Council Update   

6 January 2006

Workplan 2006 – Law Reform Initiatives

As part of the Society’s focus to undertake studies in law reform to improve the administration of justice, the Council approved under its 2006 Workplan, the formation of two ad-hoc committees, one to study the provision of legal aid and the other, capital punishment in Singapore.

The committee on legal aid would be jointly chaired by members of the Council, Mr Jimmy Yim, SC, and Ms Malathi Das. The Council approved the terms of reference of the committee which were as follows:

1   Review the present governmental and voluntary legal aid schemes available to needy and destitute persons in Singapore requiring legal advice and presentation.

2   Determine the sufficiency of such schemes.

3   Make recommendations, if any, for the improvement of such schemes in providing access to justice.

The co-chairs would co-opt members to serve on the ad-hoc committee.

The Council would also undertake a study on capital punishment as a sentencing policy. The committee would be co-chaired by the Past President of the Society, Mr Peter Low, and member of the Council, Mr Chia Boon Teck. The following members would serve on the committee: Mr KS Rajah, SC, Mr Chandra Mohan K Nair (Past President), Mr Loo Ngan Chor, Mr Michael Hor (from the National University of Singapore) and members of the Council, Mr Lee Terk Yang and Mr Anand Nalachandran.

The terms of reference of this ad-hoc committee would be put before the Council for approval at its next meeting of 
26 January 2006.

Law Society’s Workplan 2006 Briefing to Members on 11 February 2006

Members of the Society would be invited to attend a briefing on the Society’s Workplan on Saturday, 11 February 2006. At this session, the Council would share with members the goals and projects for the year.

An Anti-Money Laundering Legal Framework for Lawyers

Council approved the draft amendments to the Legal Profession Act on the Anti-Money Laundering Rules for submission to the Ministry of Law. A practice direction on anti-money laundering and terrorism financing would be drawn up and members’ attention drawn to the provisions under our law to report suspicious transactions and against ‘tipping off’.

The changes to the professional conduct rules were targeted to take effect in June 2006. An article written by the CEO, Ms Yasho Dhoraisingam, on the proposed rule changes would be published in the Singapore Law Gazette in February 2006. The Society would organise its first seminar on this topic in April and a section on anti-money laundering has been included for this year’s annual Legal Practice Management course to be held in March.

Appointment of Committees for 2006

The Council appointed members of committees for the Society’s 29 standing committees at the meeting and approved changes to the terms of reference of four committees, namely, Admissions, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Project LawHelp and International Relations. Two hundred and thirty-eight members volunteered to serve on the committees of the Society following the Society’s call for volunteers last year.