Singapore lawyers have what it takes to compete on the global stage. For Lam Chee Kin, Group Head of Legal & Compliance at DBS, the question is not one of capability, but of mindset.
Drawing on a career that has spanned private practice and global financial institutions, Chee Kin believes the difference lies in whether lawyers and law firms have the strategic ambition, exposure and perspective to look beyond familiar boundaries.
For Singapore lawyers, internationalisation is not only about working overseas or handling cross-border matters. It is about understanding global trends, working across cultures and advising clients whose businesses, risks and opportunities span multiple jurisdictions.
His advice is anchored in three words: education, experience and exposure.
Looking Beyond Borders
For Chee Kin, internationalisation is much broader than geography.
“Internationalisation also means a global perspective on things,” he says. “To a junior lawyer, it may mean learning about trends in different jurisdictions and industries. To a law firm leader, it may mean understanding how to lead people from different cultures and navigate different perspectives.”
In a global environment, legal, commercial, technological and geopolitical developments rarely occur in isolation. Internationalisation is therefore less about where a lawyer practises, and more about being comfortable with different perspectives, adapting to unfamiliar environments and engaging confidently with issues beyond one’s immediate practice area or jurisdiction.
“Somebody who is completely comfortable with multiple perspectives, with leading across countries, and with a market ambition that is not constrained by geography — that, to me, is internationalisation.”
Pound for Pound
One misconception Chee Kin is keen to dispel is that Singapore lawyers lack the ability to compete internationally.
From his experience working alongside lawyers across different markets, he sees no shortage of talent within the profession.
“In my experience, there is no difference in intelligence, work ethic or character. Pound for pound, a Singapore lawyer is identical.”
The differentiator, then, is not talent, but the willingness to build the exposure and perspective needed to operate beyond familiar markets.
Education, Experience and Exposure
How can lawyers develop that mindset?
For Chee Kin, the answer lies in education, experience and exposure.
Education comes through continued learning and keeping pace with legal, commercial, technological and regulatory developments across markets. Experience comes through practical involvement in different matters, clients and working environments. Exposure comes from engaging with diverse industries, jurisdictions, cultures and professional perspectives.
This can take many forms — secondments, cross-border matters, international collaborations, professional exchanges or working with people from different disciplines and backgrounds. These experiences not only deepen legal knowledge, but also build adaptability, commercial awareness and confidence.
Seeing the Bigger Picture
The importance of an international perspective is not merely theoretical.
Chee Kin points to global benchmark interest rate reform as one example. Although issues around benchmark rates emerged internationally, their implications extended across financial markets globally, including Singapore’s transition from SOR and SIBOR to SORA.
“Benchmark litigation must be viewed in its international context, with an understanding of the political dimensions involved and Singapore’s response in safeguarding its reputation for integrity as a trusted financial hub.”
For Chee Kin, such experiences reinforce the need for lawyers to look beyond the immediate legal issue, and to understand the commercial, regulatory and policy considerations that shape how issues are managed across markets.
Why It Matters
Singapore’s success has long been built on its position as a global hub for trade, finance and professional services.
As Singapore companies expand internationally and global businesses continue to establish a presence here, lawyers will increasingly advise clients whose operations, risks and opportunities span multiple jurisdictions.
For Chee Kin, this has implications not just for individual lawyers, but for the profession as a whole. If Singapore companies are internationalising, and if international businesses are choosing Singapore as a regional base, the legal ecosystem that supports them must evolve alongside them.
This creates growing demand for lawyers who can connect legal advice with business realities across markets.
“You must be international if you want to be relevant.”
Advice for the Next Generation
For young lawyers entering the profession today, his advice is straightforward: stay curious, keep learning and actively seek opportunities to broaden your horizons.
“Develop an international perspective. Learn from different experiences. Think beyond your immediate area of expertise. That’s how you prepare yourself for the future.”
That spirit of multidisciplinary learning is also reflected in the upcoming Hackathon for a Better World: Future-Proofing the Legal Profession, where participants will apply design thinking and user-centred problem-solving to develop new solutions for challenges shaping the future of legal practice.
As legal work becomes more closely connected with technology, business and society, lawyers who embrace education, experience and exposure — and remain open to learning from other disciplines — will be better placed to lead in a changing legal landscape.