Justice for All: How Pro Bono Legal Work Shapes Singapore’s Future
A Conversation with Dinesh Dhillon, Chairman of Pro Bono SG
In a quiet moment during the interview , Mr Dinesh Dhillon pauses to reflect on a Christmas greeting he recently received. It was from a mother of triplets whose future in Singapore he helped secure through pro bono legal work nine years ago. This simple greeting represents everything that drives Singapore’s pro bono legal community: the transformation of lives through access to justice, the ripple effects of legal intervention on families, and the profound personal fulfilment that comes from serving others.
As the newly appointed chairman of Pro Bono SG, Dinesh carries forward a legacy that spans decades – Singapore’s legal profession giving back to society. Pro Bono SG, an organisation which evolved from its origins as the Law Society of Singapore’s Pro Bono Services Office, stands today as a testament to the legal community’s commitment to ensuring justice is accessible to all, regardless of their means.
“This chairmanship is really a position of trust,” Dinesh explains, his voice carrying both humility and conviction. “It’s about stewarding a legacy that belongs to the whole Bar – generations of lawyers who came together to build something that contributes to nation-building through justice and equality.”
In Singapore’s rapidly evolving society, legal needs touch every aspect of life – from birth and citizenship issues to housing disputes, family matters and end-of-life arrangements. When individuals can’t access legal services, the system breaks down not just for them, but for their families and the broader community. This is the challenge that Pro Bono SG confronts daily: bridging the gap between those without means to access legal help and those who can provide it.
Through innovative programmes that combine legal services with community engagement, training for young lawyers, partnerships with social service organisations, and direct assistance to vulnerable groups, Pro Bono SG is reimagining how legal aid can be delivered effectively and compassionately. As Dinesh takes the helm, he brings not only his experience in pro bono work but also a vision for how Singapore’s legal community can continue to fulfil its crucial role in nation-building through service.
This is the story of how Singapore’s lawyers are working to ensure that justice is not just an ideal inscribed in the national pledge, but a living reality for all residents of the city-state.
The Journey to Pro Bono Work
For Dinesh, his path to leadership in pro bono work began in an unexpected place – Reach Family Service Centre, which was established by his church, Grace Assembly of God, in 1998. As a young lawyer freshly called to the Bar in 1995, he found himself serving ad hoc as a volunteer legal advisor, often racing to consult senior members of the profession about cases that landed on his desk. “What do we do here? How can we help?” he would ask, navigating unfamiliar territory with the guidance of more experienced practitioners.
But it wasn’t until 2013 that his commitment to pro bono work crystallised into something more structured. “I felt the need to volunteer again,” he recalls. That was when he joined the Just Walk Committee. There, he was inspired by Mr Lok Vi Ming, Senior Counsel, whose passion for pro bono work would prove transformative in shaping Dinesh’s own commitment to pro bono work. The success of Just Walk 2015 sparked a question that would define much of Dinesh’s subsequent journey, “What more could I do?”
The answer came from an unexpected intersection of his professional and personal lives. Dinesh, alongside his wife Sylvia (who had left the legal profession to run a concert promotion company), decided to bridge communities through their shared love for music. This insight led to Just Sing in 2016, a project that began with a pitch to the Law Society Council and evolved into something far more significant than just a performance.
“I involved my classmate from NUS Law, Rani Singam, who is a national treasure in music,” Dinesh explains. The project brought together musicians from across the legal profession – from acclaimed jazz pianist and NUS Law graduate, Chok Kerong, to former NUS Law tutor, Jimmy Ye and talent from law firms. Just Sing demonstrated how the legal community could transcend boundaries and connect with the broader public.
This spirit of innovation continued with initiatives like Just Makan and Just Duet, the latter being especially close to Dinesh’s heart. Partnering with Timbre, a well-known name in Singapore’s music industry, Just Duet created something revolutionary: performances where domestic migrant workers sang alongside lawyers.
“You break away that stigma, that wall,” Dinesh explains. “You see that we can sing and make music together, and that’s part of the cause we are doing, to break down these sorts of barriers.”
