The Singapore Law Gazette

Integrated Socio-Legal Healing in the Community

Over the past years, Pro Bono SG has been bridging the gaps in society by bringing our services closer to the heartlands where the needs are. Today, we are running legal clinics in every CDC and even a specialised legal clinic for migrant workers at Angullia mosque. In the past two years alone, we opened two Community Law Centres and our vision is to continue to open more Community Law Centres in other parts of Singapore. By reaching out to those in need by working in collaboration with other social service agencies through our presence in the community, we bring more holistic care to the vulnerable and the disadvantaged who present with complex socio-legal and other issues.

When Mr A (not his real name) first sought help with social workers, he had not realised the full complexity of his issues. When his marriage broke down, Mr A found himself in the midst of a tumultuous legal battle and financial hardship. 

His life was upended by two pressing issues: a claim for damages stemming from a heated altercation with his ex-wife’s partner, John (not his real name), and the challenge of reducing child maintenance payments to his ex-wife, Jane (not her real name). 

Regarding the first issue, John had initiated a civil lawsuit, claiming damages resulting from injuries inflicted by Mr A during a heated altercation, which stemmed from the revelation of Jane’s contentious affair with her partner. 

While the other party was represented by legal counsel, Mr A was navigating the legal process without representation. Navigating the legal process alone proved daunting, and was compounded by the emotional strain of the marital breakdown. 

While entangled in this legal battle, Mr A, faced with the additional challenge of meeting child maintenance obligations, found himself in a precarious financial situation. 

After the divorce, Mr A provided financial support to his and Jane’s child by transferring a fixed amount directly into the child’s account monthly. 

However, Jane sought to increase child maintenance. Struggling with the financial strain of freelance work, Mr A appealed to the Court, voluntarily proposing an amount that was just slightly lower than the requested amount, which Jane accepted. 

Yet, even with this compromise, Mr A found the financial burden overwhelming. His unstable monthly income exacerbated the challenge of meeting the increased maintenance payments while trying to support himself. 

Compounding matters, Mr A found himself without stable housing after the divorce, despite receiving some funds from selling their flat. Unable to secure another residence, he sought help from a transitional shelter, which added further stress to his situation.

With no clear path forward and unable to afford legal representation and guidance, Mr A turned to his social worker at a Family Service Centre (FSC). Coincidentally, during this period, Pro Bono SG conducted an outreach session at the FSC to raise awareness on the services offered by the Community Law Centre @ Realm of Tranquility, which Pro Bono SG opened in January 2024 in partnership with Realm of Tranquility. 

During the outreach event, his social worker swiftly raised the matter with our legal team and a legal consultation was arranged for Mr A. 

During the consultation session at the Community Law Centre @ Realm of Tranquility, our Community Lawyers gave Mr A (accompanied by his social worker) valuable insights on the next steps, which included exploring Alternative Dispute Resolution and the process of applying for legal aid to defend the claim. The Community Lawyers also explained the consequences of ignoring the legal proceedings, which Mr A was contemplating. Concurrently, Mr A’s dedicated social worker sent an email to the Court, requesting additional time for a legal aid application to take place. 

Addressing Mr A’s issue with Jane, our lawyers directed him to the Maintenance Registry at Family Justice Court, where he could file a variation application directly. This guidance equipped Mr A with the necessary information to navigate the complexities of child maintenance obligations effectively. 

Despite the challenges, Mr A remained resilient, buoyed by the support of the community professionals assisting him. The collaboration between social workers and our Community Lawyers continues, ensuring Mr A receives the comprehensive assistance needed to navigate his circumstances. 

Complex Issues Requiring Integrated Socio-Legal Support

Over the years, through Pro Bono SG’s own case management and discussions initiated with social service agencies, we discovered the complex and multi-faceted nature of issues faced by lower-income families and individuals in Singapore. To uplift the lower-income families, we pioneered the Community Law Centre concept to provide integrated socio-legal assistance to such vulnerable families in the heartlands. We worked closely with community-based social service professionals to support clients whose legal issues are interwoven with social issues such as financial challenges, unemployment, housing insecurity, mental wellness issues and family breakdown.

Toward this end, in January 2023, we partnered Tian De Temple to establish a Community Law Centre in Hougang and a year later, we partnered charity Realm of Tranquility to establish the second centre in Woodlands, supported by the NCSS 4ST Partnership Fund. In FY2023/24, the two Community Law Centres served 791 applicants.

Very recently in mid-July 2024, Pro Bono SG partnered South Central Community Family Service Centre and launched the first-ever Transnational Family Care Centre in Delta Avenue, to further entrench ourselves as socio-legal healers in the community.

Pro Bono SG

Pro Bono SG is a registered charity with the status of an Institution of a Public Character. Since 2007, we have expanded our legal initiatives and programmes to help more than 150,000 people through legal awareness, guidance, and representation. As a charity of gaps, Pro Bono SG’s mission is to enable access to justice for all.

We work with volunteer lawyers to:

• Increase legal knowledge of members of the public so they are better aware of their legal rights and obligations
• Provide legal guidance for needy individuals and community organisations through our array of legal clinics
• Represent the needy and vulnerable in their legal matters