Today: Hailed as a role model, veteran lawyer Peter Low is a guiding hand for his juniors

SINGAPORE — Exhausted after pulling an all-nighter, lawyer Choo Zheng Xi decided to take a nap in his office. A knock on the door jolted him awake; it was his boss Peter Low standing outside.Recounting the incident that took place during his first year as an associate, Mr Choo thought he was in for a scolding. Instead, Mr Low told the then 26-year-old: “Turn off the lights so you can nap properly.”

Speaking to TODAY on Wednesday (Sept 5), Mr Choo, who is now 32, said that incident and many others are why he looks up to the 67-year-old with close to four decades of experience as a mentor and role model.Last week, the managing director of Peter Low and Choo LLC was singled out by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon as a role model that younger lawyers should emulate.

Speaking at the Mass Call, an event where lawyers are called to the Bar, CJ Menon had praised Mr Low’s keen sense of professional purpose, commitment to public service, and for embodying professional values and courtesy in carrying out his job.

These traits, CJ Menon said, are necessary for lawyers to have a sustainable and fulfilling career. In particular, he flagged the need for mentorship and for law firms to help young lawyers cope with stress as they struggle to handle the volume and pace of work.

If not for Mr Low’s guiding hand, Mr Choo said he would not have been able to rise so quickly from an associate in 2012 to being a named partner in five years.