Singapore Academy of Law

Singapore Academy of Law
Agency overview
Formed November 1, 1988 (1988-11-01)
Headquarters 1 Supreme Court Lane Singapore 178879
Agency executives
Website www.sal.org.sg/default.aspx

The Singapore Academy of Law (Abbreviation: the Academy; Chinese: 新加坡法律协会) is a statutory body in Singapore. The Academy is the promotion and development agency for Singapore’s legal industry. Its mandate includes building up the intellectual capital of the legal profession, promoting Singapore as a centre for dispute resolution and improving the efficiency of legal practice through technology.

It is led by a Senate comprising the Chief Justice, the Attorney-General, the Supreme Court Bench and key leaders of the various branches of the legal profession. It has more than 10,000 members, comprising the Bench, all persons who are called as advocates and solicitors of the Supreme Court (i.e. the Bar), or who are appointed as Legal Service Officers, corporate counsel, faculty members of the two local law schools (i.e. the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Management University) and foreign lawyers in Singapore.

The Academy celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2013. In the course of the last two and a half decades, the Academy has grown from a fledgling membership organization to a fully self-funded statutory body and a major institution in the Singapore legal landscape.

History

Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew officiates the opening of the Singapore Academy of Law

The Singapore Academy of Law Act[1] was created by an Act of Parliament on 1 November 1988, and had its City Hall premises officially opened by former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. With the Singapore Academy of Law (Amendment) Act passed in 1995, Academy functions were expanded to include development of legal infrastructure and services.

In 2007, the Academy was restructured into three legal clusters and a corporate services cluster to serve as core mandates for its areas of work. The legal clusters consisted Legal Knowledge, Legal Technology and Legal Industry, and were directed towards raising the standard and quality of legal practice and building a strong and dynamic legal community in Singapore.

Management

Senate

The Academy is governed by the Senate which is headed by the Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon as President. The Vice-Presidents of the Academy are the Honourable Attorney-General V. K. Rajah, SC; the Honourable Judge of Appeal Justice Chao Hick Tin; the Honourable Judge of Appeal Justice Andrew Phang Boon Leong; President of the Law Society of Singapore, Mr Lok Vi Ming, SC; Dean of the Faculty of Law of the National University of Singapore, Professor Simon Chesterman; and Dean of the School of Law of Singapore Management University, Professor Yeo Tiong Min, SC (honoris causa).

The Senate also comprises the High Court Judges, the Solicitor-General, academia and the practising profession. The Chief Executive Singapore Academy of Law is Ms Serene Wee.

Executive Committee

The Academy’s Executive Committee oversees major decision making and provides strategic direction for the development of the Academy’s role in the Singapore legal industry. The Executive Committee comprises 17 members from both the judiciary and the private sector.

Work of the Academy

The Academy’s work as a promotion and development agency is underpinned by four strategic thrusts:

(1) Public-Private Sector Partnerships in the Development of Strategic Legal Infrastructure;

(2) Promotion of Thought Leadership in Legal Issues, Jurisprudence and Learning;

(3) Promotion of Excellence in Legal Practice; and

(4) Promotion of Confidence in the Legal Sector

The Legal Knowledge Cluster of the Academy undertakes the following functions:

The Legal Industry Cluster of the Academy undertakes the following functions:

The Legal Technology Cluster of the Academy undertakes the following functions:

LawNet is a subscription-based service that provides subscribers with access to legal research and other supporting services. Besides research, services currently supported are eLitigation for Litigation, as well as Intereq and PSS-Inlis for property related transactions.

Singapore Mediation Centre

The Singapore Mediation Centre (“SMC”) is a company limited by the guarantee of the Academy.[2] SMC is supported by the Singapore judiciary and provides Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services such as mediation and adjudication, and ADR training.

Since its inception in 1997, SMC has evolved into an accreditation body with distinguished panels of mediators, adjudicators and neutral evaluators. In addition, it promotes Singapore as a centre for mediation and dispute resolution in Asia. SMC provides training in the fields of negotiation, mediation and conflict management in Singapore and the region.

Timeline

The Academy has designated the Yellow Ribbon Fund as the sole beneficiary of its charity efforts since 2011.

References

  1. ↑ "Republic of Singapore: Singapore Academy of Law Act 1988". Attorney General's Chambers. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "Singapore Law: Singapore Mediation Centre". Singapore Academy of Law. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
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