Dinesh Singh Dhillon to step aside as incoming Law Society president at Dec 22 EGM

SINGAPORE –  President-elect of the Law Society of Singapore Dinesh Singh Dhillon has agreed to step aside after a meeting on Dec 17 with members.

Mr Dinesh was

as the 30th president of the professional body for lawyers.

He was slated to take over the helm from outgoing president Lisa Sam Hui Min in 2026, but his win at the election had caused some disquiet as he was an unelected member of the council.

A number of members had intended to introduce motions at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) slated for Dec 22 to seek a vote of no confidence against some members of the 21-member council, among other things.

In a document seen by The Straits Times, the council said Mr Dinesh agreed to step aside as president of the Law Society, in the interest of preserving unity for the Bar and in the light of “legitimate concerns” raised by members.

The council for 2026 was reconstituted with vice-president Tan Cheng Han as president of the organisation. 

Prof Tan wears several hats, including senior consultant at Wong Partnership, and chief strategy officer at the NUS Law School.

Mr Dinesh, the co-head of international arbitration practice at Allen and Gledhill, will be endorsed and approved by the council as vice-president.

The Law Society is a representative body for all lawyers in Singapore with about 6,400 members. Lawyers vote every October for a seat at the council, the highest body within the society responsible for managing its affairs. 

The council typically comprises 15 elected members, three members appointed by the law minister, and another three co-opted by the council.

All council members serve a two-year term.

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

Internal voting for the four office-bearers – the president, two vice-presidents and treasurer – is held every year among the council members.

In the document, the council said Mr Dinesh had contested for the position of president “in good faith and of his own desire, in an effort to contribute to the Bar”.

The council noted: “There is no issue as to the independence or competence of (Mr) Dinesh as president of the Law Society.

“n particular, his commitments to pro bono service and his efforts to serve the member of he Law Society are welcomed.”

The council said those who signed the document also acknowlege that Mr Dinesh was elected in accordance with established procedure and law under the Legal Profession Act.

The document was signed by several members, including former presidents Peter Cuthbert Low and Mr Chandra Mohan Nair, and criminal lawyer Sunil Sudheesan.

The lawyers had submitted a number of motions to be tabled at the EGM, including to place on record the view that only an elected council member should become president.

According to the document, the lawyers said that the issues raised in their proposed motions have been addressed, and they agreed to withdraw them for the EGM.

The only item on the agenda will be the consent resolution, which will see Mr Dinesh stepping aside and Prof Tan proposed as president.

The document noted that the “unity and cohesion of the Law Society council, along with its relations with all members of the Bar, are important, and this resolution is a step in the right direction”.

The council will circulate to all members proposed eligibility criteria for all council members within two months of taking office.

Members will have at least six weeks to review and provide feedback about the proposal, which will include a minimum service period requirement on the council for office bearers.

The final criteria will be tabled for approval by the members at the annual general meeting in 2026.