News

Joint Seminars with Shanghai Bar Association
Following the Law Society’s legal mission to China in August, the Society and the Shanghai Bar Association have agreed in principle to host two seminars, one in Singapore and the other in Shanghai next year.

A sub-committee of the International Relations Committee chaired by Council member, Mr Yang Ing Loong, would plan the two seminars.

Proposed Family Law Protocol Manual
Council member, Ms Malathi Das, reported that the Family Law Committee has agreed to publish a best practice guide for family practitioners. Ms Debbie Ong, a member of the Committee and an associate professor of law at the National University of Singapore, had offered to write the manual that would be aimed at helping family law practitioners and law students grasp the practical aspects of practice in this area of law.

Third Quarterly Report of the CEO on the Law Society’s Workplan 2002
CEO, Ms Yasho Dhoraisingam, reported that most of the targets for 2002 have either been met or were being met. Mr Philip Jeyaretnam was tasked to re-look at a separate business code.

A status report would be presented by Mr Gan Hiang Chye to Council in November 2002 on a possible Solicitors’ Real Estate Scheme.

Submission of a Bid to Host the Biennial LawAsia Conference in 2005
Subject to financial considerations, Council would decide if it wished to put in a bid to host the Biennial LawAsia Conference in Singapore in 2005.

End of Year ‘Thank You’ Reception for Chairpersons and Members of Committees
Ms Malathi Das suggested a ‘thank you’ reception be organised to promote interaction amongst committee members, as well as show council’s appreciation to its members for serving on the Committees.

Official Launch of the Law Society’s E-learning Portal
Council approved the proposed programme for the launch of the Law Society’s E-learning Portal that would be held on 25 October 2002.

Senior Minster of State for Law and Home Affairs, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, had kindly agreed to act as the Guest-of-Honour for the event.

Catholic Lawyers Guild
At a time when religious differences are a cause for conflict in our world, man is sometimes torn between a rejection of religion in preference to a secular world or a rediscovery of the truths of one’s religion.

On 21 September this year, a group of lawyers led by Jimmy Yim, SC, Peter Cuthbert Low, a past President of the Law Society, and Michael Khoo, SC, registered the Catholic Lawyers Guild (‘CLG’) under the Societies Act (Cap 311). CLG’s objectives are primarily spiritual, seeking to help Catholic lawyers in their profession through the practice of time-honoured Christian virtues. Membership of the CLG is open to all legally trained persons professing the Catholic faith. The Patron Saint for the CLG is St Thomas More, lawyer, Chancellor and martyr, immortalised also on the silver screen by the Hollywood movie A man for All Seasons. The spiritual Director of the CLG is Fr John Paul Tan, a Franciscan canon lawyer and priest.

The CLG’s Inaugural Mass will be celebrated by His Grace, Archbishop Nicholas Chia, Fr Gino Hendriques CSsR of Lumen 2000 and Fr John Paul Tan at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Bras Basah Road on Thursday, 5 December 2002, at 6pm, followed by a formal dinner at the Ballroom, Singapore Swimming Club at Tanjong Rhu Road. The Red Mass for the dedication of the new Legal Year will also be celebrated at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd on Saturday, 4 January 2003, at 8.30am. All who are in the legal profession, their family members and well-wishers are invited to attend these celebrations. For membership and dinner booking, please contact Petula Wong I-Lin (tel: 6837 9084; e-mail: petula@hoh.com.sg) or Cosmas Gomez (tel: 6837 9056; e-mail: cosmas@hoh.com.sg).

Council Updates