What I Learned at SMU's Legal Database Launch (And My Decision About zeeker.sg)
After 150+ hours building data.zeeker.sg, I attended SMU's SOLID database launch to see institutional legal data infrastructure in action. I applied my decision framework and made my choice: I'm continuing. Here's what I learned about when solo builders should persist alongside institutions.
When Institutions Enter Your Passion Project Space
Domain renewal: $110. But the real cost is over 150 hours and zero users. Now SMU is building what I tried solo. Here's my framework for deciding: continue, collaborate, or gracefully close.
What Top 10% Actually Means (For a Lawyer Who Codes)
177K monthly downloads. Top 10% of 700K packages. Zero revenue, one maintainer, weekend work. Here's what "success" actually means for open source maintainers—and what I'd tell anyone considering building their own tools.
Why Prompt Engineering Felt Wrong (And What Skills Changed)
I sat in a standing-room-only prompt engineering workshop feeling anxious—not because I was behind, but because I don't use any of these frameworks. Turns out my instinct was right. That same month, the technology shifted from prompts to persistent agent skills
Lawyers Got Prompt Engineering Wrong (And Why That Matters)
At TechLawFest 2025, Singapore lawyers packed a workshop on prompt engineering. Meanwhile, the technology shifted: agent skills became available. This isn't about better prompts—it's about who controls the decision-making logic. From 3-page prompts to reusable systems.
Open Source, AI, and Why October Matters
This Hacktoberfest, I'm not contributing code—I'm maintaining my own. Two years after redlines went viral, I'm adapting it for AI agents. The lesson: tools that don't work with AI will fade. Open source needs to evolve with how people actually work.
When AI Makes You Look Busy, Not Productive
A new term is making headlines: "workslop"—AI-generated work that looks polished but lacks substance. Research found 40% of workers encountered it last month, costing $186 per employee in cleanup time. For resource-constrained lawyers, you can't spend time fixing what's irretrievably broken.
Singapore Court Rules on AI Hallucination: A Reality Check for Small Firms
Singapore's High Court just handed down what might be its first formal ruling on AI-generated fake cases in legal practice (2025 SGHCR 33). For resource-constrained practices, this case validates a hard truth - you might be better off avoiding AI entirely.
Beyond the Harvey Drama: The Real Lessons for Solo Counsel
While legal tech Twitter argues about Harvey's performance, solo counsel should focus on the real lesson: Harvey created a replicable blueprint for making AI feel safe and professional to skeptical lawyers. Here's how to apply their approach when evaluating any legal AI tool.
The Solo Counsel Reality: What MinLaw's AI Guidelines Miss About In-House Practice
Singapore's AI guidelines assume enterprise resources and committees. But what about solo counsel making real AI decisions with limited budgets and shadow tools? This consultation misses practitioners who need guidance most.
