2007 marks the 40th anniversary of the Law Society of Singapore.

This year, Council has adopted a different approach in mapping out the Society’s direction and workplan for the year ahead.

To address the immediate needs of the profession and the community, Council has formulated a one-year project workplan, setting out the projects to be undertaken by the Society for the year 2007 (the ‘Project Workplan 2007’). These projects range from developing and launching new pastoral and welfare programmes, promoting international relations, addressing practice concerns to encouraging camaraderie amongst lawyers.

One key focus of Council in 2007 is to strengthen and improve the implementation of projects undertaken by the Society. To this end, lead Council members have been appointed to steer and drive each of the Society’s projects forward. Council will review the Project Workplan 2007 in July 2007 to assess the progress of the various projects.

To address the long-term objectives and strategic vision for the Society, Council will be holding a special Council meeting in February 2007 to plan and discuss the direction to be undertaken by the Society for the next two to three years (the ‘Strategic Workplan’). The Strategic Workplan aims to address the long-term concerns of the profession in the changing legal landscape. To determine progress and assess if the objectives have been met, Council will be conducting an annual review of the Strategic Workplan.

Project Workplan 2007

Some of the major upcoming events and activities that we can look forward to in 2007 are as follows:

Pastoral and welfare programmes

In 2007, the Society will be launching two new pastoral and welfare programmes.

To provide assistance and guidance to members on practice management issues, the Society will be launching a new practitioner practice management support scheme in January 2007. Under this scheme, practitioners with queries or concerns on practice management issues may seek guidance from a legal practice management consultant.

To assist respondent lawyers in disciplinary proceedings, a new scheme will also be launched in early 2007 for respondent lawyers to seek legal assistance from volunteer members on complaint proceedings.

Addressing practice concerns

To better facilitate the current conveyancing practice and procedure, the Society will be reviewing the Law Society Conditions of Sale 1999 to improve and address various issues raised by members concerning the Conditions of Sale 1999.

The Society’s Muslim Law Practice Committee will also be continuing its work on the study of the issues concerning the enforcement mechanism of Syariah Court orders.

Further, the Society has been invited by the Ministry of Home Affairs to give its views on the recent proposed amendments to the Penal Code. The ad hoc committee set up by Council is currently in the process of reviewing the proposed amendments and the Society’s feedback is expected to be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs by February 2007.

Preparations are also currently underway to launch the Society’s domestic arbitration scheme in the third quarter of 2007. It is hoped that this arbitration scheme, specifically targeted at small value claims, would offer speedy dispute resolution at a reasonable cost and would provide members opportunities to acquire arbitration experience and a track record that may be useful in developing an arbitration practice.

Professional standards

To ensure that members meet the requisite standards of combating money laundering and terrorist financing, as required by the Financial Action Task Force, an inter-governmental body set up under the auspices of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, new rules of practice on anti-money laundering will be implemented in April 2007.

The Legal Profession (Solicitors’ Accounts) Rules and the Accountant’s Report Rules will also be reviewed in 2007.

Community and pro bono projects

To raise public awareness of the law, the Society will be launching its bi-annual law awareness project in the third quarter of 2007 to inform and educate the public on current legal issues.

Upon approval of the principal recommendations set out in the report of the Society’s Legal Aid Review Committee, the Society proposes to establish a steering committee to study the implementation of the committee’s recommendations.

Dialogues, social events and conferences

For the benefit of our younger members, the Society’s Young Lawyers Committee will, in 2007, continue to organise dialogue sessions for senior lawyers to share their experiences with younger lawyers. Two sessions have been planned; the first session being scheduled for the second quarter of this year.

Throughout 2007, Council will be organising tea sessions and dialogues with members to seek members’ feedback on issues of concern. The Society will also continue to hold social, sports and other events to promote camaraderie amongst members.

2007 being the Society’s 40th anniversary, the Society will be organising various social events and activities throughout the year to mark this special occasion.

In particular, in celebration of the Society’s 40th anniversary, the Society will be having its inaugural bi-annual lecture in July 2007. Professor Irwin Cotler PC, Professor of law at McGill University, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, a prominent constitutional and comparative law scholar and international human rights and peace law advocate, has been invited as the speaker for the lecture.

Further, the Society, being the host country for the International Bar Association (‘IBA’) Conference to be held in Singapore from 14 to 19 October 2007, will be playing host to various international bar leaders. The IBA Conference will provide an invaluable platform for showcasing the Singapore legal profession and will give Singapore lawyers the excellent opportunity to network and share experiences with international bar leaders from around the world.

Workplan Dialogue with Members

2007 clearly promises to be an eventful and exciting year for all of us.

To hear your views and comments on the Society’s workplan for 2007, Council will be holding a workplan dialogue for members on 19 January 2007.

This is a great opportunity for members to share issues of concern with Council and we look forward to seeing you at the dialogue session.

Chua Lik Teng

The Law Society of Singapore