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'Until the clock runs out': Law Society president Adrian Tan reveals he has cancer, says will fight illness and continue his work

'Until the clock runs out': Law Society president Adrian Tan reveals he has cancer, says will fight illness and continue his work

Law Society president Adrian Tan was diagnosed with cancer in March, two months after he was elected to the post. (Photo: LinkedIn/Adrian Tan)

SINGAPORE: Law Society president Adrian Tan said on Thursday (Jul 28) that he was diagnosed with cancer in March, just months after he was elected to the post in January.

Mr Tan, a partner and head of intellectual property and technology at TSMP Law Corporation, said in a post on professional networking site LinkedIn that he started feeling ill in February.

“At first, I brushed it off,” he said. “I carried on with speeches, interviews, meetings and working into the night.”

He then “felt so bad” in March and saw a doctor.

“He told me I had cancer,” he said. “I was stunned.”

Mr Tan did not mention what kind of cancer he has, or how severe his condition is.

Following his diagnosis, Mr Tan started immediately on an aggressive treatment regime, which involved chemotherapy, immunotherapy and hormone therapy. He also had to avoid people and stress as his immune system became compromised.

“I was confronted with two questions,” he said. “First, should I stop working?

“That was easy for me to answer… I need to strive with my team, towards a common goal. When the clock runs out, and the game ends, I want to feel that, win or lose, I gave my best, and that I am standing on the field with my friends and comrades.

“That was the path I chose. I would fight cancer, fight my cases in court, and fight for lawyers as their president, until the clock runs out.”

Mr Tan said he had told the Law Society of his diagnosis, as “its members elected me, they have a right to know about my ability to carry out my duties”.

He also informed his colleagues at TSMP Law Corporation, as well as his closest friends.

“I hadn’t planned to tell anyone else,” he said, but added that he has since changed his mind.

“I’ve had to turn down countless invitations to give speeches, attend events or meet in person. Many concerned people have asked about me. Some have heard inaccurate accounts of my condition.

“Under such circumstances, and given my position, it’s best for me to be open.”

He noted that he had “many plans” at the start of the year, including raising the morale of lawyers and stemming the “great resignation”in the legal industry.

“I would improve the image of the profession by showcasing its pro bono work in the community,” he said. “I would push for technology adoption, so that we could have virtual law firms.”

Mr Tan added that he was also looking to continue as a litigator and fight cases in court. “I had planned to have the busiest year of my life,” he said.

In April, he defended the legal profession after it was criticised over a case involving trainee lawyers who cheated in the Bar exams, calling the comments “misguided”.

Source: CNA/ga

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