Podcasts

Podcast (the-happy-family-lawyer-podcast): Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | RSS

Criminal lawyer Daniel Hua joined me on the show this week and this is an interview that will stick with me for a while.  I had not met Daniel before and but for someone nominating him for the show, I would never have had the chance to learn about one of the most interesting lawyers I have found in my 2 years of this show.  Daniel is a partner in a successful criminal law practice here in Queensland.  He was born here in Brisbane to two amazing parents who arrived in 1981 as refugees of the Vietnam War.  I cannot imagine what that experience could ever mean for anyone but I can certainly see in Daniel how that experience has shaped him into an amazing person today.

I really related to the way Daniel sees the world.  He summed it up for me with these words- the one thing in life we can control is our mind so while we cannot change something that has happened to us, we can always change how we think about it.  I really do agree on this one!  Daniel has some great advice on managing our mindset and the tools he uses such as meditation to manage stress which will be helpful for anyone listening (lawyer or not!)

And then, just because I could, I got Daniel talking about the dating app iTiggy he developed when he was at University!  No other lawyer I have met yet has a dating site so this made for a fun chat!!

I also came to learn that Daniel is the legal industries answer to Imelda Marcos save for him it is not shoes but suits that have his fancy!  So much so that Daniel found himself falling for the #konmari trend before #konmari took over our Netflix screens and in 2018 Daniel decided to gift over 100 of his suits to worthy recipients.  This is a story you will have to listen to to believe but I sense sums up the wonderful person that Daniel is.

I loved this conversation- Daniel is everything I think a happy lawyer can be and great fun to hang out with too and I promise he will have you laughing out loud while thinking deeply all the way through the next hour.

In this interview Daniel and I also chatted about-

• If Daniel was not a lawyer he would have been a treasure hunter (I have decided this really meant he wanted to be a pirate!)
• Daniel’s parents’ experience leaving Vietnam as refugees and coming to Australia in 1981.
• Daniel’s early memories of life in Brisbane, living in West End.
• How Daniel found himself at law school having started his studies in an Arts Degree.
• Why he chose criminal law and what keeps him committed to this difficult area of law each day.
• Daniel’s experience at university and how we found his way into his first job.
• From legal grad to partner in just 5 years- how Daniel did it!
• Life as a criminal lawyer- the variety, pace and ups and downs of the role.
• Learning on the job and how many skills can be gained by jumping into the deep end.
• The choice of different paths and seeing all learning as valuable.
• Meditation- I loved this conversation- and how Daniel uses mediation to manage both his focus and stress.
• A day (and routine) in the life of Daniel Hua
• Being a Vietnamese speaking lawyer who understands the culture has been invaluable for Daniel.
• Daniel has always questioned the status quo and has become very resilient and he realises now that these traits are a big part of what enables him to be a great lawyer.
• Daniel explains the danger of ‘doing what you have always done’ using a powerful example of monkeys and a banana.
• The story of how Daniel started a dating app called iTiggy how it all works.
• Daniel’s charitable suit giveaway in 2018- why he did it and the amazing things that occured as a result.
• Human connection and its importance in our happiness.
• Daniel’s Happiness Tip.

Sit back and enjoy this interview with Daniel Hua

***

Learn more here about upcoming events and courses and connect with Clarissa Rayward at the ‘Happy Lawyer Happy Life’ knowledge centre-  A community for lawyers who want to make the best out of their life in and outside of the law.   

Listen to last week’s episode here