Merlene Emerson
Solicitor and co-founder of Chinese Liberal Democrats
Merlene was born in Singapore and came to London in 1979 as a law student. Both her parents are Chinese, but on her mother's side, she can trace her ancestry back 6 generations in South East Asia and she therefore inherits a strong sense of colonial history and identity. To that extent she feels a kindred bond with immigrants from other ex-colonies now in the Commonwealth.
One of her favourite laments is that her sons (along with a whole generation or two of students) have grown up in the UK not taught enough about the role played by Great Britain in shaping the world around us today.
Career
After graduation from King's College Merlene obtained my Master of Laws degree at Cambridge. She trained as a Solicitor and worked at a leading City law firm in the high adrenalin-fueled world of corporate finance and banking.
She returned briefly to Singapore and requalified there as an advocate and solicitor and made partnership at a medium sized firm specialising in the areas of joint ventures and cross-border finance.
Mediation and alternate dispute resolution
In 2000, Merlene retrained as a mediator with CEDR (Centre for Dispute Resolution) and worked as a pro-bono community mediator in the boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster. She learnt about the problems of concern to residents and found ways of helping them take responsibility for their own actions. Resolution often comes through meeting needs not demands.
Work life balance
Merlene is a mother of three boys aged 10-16. Whilst they were growing up, she obtained a British Wheel of Yoga teaching diploma and continues to do yoga in her spare time. As she believes passionately that children are our future, she regularly fund-raises for the charity Save the Children and occasionally speaks at schools about the work that the charity does. She was also a Trustee of the legally aided Chinese Information and Advice Centre and is a Director of Richmond Housing Partnership.
Entree into Politics
Nearly 25 years after her first arrival in the UK, Merlene finally made a conscious decision to become British and to join a political party. She chose the Liberal Democrats because she believes in its values of social justice, civil liberties and the right of the individual to live a life free from discrimination and ignorance. She is a dedicated party activist, Membership and Recruitment officer, Secretary to the Richmond Lib Dem Council Group and co-founder of Chinese Liberal Democrats. She ran for the Local Council in May 2005 representing Barnes ward in Richmond. Merlene now seeks the opportunity to represent the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly so that we can have an Assembly that is more representative of Londoners as a whole.
Motivation
Whereas many today are career politicians, it is all the more important to have politicians who have had careers outside of politics. Merlene was motivated to enter politics by a wish to serve the community. There is presently not a single Liberal Democrat Councillor in London who is Chinese nor any Liberal Democrat MP or GLA Assembly Member who is an ethnic minority member. Yet London thrives and prospers because of its diversity and will continue to do so if we are given an active role.
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Updated on 04 March, 2008
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One of her favourite laments is that her sons (along with a whole generation or two of students) have grown up in the UK not taught enough about the role played by Great Britain in shaping the world around us today.
Career
After graduation from King's College Merlene obtained my Master of Laws degree at Cambridge. She trained as a Solicitor and worked at a leading City law firm in the high adrenalin-fueled world of corporate finance and banking.
She returned briefly to Singapore and requalified there as an advocate and solicitor and made partnership at a medium sized firm specialising in the areas of joint ventures and cross-border finance.
Mediation and alternate dispute resolution
In 2000, Merlene retrained as a mediator with CEDR (Centre for Dispute Resolution) and worked as a pro-bono community mediator in the boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster. She learnt about the problems of concern to residents and found ways of helping them take responsibility for their own actions. Resolution often comes through meeting needs not demands.
Work life balance
Merlene is a mother of three boys aged 10-16. Whilst they were growing up, she obtained a British Wheel of Yoga teaching diploma and continues to do yoga in her spare time. As she believes passionately that children are our future, she regularly fund-raises for the charity Save the Children and occasionally speaks at schools about the work that the charity does. She was also a Trustee of the legally aided Chinese Information and Advice Centre and is a Director of Richmond Housing Partnership.
Entree into Politics
Nearly 25 years after her first arrival in the UK, Merlene finally made a conscious decision to become British and to join a political party. She chose the Liberal Democrats because she believes in its values of social justice, civil liberties and the right of the individual to live a life free from discrimination and ignorance. She is a dedicated party activist, Membership and Recruitment officer, Secretary to the Richmond Lib Dem Council Group and co-founder of Chinese Liberal Democrats. She ran for the Local Council in May 2005 representing Barnes ward in Richmond. Merlene now seeks the opportunity to represent the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly so that we can have an Assembly that is more representative of Londoners as a whole.
Motivation
Whereas many today are career politicians, it is all the more important to have politicians who have had careers outside of politics. Merlene was motivated to enter politics by a wish to serve the community. There is presently not a single Liberal Democrat Councillor in London who is Chinese nor any Liberal Democrat MP or GLA Assembly Member who is an ethnic minority member. Yet London thrives and prospers because of its diversity and will continue to do so if we are given an active role.
Comments (below) : (0) • Permalink
Updated on 04 March, 2008
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