For 6 years or so now, I have authored the Legal Profession chapter of the Singapore Academy of Law's Annual Review of Singapore Cases. This year's chapter has just been released.¹

For the unacquainted, this is a yearly publication that encapsulates and evaluates decisions of the Singapore courts in the preceding year. It's split up into chapters covering various different areas of law, all authored by different practitioners and academics including many of my ex-colleagues (Toh Kian Sing SC co-authors the Admiralty and Shipping Law chapter, Kala Anandarajah, BBM authors the Competition Law chapter, Kwan Kiat Sim, Wilson Zhu and Raelene Pereira author the Insolvency Law chapter, and Simon Goh and Ying Shuang Wang author the Insurance Law chapter).²

So it's a no-brainer that for those who practice in these areas of law, each year's edition is a must-read.³

But what about my chapter - who, if anyone, should bother reading it?

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Well, my chapter can be broadly broken up into 2 sections.

1️⃣ Cases involving admissions to the Singapore Bar, several of which concern applicants with a history of misconduct (academic or otherwise).

Look, I wish it weren't the case, but the reality is that we get a few such cases every year.

So if you're a law graduate who's applying to be admitted to the Singapore Bar, and you have a feeling that there's something in your past that might need to be addressed in the course of your application, you might want to have a read.

And even if you're getting full support from your supervising solicitor and your firm - and I certainly hope so - I'm sure they would appreciate it if you make their lives easier by being clear-eyed about what explanations need to be furnished, what needs to be demonstrated, and what to expect in the course of the application.

2️⃣ Cases involving lawyers getting into trouble.

Look, this isn't some gossipy tabloid, so the point isn't to mock our fellow lawyers.

But I would go so far as to suggest that for each and every one of us in practice, there is value in learning from our fellow lawyers' experiences. After all, who amongst us can say that we are omniscient, and to whom there are no unknown unknowns?⁴

Oftentimes, "there but for the grace of God go I."

So if you're a practitioner who's subject to the Professional Conduct Rules, you might want to have a read.

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Finally, it would be remiss of me not to thank Dilys Chuah⁵ for her hard work and able assistance, and Rebecca Soh for the meticulous proofreading. It goes without saying that all errors and omissions are my own.

Many thanks as well to the General Editors, Teo Keang Sood and Yip Man, as well are the tireless folks from SAL, past and present - Patricia Chan-Dendroff, Deanna Kwok, Elaine Lum, Shazny R., and the many others behind the scenes.