PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
ABOUT US
SAL@35
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
CUTTING-EDGE CONTENT
LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT
PROVIDING TRUST SERVICES
FINANCIALS
Message from the President
The legal services sector today is experiencing a time of transformation, precipitated in particular by the rise of generative artificial intelligence (“AI”). Faced with this reality, the Academy has nonetheless remained steadfast in its mission to future-proof its systems and equip its members for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. There are three particular points I would highlight.
First, we have developed and diversified our resources to provide models and standards for our members. We launched a new series of Singapore Law Reports featuring selected decisions of the State Courts, the Family Courts and the Youth Courts, to promote awareness of these important aspects of our local jurisprudence. We also enhanced our efforts to serve the needs of corporate lawyers by forming the Corporate Law Practice Committee.
Second, we continued to invest in intellectual capital by introducing a suite of new learning and development programmes. The Junior Lawyers Professional Certification Programme, which will be offered to lawyers with less than five years of post-qualification experience from 2025, aims to set the industry standard for the holistic development of young lawyers. The Academy’s specialist accreditation scheme for Data and Digital Economy has also been extended to suitable in-house counsel.
Third, we have harnessed technology as a key enabler in the delivery of the Academy’s services. Several improvements have been made to the LawNet portal to make the research experience more intuitive for users. We are also exploring the integration of generative AI with LawNet, as the Academy collaborates with the Infocomm Media Development Authority to fine-tune a large language model for Singapore law using the LawNet dataset. The Academy Library has also developed from an online reader to an online library, where subscribers enjoy unlimited access to its collection of Academy Publishing resources, as well as better search, cross-referencing and footnoting features.
On behalf of the Academy, I thank our members and staff for their invaluable contributions and continuing support, which have made these achievements possible. I am confident that the Academy’s work will continue to play a critical role in supporting the legal services sector as we navigate the road ahead.
Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon
President, Singapore Academy of Law
About Us
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
Mr Jason Chan SC
Vice-President, SAL
President of the Law Society of Singapore
Justice Aedit Abdullah
Justice Andre Francis Maniam
Justice Debbie Ong
Justice Kannan Ramesh
Justice Kwek Mean Luck
Justice Goh Yihan
Co-Chair, Legal Research and Publications Committee
Co-Chair, Learning and Professional Development Committee
Deputy A-G Ang Cheng Hock SC
Deputy A-G Lionel Yee SC
SAL membership
Active SAL Members
Including the 430 who were inducted at Mass Call 2023
- A Renewed Dedication to Honour and Service
- Milestones
- Anniversary Dinner and Conferment Ceremony
The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) marked its 35th anniversary in 2023 with
a renewed dedication to honour and service.
The SAL motto, honor est in honorante, is a reminder that honour lies in honouring: one becomes honourable only through the honour one bestows upon fellow members of the profession, the court and the public.
The motto was introduced by SAL’s first President Chief Justice Wee Chong Jin in 1988, at the address he delivered at that year’s Annual Dinner of the Law Society.
The SAL motto honor est in honorante was central in the design of SAL’s first logo which continues to be used as its ceremonial crest today
Starting a new tradition
Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon
President, SAL
More than 430 Advocates and Solicitors who were called to the Bar at Mass Call 2023 were the first the be issued with a custom lapel pin from SAL. Pictured above, new SAL member Mr Matthew Cheng and his parents.
Milestones
SAL’s development over the last 35 years has been closely intertwined with that of the legal profession.
Equipping legal professionals to thrive in a digital future
2000
Supreme Court’s Electronic Filing System was introduced on LawNet.
2008
SLW starts, sending daily legal news straight to the inbox of thousands of members.
2017
SAL unveiled the Future Law Innovation Programme that will drive legal innovation in the future economy.
2018
TechLaw.Fest becomes an annual meeting of legal and tech minds.
2020
Webinars and online learning become par for the course amid Covid-19.
2021
Academy Library grants round-the-clock digital access to AP titles.
2023
LawNet Technology Services becomes operational, taking charge of the key digital infrastructure like LawNet, the SAL Legalisation Portal, and the Singapore Mediation Centre’s online dispute resolution platform.
Promoting Singapore law and developing content
1997
Singapore Mediation Centre opens.
2001
Inaugural issue of SAL Annual Review of Singapore Cases published.
2007
Academy Publishing takes off.
2016
Launch of Asian Business Law Institute
2018
VIMA documents launched
2019
Singapore law leapfrogs Hong Kong law to become second-most adopted governing law in Asian cross-border transactions.
Developing the profession’s intellectual capital
1990
• Opening of SAL 31 August.
• LawNet introduced (it is transferred to SAL in 1996)
1994
The first SAL Annual Lecture was held, delivered by the late The Rt Hon the Lord Taylor of Gosfroth.
1997
2008
Specialist Accreditation Scheme introduced.
Anniversary Dinner & Conferment Ceremony
Throughout his career in both academia and the Judiciary, the great passion of Justice Phang’s professional life has been Singapore law. In contributing to its development, he has served not just the legal community, but also our nation.
