Associate
Hong Kong Office
800-951-4888 x85-6508
jay.tai@ropesgray.com
I am a Malaysian Chinese. I was born and grew up in Malaysia and went through the private and public education systems in Malaysia and England. I practiced law in Malaysia and Singapore before I moved to Hong Kong in 2004. I have lived and worked in Hong Kong for six years now, and am still enjoying every single moment in this fast-paced city! And of course Ropes & Gray and its people have a great deal to do with it.
Having worked in various UK and US firms, what I can say is that Ropes & Gray truly offers a genuinely collegial and friendly environment to its people. Everyone is treated equally and with great respect here. Ropes' culture is one that encourages people to celebrate and express their differences. I feel respected and valued, not as a lawyer and a person, but also for my background. Colleagues here very much appreciate your perspective on things because of your different background; it has been a real asset.
Besides making work life less stressful and more enjoyable, I also think that such environment and culture place Ropes in a very ideal position to serve a global spectrum of clients. This is particularly important in Asia where transactions are often cross-border in nature and often involve parties from different countries and backgrounds. Diversity and the respect for such diversity enable us to approach transactions from a truly global angle. I am proud to see that the attorneys of color at the firm continue to be committed to the Group and its goals of making sure all of us "feel at home" at Ropes.