RAISING THE BAR

Lawyer Chia Yong Yong’s disability has never limited her potential. However, she recognises that society has not been kind to many others in similar situations. She’s now using her voice and legal expertise to champion an inclusive and equitable society.

- CHERYL LAI-LIM

In her younger days, Chia Yong Yong had no interest in helping others, she admits with a sheepish laugh. The lawyer was solely focused on climbing the career ladder, and was indifferent to the social service landscape.

Her admission comes as somewhat of a surprise: Today, the 60-year-old is a respected advocate who has lent her expertise to a number of agencies and boards in the social service sector, to champion the equal treatment of people with disabilities in Singapore. Her interest stems from her own disability: She has peroneal muscular atrophy, a condition that damages the peripheral nerves and causes the muscle tissues in her limbs to be progressively weakened.

"It took me such a long time to find a job that I wanted to make the best of it. I wanted to focus on just being a good lawyer," she explains, pointing out that her disability made it difficult for her to find a position even as a law office clerk, let alone a lawyer. It was only after months of shadowing her pupil master, the late litigation lawyer Harry Lee Wee, that she found employment in 1986 as a litigator at law firm WT Woon & Co.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GIVING BACK

After a period of serving at different social service organisations without understanding her purpose, the lawyer slowly but surely started realising the impact that she could make. For one, she started listening in at meetings, and understanding how these organisations were empowering people with disabilities.

In spite of the physical challenges she faces, she also recognised that she had advantages in other aspects. Acknowledging that she had "received so much along the way", she wanted to start giving back.