Contents OUR PEOPLE Our Mission ........................................................................................................................... 5 The Council ........................................................................................................................... 6 The Executive Committee ..................................................................................................... 7 Council Report ...................................................................................................................... 8 The Secretariat ................................................................................................................... 11 President’s Message ........................................................................................................... 12 CEO’s Report ...................................................................................................................... 14 Treasurer’s Report .............................................................................................................. 21 Audit Committee Report ...................................................................................................... 30 Year in Review .................................................................................................................... 31 Statistics ............................................................................................................................. 37 COMMITTEE REPORTS GROWING OUR PRACTICE Advocacy ............................................................................................................................ 41 Alternative Dispute Resolution ............................................................................................ 42 Civil Practice ....................................................................................................................... 44 Continuing Professional Development ................................................................................ 46 Conveyancing Practice ....................................................................................................... 47 Corporate Practice .............................................................................................................. 49 Criminal Practice ................................................................................................................. 51 Family Law Practice ............................................................................................................ 53 Funds Coordination ............................................................................................................. 55 Information Technology ....................................................................................................... 56 Insolvency Practice ............................................................................................................. 57 Intellectual Property ............................................................................................................ 59 International Relations ........................................................................................................ 61 Muslim Law Practice ........................................................................................................... 63 Practice Management & PrimeLaw ..................................................................................... 64 Publications ........................................................................................................................ 66 Public & International Law ................................................................................................... 68 Small Law Firms ................................................................................................................. 69 Social & Welfare ................................................................................................................. 70 Solicitors’ Accounts Rules ................................................................................................... 73 Sports ................................................................................................................................. 75 Young Lawyers ................................................................................................................... 77 Page I 1 ENHANCING PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS Admissions ......................................................................................................................... 81 Anti Money Laundering ....................................................................................................... 82 Ethics .................................................................................................................................. 83 Inquiries into Inadequate Professional Services .................................................................. 85 Report of the Inquiry Panel.................................................................................................. 86 SERVING THE COMMUNITY Compensation Fund ............................................................................................................ 93 Professional Indemnity ........................................................................................................ 94 Pro Bono Services Office .................................................................................................... 96 Community Legal Clinics ................................................................................................... 105 Criminal Legal Aid Scheme ............................................................................................... 118 Law Awareness ................................................................................................................. 120 Project Law Help ............................................................................................................... 122 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................. 127 AUDITOR’S REPORT See pages printed in blue Page I 2 Our Mission To serve our members and the community by sustaining a competent and independent Bar which uploads the rule of law and ensures access to justice. Page I 5 The Council (As at August 2011) (Seated, left to right): Gary Allen Pryke (Treasurer), Lok Vi Ming, SC (Vice President), Wong Meng Meng, SC (President), Rajan Menon (Vice President) (Standing, left to right): Patrick Ang Peng Koon, Derek Kang Yu Hsien, Koh Theng Jer Christopher, Lim Seng Siew, Leo Cheng Suan, Eng Yaag Ngee Rachel, Kang Yixian, Lisa Sam Hui Min, Young Chee Foong, Anand Nalachandran, Lee Terk Yang, Michael S. Chia Not in main picture: Sydney Michael Wong Weng Wah Siraj Omar Hazel Tang Bik Simran Kaur Toor Hwang, SC Kelvin Kwan Page I 6 The Executive Committee (Seated, left to right): Lok Vi Ming, SC, Wong Meng Meng, SC, Rajan Menon (Standing, left to right): Young Chee Foong, Gary Allen Pryke, Michael S. Chia, Lisa Sam Hui Min Page I 7 Council Report Outgoing Council Members for 2010 The terms of the following Council members ended on 31 December 2010: Wong Siew Hong Malathi d/o Das Kamalarajan Malaiyandi Chettiar Laura Ann Liew Ai Ling (up to 20 October 2010) Vanessa Sandhu Council Members for the Period 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011 Senior Category (not less than 12 years’ standing) Wong Meng Meng, SC (President) Lok Vi Ming, SC (Vice President) Rajan Menon (Vice President) Gary Allen Pryke (Treasurer) Sydney Michael Hwang (Immediate Past President) Young Chee Foong (Ex-Co Member) Lim Seng Siew (from 1 August 2011) Patrick Ang Peng Koon Leo Cheng Suan Eng Yaag Ngee Rachel Stefanie Yuen Thio (up to 23 May 2011) Wong Weng Wah Kelvin Lisa Sam Hui Min (Ex-Co Member) Middle Category (7 to 12 years’ standing) Siraj Omar Michael S. Chia (Ex-Co Member) Koh Theng Jer Christopher Anand Nalachandran Junior Category (less than 7 years’ standing) Lee Terk Yang Derek Kang Yu Hsien Tang Bik Kwan Hazel Kang Yixian Simran Kaur Toor The following members of Council for 2011 are Statutory Members nominated by the Minister of Law to serve on the Council: Lok Vi Ming, SC Eng Yaag Ngee Rachel Wong Weng Wah Kelvin Page I 8 The following members of Council for 2011 are Statutory Members nominated by Council to serve on the Council: Gary Allen Pryke Patrick Ang Peng Koon Stefanie Yuen Thio (up to 23 May 2011) Lim Seng Siew (from 1 August 2011) Council Meetings There were 4 ordinary meetings and 1 special meeting of the Council from September 2010 to December 2010. The attendance of members was as follows: Member Present Absent Wong Meng Meng, SC (President) 4 1 Lok Vi Ming, SC (Vice President) 2 3 Leo Cheng Suan (Vice President) 5 0 Gary Allen Pryke (Treasurer) 4 1 Sydney Michael Hwang, SC (Immediate Past President) 4 1 Rajan Menon 4 1 Young Chee Foong 4 1 Wong Siew Hong 1 4 Patrick Ang Peng Koon 1 4 Malathi d/o Das 2 3 Stefanie Yuen Thio 2 3 Kamalarajan Malaiyandi Chettiar 3 2 Siraj Omar 1 4 Michael S. Chia 3 2 Koh Theng Jer Christopher 1 4 Anand Nalachandran 3 2 Lee Terk Yang 1 4 Laura Ann Liew Ai Ling (up to 20 October 2010) 1 - Vanessa Sandhu 2 3 Tang Bik Kwan Hazel 4 1 Page I 9 There were 8 ordinary meetings of the Council from January 2011 to August 2011. The attendance of members was as follows: Member Present Absent Wong Meng Meng, SC (President) 8 0 Lok Vi Ming, SC (Vice President) 8 0 Rajan Menon (Vice President) 7 1 Gary Allen Pryke (Treasurer)