Annual Report 2010 - 2011 Contents
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Annual Report 2010 - 2011 Contents 2 Foreword by the Attorney-General 6 Remembrance and Congratulations 10 Our Mission, Vision and Core Values 13 Our Roles 15 Our Corporate Structure A. AGC’s Management Team B. Six Legal Divisions and Two Non-Legal Divisions 29 Our Key Milestones A. As The Government’s Chief Legal Adviser and Counsel i. AGC’s Advisory Work ii. AGC’s Involvement in Litigation iii. AGC in Negotiations iv. AGC as Legislative Draftsman B. As Public Prosecutor C. In Performing Other Assigned Duties of a Legal Character D. Our Corporate Resources 61 Our Training, Development and Outreach 67 The Ties that Bind Us 71 Key Figures for 2010-2011 A. Corporate Awards B. Performance Indicators C. Financial Indicators for FY2010-FY2011 Attorney-General’s Chambers ANNUAL REPORT 2010 - 2011 1 FOREWORD BY THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL As we look back on these past years, the taxation policies and policies concerning adjust to these changes so that we can function perceptible increase in the complexity of our casino regulation. Cross-Divisional teams effectively. work is particularly striking. This growing were also engaged to deal with cases before complexity has in turn given rise to two the Singapore Courts when we were required With this in mind, I have intensified the consequences, which I elaborate on below. to address constitutional challenges and also commitment of my Chambers to the training, to defend Singapore’s judiciary in the face of development and specialisation of our officers contempt. so that we are well placed to support the THE NEED FOR Government with the highest level of legal iNTER-dIVISIONAL This is perhaps a reality that is ultimately to be services. This is not only something the COLLABORATION expected since in an environment of increasing Government is entitled to expect from us; complexity, one can hardly expect that legal it is indispensible in my view. I have also Although the manpower of the Attorney- issues will come neatly packaged according to implemented a review of our manpower needs General’s Chambers is functionally organised our corporate structure. But as a reflection of and have stepped up recruitment. With our into six professional Divisions, each focusing this trend, this Annual Report departs from our resources fully harnessed and trained, I believe on particular types of work, in the present usual format of being divided into Chapters we will be up to meeting the challenges we environment it is unsurprising that a significant based on the work of the different Divisions of can expect. portion of the work that we do will require the my Chambers. Rather, we have found it more attention of officers from different Divisions. appropriate to present our work according This creates significant opportunities for our to the constitutional roles that are reposed in TRAINING officers, but also poses some challenges. The the office of the Attorney-General: namely as I have identified training as the single most opportunity to examine issues from different the Public Prosecutor and as the Chief Legal important and cost-effective way by which analytical perspectives is an enriching Advisor of the Government, as well as in we can upgrade our performance and I experience for our officers; but it also calls performing other assigned duties of a legal have committed to make this the hallmark for a commitment to venture beyond one’s character. The Attorney-General’s Chambers has played comfort zone to consider issues that may be of any stint that is spent by an officer at a historical role in the development of just beyond the horizon of one’s experience. my Chambers. To this end, we rolled out Singapore’s legal heritage, tracing its roots to By encouraging inter-Divisional collaboration, a series of exciting and important training THE NEED FOR initiatives in 2010 and 2011. These were to 1867. Through almost a century and a half of we have been able to respond to our clients’ TRAINING AND its existence, the Attorney-General’s Chambers needs without diluting the development of be implemented in the context of a training has come to be seen as an integral stakeholder specialised skills. DEVELOPMENT roadmap that was developed for each of our officers. Fresh entrants to the profession who in the administration of criminal justice in our The second direct consequence of the join us will begin with a 6-month Training country; and as a vital player in the national Such inter-Divisional collaboration was increased complexity of our work is the Contract Programme, which was introduced effort and commitment to the preservation and necessary for instance when we were called need for us, as public lawyers, to constantly to give our trainee legal officers practical promotion of the rule of law in Singapore. upon to advise on the legal issues relating to engage in a concerted program of training and and hands-on training through attachments the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010, development so that as a vital organisation, we and mentorship. Alongside this, a structured In the past couple of years, which are the the 2011 General and Presidential Elections, will remain vibrant and relevant and discharge advocacy-training programme was developed subject of this Report, my Chambers has the drafting and implementation of the new our constitutional roles well. My officers and and has been rolled out for our prosecutors, continued to be involved in a number of key Criminal Procedure Code, and key areas of I are often faced with issues that are at the while a similar effort is underway for our areas of work, much of it critical to Singapore’s law and policy development in respect of cutting-edge of the various areas of law that State Counsel. We also introduced a Training national interest. The Editorial Team has done Singapore’s international trade obligations, we practise in and as a result, there is a need Incentive Scheme to encourage upgrading and an excellent job of capturing the highlights of for us continually to be prepared to address continuing education for all, including non- our work during this time. these issues, to recognise and evaluate the legally trained officers. These initiatives are to changes in our operating environment and to Attorney-General’s Chambers Attorney-General’s Chambers 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2010 - 2011 ANNUAL REPORT 2010 - 2011 3 FOREWORD BY THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL be seen in the context of our commitment to particularly those concerning social policy. the upgrading of our registry and litigation but that was not to be. Nonetheless, it proved the development of each officer so that he or To this end, a team of legal officers from my support teams. The improvements to our to be a memorable evening made the more so she achieves a personal best. I am confident Chambers and from other parts of the Legal Knowledge Management processes have by the presence of Mrs Tan Boon Teik and their that in time, we will come to be recognised Branch of the Legal Service was formed to look also enhanced our ability to serve as the son, Pip Tan Seng Hin. It is connections such as offering the best professional training and into social legislation issues which are likely institutional memory of many of the issues as these that give context, texture and richness development program for our young lawyers to emerge on the horizon in the medium- to affecting the Government. These efforts have in our journey to continue the mission that so and indeed for the more senior ones who are long-term so as to be ready to provide useful helped my officers to work more efficiently many others before us have dedicated their committed to a career in public law. counsel to those who will ultimately need to and productively but more needs to be done in professional lives to. develop policy responses to these issues. this area and it is something we will continue to focus on. My colleagues and I are committed to making SPECIALISATION the Attorney-General’s Chambers a cherished In addition to functional skills, we also RECRUITMENT In order to ensure that our work environment national institution. In this, we are building recognise the need to nurture legal specialists We have also endeavoured to remain vibrant remains optimal, we will be moving to new on the foundations laid by others and we will in our midst. Steps have therefore been taken as an organisation through the recruitment premises at Upper Pickering Street at the end continue these efforts bit by bit. I trust the to ensure that our officers are armed with of some of the brightest legal minds and who of 2012, where my Chambers will be housed pages of this Annual Report will give you a expertise and knowledge in specific practice also have a strong sense of public duty. The within our own dedicated building. We have sense of what we have been doing to this end areas that are strategically important to the promise that we will do what we can to help spent the last 21 years at our present location in the most recent past. discharge of our constitutional roles. every officer become the best that he or she and have outgrown it. The move is therefore can be, has already served us well on the timely. Sundaresh Menon, S.C. For instance, in the area of criminal law, the recruitment front. We have also revamped our Attorney-General Economic Crimes & Governance Division internship programme and this continues to was formed in 2010 to serve as a cohesive be a key plank in our outreach efforts.