An organisation like the Law Society depends critically on its Secretariat. While Council is made up of volunteer lawyers, as are our committees, it is the directors who provide the skeleton on which the whole body hangs. Not just the skeleton, but the nervous system, ensuring communication between all the different parts. Many directors work with more than one committee. They act as link between chairpersons, secretariat and council. Some directors have to deal with members of the public, others with members of the Society. The demands upon them can be very great, especially in February and March, in the run up to the renewal of practising certificates. 

The Secretariat is important not just for the Society, but also for the profession as a whole. Members should feel that the Society is there for them, and is trying to make it easier for them to run successful practices. To achieve this, we encourage everyone in the Secretariat to do their best to anticipate and meet members’ needs. They sometimes fall short. But this is rarely from want of trying.  

In the Queen’s Birthday List for 2003, Mrs Isa Allan, a 62-year old tea lady with Scottish Enterprise, received an MBE. Mrs Allan said she was ‘stunned and amazed’ to become an MBE, but revealed just why she had received the accolade when she casually remarked, ‘All I do is treat everyone as if they were a member of my own family.’ 

This is an ideal to which we all should aspire — to treat whomever we come across with the same respect and understanding that we accord to those nearest and dearest to us. This does not mean that we never argue with each other, or sometimes even scold others, but it must all be done in a spirit of respect and affection. 

I would ask that members too recognise the hard work of the Secretariat. It is a pain to fill in a form. It is an imposition on valuable time to have to seek an approval or a consent. But the Secretariat didn’t make these rules, and a moment’s reflection will probably remind us that the rules are in the interests of the profession and the public. Where rules are archaic or do not serve a point, bring this to the attention of Council, as we are always working toward reducing unnecessary regulation. But don’t blame it on the person who has to administer the machinery by which the rule operates. That’s like scolding the ticket machine when the train is late — understandable, but not terribly productive. 

I hope that our directors and staff at the Secretariat sometimes find the satisfaction of seeing how their work has contributed toward the mission of the Society or to the well-being of members. The work done by the Society’s Training Department has resulted in a superb programme of continuing professional development. The work of the Publications team has raised the standards of this very publication, which is much admired both here and abroad for its mix of serious articles and lighter pieces. The staff in the CLAS office see everyday how what they do helps individuals in need. Law Awareness projects too can bring visible reward of a public reached and assisted. Those involved in international relations can see the concrete results of their work, when the Singapore profession is enriched by interaction with foreign lawyers. Directors involved in communication with the Courts and other government agencies frequently see how the work of the Society has improved or ameliorated some practice of the authorities or led to procedural reform. Those involved in sports or organising social events obviously have a party everyday. 

But directors involved with professional standards and regulatory consents and approvals rarely find a moment of gratification. No one likes to comply with rules (Bureaucracy, we cry!) and everyone resents our conduct being looked into (Why me?). So the temperament required is resilience and equanimity, as well as a capacity for hard work without forever needing encouragement or pats on the back.  

So while our Secretariat must aspire to Mrs Allan’s standard by treating all the members of our legal family as just that, family, we in the profession should recognise their hard work and dedication and try whenever we can to demonstrate that what they do is valued and appreciated. 

Philip Jeyaretnam, SC
President
The Law Society of Singapore