These creative initiatives reflect a deeper understanding of how pro bono work must evolve to meet contemporary challenges. It’s not enough to simply offer legal services; the key is building genuine connections between the legal community and those they serve. This philosophy emphasises the critical importance of proximity – getting close to the communities that need legal support.
The success of these programmes demonstrated something powerful: when lawyers step outside their comfort zones and engage with communities in new ways, they don’t just provide better legal services – they transform the very nature of access to justice. Through music, food, sports, and shared experiences, they create bridges of understanding that make legal help more accessible and effective.
For young lawyers today, Dinesh’s journey offers an important lesson: the path to meaningful pro bono work isn’t always straightforward or conventional. Sometimes it winds through a church basement, across a concert stage, or over a shared meal. What matters is the willingness to start, the creativity to innovate, and the commitment to keep building vital connections that make justice accessible to all.
Building Bridges Through Proximity
“You can’t guarantee an equal outcome for everybody in life, but you can give them that opportunity,” Dinesh reflects, cutting to the heart of why proximity matters in pro bono work.
In a densely populated city like Singapore, physical proximity doesn’t automatically translate to genuine connection. Despite sharing the same small island, professionals may remain isolated within their own social circles, disconnected from those in different socioeconomic backgrounds. This separation creates invisible barriers that can make legal services feel inaccessible to those who need them most.
This divide is particularly evident in Pro Bono SG’s work with migrant workers, who face not only legal challenges but also cultural and psychological obstacles, as they work in a foreign country.
“They feel insecure, naturally. They feel culturally alienated,” Dinesh explains. The solution, he argues, isn’t just to provide legal services but to actively build relationships.
This revelation led to Pro Bono SG’s partnership with NTUC’s Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC) to open a dedicated Migrant Worker Law Centre at Serangoon Road, a carefully chosen location.
“It’s quite an ask for migrant workers to come out to Havelock Road (Pro Bono SG’s HQ in the State Courts), to see us,” Dinesh notes, “so you go to where they are.” This simple but powerful strategy – bringing services to the community – exemplifies the principle of proximity in action.
Pro Bono SG’s cricket tournament, Migrant Justice League, offers another compelling example of this approach in practice. Here, lawyers and migrant workers don’t just meet in the formal setting of a legal consultation – they play together on the same field. Through shared experiences like these, trust is built in ways that traditional legal consultations alone cannot achieve.
But proximity isn’t just about physical presence; it’s about understanding people as individuals, with unique stories and circumstances. Dinesh recalls a case where a family needed help securing the presumption of death certificate for their father who had passed away in a remote Indian village, to access CPF funds and transfer for their HDB flat. The complexity of their situation required several court hearings, written submissions and significant legal work, highlighting how essential pro bono services are for families facing such circumstances. Without pro bono support, they would have been locked out of accessing their only asset without means to pay for legal services.
“In order to effectively help someone, you need to understand them as individuals and their unique circumstances and issues,” Dinesh emphasises. This personalised approach has proven particularly valuable in transnational cases, where understanding cultural nuances and individual circumstances can make the difference between success and failure.
The impact of this proximity-based approach extends beyond individual cases. It creates a ripple effect, touching not just the immediate beneficiaries but their families and broader communities. When a migrant worker receives legal help, they can better support their family back home. When a family receives assistance with housing issues, it stabilises their children’s education and improves their prospects.
Pro Bono SG’s emphasis on proximity challenges the traditional model of legal aid provision. It suggests that effective legal assistance isn’t just about knowing the law – it’s about understanding people, building trust, and creating genuine connections. This approach requires more time and emotional investment from volunteers but produces more meaningful and lasting results.
For the legal profession, this focus on proximity offers a powerful reminder: the most effective pro bono work happens not from a distance, but through direct engagement with the communities they serve. It’s a lesson that continues to shape how Singapore’s legal community approaches its vital role in ensuring justice for all.
