Ready For
Tomorrow
Singapore Academy of Law
Annual Report 2023 - 2024
About Us and Our Mission
In the past year, SAL has made significant strides in preparing the legal profession for the age of GenAI, while expanding initiatives that invest in the next generation of legal professionals. Discover more about our progress and plans below.
Message from the President
Over the past year, the Academy has made significant strides to address key challenges facing the legal profession. I would like to highlight the tremendous work it has done in two important areas: first, the Academy’s efforts to empower the legal community to proactively realise the benefits of artificial intelligence (“AI”); and second, the Academy’s work to ensure the sustainability of values-based legal practice.
Empowering the Legal Community to Proactively Realise the Benefits of AI
On AI, the Academy has adopted a multi-pronged approach comprising three aspects.
First, the Academy is developing a comprehensive suite of materials and courses to train lawyers in the appropriate, effective and safe use of AI. In collaboration with Microsoft, we have released a guide and instructional video to provide all lawyers with fundamental prompt engineering techniques, and we have also developed a foundational course on generative AI and prompt engineering. For senior lawyers, our leadership and management courses have been refreshed to provide insights on how they can use generative AI tools to drive business growth, improve efficiency, and sharpen their organisation’s competitive edge.
Second, the Academy will equip lawyers with reliable generative AI tools. To this end, we have significantly enhanced LawNet with generative AI capabilities. The feedback on the initial area of focus – case summarisation – has been highly positive and more features will be launched next year.
Third, the Academy will provide opportunities for the legal community to keep abreast of the latest trends and developments in AI. Our horizon-scanning efforts have expanded considerably. In 2024, we led delegations to legal technology conferences in Delhi and London, and our flagship event, TechLaw.Fest, saw record participation with over 1,700 attendees and around 80 exhibitors.
Ensuring the Sustainability of Values-based Legal Practice
The sustainability of values-based legal practice is another key challenge facing the legal profession, and the Academy is focusing on three areas.
The first is to develop new pedagogy specifically targeted at the training of young lawyers. The upcoming Junior Lawyers Professional Certification Programme aims to set the industry standard for the holistic development of young lawyers across all firms and practice areas. Led by full-time faculty members, the JLP will provide broad-based competencies and specialist skills, and it will also impart management skills and reinforce principles of professional ethics.
The second area of focus is to promote high ethical and professional standards across the profession. We have launched a new ethics repository on LawNet and we are developing curated materials which firms can use to conduct their own training. These materials cover various practice areas including civil litigation, criminal law, family law, and personal injuries and property damage.
Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon
President, Singapore Academy of Law
Finally, to promote sustainable workplaces, the Academy is spearheading an initiative to develop, with a pilot group of law firms, a core set of sustainable workplace practices, to be refined over time for wider adoption. We have also partnered with Singlife to offer a mental health and wellness insurance policy, that will be available to all our members from next year free of charge.
These are but two of the many areas in which the Academy continues to provide outstanding support to our legal profession. The activities of the Academy are reflected in this Report. All these initiatives are made possible only through the unwavering support and valuable contributions of our members and supporters, coupled with the tireless efforts of our dedicated and excellent staff who steer the Academy with distinction. I extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you. As we move forward, let us continue to work together, united in our commitment to navigate the evolving legal landscape and realise our collective aspirations for the profession.
SAL Executive Board
as of 1 December 2023
Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon
President, SAL Chair, Board of Governors, Asian Business Law Institute
Attorney-General Lucien Wong SC
Vice-President, SAL
Ms Lisa Sam
President, The Law Society of Singapore
Justice Aidan Xu @ Aedit Abdullah
Chair, Promotion of Legal Technology Innovation Committee
Justice Andre Maniam
Co-Chair, Professional Affairs and Membership Committee
Justice Debbie Ong
Chair, Learning and Professional Development Committee
Justice Goh Yihan
Co-Chair, Legal Research and Publications Committee Co-Chair, Learning and Professional Development Committee
Justice Kannan Ramesh
Chair, Legal Research and Publications Committee
Justice Kwek Mean Luck
Chair, Statutory and Corporate Services Committee
Deputy Attorney-General Ang Cheng Hock SC
Chair, Professional Affairs and Membership Committee
Deputy Attorney-General Lionel Yee SC
Co-Chair, Statutory and Corporate Services Committee
Key Highlights
TechLaw.Fest 2024
A record 1,746 attendees from 28 countries and territories convened at TechLaw.Fest 2024, held on 11 and 12 September at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre. This year’s focus was on Artificial Intelligence and its transformative impact on legal practice.
