Scheme recognises legal profession’s best and most skilful advocates

Singapore, 7 January 2019 — The Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon announced the appointment of four new Senior Counsel at the Opening of Legal Year today. They are:

Senior Counsel (honoris causa)¹                   Date of admission as advocate, solicitor
Foo Chee Hock                                                 16 December 1987
Foo Tuat Yien                                                    14 November 1979

Gregory Vijayendran                                        20 March 1993
Siraj Omar                                                         30 May 1998

Applications for Senior Counsel opened on 1 August 2018. The Senior Counsel Selection Committee comprises:

• The Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon
• The Honourable Attorney-General Lucien Wong, SC
• The Honourable Justice Andrew Phang, JA
• The Honourable Justice Judith Prakash, JA
• The Honourable Justice Tay Yong Kwang, JA
• The Honourable Justice Steven Chong, JA

The four newly-appointed Senior Counsel bring the total number of Senior Counsel appointed to 85 (as of 7 January 2019)². Details of new appointees are appended in Annex A.

BACKGROUND ON SENIOR COUNSEL SCHEME

Senior Counsel are selected, pursuant to section 30 of the Legal Profession Act, Cap 161, by a Selection Committee. The Senior Counsel scheme was started in 1997 to recognise the best and most skilful advocates in the legal profession. Appointment as Senior Counsel is an accolade given to those who possess outstanding ability as advocates, extensive knowledge of the law and the highest professional standing.

Persons holding office as Solicitor-General and Attorney-General are appointed Senior Counsel pursuant to sections 30(7) and 30(8) of the Legal Profession Act. Senior Counsel who are appointed to a judicial office (other than as a judge of the Supreme Court) will cease to use the Senior Counsel designation for the period of service in judicial office.

Senior Counsel appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court will cease to use the designation altogether (unless he is appointed Attorney-General).

The list of Senior Counsel can be found at: https://www.sal.org.sg/Services/Appointments/Senior-Counsel/Directory.

END

¹ Members of the legal profession may be appointed Senior Counsel (honoris causa) to recognise their outstanding contribution to the development of the law.

² This figure includes 4 Senior Counsel (honoris causa) but excludes:

• 4 deceased Senior Counsel (Pala Krishnan, KS Rajah, Tan Boon Teik and Joseph Grimberg).

NEWS REPORTS

The Straits Times - Junior lawyers should work hard but be wary of burnout, says newly appointed Senior Counsel

The Business Times - Law Society chief, three others appointed senior counsel