CITATION FOR THE HONOURABLE SENIOR JUDGE JUSTICE ANDREW PHANG
Justice Phang joins the ranks of seven others who have been bestowed this honour:
Mr Lee Kuan Yew (1990)
Former Chief Justice Dr Wee Chong Jin (1992)
Dr David Marshall (1992)
Former Chief Justice Mr Yong Pung How (2007)
Former Deputy Prime Minister Professor S Jayakumar (2008)
Former Chief Justice Mr Chan Sek Keong (2013)
Justice Chao Hick Tin (2018)
Key Highlights of 2022 – 2023
Cutting-Edge Content
While Covid might have cloistered us in our home offices for most part of the past three years, Academy Publishing’s work did not abate. In total, 16 volumes of law reports, 17 new books, 27 journals, 83 SAL Practitioner articles and the monthly Civil Litigation Update were published in (the pandemic) period.
THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE KANNAN RAMESH
CO-CHAIR, LEGAL RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE, SAL
Did You Know?
Almost all of SAL’s content is distributed through LawNet, which is continually improved to support new content forms. This past year, Academy Library, SAL’s e-reading service, was enhanced with better search, cross-referencing and footnoting features. A subscription service was also launched in August 2023. This follows a similar improvement to LawNet Asian Insights, which was enhanced with summaries of key Asian news, content-specific access control, and previews of latest articles in April 2022.
-
14 New legal publications
with 39 in the pipeline -
7 journal
issues -
21 SAL Practitioner
journal articles -
1 Law Reform
report -
23 ABLI
reports -
Other forms
of content
- Employment Contracts: The Implied Duty of Trust and Confidence: Dong Wei v Shell Eastern Trading (Pte) Ltd [2022] 1 SLR 1318
- Delineating the Procedural Requirements for Instructions for Variation Work in Construction Contracts – Vim Engineering Pte Ltd v Deluge Fire Protection (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd [2023] SGHC(A) 2
- Recent Developments in Sentencing for the Offences of Voyeurism and Distribution of Intimate Images – Public Prosecutor v GED [2022] SGHC 301 and Nicholas Tan Siew Chye v Public Prosecutor [2023] SGHC 35
- When to Call Your Expert in Civil Litigation
- Between Deference and Distance: An Enforcement Court’s Approach to Rulings and Proceedings in the Seat Court – CZD v CZE [2023] SGHC 86
- Doctrinal Issues in Recovering NFTs That Have Been Wrongfully Taken Away – Janesh s/o Rajkumar v Unknown Person (“CHEFPIERRE”) [2023] 3 SLR 1191
- Limitation Of Liability In Singapore And England
- "Enforcing” Arbitral Awards through Winding-Up Proceedings
- Employee Share Option Plans in Singapore
- Employee Investigations – The Limits to Accessing Employees’ Emails and Personal Devices
- Ancillary Restraints In Mergers And Acquisitions: A Competition Law Perspective
- A Contractor’s Entitlement To Adjudication – Judicial Interpretation Of Amendments To The Building And Construction Industry Security Of Payment Act
- Does Size Of Debt Always Prevail? Determinative Factors For Court-Appointed Liquidators And Judicial Managers In Singapore
- Granting A Discharge Under Section 232 Of The Criminal Procedure Code: Ahmad Danial bin Mohamed Rafa’ee v Public Prosecutor [2023] SGHC 94
- Assessment of Mitigatory Weight of an Accused Person’s Guilty Plea
- The Emergency Arbitration Process under the SIAC Rules 2016 – A Comparison with Court-ordered Interim Measures under s 12A of the International Arbitration Act 1994
- The Law Governing Arbitrability at the Pre-Award Stage: A Welcome Starting Point – Anupam Mittal v Westbridge Ventures II Investment Holdings [2023] SGCA 1
- The Warrant of Arrest and the Importance of Getting it Right the First Time Round – The Jeil Crystal [2022] 2 SLR 1385
- On Contractual Interpretation and the Importance of Pleadings and Submissions in Technical Disputes – ICOP Construction (SG) Pte Ltd v Tiong Seng Civil Engineering Pte Ltd [2022] SGHC 257
- Placing Sanctioned Entities Into Judicial Management
- Invalidating Suspension of Payment Clauses which Circumvent Section 17(3) of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2004
- 20,119 pages of Supreme Court cases and 13,710 pages of State Courts cases published as unreported judgments on LawNet.
- The SLR (State Courts, Family Courts and Youth Courts) series was launched in January 2023. As at 31 March 2023, 17 SLR State Courts (SLR(StC)) cases, amounting to 336 pages, were published on LawNet.
- As of 31 March 2023, the following resources were available on LawNet:
- 85 of the 138 precedents in the database were reviewed, updated and republished.
- 857 pieces of commissioned content and 38 pieces of original content in the form of interviews with subject matter experts and commentary were published on LawNet Asian Insights.
