Redefining 08 Possibilities. 09 singapore academy of law annual report Our Mission & Values Building up the intellectual capital, capability and infrastructure of members of the Singapore Academy of Law. Promotion of ESPRIT DE CORPS among the members of the Singapore Academy of Law. Contents 02 About Singapore Academy of Law 04 The President’s Review 06 The Senate 08 The Executive Committee 10 Facts, Figures & Highlights 14 Redefining Expertise: Legal Knowledge 20 Redefining Opportunities: Legal Industry 28 Redefining Efficiency: Legal Technology 32 The Year In Review: Corporate Services 34 Key Executives 38 Financial Review Singapore Academy of Law Annual Report 2008/09 MICA (P) 181/11/2009, ISSN 1793 - 5679 about singapore academy of law The Singapore Academy of Law (the of the Law Society of Singapore, Mr Michael “Academy”) has close to 8,000 members Hwang, SC and the Dean of the Faculty of comprising all persons who are called as Law of the National University of Singapore, advocates and solicitors of the Supreme Court Professor Tan Cheng Han, SC. The Senate or who are appointed as Legal Service Officers. also comprises the High Court Judges, the The membership of the Academy comprises Solicitor-General, academia and the practising of the Bench, the Bar, and large numbers of profession. corporate counsel and faculty members of the .... The work of the Academy is focused on local law schools. three key areas: supporting the growth and .... The Academy is governed by the Senate development of the Legal Industry; building up which is headed by the Honourable the Chief the intellectual capital of the legal profession by Justice Chan Sek Keong as President. The Vice- enhancing Legal Knowledge; and improving Presidents of the Academy are the Honourable the efficiency of legal practice through Legal Attorney-General Professor Walter Woon; the Technology. The work of the Academy is driven Honourable Judge of Appeal Justice Chao Hick by these three core mandates. This in turn Tin; the Honourable Judge of Appeal Justice is directed towards raising the standard and Andrew Phang Boon Leong; the Honourable quality of legal practice and building a strong Judge of Appeal Justice V K Rajah; President and dynamic legal community in Singapore. the President’s 4 Review 5 This year 2008/09 was the number of subscribers for its rare opportunity to walk through A landmark project that will up-to-date legal research database long term funding arrangements second year which the Academy daily email updates continued to the old dungeons and corridors of come to fruition this year is from key common law jurisdictions. that had been put in place. functioned under a new structure increase at a satisfactory level. the old Supreme Court and view Three key databases were added the Singapore Law Reports to focus on three strategic areas of rare legal documents, stamps, to Legal Workbench last year. The unique strength of the work – LEGAL KNOWLEDGE, The Singapore Mediation Centre artefacts and photos that traced (Reissue) (“SLR(R)”). These include Indian Supreme Academy lies in its ability to draw LEGAL TECHNOLOGY successfully hosted the inaugural Singapore’s legal history. The SLR(R) comprising Court Cases and Australian and on the assistance of members of the and LEGAL INDUSTRY. Asian Mediation Association 78 volumes of reported New Zealand cases. In addition, Bench, the Bar, the Legal Service Conference with the former A landmark project that will come cases and six volumes of the Practitioners’ Toolkit was enhanced and the law schools in Singapore. The new structure allows each President of Finland and 2008 to fruition this year is the Singapore with the inclusion of the taxation of Without them, we could not have Consolidated Index from 1965 cluster to focus on individual Nobel Peace Prize winner, Law Reports (Reissue) (“SLR(R)”). costs database. More than 80% of done many of the things that have initiatives without losing President Martti Ahtisaari, as the The SLR(R) comprising 78 – 2009 will be launched at the Singapore practitioners now hold made the Academy a success. sight of the broad strategic keynote speaker. The conference volumes of reported cases and six opening of legal year 2010. IDs to access Legal Workbench. objectives of our work. was attended by more than 300 volumes of the Consolidated Index I would like to express my sincere participants from 19 countries from 1965 – 2009 will be launched To increase the number of thanks to members and staff of This Annual Report details the around the world, who gave it at the opening of legal year 2010. subscribers, LawNet has the Academy, whose hard work work and accomplishments of the very favourable feedback. launched Legal Workbench and dedication to the interest Academy in the preceding year Next year, the Academy will assume in Malaysia last year for the of the Academy have made in carrying out its statutory Our activity levels also remained the responsibility of