The event featured a legal tech exhibition and tech talk sessions, where innovators showcased cutting-edge advancements in legal technology. The first of these innovations, case summarisation, will provide automatically generated concise summaries for over 15,000 unreported judgments, saving valuable time in legal research.
TechLaw.Fest 2024 also served as the launchpad for key SAL initiatives and saw the signing of several collaborations between government bodies, law firms, and technology companies.
Launch of New LawNet
At TechLaw.Fest 2024, SAL announced the launch of the new LawNet, which consolidates many of the portal’s services—including Legal Research, Academy Library, and Corporate References—into one convenient platform. This upgrade enhances the research experience for users at www.lawnet.com.
Mr Kenta Kusano, Chief Executive of LawNet Technology Services (LTS), sharing insights on the new LawNet at the Tech Talk Stage Programme during TechLaw.Fest 2024
e-Apostille
Authenticating public documents for overseas use will become more convenient from 2025, when the process is digitised by SAL.
With the new e-Apostille framework, the public would not need to present physical documents in person. Instead, they can simply upload their documents online for digital verification at the SAL Legalisation Portal: https://legalisation.sal.sg.
In its initial phase, the e-Apostille system will focus on documents issued by ACRA, such as Business Profiles and Business Certificates (Incorporation and Registration). These documents currently make up nearly half of those submitted for legalisation.
Mr Yeong Zee Kin, Chief Executive of SAL and Mr Leong Der Yao, Assistant Chief Executive, Sectoral Transformation, IMDA marking their collaboration on e-Apostille, a pioneering effort aimed at enhancing the efficiency, security, and reliability of document authentication.
Legal Profession Symposium
The inaugural Legal Profession Symposium, hosted by the Singapore Academy of Law, brought together legal professionals to explore the ethical issues shaping the industry. Thought-provoking panel discussions addressed contemporary ethical challenges, offering valuable insights for navigating complex dilemmas. In alignment with Mental Health Day, the event also integrated wellness initiatives, fostering a holistic approach to ethical practice as guided by recommendations from the Ethics and Professional Standards Committee (EPSC).
Jus Debate
Jus Debate, organised under the auspices of SAL’s Legal Heritage Working Group, was the closing event of the inaugural Legal Profession Symposium 2024. Law students were dressed as historical figures and debated whether nobility has always been part of the legal profession.
The team from the Singapore University of Social Sciences won the debate.
SAL Annual Lecture 2024
At the SAL Annual Lecture 2024, Chief Justice of New Zealand, The Right Honourable Dame Helen Winkelmann spoke about how the common law has developed to meet the circumstances of New Zealand society, while maintaining its strong ties to the global common law family.
New Corporate References
SAL’s Corporate References have been developed to equip lawyers with essential tools and resources to enhance their practice. Designed to offer a solid foundation, it provides high-quality precedent templates and practical guidance for corporate counsel, junior lawyers entering the profession and law firms with occasional involvement in commercial matters. The Corporate References suite includes a comprehensive selection of templates and guides tailored to support corporate law practices. This subscription service offers:
Commercial Precedents
The enhanced Commercial Precedents database provides essential contractual standards and guidance for in-house counsel. With 126 precedents curated and contributed by leading law firms, this resource is regularly updated to ensure its relevance and accuracy.
Read more here
SAL Clause Bank
The SAL Clause Bank features boilerplate clauses for key standard provisions in commercial agreements, along with guidance on their application and implications.
Read more here
Guides & Toolkits
SAL has also launched its Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Transaction Guide, meticulously reviewed by top M&A practitioners for quality and reliability. This guide equips users, whether experienced professionals or newcomers, with vital insights and actionable checklists to navigate complex transactions with confidence. Additional guides will be forthcoming, further enhancing the resources available to legal professionals.
