{"id":95224,"date":"2026-10-24T05:59:03","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T21:59:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=95224"},"modified":"2026-10-24T05:59:03","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T21:59:03","slug":"lawsoc-council-gets-4-new-members-after-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=95224","title":{"rendered":"LawSoc council gets 4 new members after election"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"text-primary article-summary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">SINGAPORE \u2013 <!-- -->The Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) Election 2027 saw four new members elected to the council, while two current executive committee members were dropped.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">It was held on Oct 22 amid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/courts-crime\/police-investigating-matters-raised-in-law-societys-audit-report-about-workplace-complaints?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\">ongoing police investigations<\/span><\/a> into matters raised in a report by LawSoc\u2019s audit committee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The report had detailed findings on matters that allegedly occurred in the Society between 2022 and 2025, including inappropriate workplace conduct, weaknesses in governance and oversight, deficiencies in grievance handling and whistleblowing processes, and shortcomings in internal controls over certain administrative and financial practices.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Jimmy Yim, Debby Lim, Foo Hsien Weng and Siddartha Bodi were the four new members elected to the council.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Yim, who is chairman of Drew &amp; Napier, had previously served on the council. <\/p>\n<p>Lim, a senior partner at Dentons Rodyk, and Foo and Bodi, who are associates at WongPartnership, will be serving on the council for the first time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Current council members Samuel Chacko, Choo Zheng Xi and Thaddaeus Aaron Tan were reelected.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Two other current members, Joseph Liow and Phoon Wuei, <!-- -->were<!-- --> not successful in securing seats for the 2027 council. They are also currently executive committee members.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"font-primary-headline-md-semibold\" data-testid=\"article-subhead-test-id\">Significant failings at LawSoc<\/h2>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The audit of LawSoc was sparked by an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/independent-probe-under-way-at-law-society-following-allegations-of-workplace-bullying?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\">online post in September 2025<\/span><\/a> alleging workplace bullying at the Society.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">On Aug 5, Law Minister Edwin Tong <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/politics\/significant-failings-in-leadership-identified-in-law-society-probe-edwin-tong?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\">revealed in a written reply<\/span><\/a> to a question in Parliament that the probe found significant failings in leadership, culture and governance at LawSoc.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Just over a week later<!-- -->, about 200 lawyers gathered for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/courts-crime\/raised-voices-at-lawsoc-meeting-members-call-for-release-of-full-report-on-leadership-failings?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\">closed-door meeting<\/span><\/a> at Maxwell Chambers to discuss the findings, with several calling for the full report to be released to members.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The day after the meeting, Tong said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/courts-crime\/redacted-reports-on-law-society-probe-should-be-disclosed-to-members-edwin-tong?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\">redacted versions<\/span><\/a> of the report should be disclosed to members.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The LawSoc council then told members on Aug 20 that it would release a redacted version of the report.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But in an update on Sept 21, the council informed members that the police had told it not to further publish or distribute the contents of the report as investigations were ongoing.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"font-primary-headline-md-semibold\" data-testid=\"article-subhead-test-id\">Election process<\/h2>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Every October, lawyers in Singapore vote for members of LawSoc\u2019s council.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Voting is compulsory for every advocate and solicitor with a practising certificate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">There are 15 council seats<!-- --> <!-- -->in three categories: senior (at least 15 years\u2019 standing), middle (five to under 15 years) and junior (under five years).<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Lawyers vote only for candidates within their own<!-- --> <!-- -->category of experience.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Seven of the 15 seats are for those in the senior category, while the other categories each have four seats.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Each elected council member holds office for a period of two years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">For the 2027 LawSoc council election, a total of seven seats were contested.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Four seats were from the senior category, one was from the middle category, while two were from the junior category.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Aside from the elected members, the Legal Profession Act allows for the law minister to appoint up to three members to sit on the council.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The council can also co-opt another three members, bringing the total to 21.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Previously, Dinesh Singh Dhillon from Allen &amp; Gledhill was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/dinesh-singh-dhillon-is-new-president-of-law-society-of-singapore?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\">elected by the council<\/span><\/a> to be the Society\u2019s president for 2026.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">However, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/dinesh-singh-dhillon-to-step-aside-as-incoming-law-society-president?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\">he stepped aside after LawSoc members raised concerns<\/span><\/a> that he was not an elected council member and had instead been appointed by the law minister.<\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Dinesh then became vice-president while<a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/courts-crime\/prof-tan-cheng-han-to-lead-law-society-after-consent-resolution-passed-at-egm?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"inline font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"typography-test-id\"> Tan Cheng Han was made LawSoc president.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"text-primary font-tertiary-body-baseline-regular\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\"><b>Correction note: <\/b>An earlier version of the story said that Debby Lim had previously served on the LawSoc council. This is incorrect. This will be her first time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<center><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/courts-crime\/lawsoc-council-gets-4-new-members-after-election\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><br \/>\n<center\/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SINGAPORE \u2013 The Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) Election 2027 saw four new members elected to the council, while two current executive committee members were&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1864,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-95224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=95224"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95224\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=95224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=95224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=95224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}