The Legal Profession and Nation Building
Dinesh often speaks about the role of the legal profession in nation building, drawing a symbolic reference to Singapore’s national flag. “The red symbolises universal brotherhood, equality,” he explains, drawing a direct line between national values and the legal profession’s mission. “Then you have the white, which stands for purity, integrity – doesn’t that sound like the values of the legal profession?”
This connection between professional values and national identity isn’t merely symbolic. Dinesh highlights the five stars on Singapore’s flag – representing justice, equality, peace, progress, and democracy – and ties them back to Singapore’s national pledge that every Singaporean recites: “to build a democratic society based on justice and equality.” These aren’t just lofty ideals; they are the foundational principles that shape how the legal profession serves society.
The late E.W. Barker, Singapore’s former Minister for Law, articulated this connection powerfully in a parliamentary debate that Dinesh discovered while reading Susan Sim’s biography. Comparing lawyers to other professionals, Barker observed that while “a doctor will cure a disease, engineer will build, construct, architect will draw … the lawyers help with the whole administration of Singapore.” His point wasn’t about institutional power but about the profession’s fundamental role in society.
From birth to death, legal needs touch every aspect of citizens’ lives. Birth might involve questions of legitimacy or citizenship, as in the case of the triplets Dinesh helped. Death brings issues of estate planning and asset transfer, illustrated by the family needing a presumption of death certificate to access their HDB flat. Between these bookends lie countless moments where legal expertise becomes essential: injury claims, issues of mental capacity, family matters, housing issues.
However, Barker’s observation carries a crucial implication: if lawyers are essential to society, what happens to those who can’t access legal services? “If they don’t get access to a lawyer, the system breaks down for them, doesn’t it?” Dinesh asks. This breakdown isn’t just an individual tragedy; it undermines the very foundations of Singapore’s aspirations for justice and equality.
The late founding father Lee Kuan Yew’s 2009 parliamentary speech about the national pledge provides another crucial perspective. Lee described the pledge not as an ideology but as an aspiration – something to strive for continuously. “Will we achieve it?” Lee asked. “I do not know, but we will have to keep on trying.” This perspective frames the legal profession’s role in nation building not as a finite task but as an ongoing commitment.
This commitment manifests in practical ways through Pro Bono SG’s work. The organisation’s evolution from “Law Society Pro Bono Services” to “Pro Bono SG” reflects this broader mission. While maintaining close ties with the Law Society of Singapore, the name change signals that access to justice is not just a concern for lawyers but for all of Singapore.
The legal profession’s contribution to nation building extends beyond individual cases to shaping the very fabric of society. When lawyers volunteer their expertise, they’re not just helping individual clients; they’re strengthening the foundations of Singapore’s democratic society. Their work ensures that justice and equality remain as living principles rather than mere words in a pledge.
As Singapore continues to evolve, the legal profession’s role in nation building becomes increasingly crucial. It’s not just about maintaining the legal infrastructure but about ensuring that every resident, regardless of their circumstances, has access to justice. This mission requires not just legal expertise but a deep commitment to the values that Singapore was founded upon – the same values represented in the stars of the national flag.
“These are not just professional values,” Dinesh emphasises. “They are Singaporean values.” Pro bono work is an essential part of building a nation where justice and equality are not just aspirations but an everyday reality.
Future Directions and Challenges
Looking ahead, Pro Bono SG faces both exciting opportunities and significant challenges. January 2025 marks the launch of Pro Bono Weeks, a new initiative coinciding with the opening of the legal year. “The idea is to embed this pro bono ethos to the next generation,” Dinesh explains.
However, with the impact of technology and changing work patterns, the traditional mentorship model that Dinesh benefited from as a young lawyer – centred around the Bar room where senior practitioners were always available for consultation – has also been transformed.
“People are doing online hearings, being on the move so much more. Even when they’re in a Bar room, they’re just looking at their phone,” he observes. This shift necessitates new approaches to preserving and transmitting the wisdom and values of the profession.
The evolution of Just Walk into Just Jalan exemplifies how Pro Bono SG adapts its outreach strategies. The name change is more than cosmetic – “Jalan” carries the dual meaning of walking and forging a pathway.
