling of satisfaction when all the hard work paid off. The feeling of satisfaction when you can discharge you duty very well and your client is so happy with you. And how you make your bosses and colleagues proud of you. And how you make you yourself proud of you. Your parents? Worry not. They are always proud of u no matter what you do.
Selamat maju jaya, Maryam. Dont feel weak. No one can belittle nor degrade you. You are amazing and you are going to be amazing, always insha ALLAH :)
Love,
Maryam Jamilah.
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