- 263 sets of pleadings uploaded in the Pleadings database.
- 3,471 items were published on LawNet Legal Research
- OpenLaw was further updated with judgments from 2000
- The second tranche of Venture Capital Investment Model Agreement (“VIMA”) documents was released in September 2022.
- An advocacy guide on civil commercial litigation was launched in September 2022 to provide developmental milestones and areas of exposure that junior litigators should progressively seek to unlock.
A Learning and Development
Institute of Choice
The learning and professional development of the legal profession has been the raison d’être for SAL since day one. In the years since, it has emerged as a learning and development institute of choice for the profession, with a blend of standard-setting signature events, structured training and topical discussions on pertinent topics. More than 6,500 members attended at least one SAL training programme last year.
Grooming the next generation of leaders is key to realising SAL’s vision of making Singapore the legal hub of Asia. In line with this, SAL makes leadership training a priority, with flagship programmes like the SAL-INSEAD Legal Leadership Programme enjoying record attendance last year. SAL also organises training sessions that help members make sense of dicey and complex legal issues. Through these, they are also exposed to legal trends and developments in overseas jurisdictions.
MS SHOBNA CHANDRAN
MANAGING DIRECTOR, SHOBNA CHANDRAN LLC
Recognising excellence
Every year, SAL presents scholarships, prizes and awards to expand access to the legal profession and recognise excellence within it:
As the sole specialist accreditation body for the legal profession, SAL’s accreditation matters. This past year, 11 Data and Digital Economy Law and 12 Building and Construction Law practitioners were accredited as specialists in their respective fields.
Justice Kannan Ramesh presenting the certificates of accreditation to...
ROW 1
(1-4)
Senior Accredited Specialists in Building and Construction Law
- Ms Lynette Chew
- Mr Kirindeep Singh
- Mr Tan Tian Luh
- Mr Yong Boon On
(5-8)
Accredited Specialists in Building and Construction Law
- Mr Ang Minghao
- Mr Ching Meng Hang
- Mr Daniel Ho
- Mr Kelvin Kek
ROW 2
(1-4)
Accredited Specialists in Building and Construction Law
- Ms Amanda Koh
- Ms Valerie Koh
- Ms Magdalene Ong
- Mr Reuben Gavin Peter
(5-8)
Senior Accredited Specialists in Data and Digital Economy Law
- Mr Benjamin Cheong
- Mr Lam Chung Nian
- Mr Rajesh Sreenivasan
- Mr Bryan Tan
ROW 3
(1-3)
Senior Accredited Specialists in Data and Digital Economy Law
- Mr Lionel Tan
- Mr Steve Tan
- Mr Tan Wee Meng
(4-7)
Accredited Specialists in Data and Digital Economy Law
- Mr Lam ZHen Guang
- Mr Justin Lee
- Mr Lim Seng Siew
- Mr Alex Toh
- Ang Boon Jie – National University of Singapore
- Bernice Ng – Singapore Management University
- Manpreet Kaur D/O Kulwant Singh – Singapore University of Social Sciences
This year’s awardee is Professor Simon Chesterman, who has drawn attention to scholarship in Singapore in the areas of data protection and AI governance.
These are presented to members for their service in promoting and advancing the objectives of the Academy. This year’s awardees are:
Mr Ng Jern-Fei KC for helping to raise the profile of foreign lawyers in Singapore and engage them in SAL’s work.
Dr Stanley Lai SC for his contributions to TechLaw.Fest.
Mr Thio Shen Yi SC for his leadership of SAL’s Corporate Social Responsibility Working Group, which has raised over $1 million for the YRF-STAR Bursary.
- Christopher Bathurst Prize
Ms Magdalene Ong received the Christopher Bathurst Prize 2022, which is an essay-writing competition for young lawyers.
- ECC-SAL Mooting Competition
Ms Ayana Ki and Ms Melody Lau won the ECC-SAL International Mooting Competition, which challenges young lawyers and law students to showcase their advocacy skills.
Providing Trust Services
SAL remains SAL’s a trusted custodian of confidential information and documents, with several statutory functions.
Authentication of notarial certificates and legalisation of public documents.
SAL provides stakeholding services for sale and purchase transactions
For newly developed private residential properties, commercial properties and executive condominiums under certain statutory schemes
SAL manages the national Wills Registry
Through which the public can deposit and enquire about wills deposited in the registry.
SAL helped bring alternative dispute resolution into the mainstream in 1997, when it set up the Singapore Mediation Centre, a first-of-its-kind institution.
Today, it continues to be a market leader, mediating 366 matters in the past year. Training remains an important activity for SMC, with courses for fresh graduates (Part B Mediation Course), non-legal professionals and SAL members as well.
Commissioner for Oaths
Appointed from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023
Commissioner for Oaths
Appointed from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023
Notaries Public
Appointed from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023
Notaries Public
Appointed from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023
Sharing Beyond Borders
As a symbol of its excellence, SAL has been invited to share its experience in managing and digitalising public trust services with global partners.