Former Law Society leaders call for EGM to protest election of new president

SINGAPORE – Less than a month after Mr Dinesh Singh Dhillon was

announced as the new president of the Law Society of Singapore

, a group of members is moving to hold a meeting to protest his election.

The group is led by Mr Peter Cuthbert Low and Mr Chandra Mohan Nair, both veteran lawyers who have served as Law Society presidents.

They have called for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Dec 22 to protest Mr Dhillon’s election as president.

In a letter sent to the Law Society on Dec 9, seen by The Straits Times, the members said they are seeking to discuss the impact of his appointment on the independence of the Bar.

This is because Mr Dhillon – a non-elected member of the council – was elected president of the society.

In Singapore, lawyers vote every October for members of the Law Society council, the highest body within the society responsible for managing its affairs. The society has about 6,400 members.

Under the Legal Profession Act, the Law Minister can appoint up to three members to sit on the council. Mr Dhillon was one of the three brought in this time.

The council members then vote among themselves to choose a president, two vice‑presidents and a treasurer.

This was done, and the Law Society announced on Nov 17 that Mr Dhillon will lead the new 21-member council.

The proposed resolution stated in the letter was to record the view that “as a matter of past practice and existing convention, good governance and to uphold confidence in the independence of the Bar”, only someone who has been elected by the members of the society should serve as president.

The letter made it clear, though, that the resolution “does not alter or invalidate any office-bearer election”.

The motion was proposed by Mr Low and seconded by Mr Nair.

Lawyers who spoke to ST on the condition of anonymity said disquiet began brewing soon after Mr Dhillon was elected president by the council. A document then began circulating among lawyers to collect signatures to requisition an EGM.

Any 25 members of the society can request that such a meeting be held.

They made the request to the Law Society on Nov 24, but when the EGM was not called by Dec 8, the members who sought the meeting notified the society that they would hold an EGM on Dec 22.

Meanwhile, the Law Society council had organised a tea session for members, scheduled for Dec 10, to “address any queries or concerns of members on any issue, in particular the transition of Council-elect 2026 into office”.

ST reached out to Mr Low, but he declined to comment. It has also contacted Mr Dhillon and the Law Society for their comments.