“If you don’t keep walking it, the weeds will grow. The path is lost,” Dinesh explains, underlining the need for sustained effort in maintaining access to justice.
However, the most significant challenge lies in what Dinesh calls the need for “actualism” – a pragmatic approach that balances idealistic goals with practical outcomes. In an era of rapid news cycles and viral narratives, he emphasises the importance of evidence-based advocacy.
“Don’t build a case purely on the narrative of the issue or the cause,” he cautions, “because it’s very easy to run with a cause and think you’re fighting for justice. But if you get your facts wrong, it’s all a waste of resources.”
This commitment to evidence-based advocacy becomes particularly crucial as Pro Bono SG expands its partnerships. The organisation is strengthening relationships with:
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) providing educational and mental health services
- Religious organisations and community groups
- Government agencies like the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth (MCCY)
- International legal community in Singapore
- Social service organisations working with vulnerable populations
These partnerships acknowledge that legal problems rarely exist in isolation. A family facing legal difficulties might also need educational support for their children or mental health services. This holistic approach requires careful coordination and resource management to ensure effective service delivery.
Looking ahead, Pro Bono SG aims to deepen its engagement with the wider Singapore community. “People will just see this as the lawyers’ charity. But it’s more than that,” Dinesh insists. The goal is to help the public understand how access to justice affects everyone and why supporting pro bono services serves the national interest.
The organisation must also navigate the challenges of volunteer burnout and sustainability. “Our volunteers sometimes go through a lot,” Dinesh acknowledges. The emotional toll of pro bono work, combined with the demands of regular practice, requires careful attention to volunteer welfare and support systems.
For young lawyers entering the profession, Pro Bono SG’s message emphasises the importance of finding meaning in the journey rather than focusing solely on career milestones. “If your targets are just orientated around, ‘I want to have this kind of house’, ‘I want to have this kind of income’… you’re going to miss a lot of things,” Dinesh advises.
As Singapore continues to evolve, Pro Bono SG’s challenge is to maintain the delicate balance between preserving the profession’s core values and adapting to changing societal needs. The organisation’s success in this endeavour will play a crucial role in ensuring that justice remains accessible to everyone.
Conclusion
At the heart of Singapore’s national pledge lies a promise: to build a democratic society based on justice and equality. Through our conversation with Dinesh, it becomes clear that this aspiration should not be merely inscribed in ceremony – it’s a daily commitment carried forward by Singapore’s legal community through pro bono work.
The transformation of Pro Bono SG from a Law Society initiative to a broader community movement reflects a deeper understanding of how access to justice shapes society. Whether through the innovative engagement of Just Jalan, the community-building power of Just Duet, or the dedicated service at the new Serangoon Road Centre for migrant workers, the organisation continues to find new ways to make legal services more accessible and meaningful.
Yet perhaps the most powerful testament to the impact of pro bono work comes from the small moments: a Christmas greeting from triplets now thriving in primary school, a family finally able to access their HDB flat after a complex legal case, or migrant workers finding common ground with a lawyer over a cricket match. These instances demonstrate how legal intervention, when delivered with empathy and understanding, can transform lives and strengthen communities.
As Dinesh assumes leadership of Pro Bono SG, his vision encompasses more than just expanding legal services – it is about nurturing a society where justice is truly accessible to all. This requires not just the dedication of the legal community but the support and engagement of all Singaporeans who believe in the values expressed in their national pledge.
“The joy is in the journey,” Dinesh often reminds young lawyers. In the context of pro bono work, this journey is not just about personal fulfilment – it’s about continuing the vital work of nation-building through ensuring access to justice. As Singapore moves forward, Pro Bono SG’s mission remains clear: to forge pathways to justice that will serve not just this generation but those to come.
The path ahead may be challenging, as it requires a delicate balance between idealism and pragmatism, between traditional values and innovative approaches. But as Lee Kuan Yew noted about the national pledge, while we may not know if we will ever fully attain these ideals, we must keep trying. In this ongoing journey, Pro Bono SG and Singapore’s legal community play an essential role in building a society where justice and equality are not just aspirations but living realities for all.
