A DAY IN THE LIFE OF... JOHN FORRESTER, MANAGING PARTNER, HFW SINGAPORE LLP

06:53 / Rise and shine

I wake up 2 minutes before my alarm is scheduled to go off. That’s good news for my wife, Irina, who is still asleep. I quickly scan the news headlines and check for any WhatsApp messages, but work emails can wait until I am in the office. Most mornings, I will skim through the day’s online edition of The Times and do the quick cryptic crossword to help warm up my brain for the day. But not today, as I have (for me) an early start.

08:05 / Golf lesson

After a quick breakfast of cereal and a fruit smoothie, it is time to head out. I rarely leave home this early, but today I start the day with an indoor golf lesson at Golftec in Republic Plaza. I suppose it is rather a cliché for a partner in a law firm to play golf, but I am fascinated by the process of trying to develop a decent swing. For me it is an intellectual challenge that appeals to my analytical character. Cryptic crosswords are much, much easier…

09:40 / Office time

I arrive at the office and find myself a desk for the day. We moved to new premises (30 Raffles Place) in March 2022 and now operate a policy of hot-desking for all staff. Today I choose to sit with my shipping group colleagues in an open plan area affectionately known as the “Mosh Pit”. Having partners, associates, trainees and secretaries all sitting together creates a real buzz and leads to so much more interaction. I strongly recommend it.

09:45 / Meeting with Rocktree Logistics

The working day begins with a meeting with our good clients, Rocktree Logistics. We discuss some existing matters and are also told about a new deal. Good news! It is then back to today’s desk to go through my emails, deal with some KYC issues relating to a new client and update various draft contracts. I work as a shipping lawyer, mainly on the financing and contract side, so my client work is almost always to do with ships (which I love). I also have a catch-up with my wonderful office manager, Laarni. Our Singapore office has over 60 staff (with 40 lawyers) so it is a sizeable operation to run and I rely heavily on Laarni and her team.

14:00 / Working lunch

After working all morning – punctuated only by a brief coffee run (above) – I head out to buy some pasta and a yoghurt to bring back to the office for lunch. I do try to avoid eating at my desk, but today it is a working lunch at my laptop in one of our break-out areas, before setting up again in the Mosh Pit.

16:20 / Afternoon snack time

I snack on an apple and have a cup of “builder’s” tea. This is my last food for the day as I try to eat only between 8:00am and 5:00pm. I will break this rule for client dinners and special occasions, but it helps me keep off the weight and feel fit and healthy.

17:45 / Media interview with the South China Morning Post

I have an interview with The South China Morning Post who want to hear my views about the opportunities and challenges facing our firm in Singapore.

19:05 / Teamwork

My wife calls to check when I’ll be home. I say “soon”. And then almost immediately a colleague asks for some help on something urgent. This is normal.

20:25 / Family time

I leave the office and get home an hour or so later than promised. My wife is used to this and accepts that I am, in her words, “reliably unreliable”. Another cliché for this lawyer, to go alongside playing golf. After chatting with my wife and checking out a painting she has just finished (she is an artist), I chill out for a bit watching golf and music videos on YouTube. I also have a brief word with my youngest son, Dmitri, who is busy studying for his IB at Dulwich College (Singapore). His elder brother, Nikita, is away at university in Milan. Lucky chap.

21:50 / Evening run

I go out for an 8k street run. I used to run much more in the UK and loved running long distances, but I find it harder here. I actually don’t mind the heat and humidity in Singapore, but it just takes so long to cool down afterwards. Why does my condo have a sauna but not an ice room?

00:24 / Lights out

After cooling down and taking a shower, it’s lights out and time for sleep. I usually fall asleep listening to a podcast. This evening I choose an old episode of The Bugle. I don’t suppose it is to everyone’s taste, but it is my all-time favourite. I was even name checked in it once (Episode 4121) in an item about an ambitious goldfish. I shall say no more!

About HFW

We have more than 600 lawyers working across Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East. As a sector-focussed law firm, we pride ourselves on our deep industry expertise across aerospace, commodities, construction, energy and resources, insurance and reinsurance, and shipping. One of the first UK-based law firms to expand internationally, we are committed to the APAC region, with seven offices and almost 220 lawyers to date. Our Singapore office operates throughout South East Asia and celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2020. On 1 July 2015, we entered a formal law alliance with Singaporean firm AsiaLegal LLC, enabling us to undertake work through the alliance which requires expertise in both English law and permitted areas of Singapore law. Find out more hfw.com