Istyana Ibrahim
Acting Director of the Maintenance Enforcement Division
Ministry of Law
15 years in the legal industry
Choosing work with public purpose
Fresh out of law school, I joined a Big Four law firm practising criminal and commercial litigation. I made partner in my eighth year, shortly after having my second child. That milestone reframed everything. If I was going to spend so much time away from my family, I wanted that time to count for something beyond billing targets and to contribute to the public good.
I joined the Legal Service and was posted to the Legal Aid Bureau, representing people of limited means. After nearly six years, I moved to the Legal Policy Group, working on legal policy with broader societal impact.
A step up in leadership
In my current posting, I serve as Acting Director of the Maintenance Enforcement Division within the Insolvency and Public Trustee’s Office. The role is multidisciplinary and fast-moving, sitting at the intersection of service delivery, operational excellence and organisational development.
Leading a team of 22 officers has been the most significant step up in scale I have experienced. It has required a different kind of leadership from me — one that goes beyond relying on the instincts and approaches that served me in earlier roles.
Leading with clearer intent
The Lexplorer programme gave me the language to understand myself, how I can best contribute to my organisation, and how I can harness the different strengths within my team to meet organisational needs.
The coaching was equally valuable. My coach had experience spanning both private practice and the public sector, which meant our conversations could go deep quickly without my having to explain the pressures and trade-offs of a legal career. The leadership coaching gave me a framework for approaching challenges with clear intent, rather than simply reacting in the moment.
“The experience helped me understand my direction and lead with greater confidence.”
ABOUT LEXPLORER
Istyana attended the Lexplorer one-to-one Career Coaching Programme, which comprises two individual coaching sessions with a coach from the Lexplorer panel. More information is available through the LawNet Store.
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