Merlanih Lim is the Principal and Attorney-at-Law at MERITUS LEGAL, a law firm and consultancy established in Anguilla.
The name “MERITUS” stems from Merlanih’s belief in the meritocratic society in which she was raised: that one’s abilities and achievements are the driving force for success and reward. By extension, “MERITUS LEGAL” is a manifestation of her faith in the fair dispensation of justice, determined according to the merits of each case.
MERITUS LEGAL offers legal advice and representation in both contentious and non-contentious matters, and in areas predominantly focused on commercial, real estate and employment law. As a litigation lawyer, Merlanih’s work spans client interviews, legal research and drafting, as well as advocacy before the Courts and Tribunals. Her experience as a litigator is particularly useful when handling non-litigious matters. When drafting and negotiating commercial contracts for instance, pre-empting foreseeable litigation risks underpins her advice— which in turn saves the client potentially significant expense and inconvenience. Anticipating issues, trouble-shooting and growing a client-facing legal practice and business, are some of the aspects of lawyering that Merlanih enjoys most.
Merlanih is an Island Girl through and through; raised in Singapore, schooled in the United Kingdom, and a resident of Anguilla for over a decade. She wears several hats aside from that of lawyer and businesswoman, and her mum hat sits atop the proudest. She is thankful for the ability to raise her children in tandem with her professional pursuits. In her own words, “Who is to say that the statuses of domestic goddess (of sorts) and career go-getter are mutually unattainable?” She shared that courage, zeal, empathy, patience, kindness, and time management – all of which one must have in order to manage a household efficiently, is what she similarly applies in her legal practice.
The need for flexibility and autonomy as a working mother was her primary reason for establishing her own business. A second factor, was simply recognising that she enjoys the business of lawyering. Prior to founding MERITUS LEGAL, Merlanih had been developing and managing her client portfolio for several years. She shared,
“Trite as it might sound, the hustle is real. It has taken conscious effort and time to create a name for myself professionally: not by simply proclaiming to the world that I am a lawyer and hoping that everyone comes knocking; but importantly, making sure that the quality of my work speaks for itself and that I strive to create a positive service experience for the client.”
The biggest rewards which she has experienced through her business, include opportunities for continuing growth and in exciting directions previously unanticipated. She concluded her response with this insight, “Not every benefit equates to a sack of gold in one’s hand; the experiences, networking and opportunities often outweigh the most immediate financial gains.”
When asked about differentiating herself from other competitors, Merlanih shared that she does not consider herself as being a “competitor” to other lawyers and vice-versa, as each legal practitioner and law firm has distinct attributes and skills: the discerning client makes a selection based on whichever applicable criteria and considerations. However, she seeks to distinguish herself based on her values and performance, and is guided by her mantra “righteousness always prevails”, which has proven to be accurate, time and time again.
As the only Asian lawyer in Anguilla, she is amused when she is sometimes referred to as the “Chineee Lawyer.” That said, as a Singaporean of Chinese ethnicity, she is familiar with many Asian cultures, speaks and writes Mandarin, and her legal practice also caters to clientele who require these specific attributes. Merlanih is proud to be a representation of the Asian community as a legal professional, and she is similarly happy to have assimilated into local society whether through work, social outreach, or her Anguillian family.
Merlanih credits her parents for imparting to her the best pearls of wisdom about business. Her father is an entrepreneur and from him she understood that complacency is never an option, learning is perpetual, and continuous self-improvement is a must. She also learned that preparedness is key, and over-preparedness is a requisite. From her mother, an educator— the virtues of humility and diligence.
The biggest challenge faced in the conduct of her business is juggling diverse responsibilities within the constraints of “time.” She acknowledges that the ball does drop on occasions due to the realities of human error and constraints, but she has learned that it is far more important to regroup, find solutions and prevent a repeat scenario, rather than to dwell on a problem. Consequently, she recognises that efficiency means focused brainwork, as opposed to countless hours dithering about the office.
Merlanih finds doing business in Anguilla to be exciting, as there is considerable scope for entrepreneurship. Given that there are many other legal practitioners on the island, creating a niche for herself based on her skills, attributes, and interests, as well as strategising the direction in which she wants to steer her business, has been critical. Her advice: ‘Don’t settle for being run-of-the-mill, dare to stand out and celebrate your uniqueness!’
Her top business tip is also loaded with insights. She shared, “We need to understand what we desire to achieve and why, and figure out the different “how-tos” so that this vision materialises. There are different ways to fulfill an objective, bearing in mind that goals may also shift along the way. Have respect and gratitude: no one builds a business alone. We depend on clients, associates, and a support team to keep the wheels in motion. Giving credit to those who have helped to shape one’s business is not only a matter of courtesy, but also positively karmic on all levels.”
Merlanih’s advice for new business owners is to take pride, time, and effort to nurture their business. She shared, “Even if you consider the pace of progress to be lagging, do not be disheartened. Keep going and never stagnate, as what you may perceive to be a setback is always a learning experience. The path towards brilliance is not always a straight route ahead; adaptability and endurance are part of the process.”
In the coming years, Merlanih envisions her legal practice soaring through the skies and traversing the globe. She sees herself playing a greater role in bringing Asia closer to the Caribbean, whether through legal services, real estate and development or other commercial and inter-cultural ventures. Also, to continue to push for social development and youth empowerment. She is thrilled about the prospect of utilizing her professional skills, multi-cultural and linguistic strengths to yield constructive results.
Her final words,
“To my clients, associates, and support team: I value our relationships and thank you for your trust and our teamwork. To my prospective clientele: MERITUS LEGAL is committed to #raisingthebar, and we are #yellowpadready and excited to be of your assistance.”
Contact Merlanih at mlim@merituslegal.net or +1264-2355391 to schedule a chat. MERITUS LEGAL is located at Unit 6 of the James Ronald Webster Building, The Valley, Anguilla (usual office hours – 9:30am to 5:30pm). Do also visit their website www.merituslegal.net and “follow” them on Facebook and Instagram (@merituslegal).
