Council Update                              

23 February 2005

Presentation by the Chair of the Continuing Professional Development (‘CPD’) Committee on vMCPD —  Voluntary Minimum Continuing Professional Development

Mr Thio Shen Yi, Chairman of the CPD Committee, appeared before Council.

Mr Thio briefed Council on the vMCPD programme which would be launched on 1 April 2005. He advised Council that various training institutions had been invited to participate in the initiative which would enable members to track their own learning records and hours for programmes run by various institutions recognised and tracked by the Society. A briefing for members on the vMCPD initiative was fixed for 4 March 2005. The Committee would also write to each member to give them details of vMCPD as well as enclose a Guide. Council would also hold dialogues with the managing partners of medium and large law practices to encourage them to register their in-house training programmes to be recognised as approved training courses under the vMCPD initiative of the Society.

vMCPD would help set the stage for mandatory CPD in the future, if it was supported by the profession. A steering committee chaired by Mr Harry Elias SC, is currently studying this matter of mandatory CPD.
 

Fifth Status Report on Criminal Practice Projects of 2004

Mr Edmond Pereira, as chair of the Criminal Practice Committee (‘CPC’), reported that the CPC was still waiting for members to respond to their survey. The CPC at its next meeting would decide on the next course of action.

Mr Pereira added that the CPC would also be organising a seminar on criminal discovery, together with CLAS.
 

First Status Report on the Pro Bono Scheme to Help the Next-of-Kin of Victims of the Tsunami Tragedy

Council was informed that to date, two families of victims had come forward to request for assistance. Of the two applications, one was subsequently withdrawn as the victim’s body had been recovered. The other next-of-kin had been matched to one of the volunteer law practices.
 

Second Status Report of the Committee to Commemorate the 20th Anniversary of CLAS in Conjunction with the Society’s Annual Dinner and Dance 2005

Council was informed that 50 tables had been confirmed for the event to be held at Ritz Carlton on 3 September 2005.

Council agreed to the publication of a souvenir magazine to raise funds for the 20th anniversary dinner.
 

Survey Findings on ‘How to Enhance Profit and Reduce Costs’ Conducted Amongst Small Law Firms in 2004

Ms Chu Sooi Yoon reported that the Small Firms Committee had in 2004 sent out a survey to 719 small law firms and received 59 responses. Mr Chia Boon Teck, as chair of the 2005 Committee, would discuss the results of the survey with the 2005 Committee and then make recommendations to Council.
 

Feedback from Members to Proposed Changes to the Workmen’s Compensation Process by the Ministry of Manpower

Mr Leo Cheng Suan and Mr Chia Boon Teck had held a meeting with members to discuss the Ministry’s proposed changes to the workmen’s compensation process and had received feedback. The Society would compile the feedback and forward the same to the Ministry of Manpower.
 

Repair and Renovation of the Law Society’s Secretariat Premises

The Young Lawyers Committee had confirmed that they were not planning to hold any events on the rooftop and the basic maintenance work to the rooftop could proceed. Council noted that the renovations would be limited to maintenance works for the premises.
 

Law Society’s Two Representatives to Serve as Directors for the Proposed Insolvency Practitioners Association

Council agreed to nominate Mr Patrick Ang and Mr Andrew Chan to serve as Directors for the proposed Association.
 

Appointment of the Society’s Chairperson to Oversee the Ad-hoc Committee of the Society on the Organisation of the IBA Conference 2007

Council appointed Mr Jimmy Yim, SC as Chairman of the ad-hoc committee in place of Mr Yang Ing Loong who had ceased practice. Council recorded its appreciation to Mr Yang for 
his service.