OUR MISSION To serve our members and the community by sustaining a competent and independent Bar which upholds the rule of law and ensures access to justice. 01 OUR PEOPLE 02 GROWING OUR PRACTICE The Council 3 Advocacy 51 The Executive Committee 4 Alternative Dispute Resolution 53 Council Report 5 Civil Practice 56 The Secretariat 7 Continuing Professional Development 59 President’s Message 8 Conveyancing Practice 61 CEO’s Report 15 Corporate Practice 63 Treasurer’s Report 27 Criminal Practice 65 Audit Committee Report 31 Cybersecurity and Data Protection 68 Year in Review 32 Family Law Practice 70 Statistics 48 Information Technology 73 Insolvency Practice 74 Intellectual Property Practice 76 International Relations 78 Muslim Law Practice 81 Personal Injury and Property Damage 83 Probate Practice and Succession Planning 85 Publications 87 Public and International Law 90 Small Law Firms 92 Social and Welfare 94 Solicitors’ Accounts Rules 97 Sports 98 Young Lawyers 102 ENHANCING PROFESSIONAL 03 STANDARDS 04 SERVING THE COMMUNITY Admissions 107 Compensation Fund 123 Anti-Money Laundering 109 Professional Indemnity 125 Inquiries into Inadequate Professional Services 111 Report of the Inquiry Panel 113 05 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 06 PRO BONO SERVICES 128 132 07 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 227 This page is intentionally left blank. OUR PEOPLE The council (Seated L to R): Lim Seng Siew, M Rajaram (Vice-President), Gregory Vijayendran (President), Tito Shane Isaac, Adrian Chan Pengee (Standing L to R): Sui Yi Siong (Xu Yixiong), Ng Huan Yong, Simran Kaur Toor, Michael S Chia, Tan Beng Hwee Paul, Chia Boon Teck, Tan May Lian Felicia, Koh Choon Guan Daniel, Ng Lip Chih Not in main picture: Tan Gim Hai Lisa Sam Hui Anand Seah Zhen Wei Chan Tai-Hui Adrian (Vice- Min Nalachandran Paul Jason (Zeng President) Taihui) Low Ying Li, Foo Guo Zheng Christine Benjamin 3 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 OUR PEOPLE Executive committee (L to R): Lim Seng Siew, M Rajaram, Gregory Vijayendran, Tito Shane Isaac, Tan May Lian Felicia, Koh Choon Guan Daniel Not in main picture: Tan Gim Hai Lisa Sam Hui Adrian Min ANNUAL REPORT 2018 4 OUR PEOPLE Council Report Outgoing Council Members for 2017 The term of the following Council members ended on 31 December 2017: Kuah Boon Theng Thio Shen Yi, SC Dhillon Dinesh Singh Yeo Chuan Tat Tien De Ming Grismond Council Members for the Period 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2018 Senior Category middle Category (not less than 15 years’ standing) (5 to 15 years’ standing) Gregory Vijayendran (President) Tan Beng Hwee Paul Tan Gim Hai Adrian (Vice-President) Seah Zhen Wei Paul M Rajaram (Vice-President) Tan May Lian Felicia Tito Shane Isaac (Treasurer) Chan Tai-Hui Jason (Zeng Taihui) Lim Seng Siew Simran Kaur Toor Adrian Chan Pengee Koh Choon Guan Daniel Chia Boon Teck junior Category Ng Lip Chih (less than 5 years’ standing) Lisa Sam Hui Min Michael S Chia Low Ying Li, Christine Anand Nalachandran Sui Yi Siong (Xu Yixiong) Ng Huan Yong Foo Guo Zheng Benjamin The following members of Council for 2018 are Statutory Members appointed by the Minister of Law to serve on the Council: M Rajaram Ng Lip Chih Seah Zhen Wei Paul The following members of Council for 2018 are Statutory Members appointed by Council to serve on the Council: Lim Seng Siew Adrian Chan Pengee Anand Nalachandran 5 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 OUR PEOPLE Council Meetings There were 4 ordinary meetings of the Council There were 8 ordinary meetings of the Council from September 2017 to December 2017. The from January 2018 to August 2018. The attendance of members was as follows: attendance of members was as follows: Member Present Absent Member Present Absent Gregory Vijayendran 4 0 Gregory Vijayendran 8 0 (President) (President) Kuah Boon Theng 4 0 Tan Gim Hai Adrian 6 2 (Vice-President) (Vice-President) Tan Gim Hai Adrian 3 1 M Rajaram 8 0 (Vice-President) (Vice-President) Dhillon Dinesh Singh 1 3 Tito Shane Isaac 7 1 (Treasurer) (Treasurer) Thio Shen Yi, SC 0 4 Lim Seng Siew 7 1 (Immediate Past President) Adrian Chan Pengee 7 1 M Rajaram 4 0 Koh Choon Guan Daniel 6 2 Lim Seng Siew 4 0 Chia Boon Teck 5 3 Chia Boon Teck 2 2 Ng Lip Chih 6 2 Tito Shane Isaac 3 1 Lisa Sam Hui Min 7 1 Ng Lip Chih 2 2 Michael S Chia 7 1 Lisa Sam Hui Min 2 2 Anand Nalachandran 7 1 Michael S Chia 3 1 Tan Beng Hwee Paul 5 3 Anand Nalachandran 3 1 Seah Zhen Wei Paul 5 3 Yeo Chuan Tat 0 4 Tan May Lian Felicia 6 2 Tan May Lian Felicia 4 0 Chan Tai-Hui Jason (Zeng 3 5 Tan Beng Hwee Paul 4 0 Taihui) Simran Kaur Toor 3 1 Simran Kaur Toor 5 3 Tien De Ming Grismond 3 1 Low Ying Li, Christine 4 4 Low Ying Li, Christine 3 1 Sui Yi Siong (Xu Yixiong) 6 2 Sui Yi Siong (Xu Yixiong) 3 1 Ng Huan Yong 6 2 Ng Huan Yong 3 1 Foo Guo Zheng Benjamin 7 1 