William Lye, OAM

Barrister of Law

By Billie Ooi-Ng Lean Gaik

Striding in a well-cut suit, and a Turnbull & Asser bow tie, William Lye, barrister at law, cuts an impressive figure in Her Majesty’s court rooms as well as the book-lined corridors of his chambers in the Melbourne CBD.

Not just there for aesthetics, he holds a Master of Laws, (specialising in Intellectual Property), and a Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship, amidst an impressive list of achievements and accolades. The cherry on the cake was the 2017 Australian Law Awards, where Lye took home the Barrister of the Year and Lawyers Weekly Excellence awards. “I was truly overwhelmed by the acknowledgement from my peers.”

Born and schooled in Malaysia, Lye has always defied staggering odds. Afflicted with bronchitis and asthma as a teenager, he managed to excel in sports and played softball for the state and national team. At 16, he nearly lost his life in surgery due to an allergic reaction to general anaesthetic. “As that defining moment dawned upon me I started thinking seriously about my life. I’ve always had a sense of justice. Right wrongs. Law seemed logical.”

In 1982, he arrived in Melbourne to study Computer Science and Law at Monash University. “I held three jobs while studying – cleaning houses and industrial properties, worked in a restaurant as an assistant chef and did gardening jobs. I’d work in the factories or farms during summer.”

“My pet peeves are hypocrisy and mediocrity. I hate maintenance mode and always say buck the trend and think outside the box.”

When Lye graduated, no jobs were available. “It was extremely difficult for Asian migrants. For me the hardest thing was to feel accepted.  Even though there wasn’t any conscious effort to put you down, you’d feel like you’re never good enough, no matter how hard you tried.  I joined the Leo Cussen Institute for practical legal training and met two inspiring barristers Max Perry, Max Cashmore and later, my mentor and close friend Simon Wilson, who really defined the legal process for me.”

Lye started his legal career at the office of public prosecution. “That helped me gain confidence in dealing with matters of the crown.  There were no Chinese barristers around then. I never felt racism but received many funny looks.  When I walked the corridors, people didn’t think that I was a barrister.”

Nearly 30 years of practicing and lecturing the law, gave Lye many significant milestones. He was instrumental in setting up the Asia Practice section, Commercial Bar Association of Victoria in 2008.  Championing diversity at the bar, he founded the Asian Australian Lawyers Association in 2013.

On Australia Day this year, Lye was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for services to the law, business, and the promotion of cultural diversity. “One of my proudest moments, this is an important and humbling recognition to me.”

This Australian Day ambassador for Victoria devotes his time to numerous charitable causes when he is not indulging in personal pursuits like the Argentine Stroll and Iaido, a Japanese martial art of drawing the sword and responding to a sudden attack.

一套剪裁考究西装上系着 Turnbull & Asser 的领结-黎尤铭(WilliamLye) 这位出庭律师无论是在法院审讯室或在他墨尔本中央商务区走廊堆满书籍的房间内，都令人留下深刻印象。

而不仅具备审美学触感，他还拥有一个法律硕士学位，专攻知识产权，并获得澳大利亚创业研究院的创业精神和创新硕士学位。在一系列的成就和荣誉中，最让人瞩目的顶点是他在2017年澳大利亚法律大奖上荣获年度律师和律师周卓越奖。“我是真的被来自同僚的认可声笼罩了。”

马来西亚出生与受教育的黎尤铭总是在艰难时期选择逆流而上。青少年时，他患有支气管炎和哮喘，但在运动项目中表现出色，并代表州属和国家出征打垒球。16岁时，由于对全身麻醉的过敏反应，他差点在外科手术中丧命。“当面临这个决定性时刻，我开始认真思考自己的生活。我一直都怀有正义思维，正确与错误，而法律合乎逻辑。”

1982年，他来到墨尔本，在莫纳什大学就读电脑科学和法律。“我当时打了3份工—房屋和商业楼清洁工，餐馆厨师助手和园艺工作。而夏天会在工厂或农场工作。”

直至毕业他也没有获得工作机会。“对亚洲移民者来说，就业是极其困难的。对我来说，最艰难的就是接受的心情。那时莫名的失落沮丧，觉得自己永远不够好，不管怎么努力。接着我参与了 Leo Cussen 的实践法律培训，并遇到了2位鼓舞人心的律师Max Perr与Max Cashmore。还有后来，我的导师和密友Simon Wilson，是他为我真正定义了法律进程。”

我无法忍受虚伪和平庸。对于一成不变模式感到烦躁，总是逆势跳出框框思考。”

黎尤铭在公诉机关开始了他的律政生涯。“这协助我获得处理法律事务的信心。那时还没有华人律师。我从未感受过任何种族主义，但却领略到许多有趣的眼光。当我走在回廊的时候，人们并不认为我是一名律师。”

近30年的实践和训诫，让他累积了许多宝贵的里程碑。2008年，他在维多利亚商业律师协会推动亚洲实践区(Asia Practice section) 时发挥重大作用。他在律师协会倡导多元化，并在 2013 年创立了澳大利亚亚洲律师协会 (Asian Australian Lawyers Association)。

今年的澳大利亚国庆日，黎尤铭被授予了促进澳大利亚法律、商业和多元文化的服务勋章。“这是最自豪的时刻之一，这对我来说是一个关键性和谦虚的认可。”

这名维多利亚大使热衷参与许多公益慈善活动，而业余爱好包括社交舞和居合道 (这是日本剑道的一派，可以瞬间迅速应对和拔刀格杀)。