The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) announced on August 30 that it will be strengthening the professional training regime for lawyers in Singapore.
The changes include uncoupling admission to the Bar from the completion of a practice training contract, lengthening the practice training period from six months to one year, and raising the standard and stringency of Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations.
This is aimed at helping to raise the quality of legal training and better equip law graduates with the necessary expertise to meet the demands of the future economy and society.
In a press statement, MinLaw said it will work with stakeholders, including the Law Society of Singapore and the Singapore Institute of Legal Education, to implement these changes over the next five years. The majority of students currently in law school will not be affected.
The changes were derived from recommendations of the Committee for the Professional Training of Lawyers, which MinLaw has accepted in principle. There are also 17 other specific recommendations made by the Committee to address discrete issues within the professional training regime.