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 6 OUR PEOPLE Clifford Hang K Gopalan Director, Department Head Director, Department Head (Conduct); (Administration); Director, Department Head Director (Finance) (until 31 December 2017) Shawn Toh (Representation & Law Reform) Director, Department Head (Membership, Communications and International Relations) Michael Ho Alvin Chen Director, Department Head Director, Department Daniel Tan (Information Technology) Head (Legal Research & Assistant Director, Development) Department Head (Compliance) the Secretariat Rajvant Kaur Delphine Loo Tan Jasmine Liew Assistant Director Chief Executive Officer Director, Department (Conduct) Sharmaine Lau Head (Finance) Director, Department Head Genie Sugene Gan Stefanie Lim (Publications); Director, Department Head Assistant Director, Director, Department Head (from 1 May 2018) Department Head (Business Development) (Representation & Law (Legal Productivity & Reform) Innovation) Not in main picture: Jean Wong Director, Department Head (Continuing Professional Development) 7 ANNUAL REPORT 2018 OUR PEOPLE President’s message Last year, we took an important time out to celebrate our Golden Jubilee. We took a walk through the corridors of time and reminded ourselves of important historical snapshots. I honestly believe we have been living in the golden age since 2017. This phrase was coined by a senior practitioner who is a lawyer-leader in the Bar. By this, I principally mean the present sweet spot we have in our relationships within the Bar and also with our fellow stakeholders of justice. It is certainly not paradise perfect of course but we have something to build on. We cannot take this for granted or be presumptuous and in Pollyanna territory that everything will be hunky dory going forward. It will take continuous hard work, intentionality and constant perseverance to be a faithful steward of these relationships of honour and to build a culture of honour. But we are only as strong as our weakest link in the Bar. First and foremost, let me memorialize my heartfelt gratitude to our committed volunteers and staff of Secretariat who undertake the daily activities of the Law Society. The life force from the sacrificial service of many of our members continue to carry us today. Without each and every one of you serving in a variety of ways – from Committees, to mentors, to representing the Society in external bodies (to name a few areas), we can do nothing. It is also a continuing privilege and joy to work with Secretariat staff whose exemplary dedication and service to this cause undergirds the corpus of volunteer altruism. This message should be read in conjunction with the CEO’s, Delphine Loo’s, report. I am endeavouring not to cover similar ground as that report save for when a special emphasis needs to be given. 1. Secretariat Changes Genie Gan and Alvin Chen were the latest new additions to the team parachuting in within a short span of time. They provide a powerful twin force in terms of relational and intellectual capital respectively. Genie, who has previously been part of the Ministry of Law and in a diplomatic role, is our dynamic Director of Law Reform and Representation. Alvin Chen, who is no stranger to many of us, is a first class writer and one of the finest thinkers I know. He rejoined us as Director of the newly named Legal Research and Development Department (“LRD”) (renamed and restructured from the Knowledge Management Department). Paragraph 6 of Delphine’s Report succinctly summarizes the roles and responsibilities of the LRD. 2. Technology Boost This continues to flourish in its sequel year and has been well outlined in Paragraph 10 of Delphine’s report. Tech Start for Law that started last year drew 152 applicants (technically, overachieving our KPIs for the project!) and ultimately 139 were successfully granted subsidies pursuant to the programme. Our Legal Productivity and Innovation (“LPI”) Department played the valuable gatekeeper role and driver on this successful outcome led by our chief driver, Delphine Loo Tan and assisted by Assistant Director Stefanie Lim. But in the bigger scheme of things with a 6,000 strong profession, there is much more adoption of technology that is needed by the profession. ANNUAL REPORT 2018 8 OUR PEOPLE We launched Smart Law Assist 2, unlocking our Education Fund to provide niche offerings targeted principally at medium-sized law firms and received 35 applications. A profession-wide survey of decision-makers, end users and Office/IT managers was conducted by Blackbox who were commissioned by us. The sample size was representative and the feedback insightful. Topline results of the survey (only recently briefed to Council) will be shared with members in the 4th quarter. 3. Lawyers Go Global and International Relations Delphine has covered “Lawyers Go Global” (“LG2”) extensively in Paragraph 8 of her report.