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More News on Electronic Filing Mr
Palakrishnan, Mrs Arfat Selvam, Mr Goh Phai Cheng SC and Mr Lim Seng Siew, the
Chairperson of the EFS Committee, will meet with the Honourable Chief Justice to
discuss the issues of cost, funding and training in relation to the Electronic
Filing System.
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New Committees for the year 2000
The
Law Society’s Committees for the year 2000 were in the process of being
formed. Committee members will be invited to a workplan meeting to discuss each
Committee’s plans for the year 2000.
A Conversation with the Conveyancers
Mr
Derrick Wong informed the Council of the Conveyancing Practice Committee’s
plans to hold a dialogue session with members to obtain their feedback and
suggestions for the Committee’s future direction and projects.
A
Mandate for Continuing Legal Education?
Mr
George Lim has been requested to chair the Committee on mandatory continuing
legal education (MCLE). Mr Sreenivasan briefed the Council on the CLE
Committee’s plans to set requirements and standards for MCLE and to implement
a tracking system on the number of hours and courses that legal practitioners
‘chalk up’ for continuing legal education. The CLE Committee will study and
produce a report on MCLE, which they will discuss with Mr VK Rajah SC.
First
Council Meeting for Director, Public Relations
Mr
Palakrishnan bade a warm welcome to Ms Adeline Ang, Director of Public
Relations, who joined the Law Society on 3 January 2000, and who attended her
first Council Meeting on 11 January 2000.
Friendly
Games with the Malaysians
The
Council agreed that the Annual Bench & Bar Games between Singapore and
Malaysia should be held from 28 to 30 April 2000, rather than from 21 to 23
April 2000. Mr
Naresh Mahtani, CEO, will liaise with the Malaysian Bar Council.
Arbitration
— A New Panel ?
Mr
Naresh Mahtani, CEO, and Mr George Lim met with Mr Warren Khoo, Chairman of the
Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) to discuss possible
co-operation between the Law Society and the SIAC on var i ous proposals.
It is proposed that the SIAC appoint another panel of arbitrators for expeditious arbitrations for claims of up to $300,000. Other proposals include new rules for expeditious arbitrations and ‘gateways’ from litigation to arbitration.
The
Council appointed an ad hoc Arbi trati on Sub-Committee, consisting of Mr Goh
Phai Cheng SC, Mr Sivakumar Murugaiyan and Mr Thio Shen Yi, who will examine the
feasibility of these proposals and report to the Council one month later.
The
Council also nominated Mr Goh Phai Cheng SC as the Law Society’s
representative for consultation on the draft Arbitration Bill 2000 and the
International Arbitration (Amendment) Bill 2000.
Electronic
Filing: Practising Certificates included!
The
Council discussed the electronic filing of practising certificates (PCs), which
the Honourable Chief Justice Yong Pung How had announced in his speech at the
Opening of the Legal Year on 10 January 2000.
Some Secretariat members met with some Judicial Officers of the Supreme Court on 13 January 2000 to finalise the details of the electronic filing of PCs.
Lawyers
who file their PCs electronically will now use cash cards for the payment of
stamp fees, instead of cheques or cash. With the introduction of e-filing,
amendments will have to be made to the subsidiary legislation on the filing of
PCs.
The court will provide two training sessions for lawyers to file their PCs electronically. The Law Society will be arranging for facilities for members to file their PCs electronically at the Law Society’s premises.lti-doo
Courthouse
— ‘Law on the Web for the Layman’
Ms
Malathi Das told the Council of the Subordinate Courts’ proposal to set up a
notional webpage to link the Subordinate Courts’ webpage with the Law
Society’s webpage which would provide legal information on the web for lay
people. The Law Society will share the costs of this project with the
Subordinate Courts.
The
Website revisited!
Mr
Naresh Mahtani informed the Council that improvements were being made to the
Society’s website. The Secretariat will oversee the maintenance and updating
of the website on a fortnightly basis. Steps will also be taken to improve the
design of the website.
Council
Kit 2000
The Law Society’s Council Members, and the Directors and Assistant Directors of the Law Society’s Secretariat were presented with a special ‘Council Kit’ by Mr Palakrishnan at the first Council Meeting in the year 2000. The Council also adopted the new protocol guidelines proposed for Council meetings.
Practice
Directions and Rulings of the Council
Naming
of Management Firms/Companies for Group Law Practices
A
private limited company or firm acting as manager of a Group Law Practice cannot
include in its name the expression ‘Group Law Practice’. For example, a
service company or manager cannot be called ‘First Group Law Practice Pte
Ltd’ or ‘First Group Law Practice Management Services’.
The
Council has made this ruling as a ‘Group Law Practice’ is not a legal entity
under the Group Practice Rules and is of the view that the term ‘Group Law
Practice’ should not be used in describing activities other than the practice
of law.
The Registrar of Companies & Businesses has been advised of the Council’s ruling.
Rulings
of the Law Society
Members are reminded that under section 59(1)(b) of the Legal Profession Act (Cap 161) the Council has the power to answer questions affecting the practice and etiquette of the profession and the conduct of members thereof.
Members
are also reminded of the notice that was published in the Law Society’s
Circular Number 7 of 1991 at page 3 reproduced below: