Introduction to WACCC Council Member – Ms Lynette Wen

(This article was prepared as a part of our eNewsletter dated Jul 2020. Fill in the form at the bottom of our main webpage to subscribe for future eNewsletter)

In the fifth article of this series, we introduce our council member, Ms Lynette Wen.

Question: Lynette, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

Lynette: I was originally from Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong, a province in southern China. After graduating from a local university and working for a few years, I came to Perth in 1991 to study English. Why Perth? I was heavily influenced by a Hong Kong television travel video which highlighted the city[1]. I could not believe such a beautiful place existed and I had to experience it for myself!

I stayed in Perth to work as a legal secretary after completing my English study. Over the following decade, I completed a law degree at Murdoch University, as well as a NAATI translation (2^nd level) certification. These were all part time studies and I had to juggle full time work, studies, and often a second job / projects on the side. My interest towards law may have been family driven – my mother and siblings were all law graduates in China. My father also taught me the value of knowledge – once you have acquired it, it would always stay with you.

In 2011, I started my own legal practice, Ideal Legal Services (越秀律师行). By this time I had worked in Perth’s legal industry for 18 years, and was qualified to practice both as solicitor and barrister. I also became the first (and still the only) WA based Asian female public notary in 2013. My firm provides general legal services, and I specialise in helping those with language or cultural barriers to navigate Australia’s complex legal system. As a migrant myself, I’ve seen many cases where new migrants needlessly fall foul of the law, and I’ve made it my mission to come to their assistance. As a devout Buddhist, I follow the principles of ethics and integrity in my work. My firm slowly grew from a one person operation to 4 full time staff. We will soon be celebrating our 10^th anniversary.

On the family front, I am happily single, but I will never say never!

Question: How long have you been involved with the Chamber? And how long as a council member?

Lynette: I was first introduced to the Chamber in 1993 by my then boss, TS Su (previously a Chamber council member). I started attending the Mandarin Networking events which were chaired at that time by Jeffery Cha (council member and honorary life member). It was a wonderful opportunity for making new connections in a casual setting. I lost contact with the Chamber after that event ended in the late 90s.

In 2016, I join the Chamber as a council member at the invitation of Dr Eric Tan (honorary past president). Eric suggested that, since my legal practice had by then been well established, I should contribute more to the wider community through the Chamber.

Question: Do you have any specific role / responsibility at the Chamber?

Lynette: After joining the council, I was invited to relaunch Mandarin Networking in 2018. We’ve held 6 Mandarin Networking events since its launch in August 2018 (see list below). They have all been well attended and successful. Each time we invite a distinguished speaker to address a topic relevant to new migrants. The event also serves as a networking opportunity for these migrants and other members of the Perth community.

The Mandarin speaking demographics in Perth has changed significantly over the years. When I first attended Chamber Mandarin Networking in the 90s, many attendees were non-native speakers seeking an opportunity to practice their Mandarin. Mainland Chinese like myself was a minority back then in Perth’s ethnic Chinese population. There has been a large influx of mainland Chinese in the past 20 years, and consequently a significant rise in the local native Mandarin speaking population. It is this population that the Chamber is aiming to assist through Mandarin Networking and other events.

Question: Has your involvement with the Chamber and as a council member been good for you?

Lynette: I first join the Chamber’s Mandarin Networking during the 90s to improve my confidence and to meet new people. It was also a fun event and I continued to participate. These days, the Chamber offers an opportunity for me to serve the wider community beyond my immediate clientele, which is most satisfying.

[1] Editorial Note: The language of this video is Cantonese and it features Cantopop star Jacky Cheng (張學友) and other Hong Kong stars during the early 90s. The Perth portion of the video starts at around 9:21 – for those who are not interested in glimpses of Hong Kong during that period