Next week, I will be attending Consensus, my first industry event in over a year.
Last year, I actively avoided conferences. In the legal profession (as in many others), our identity is often tightly tethered to our title and our firm. When you are between chapters, or in the “wilderness,” there is a natural hesitation to engage. You worry about the inevitable question: "So, what are you doing now?"
In one-on-one situations, this is manageable. But in large events, that question can feel heavy. For a long time, I didn't have an answer that felt "sufficient" for the room.
But next week, the hesitation is replaced by curiosity. I am stepping back in not just as an attendee, but as a professional who is actively building something new.
The Cognitive Challenges of Growth
January was a month of recalibration, the start of Rupen 2.0. I am quickly realising that establishing a new routine in a portfolio model is distinct from the rhythm of a traditional firm.
I am currently navigating new practice areas, engaging with new types of clients, and digesting new laws. After a year away from the daily machinery of practice, I am being challenged cognitively. These are all new muscles I am building.
I won't pretend it’s effortless. Things are taking longer because they are new. There is a learning curve. But this friction is a positive signal. Comfort is rarely a proxy for growth. If I’m not pushing myself to the point of intellectual discomfort, I’m probably not offering my clients the cutting-edge solutions they need.
Ultimately, learning is supposed to feel uncomfortable.
The Architecture of Trust: Why I Moved
This realisation—that the client buys the person, not the logo—is actually the core driver behind my decision to leave the traditional structure.
When you hire a lawyer from a massive, established firm, you are buying Institutional Certainty. You are buying a brand that promises a standard of quality. That model has its place, and it serves a specific purpose.
But when you hire a lawyer building a portfolio practice, you are buying Individual Accountability.
One of the reasons I stepped away from the established path was to be closer to the client. In the traditional model, you are often dealing with institutional clients. Yes, fundamentally you are dealing with the people in those organisations, but they themselves are dealing with their own organisation challenges.
In this new model, I am a partner in the business. My success is tethered entirely to the value I provide to you personally. There is no corporate veil to hide behind.
This alignment changes the dynamic. It shifts the relationship from "advisory" to "collaborative." It means I’m not just there to quote the law; I’m there to help you navigate the chessboard.
The Human Element
This brings me to the most important part of this reflection: Gratitude.
In this early stage, I have onboarded my first three clients. Two are direct relationships, and one is a referral. I want to publicly (yet anonymously) thank these clients.
You didn't just buy a service; you backed the person delivering it. You recognised the skillset and the value I can bring, regardless of the operating model. That trust is the fuel that drives my discipline. It validates that while the platform has changed, the expertise remains the foundation.
We often feel anxiety around change because we cannot control the future variables. I cannot control the market, and I cannot control the exact outcome of every networking conversation next week.
But I can control my inputs. I can control my preparation, my rigour, and my willingness to show up.
If you are seeing me at the event next week, come say hello. I’m finally ready to answer the question, "So, what are you doing now?"
While it’s only been a month, I feel that I’m getting back into the rhythm.
Field Notes
Outside of professional life, here is what I’m testing, reading, and learning.
I’m testing out and using Obsidian for my notetaking and personal knowledge management. I’ve dabbled around with other notetaking apps over the year, most recently Evernote. So far Obsidian is working well, it's utilitarian in how it looks. But it has the ability to be very powerful. There is a lot to learn, at the moment I’m keeping things very simple.
I am testing out Control D DNS service. It’s making accessing certain region locked websites much easier than using a VPN.
I opened a business bank account with Aspire. Aside from the Google Workspace discount, the real value was the empathy exercise: it allowed me to experience first-hand what it is like to open a business account in Hong Kong today. Overall the process was slick (3 days), but there were definitely a couple of "computer says no" moments. It’s a good reminder of the friction my clients face.