Read more here
“These guides are useful, whether you’re in practice or even a student. It provides a comprehensive overview of transactions and key considerations to take note of; a great foundational resource.”
Read more here.
Sharon Lau
Partner, Latham & Watkins
“They raise industry standards by outlining common agreements and procedures.”
Read more here.
Shirin Tang
Co-Head (M&A Practice), Baker McKenzie
Learning and Development
27 SAL Events
3,648 Registrations
28 SMC Training Programmes
+36% participants from FY2022/2023 for SMC training programmes
A panel discussion at the Singapore Mediation Lecture, presented by the Singapore Mediation Centre (SMC) and Harry Elias Partnership LLP, in collaboration with Singapore Management University.
Publishing
5
New Legal
Publications
9
Journal Issues
28
SAL Practitioner
Journal Articles
27
Commissioned Titles
in the pipeline
1
Law Reform Report
7
ABLI
Publications
Publishing
5 new legal publications
9 journal issues
28 SAL Practitioner journal articles
27 commissioned titles in the pipeline
1 Law Reform report
7 ABLI Publications
Membership
13,567 members
+578 new members
Individuals called to the Bar at Mass Call 2024 and welcomed as new members of SAL
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Practitioners*: 6,809
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Legal Service and Judicial Officers#: 802
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In House Counsel: 3,984
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Legal Academics: 140
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Others^: 1,832
*Includes local and foreign lawyers practising in and outside Singapore
#Includes Singapore Judicial Service Officer (JSO), Singapore Judiciary (Singapore High Court Judge), Singapore Legal Service Officer (LSO), Singapore Public Defender’s Officer (PDO), Judicial & Legal Officer outside Singapore
^Includes students, non practitioners, etc
Membership
13,567 members
+578 new members
+578 new members
13,567 members
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Foreign Judicial & Legal Officer outside Singapore: 8
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Foreign Lawyer in Singapore: 196
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Foreign Lawyer outside Singapore: 44
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In-house Legal-related Work (local & overseas): 3984
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Legal Academics (local & overseas): 140
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Non-Practitioner (working in local/overseas but under other nature of employment): 286
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Others (e.g self-employed, homemaker, retired): 361
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Singapore Judicial Service Officer (JSO appointed by the Judicial Service Commission): 117
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Singapore Judiciary (Singapore High Court Judge): 33
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Singapore Legal Service Officer (LSO appointed by the Legal Service Commission): 613
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Singapore Practitioner (S'porean or SPR practising in local or overseas): 6569
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Singapore Public Defender's Officer (PDO): 31
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Student (local & overseas): 1185
Trust Services
5,126 Will Records were deposited in the Wills Registry in the period reported
468 Commissioners for Oaths Appointed from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024
751 Commissioners for Oaths Appointed from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
239 Notaries Public Appointed from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024
359 Notaries Public Appointed from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
31,822 Stakeholding Pay-in and pay-out transactions
Trust Services
Launch of e-Apostille
Authenticating public documents for overseas use will become more convenient from 2025, when the process is digitised by SAL.
With the new e-Apostille framework, the public won’t need to present physical documents in person. Instead, they can simply upload their documents online for digital verification at the SAL Legalisation Portal: https://legalisation.sal.sg.
5,126 Will Records were deposited in the Wills Registry in the period reported
468 Commissioners for Oaths Appointed from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024
751 Commissioners for Oaths Appointed from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
CJ’s Cup 2024
A grand total of $180,000 was raised for both YRF-SAL STAR Bursary and Singapore After-Care Association at this year’s CJ’s Cup.
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Preparing for the Age of GenAI
SAL is committed to empowering legal professionals to navigate the transformative potential of Generative AI. Through comprehensive training, horizon-scanning on its applications, and practical guidance on integration, SAL ensures the profession is well-prepared for the opportunities and challenges ahead.
GenAI is transforming the legal landscape by being an effective partner in the lawyer’s office, helping them automate tasks with a precision and accuracy we have never seen before. We are equipping the profession—across all practice areas—with the tools and competencies needed to enhance efficiency while upholding the highest ethical standards in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Mr Yeong Zee Kin
CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SAL
SAL has developed materials and courses to equip lawyers with safe, effective AI skills.
