Cheating, Deception by Concealment and Ordinary Dishonesty
This article examines the recent Singapore Court of Appeal decision in Poh Yuan Nie v Public Prosecutor and another matter [2022] SGCA 74, which considered the novel issue of whether the word “dishonest” in the phrase “dishonest concealment of facts”
The Importance of Communicating Effectively with Your Client
Introduction Proper client management is one of the most important skills required in legal practice. To ensure a sustainable practice, it is essential for legal practitioners to communicate effectively with their clients to avoid any misunderstandings or misperceptions. Recent court decisions
Unauthorised Practice of Law – What Constitutes Acting or Practising as a Solicitor?
This article analyses the contrasting judicial approaches in recent Singapore and Malaysian decisions on what amounts to acting or practising as a solicitor. The author suggests that although the Singapore framework is sound, certain aspects of its application should be
Entitlement and Eligibility – Regulating Trusts Over HDB Properties
This article critically examines the legal controversy that arose in a recent spate of cases on the proper interpretation of s 51(10) of the Housing and Development Act, which regulates resulting and constructive trusts over HDB properties. Introduction The past
Litigants in Person: Principles and Practice in Civil and Family Matters in Singapore
By Jaclyn L Neo and Helena Whalen-Bridge Any experienced Singapore family law or civil litigation practitioner will be familiar with litigants in person (LiPs) in the legal system. They might have encountered a LiP on the opposing side while representing
Raise Your Ethics IQ … with the Professional Ethics Digest 2020
“The market value of a lawyer is inextricably linked with the non-negotiable calling card of integrity and ethical propriety. The Law Society is finalising a sequel to the 2019 Professional Ethics Digest to be released this quarter. That will contain
Addressing Client Dissatisfaction – A Primer for Law Practices
Addressing the concerns of a dissatisfied client is a common and inevitable occurrence in legal practice. Client dissatisfaction may be due to a wide range of reasons. A recent report released by the UK Solicitors Regulation Authority revealed that the
Giving 2 Working Days’ Notice Before Entering Default Judgment
The Advisory Committee was asked by a legal practitioner to provide guidance
Professional Ethics – An Update
Introduction This article distills and summarises the key points of the session on Professional Conduct and Ethics held on 3 November 2020, as part of the Law Society’s Annual CPD Day 2020. It focuses on three areas: Conflicts of interest
Business Transactions Between Solicitors and Their Clients
Law Society of Singapore v Tan Chun Chuen Malcolm [2020] SGHC 166 Introduction It is trite that lawyers owe fiduciary duties to their clients and one such duty is to “[avoid] any financial or personal arrangements with his client or related persons