Lynn Soh: Driven by Resilience
The director of BTPLaw LLC and mother of two on making a name in—and giving back to—the law.
Building resilience and returning stronger are clearly in Lynn Soh’s DNA. During our chat with her, she candidly shared that she tore her ACL, a crucial knee ligament while playing pickleball in March. This led to major surgery and months of intense physiotherapy.
“There was a period of time where I couldn’t even walk properly,” she recalls. “I genuinely questioned whether I would ever return to sports.”
Five months after surgery, Lynn was finally cleared by her surgeon to resume physical activity. While many might have chosen to stay away from the sport that caused the injury, she decided to do the opposite. Today, she plays pickleball three to five times a week.
“I was definitely fearful at first,” she admits. “But I didn’t want that fear to define my limits.” Returning to the court, she says, was unexpectedly empowering.
“This experience reminded me that resilience is a muscle — both physically and mentally. Sometimes, returning stronger is the best way to close a difficult chapter. In a demanding profession like law, mental resilience is probably the single most important attribute we need, and it’s something that has served me well throughout my career.”
Finding her True Calling in Corporate Law
Indeed, this notion of returning stronger and more resilient has featured often in her professional journey. She readily admits that for the first 10 years of her career, she wasn’t convinced that the law was her true calling. This prompted her to explore different paths within — and even outside — the legal profession. Her career includes time in international capital markets and corporate M&A at Allen & Overy, as well as an in-house role as Vice-President (Legal) at Fullerton Health. During the period when she was in-house, she also became a trained fitness instructor and co-owned a barre studio with other business partners.
“In hindsight, all of those experiences were necessary,” she reflects. “I explored different paths to gain clarity and self-awareness. These helped me realise that law is not only what I’m good at, but also what I’m genuinely passionate about.”
It could also be argued that Lynn’s ventures into other paths better prepped her for the multidisciplinary nature of law, and in particular, corporate governance, which has become more complex over the years. She notes that increased scrutiny from regulators and shareholders, and the ESG revolution, have changed the landscape dramatically.
The Changing Tides in Corporate Governance
She explains that the shift over the past decade has been driven not just by regulation, but by a change in mindset. Business leaders increasingly see corporate governance as integral to how companies are run, rather than something done only to avoid regulatory sanctions.
In this environment, Lynn believes lawyers have a critical role to play. Unlike non-legal advisors, lawyers are trained to see how governance weaknesses and potential failures can translate into regulatory exposure, breaches of SGX rules, or contractual liability.
“For that reason, lawyers should be brought in earlier — as advisors, not just problem-solvers after something has gone wrong,” she says. “When lawyers are involved early, governance becomes preventive rather than remedial. Organisations become more resilient, and boards are far better protected.”
Any advice for junior lawyers who aspire to work in corporate law?
“Of course, technical competence matters — understanding the Companies Act, listing rules, and transaction mechanics,” she says. “But what really defines good corporate lawyers is commercial acumen.”
That, she explains, means understanding how a business actually operates, the incentives driving each party in a transaction, and the human dynamics behind negotiations. “Corporate law isn’t just about rules and documents. It’s about understanding businesses, navigating people, and helping leaders make confident, well-governed decisions. That’s the mindset I hope to pass on through the JLP module, Translating Corporate Governance Principles into Legal Frameworks, that I will be teaching in January.
Giving Back to the Legal Community
Her other hat is in the Young Families Subcommittee of the Law Society’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Here, she champions building a sustainable legal practice as she believes that this will raise the retention rate and well-being of lawyers.
“As a full-time working mother of two young children, I care deeply about issues faced by lawyers who are also parents,” she shares. “Too many talented lawyers leave private practice not because they lack ability, but because the structures around them don’t support sustainable careers. I genuinely believe that the next generation of partners, like me, have both the opportunity and responsibility to really shape and redefine what a sustainable legal practice should be like — the co-existence of high-quality legal work with time for personal well-being and spending quality time with loved ones.”
Apart from her contributions to the Law Society, Lynn also conducts training for the legal community. In November, she was one of the trainers for Dealing with Practical Issues in Due Diligence, which is one of the modules offered under the Junior Lawyers Professional Certification Programme (JLP).
“While I have done training for clients, as well as ad-hoc teaching, this is the first structured training that I have done. I really enjoy training and mentoring as it gives me a sense of satisfaction in sharing my knowledge and experience with others.”
Be it in representing her clients, her work with the Law Society or returning to playing pickleball, Lynn clearly believes in practising what she preaches — pursuing her passion, giving back to her fellow legal professionals and returning stronger in the face of challenges.
The JLP module, Translating Corporate Governance Principles into Legal Frameworks, will equip young lawyers with the skills to advise clients on corporate governance issues, balance ethical considerations with the rights of relevant stakeholders, and to comply with the prevailing regulations. Please click here to find out more and to register. To view the complete list of JLP modules and to sign up for them, please click here. While the JLP modules are mainly targeted at junior lawyers, mid-tier and senior lawyers are also welcome to register and attend these modules.