SINGAPORE - In letters to High Court judge Choo Han Teck tendered on Wednesday (April 27), five of the six aspiring lawyers who cheated in their Bar examination said they had admitted to misconduct in February 2021.
They sat Part B of their Bar exam in 2020, which was held between November and December that year.
The five are: Ms Monisha Devaraj, Mr Kushal Atul Shah, Mr Sreeraam Ravenderan, Mr Matthew Chow Jun Feng and Mr Lionel Wong Choong Yoong.
A sixth student, Ms Lynn Kuek Yi Ting, had initially denied cheating but her explanation was rejected.
The five said their admission was forthright and made early without requesting the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (Sile) first present its allegations.
They also cooperated with Sile during the five-month-long disciplinary process.
Expressing deep remorse and repentance, they said they were aware of the embarrassment and unfavourable consequences that would follow with their naming.
On Wednesday (April 27), Justice Choo rescinded his earlier orders to redact their names and seal the court files to prevent third parties from viewing them.
Law firm LVM Law Chambers said Mr Sreeraam did his practice training with it.
"As a trainee, he was hard-working, well liked and showed promise.
"While the firm fully agrees with the court's emphasis on the professional values of honesty and probity, we also support the court's call for the trainees to be given a second chance and will be exploring all avenues to help," said the firm in a statement to The Straits Times.
It did not elaborate if Mr Sreeraam is still with the firm.
Harry Elias Partnership in a statement on Wednesday said it has retained Mr Shah as a legal executive with the law firm.
It added that its partners do not condone Mr Shah's conduct at the Bar examination due to his lapse of judgment but that they will echo and apply the call for grace and mercy in the spirit of second chances as stated by Justice Choo.
Sile had earlier said that the exam was conducted remotely during a challenging time when holding a physical one was not viable.
It added that there were adequate safeguards in place but a number of candidates were found to have cheated.
