Ning is a Senior Associate in our Bangkok office. She is a member of the Dispute Resolution Team, but has extensive experience in both contentious and non-contentious IP matters.
The title above borrows from the often quoted words of Jon Kabat-Zinn, the well-known American professor and mindfulness teacher: “The little things? The little moments? They are not little.” An awareness of the power and importance of the little things in life is something that just seems to have come naturally to Ning: she looks to find happiness in small everyday things, and to focus on the here and now. And, although it might seem paradoxical, through doing this, she is gradually challenging herself and expanding her personal horizons.
Ning lives in a large family house in Bangkok with her parents and her brother’s family. It is in many ways a traditional life and she is close to her family, but she is also quietly independent; for example, she owns her own apartment in Bangkok and can go there whenever she wants. But she enjoys being with her family: she doesn’t feel under any obligation to be there, or that her freedom is in any way compromised. In part, she can be grateful to her parents for this, in part to her brother. Her parents never put any pressure, or made any demands on Ning: they were happy for her to choose her career and way of life. Their ambition for her was just to be a good person. They never asked for, or expected, anything from her. Their attitude has resulted in her wanting to do whatever she can for them. There is a lesson for all parents here! Now they are not in good health, and she is grateful to her brother, who started out as a Project Manager in the construction industry and is now a full-time investor working from home, for being there to look after them.
Ning grew up in Bangkok, in the house she still lives in, and attended a private school. Her mother was an English teacher and her father bought and sold vintage cars. His work meant that he was free every day to take her to school, and to pick her up. She felt she was very lucky. When the time came to think about what she might study at university, her first thought was languages, majoring in English. At school, however, she had done well in the subject ‘General Law in Daily Life’ and also in a university-run competition to which the school had sent her. At the time, the perception was that the practice of law was a stable occupation; also, you needed high grades to get into law school, which she had. So studying law seemed a sensible option.
While at university she did an internship with a law firm and a senior lawyer there suggested that she should consider studying IP, as having that on her CV would distinguish her from other students and help her get a position when she graduated. So she did an optional IP subject in 4th year. She enjoyed it, did well, and immediately thought of continuing her IP studies abroad. For a variety of reasons, however, that wasn’t possible, and instead she decided to study for a Master’s Degree in Business Law at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. On graduation she got a position as Manager of the IP Department with C. P. Group, a huge Thai conglomerate whose businesses range from agriculture and food to e-commerce and digital. She learned a lot working there, but her dream of studying abroad had not left her and after 18 months she left to study for a second Master’s degree at University College London. At that point, she had the idea that she might ultimately want to be a judge, and having studied abroad was thought to be helpful for that.
Being in London was a wonderful experience. Apart from the experience of being in a new country, it was the first time she had been away from family and friends. She developed enormously, both personally and professionally. At school she had always been thought to be bright, but at university it seemed that everyone was bright. She felt she has to focus more and work harder.
On Ning’s return to Bangkok, C. P. Group had asked her to re-join, but she decided instead to train to be a judge. It didn’t take her long to realise that this was not the path for her, so she decided to apply for a position with a specialist IP firm – and that is how, ten years ago, she found her way to Rouse. When she arrived, the team was small, so she has been involved in the development that has taken place over that time. There have been many challenges along the way. She says the opportunities seem limitless and that she continues to learn and develop every day, which is why she has stayed for so long.
While maintaining her focus and finding happiness in what she has, Ning has also been gradually expanding her horizons and developing a sense of adventure. Whereas in the past she was not confident to go out alone, and left it to friends or family to arrange travel, in recent years she has been challenging herself to travel alone to new places. She has travelled to Singapore, returned to London – and is now in Shanghai, on secondment to the Rouse office there, both learning how things are done in China, and providing information to colleagues about the litigation process and her work experiences in Thailand. Her ambition now is to continue exploring the world and gradually expanding her comfort zone. But still, some of her greatest happiness continues to come from small things close to home – like spending time with her much loved 4-year old niece.
