The Singapore Law Gazette

Having the Last Word

It is with sadness and hope that I see the Law Gazette moving into online publishing. Sadness because an old-fashioned lawyer like me will not be able to carry a hard copy wherever, anymore. Twenty-five years ago, in 1992 – when I was on the editorial board and Law Society vice-president – the Gazette was conceived as a handy publication containing news in and about the legal profession. But four years later, in 1996, the Internet was introduced to Singapore. Little did I know then that the day will finally arrive when the Gazette will have to go online. Nevertheless, I am hopeful for the future of the Gazette and that it will continue to be read – everywhere – by the legal community.

Peter Cuthbert Low
Past President
Managing Director
Peter Low & Choo LLC

“The launch of a glossy monthly written publication that reached the desk of every practising lawyer was a watershed moment for the Law Society. It marked the evolution of the Society from a developing Bar Association to a mature Bar Association. The Law Gazette gave a face and voice to the Bar. The Gazette’s feature articles provided a platform for the profession to promote law reform or explore varied or emerging areas of law. Regular columns, such as the “Young Lawyers’ Amicus Agony” and “Alter Ego” provided a window to the unique joys and challenges of being a member of the Bar. The Law Gazette has most of all served as a “meeting place”, where each month around the official publication of the Law Society we received and exchanged the news and happenings of our legal fraternity.”

Yasho Dhoraisingam
Former CEO

My best memory of the Law Gazette is writing a column called “Obiter” which reported on interesting and humorous stories relating to the law. I also enjoyed coming up with designs and taglines for the front cover of the Law Gazette, although it was often difficult capturing the abstract. One of the other memorable things about the Law Gazette was doing a monthly thematic issue. This eventually morphed into a 3-4 times a year effort to have a dedicated thematic issue.

I pay tribute to the past Chairs of the Publications Committee: the late Palakrishnan SC, who was instrumental in negotiating the first contract with LexisNexis that saw the Law Society benefit from this monthly publication for the past 17 years, as well its online archive, and for his vision; Elizabeth Wong and Gregory Vijayendran for their leadership in maintaining the standard of the SLG to where it is today; and the steadfast support of Tracey Yeo, Sharmaine Lau and Shirin Kamsir at the Secretariat.

The end of hardcopy Law Gazettes will see a new era emerge of a greener, more easily accessible and portable publication. As with all change, it will first require a mindset change before it sees acceptance. Please continue to support our efforts.

Malathi Das
Chair, Publications Committee