The Point of COMPASS: Guiding in the Right Direction
On 4 March 2022, the Minister for Manpower announced the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS), a points-based system intended to lend greater transparency to the existing employment pass (EP) application framework. COMPASS facilitates the government's ability to, in a principled manner,
Legal Responsibilities Borne by Wills-Drafting Lawyers That are Not Apparent on the Face of the Will
The prevalence of DIY Wills online and Wills-drafting services by non-lawyers makes Wills-drafting appear deceptively simple. Yet, the Court of Appeal in Low Ah Cheow cautioned that Wills are among the most important legal documents that one can execute, and
Slowing Down Work
“How has Covid affected the way you practise law?” I was asked this question recently. Whilst we are treading into the endemic stage of Covid now, there is discussion that life is returning to what it was pre-Covid. The new normal
President’s Message
A young man is tricked into becoming a pawn for an insurance scam. An intellectually disabled man finds himself in court after repeatedly calling the fire brigade each time he was stressed. An alcoholic faces mandatory imprisonment after stealing alcohol from a
When Immunity Holds You Back
The Real Reason Legal Leaders Struggle to Bring About Change If you are a legal leader, chances are you’ve had to manage at least one person that’s made you want to tear your hair out. They seem smart, competent and committed to
Doing Good: The CLAS Impact
The Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS) was launched in 1985. A ground-up movement by senior lawyers, including the late Mr Harry Elias SC, CLAS has played and will continue to play a critical role in providing criminal legal aid for vulnerable
Friendship Beyond Borders
I first met my friend, Hanif, in 2016. Hanif came in Singapore in 2006 from Bangladesh, and has worked here as a town council conservancy cleaner since. Like many other conservancy cleaners, Hanif worked for years in Singapore without returning to
Making Kindness Our Business
Dr William Wan In the opening message in Making Kindness Our Business, Minister Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Adviser, Singapore Kindness Movement poses a philosophical, psychological and practical question rolled into one: “We spend so much of
The Golden Ages Meet Modern Singapore: La Belle Epoque
Located in the historical Boat Quay in Singapore, La Belle Epoque is a newcomer to Singapore’s bustling and vibrant dining belt with patrons from the central business district after hours working office warriors and tourists crowd alike. The name “La
Singapore – The Garden I Call Home
Like most people during these COVID times, I spend far too much of my time cooped up indoors in virtual business meetings. I was on a call recently with my overseas legal team colleagues but, happily, instead of the usual