News

Dear Readers I am pleased to present my latest and last article from the Perth Woman magazine. My contract with the magazine has expired and I have decided to look for an alternative avenue for my writing release. I am however very happy with the content of this last article which I believe is very close to the heart of my many readers. The question is : What are my...

I survived the CEO Sleepout on 17 June 2010. It was held at the WACA. I have to confess that I was quite worried  that it would be difficult. The first thing I did was to borrow a good sleeping bag from Pierre Yang, a lawyer who works for me. Getting ready for the night, I decided that I needed a good dinner before going to the WACA. At 5...

Dear Readers Yes, the momentum is gathering. I have raised $2600 in 3 days. I am ranked 11 on the list of fund raisers compared to the other fund raisers who have had more time to raise funds. I am  very happy with the support and response received so far. More importantly, the messages of support shows that Perth people have a heart. A heart to help the homeless. Please...

Dear Readers As you are aware if you have been following my blog, we have moved to Terrace Rd. However, I am always reminded of my old office at Wellington St. It has an external toilet. One day, I found a homeless person sleeping there. He would come in after dark and leave the toilet in the morning when the staff arrived. He must have been sleeping there for over...

Yes, it has taken a long time from September 2010 when the contract was signed for the purchase of 6/78 Terrace Rd, Perth to our final move on 4th June 2010. Not everything that was designed by the fit out contractor, Interarch Homes, has been finished, but we are nearly there. The move took place on 4th June 2010 with all staff lending a hand. We look forward to seeing...

Yes, we did it today. 4th June 2010 was the move from Wellington St to Terrace Rd East Perth. My Feng Shui master, Kieran Ohara advised me that I am to start operations at the new office on 5th June 2010 which is an auspicious day. So, the whole office staff was mobilised to shift everything within a day and to get ready for business tomorrow. It was sad to...

Dear Readers If you have been to the Cocos Keeling Islands, you will know what an amazing place it is. I was on the Island for an unfair dismissal case last Tuesday. I acted for the Cocos Island Co-operative  Society ("Co-op") and was instructed by an old friend Ron Grant who is the Co-op's manager. The Co-op is wholly owned by the local residents of the Cocos Island Malay population....

Hey,  you feel it when you are getting old. Just turned 49 a few days ago. Also realised that on 3 March 2010 I have been practising for over 20 years. That is a long time in dog years. Pierre, a lawyer in my practice ( I am his mentor) bought me and the rest of the staff a cake to celebrate. Nice touch. So, do I feel like an...

Dear Readers I was just looking through my legal records and chanced upon my date of admission as a lawyer in Perth WA. I was admitted to practice in Perth on 2/3/1990. My god , that has been a full 20 years as a lawyer in Perth.

Dear Readers, Recently I was interviewed by the owners of MultiMediaInstitute.com. They were interested in how I have used podcasting as a medium for advertising. The MultiMediaInstitute.com specialises in the use of different media for marketing. Podcasting is one media area that has grown substantially in Australia. I have been podcasting for a few months and always enjoy recording legal issues for my listeners. Please view the video at your...

Dear Readers Welcome to the first blog of the year 2010. Last year was an eventful one with lots of changes at Tan and Tan Lawyers. I was able to set up a self managed super fund for investment purposes. This was achieved with the help of my financial planner, Paula Garnham, my accountants and my business mentor. Paula was instrumental in helping me to set up the fund and...

To all my readers, clients and friends: I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a fabulous New year. 2009 has been a trying year for some. It has been a good year for Tan and Tan Lawyers as we have done all we can to weather the unspoken recession. 2010 promises to be a better year. Do take care and wish and work for the best

Dear Readers I was recently asked by the Perth Woman magazine to write my bi-monthly article based on the word "E". I decided that E-Commerce was the most relevant topic of the day. In our daily lives now, we deal with the internet and transact our lifestyles using the world wide web. There are many things to be wary about in the way we use the internet. I hope the...

Dear Readers I have been writing in my blog about going into business. There are so many potholes you can step into if you are not careful. Tan and Tan Lawyers have been advising clients on their business purchases for many years. My greatest joy is seeing a client who is about to go from being employed to being self employed. I love coaching them in the right way to...

Dear Readers. Last night, I received a call from my mother in law at 12 midnight. Her 12 year old pomeranian called Choi Choi had just passed away after a few agonising weeks of pain. She was too distressed to deal with the deceased pet and needed help. My wife and I had to drive to her house after discussing what to do with the deceased pet. We decided that...

Dear friends and readers It is a new financial year. You may have looked at my last 2 blogs about going into business. Sometimes, you may find that although you wish to become self employed, you may not have the funds to go on your own into a business. You might have considered having a partner to share the expense , the load and the risk. Sometimes that may be...

Dear Readers The golf bug has hit me again. I had been away from the golf course for over 13 years after my 1st son was born. That was because I could not justify playing golf and spending the time away from my young children. Well the kids are now able to play golf and walk and play at least 9 holes with me. They do complain and usually ask...

If you listen to the latest marketing gurus, it seems podcasting is the new way to promote your business. I quite agree and I have been spending time organising podcasts to showcase some of the areas of the law that I deal with. It has helped my clients as I can quickly refer them to a source of legal knowledge. I have learned so much about podcasting in the last...

Dear Readers, I was recently involved in a Supreme Court case where the acting secretary of the Association tried to sell part of the Association's land without authority. The summary of the case is as follows: The AUSTRALIAN CHINESE CONFUCIUS-MENCIUS SAINT TAO CENTRE INC association was incorporated in Dec 1992 by 6 well meaning Saint Tao followers. The religion incorporates elements of Confucianism, Taoism and Chinese Buddhism. One of the...