providing benefit of Malaysian lawyers. possible the achievements set duties and functions. Let me high in the Legal Knowledge practical and continuing legal This was made possible with the out in this Annual Report. highlight a few of them. cluster. In publishing, Academy education through an institute support of the Malaysian Bar Publishing reached full-fledged to be called the Institute of Legal Council, and for which we thank The Legal Industry cluster had status as a law publisher. Two Education (“ILE”). The ILE the Council. This year, we will Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong an exciting and fruitful year in landmark publications were will oversee and co-ordinate the work towards promoting LawNet President promoting Singapore law and launched by me last year. Both various legal education initiatives services in Australia, New Zealand Singapore Academy of Law Alternative Dispute Resolution. Modern Advocacy: Perspectives from and programmes for the legal and the United Kingdom. Page viewership of the Singapore Singapore written by 17 Senior profession. This is a major project Law Watch (“SLW”) has Counsel and Sentencing Principles whose success is vital to the future Financially, last year was not exceeded 100,000 a month. in Singapore, one Deputy Senior efficiency and vitality of legal a good year for the Academy’s SLW is a syndicated daily news State Counsel’s monumental services in Singapore. The Academy investments and revenue from bank service on current developments effort, were published. will need the co-operation of many deposits (and for virtually everyone in Singapore law and the legal practitioners to make it successful. as well who were invested in the services sector and also the broader In July last year, we organised a financial and securities markets). national environment affecting legal heritage exhibition where In the Legal Technology cluster, our Fortunately, we were able to the law and legal services. The more than 5,000 visitors had the aim is to build a professional and weather these losses because of the REDEFINING POSSIBILITIES The President’s Review SINGAPORE ACADEMY OF LAW AR 08/09 the Senate 6 7 The Senate is headed by the Law Society of Singapore, Mr Michael seated from left to right: Solicitor-General Mrs Koh Juat Jong Mr Giam Chin Toon, SC Honourable the Chief Justice Chan Hwang, SC and the Dean of the Faculty Professor Tan Cheng Han, SC Justice Judith Prakash Mr Goh Joon Seng Sek Keong as President of the of Law of the National University of Justice Andrew Phang Boon Leong, JA Justice Belinda Ang Saw Ean Mr Joseph Grimberg, SC Academy. Singapore, Professor Tan Cheng Han, SC. Attorney-General Professor Walter Woon Justice Lai Siu Chiu Justice Tay Yong Kwang Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong Justice Choo Han Teck Mr Tan Chee Meng, SC The Vice-Presidents of the Academy The Senate also comprises the High Justice Chao Hick Tin, JA Professor Michael Furmston Professor Yeo Tiong Min are the Honourable Attorney- Court Judges, the Solicitor-General, Justice V K Rajah, JA Professor Hans Tjio Justice Lee Seiu Kin General Professor Walter Woon; the academia and the practising profession. Justice Chan Seng Onn Honourable Justice Chao Hick Tin, standing from left to right (1st row): not in picture: JA; the Honourable Justice Andrew Mr L P Thean standing from left to right (2nd row): Mr Michael Hwang, SC Phang Boon Leong, JA; the Honourable Mr Sundaresh Menon, SC Justice Tan Lee Meng Justice Woo Bih Li Justice V K Rajah, JA; President of the Justice Kan Ting Chiu Justice Andrew Ang Mr Wong Meng Meng, SC REDEFINING POSSIBILITIES The Senate SINGAPORE ACADEMY OF LAW AR 08/09 1 Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong Justice V K Rajah, JA Justice Judith Prakash the Executive 1 President of the Singapore 5 Vice-President 10 Chairperson Academy of Law Chairman Law Reform Committee Committee Professional Affairs Committee The President became Chief Justice International Promotion of Justice Judith Prakash was appointed 8 on 11 April 2006, having served as (a) Singapore Law Committee a Judge in April 1995 after serving 9 Judicial Commissioner from July 1986 three years as a Judicial Commissioner to June 1988; (b) Judge of the Supreme Justice V K Rajah was appointed a Judge from April 1992. She was called to the Court from July 1988 to April 1992; and of Appeal of the Supreme Court on Bar in 1975 and practised law for 18 (c) Attorney-General from May 1992 to 11 April 2007. He was also among the years before she was made a Judicial April 2006. He also holds concurrent first batch of lawyers in Singapore to be Commissioner. appointments as the President of appointed Senior Counsel in 1997. the Legal Service Commission and Justice Tan Lee Meng 01 Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong Chairman of the Presidential Council Mr Michael Hwang SC 11 Chairman 02 Attorney-General Professor Walter Woon for Minority Rights.