In collaboration with Microsoft, the Academy launched a prompt engineering guide and video, accessed over 1,500 times since September, to help lawyers maximize generative AI tools.
Additionally, a foundational course covers AI basics, legal applications, and best practices. For senior lawyers, updated leadership courses now include strategies to leverage generative AI for growth and efficiency, with positive feedback from early participants.
GenAI tools are key for legal professionals to enhance practice and stay competitive. LawNet AI marks the first step in integrating these solutions into Singapore’s legal sector.
Generative AI tools are becoming essential for legal professionals looking to enhance their practice and to maintain a competitive edge. LawNet AI represents the first major step in integrating these advanced solutions into Singapore’s legal sector. Launched at TechLaw.Fest 2024, this innovative platform introduces a new suite of AI-powered services designed to streamline and improve the legal research process.
The first of its features, case summarisation, provides automatically generated concise summaries for over 15,000 unreported judgments, saving valuable time in legal research. Trust and safety features also allow users to use these judgments with confidence.
Learn more about LawNet AI here.
Staying informed about global developments in AI is essential to ensuring the profession remains at the forefront of legal innovation. SAL has ramped up its horizon-scanning efforts, bringing together thought leaders, lawyers, and startups to explore the latest trends in AI and legal tech.
New TechLaw.Fest initiatives
Business Mission trips
As part of year-round TechLaw.Fest initiatives, business mission trips to Delhi (April 2024) and London (June 2024) were organised for SAL members to encourage international networking and cross border business opportunities.
Business Mission to Delhi
Business Mission to London
TechLaw.Fest 2024
At TechLaw.Fest 2024, SAL announced the launch of the new LawNet, which consolidates many of the portal’s services—including Legal Research, Academy Library, and Corporate References—into one convenient platform. Users will now get an enhanced research experience at www.lawnet.com.
Additionally, the new LawNet is embracing Generative AI (GenAI) with AI-powered services on the horizon. The first of these innovations, case summarisation, will provide AI-generated summaries for LawNet’s extensive legal content repository, streamlining access to critical information.
UK Mission Trip
Delhi Mission Trip
Investing In The Next Generation
SAL aims to nurture the next generation of legal professionals by developing essential technical lawyering skills to maintain high baseline standards, instilling core principles and values that define the profession, and creating a supportive work environment that encourages growth and development.
Training is a cornerstone in developing the next generation of legal professionals. To expand access, SAL has significantly raised each member’s annual C$ eligibility from $35 to $250, enabling members to more readily participate in key training initiatives.
SAL is also enhancing training for junior lawyers with the upcoming Junior Lawyers Professional Certification Programme (JLP), which sets a new benchmark for holistic professional development. Designed for lawyers with less than five years of PQE, the JLP combines essential competencies with specialised skills in areas like dispute resolution and corporate practice. Over the past year, SAL has run taster modules to gather feedback and refine the curriculum, ensuring the programme meets the evolving needs of future generations.
Increase in C$ credits
To further enhance access to these programmes, SAL has significantly increased each member’s C$ eligibility. Starting in January 2024, over 12,500 SAL members including corporate counsel, legal and judicial officers and practitioners will receive an annual credit of $250, a substantial increase from the previous $35 per year. These credits can be used to register for workshops, conferences, and structured training programmes. Credits can be applied toward legal research resources, such as print and e-books from Academy Publishing and for in-house counsel, towards a personal subscription to the LawNet Precedents section.
Junior Lawyers Professional Certification Programme (JLP)
In May 2025, SAL will launch the Junior Lawyers Professional Certification Programme (JLP), setting a new standard for holistic professional development. The JLP will offer young lawyers, with less than five years of post-qualification experience (PQE), a unique combination of broad competencies and specialised skills in areas such as dispute resolution and corporate practice. The programme will also include taster modules to gather feedback and refine the curriculum during the reporting period.
To equip lawyers with essential competencies at each stage of their careers, a legal sector competency framework will be introduced, accompanied by a tailored training roadmap recommending relevant programmes. This framework will leverage and adapt SAL’s LIFTED competency model, with further development shaped in consultation with our stakeholders.