My Saturdays are usually very routine. Bring the kids to Chinese School in the morning, clean up the house for the weekend, play badminton with my friends followed by dinner with the badminton players. Last Saturday, 7 February 2009 took a slightly different turn. At dinner, there was a bottle of red wine shared between my wife and another couple. We did not even finish the bottle though I must...

Hello and happy new year to all. I am sure 2009 will be a better year than 2008. The Chinese New Year is coming up next week. It is supposed to be the year of the Ox. I was born in the year of the Ox and have great expectation that the new year will bring more exciting challenges and accomplishments. For those clients who know me well, they will...

I had the privilege of attending a dinner hosted by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia on 25 November 2008. Ajahn Brahm, the Abbott of the Bodhinyana Monastery was kind enough to speak to the guests on the issue of Buddhism and how it applies to corporate Australia. His words and advice were most reassuring and I was pleasantly surprised how he was able to relate Buddhist principles to the...

Dear Readers, I never tire from talking about wills and how important it is to have an updated will. I have been in practice for over 18 years. In those years, I have prepared thousands of wills for clients. As I get older, I realise that those clients who have had wills prepared by myself are also getting older. I recently attended a funeral for one of these old clients....

Dear Readers, I would like to share with you my latest article in the PerthWoman magazine. It deals with the issue of spouse migration and tips on how to ensure you succeed in getting your loved one into the country. Having been a registered migration for over 18 years, I have seen my fair share of cases where the Department of Immigration (in it's various forms and name sake) have...

Tyzton's black belt day Yes, after years of training my 2 sons aged 10 and 12 are both holders of black belts in Tae Kwon Do. Jazton , my 12 year old son got his black belt at the age of 10 yrs on 16 December 2006. His younger brother Tyzton recently achieved his black belt on 28 June 2008 also at the age of 10 yrs. All of their...

Of late,I have had numerous requests for information on binding financial agreements. They are the equivalent of pre nuptial or post nuptial agreements. The laws allowing such agreements to be signed are quite recent and there have not been many cases on the issue. Please find an article from Perth Woman which answers some questions. If you need advice, see a lawyer to protect your interest and save you money....

Dear Readers What issues do you consider when you are faced with a property settlement problem in your marriage? What is a defacto relationship? Do I go for mediation? These are some of the questions that were asked in my latest article in Perth Woman. Please have a read and email me at my free email legal advice section of my webpage at tanandtannew.webmanage.com.au/.

Yes, I have been away from work and my blog. The family spent some time in Japan last week. It was a great holiday. Tokyo is awesome. The crowds in the street are amazing when you compare Perth WA. I took a 6 day tour organised from Singapore. I actually met a couple of guys who were from my secondary school, Gan Eng Seng Secondary School. It was uncanny. Here's...

Have you ever felt apprehensive about making an appointment to see a lawyer? You should not feel that way as the lawyer is there to protect your interest and save you money. Please read the article in Perth Woman as it deals with the preparation that will help in saving you money when you see a lawyer for advice.

I had coffee with an old client and friend today. With a sadness in his eyes, he told me he was separating from his wife after years of marriage. It is sad that in Australia, a high percentage of marriages end up in divorce. This is from the Bureau of Statistics: DURATION OF MARRIAGE OF DIVORCING COUPLES In 2001, 17% of couples had divorced within the first five years of...

Today, the 26 Feb 2008 I was finally beaten by one of my boys at sports. A father brings up his child knowing one day , that child will hopefully excel the father in all the father has done. Especially in sports, the father of the child first teaches the child for eg. to swim as a baby. Then the baby grows up and suddenly one day the baby becomes...

It's nearly the end of the weekend. I am preparing a will for a client and thought it might be a good subject for the next blog. Families and Wills A husband and wife came to see me last week to make a will. They were from Asia and had 1 son and 1 daughter. They wanted to leave all their properties to their son. They were from a very...

Gong Xi Fa Cai   That's the traditional greeting for the Chinese New Year celebrations. We are on to the 4th day of the Chinese New Year. Traditionally, the celebrations lasts for 15 days. In China, a majority of the workers return to their home villages after working away from home for the whole year. The news this year of all the China workers getting caught in bad weather conditions...

Its the weekend again. My weekends are spent playing badminton and tennis. In the evening, it is usually playing gin rummy with a group of friends. One counts one's blessing by the friends one have. I think I have been blessed many folds as I have great friends who provide me with great company and friendship. If you read Napoleon Hill, his suggestion is that you spend weekends meeting new...

Was playing tennis with my boys after work. Yes, this is the 4th day in a row I had to play tennis with my boys because of the school holidays. When do I get a break? Was just looking at my sons in the tennis court and wondering how lucky they are in their life compared to the upbringing that I had. As I said in my previous blog, I...

Part of the skills required of a lawyer is the art of negotiation. I still remember my time as a street kid living in Singapore. Coming from a family of 10, Lawrence ( my other brother who was a year older than me) and I used to play in the streets of Tiong Bahru in Singapore. Mum did not have much time for supervision and we were left to our...

What a great Australia Day. The weather was perfect. Did not manage to see the fireworks but enjoyed the day anyway. Kids have gone crazy about tennis and have been forcing me up early so they can play. Their holidays are nearly over and I must say I am glad. It's not easy entertaining kids nowadays. I can feel my body cracking under the stress of keeping up with their...

Hi, To all potential readers, this is my first night as a blogger. I hope my thoughts are of some value to anyone who may be interested in the law. For those who are even remotely interested in who I am, they can check out tanandtannew.webmanage.com.au/ I have been a lawyer for over 20 years and I believe I may have something to share with any one interested in the...