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What do we really expect from the Law Society?
Is it a professional body? Or a representative, political one?
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The Law Society is not meant to be a trade union or lobby for Singapore's diverse legal profession. It is a professional body.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Ben Chester Cheong
The recent debate over the appointment of the Law Society’s incoming president has sparked unusually strong reactions within the legal profession. Some senior lawyers have expressed concern that the president was not elected by the general body of members, framing the issue as one of “independence of the bar”.
It is understandable why this language resonates. Lawyers are trained to value independence, and the idea of a professional body free from influence carries an intuitive appeal. But before this concern hardens into a conclusion, it may be worth stepping back to ask a more basic question: What is the Law Society actually for, and what kind of independence does it meaningfully require?