The SAL Undergraduate Scholarship was awarded to 3 promising students, each pursuing their law undergraduate studies in the various local universities
Lee Bao Yu
National University of Singapore
Joshua Neoh
Singapore Management University
Ho Zheng Yu
Singapore University of Social Sciences
The teams representing Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei in the ECC-SAL International Mooting Competition won top prizes in various categories
Winner:
Shearn Delamore 2 (Malaysia)
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Jesryna Patel
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Mohammed Daud Sulaiman
Runner-up:
Non-Billable Hours (Brunei)
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Brandon Chin Wei Chun
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Lim Li Chyi
Best International Team:
Shearn Delamore 2 (Malaysia)
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Jesryna Patel
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Mohammed Daud Sulaiman
Best Memorandum:
Team Justice League (Singapore)
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Wang Qiyu (Jerry)
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Arjit Pandey
Best Speaker:
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Brandon Chin Wei Chun
Christopher Bathurst Prize 2023
Mr Adam Ho, Associate at Rajah & Tann Singapore claimed the prestigious Christopher Bathurst Prize 2023, which is co-presented by SAL and Fountain Court Chambers.
Appointments and Certifications
5 Data and Digital Economy Law and 9 Maritime and Shipping Law practitioners were accredited as specialists in their respective fields.
Maritime and Shipping Law Specialists
L-R: Justice Kannan Ramesh (Chair, Specialist Accreditation Board); Jeffrey Lim, Senior Accredited Specialist; Karen Teo, Accredited Specialist; Lim Chong Kin, Senior Accredited Specialist; David Alfred, Senior Accredited Specialist. Not in photo: Anastasia Su-Anne Chen, Senior Accredited Specialist
Data and Digital Economy Law Specialists
L-R: Justice Kannan Ramesh (Chair, Specialist Accreditation Board); Kevin Chan, Accredited Specialist; Gregory Toh, Accredited Specialist; Jonathan Lim, Accredited Specialist; Daryll Ng, Senior Accredited Specialist; Jonathan Tan, Accredited Specialist; Michelle Yong, Senior Accredited Specialist; Christian Teo, Accredited Specialist; Leong Lu Yuan, Senior Accredited Specialist; Justin Gan, Senior Accredited Specialist
A critical aspect of investing in the next generation of legal talent is instilling the right set of values so that young lawyers are empowered to uphold standards of integrity, ethics and professionalism throughout their careers. It is essential that these principles are contextualised, as ethical dilemmas can vary significantly across different areas of practice. To support this, SAL has adopted the following:
Updated Civil Practice Guide
The revised “Good Counsel for Learned Friends,” first published in 2011, aligns with modern practices and provides practical guidance on professional courtesy and etiquette, both inside and outside the courtroom. The new edition includes a journal section for lawyers to document notes and reflections throughout their careers.
Inaugural Legal Profession Symposium
Held in October 2024, this symposium focused on ethical issues and promoted candid and frank discussions about sustainability and mindfulness.
Ethics Repository
At the Legal Symposium 2024, SAL introduced its newly launched Ethics Repository. This repository on LawNet serves as a one-stop resource on common ethics and professional standards-related matters for lawyers. This searchable repository addresses the growing need for a centralised source of ethical guidance. The introduction of GenAI-powered search functionality in due course will make it especially useful.
Ethics, professional standards and workplace sustainability are closely linked. An SAL survey in 2023 among early-career lawyers in Singapore (2-10 PQE) revealed that the top three issues that would most negatively affect their ability to practice successfully as a legal professional were harassment, excessive workload and a culture of unethical behaviour.
In response, SAL is launching key initiatives to promote a healthier professional landscape. These include a Group Mental Wellness Insurance Package as a new membership benefit and a core set of workplace principles to encourage sustainable practices, such as fostering a respectful and well-being-centered culture.
To promote a healthier professional landscape, SAL will roll out several initiatives, including:
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A Group Mental Wellness Insurance Package as an expanded membership benefit, designed to address mental health and well-being needs within the legal community.
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To foster sustainable work practices, SAL will also introduce Mindful Business Guidelines that organisations can adopt. These guidelines outline best practices, such as respecting personal downtime and promoting a culture that prioritises well-being, encouraging firms to support a balanced approach to work.
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