Solicitor-General Koh Juat Jong will retire at the end of January after 31 years in public service, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) said on Wednesday. She will be succeeded by Senior Counsel Lionel Yee, who completes a one-year term as a Judicial Commissioner the same day.

Mrs Koh, a senior counsel, said in a statement that she had derived "immense satisfaction" from her work, which included working on policies, giving legal opinions, making judicial decisions and managing the courts. "I am hopeful that...I have been able to make some positive difference to those whose paths have crossed with mine... including the various litigants who have had their cases heard by me, the public service generally, and the public as a whole."

A President's Scholar, the 54-year-old served in the Administrative Service from 1981 to 1986 at the Finance Ministry and began her legal career in 1989 as a state counsel in the AGC. She was appointed Senior Assistant Registrar of the Supreme Court in 1994, District Judge in the Subordinate Courts in 1995 and Registrar of the Supreme Court in 2003, before returning to the AGC as Solicitor-General in 2008.

Attorney-General Steven Chong said Mrs Koh had been a "stalwart member of the AGC family".

Mr Yee, who returns to AGC to take up the post on Feb 1, previously held various appointments there including that of Second Solicitor-General and Director-General of its international affairs division. He said his time spent as a Judicial Commissioner had "enriched him professionally" and stand him in "good stead" for the post. Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said Mr Yee had completed his stint as Judicial Commissioner with "dedication, commitment and honour" and offered him his best wishes.