No. S 677
Legal Profession Act
(CHAPTER 161)
Legal Profession (Qualified Persons)
(Amendment No. 2) Rules 2017
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(2) of the Legal Profession Act, the Minister for Law, after consulting the Board of Directors of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education, makes the following Rules:
Citation and commencement
1.   These Rules are the Legal Profession (Qualified Persons) (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2017 and come into operation on 1 December 2017.
Amendment of rule 2
2.  Rule 2 of the Legal Profession (Qualified Persons) Rules (R 15) (called in these Rules the principal Rules) is amended —
(a)by deleting sub‑paragraphs (A), (AA), (B), (C) and (D) of paragraph (a)(i) of the definition of “approved twinning programme” and substituting the following sub‑paragraphs:
“(A)any degree of Bachelor of Laws specified in the First Schedule that is conferred on or after 1 January 1997;
(B)any degree of Bachelor of Laws specified in the Second Schedule that is conferred on or after 1 January 1997 but before 1 January 2025;
(C)any degree of Bachelor of Laws specified in the Third Schedule that is conferred on or after 28 July 2003;
(D)any degree of Bachelor of Laws specified in the Fourth Schedule that is conferred on or after 1 August 2005;
(E)any degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the First, Third or Fourth Schedule that is conferred on or after 1 December 2017; or
(F)any degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the Fifth Schedule that is conferred on or after 1 January 2004; and”;
(b)by deleting sub‑paragraphs (A) to (G) of paragraph (a)(ii) of the definition of “approved twinning programme” and substituting the following sub‑paragraphs:
“(A)if that degree is a degree of Bachelor of Laws conferred on or after 1 January 1997 but before 28 July 2003 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First and Second Schedules and the National University of Singapore;
(B)if that degree is a degree of Bachelor of Laws conferred on or after 28 July 2003 but before 1 January 2004 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First, Second and Third Schedules and the National University of Singapore;
(C)if that degree is a degree of Bachelor of Laws conferred on or after 1 January 2004 but before 1 August 2005 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First, Second, Third and Fifth Schedules and the National University of Singapore;
(D)if that degree is a degree of Bachelor of Laws conferred on or after 1 August 2005 but before 1 April 2008 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Schedules and the National University of Singapore;
(E)if that degree is a degree of Bachelor of Laws conferred on or after 1 April 2008 but before 1 August 2016 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Schedules, the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Management University;
(F)if that degree is a degree of Bachelor of Laws conferred on or after 1 August 2016 but before 1 January 2025 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Schedules, the National University of Singapore, the Singapore Management University and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (formerly known as the SIM University);
(G)if that degree is a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the First, Third or Fourth Schedule that is conferred on or after 1 December 2017 but before 1 January 2025 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Schedules, the National University of Singapore, the Singapore Management University and the Singapore University of Social Sciences;
(H)if that degree is a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the Fifth Schedule that is conferred on or after 1 January 2004 but before 1 August 2005 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First, Second, Third and Fifth Schedules and the National University of Singapore;
(I)if that degree is a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the Fifth Schedule that is conferred on or after 1 August 2005 but before 1 April 2008 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Schedules and the National University of Singapore;
(J)if that degree is a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the Fifth Schedule that is conferred on or after 1 April 2008 but before 1 August 2016 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Schedules, the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Management University;
(K)if that degree is a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the Fifth Schedule that is conferred on or after 1 August 2016 but before 1 January 2025 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Schedules, the National University of Singapore, the Singapore Management University and the Singapore University of Social Sciences; or
(L)if that degree is conferred on or after 1 January 2025 — one or more of the other institutions of higher learning specified in the First, Third, Fourth and Fifth Schedules, the National University of Singapore, the Singapore Management University and the Singapore University of Social Sciences; and”; and
(c)by inserting, immediately after the words “by whatever name called,” in the definition of “degree of Bachelor of Laws”, the words “other than a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence,”.
Amendment of rule 9
3.  Rule 9 of the principal Rules is amended —
(a)by inserting, immediately after the words “by an institution of higher learning in Australia or New Zealand” in paragraph (1), the words “, or a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence by an institution of higher learning in Australia,”;
(b)by inserting, immediately after the words “Bachelor of Laws” wherever they appear in paragraphs (1)(c), (2) and (2A), the words “or degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence”;
(c)by deleting sub‑paragraphs (d) and (e) of paragraph (1) and substituting the following sub‑paragraphs:
“(d)that person —
(i)commenced reading on or after 1 January 1994 a course of study as a candidate for that degree, if that degree is a degree of Bachelor of Laws; or
(ii)is conferred that degree on or after 1 December 2017, if that degree is a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence;
(e)that person has been ranked by that institution of higher learning as being amongst —
(i)the highest 70%, in terms of academic performance, of the total number of graduates in the same batch who have been conferred the degree or degrees of Bachelor of Laws specified in the First Schedule in respect of that institution of higher learning; or
(ii)the highest 70%, in terms of academic performance, of the total number of graduates in the same batch who have been conferred the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the First Schedule in respect of that institution of higher learning;”;
(d)by deleting sub‑paragraphs (d) and (e) of paragraph (2) and substituting the following sub‑paragraphs:
“(d)that person is conferred that degree —
(i)on or after 28 July 2003, if that degree is a degree of Bachelor of Laws; or
(ii)on or after 1 December 2017, if that degree is a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence;
(e)that person has been ranked by that institution of higher learning as being amongst —
(i)the highest 70%, in terms of academic performance, of the total number of graduates in the same batch who have been conferred the degree or degrees of Bachelor of Laws specified in the Third Schedule in respect of that institution of higher learning; or
(ii)the highest 70%, in terms of academic performance, of the total number of graduates in the same batch who have been conferred the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the Third Schedule in respect of that institution of higher learning;”;
(e)by deleting sub‑paragraphs (d) and (e) of paragraph (2A) and substituting the following sub‑paragraphs:
“(d)that person is conferred that degree —
(i)on or after 1 August 2005, if that degree is a degree of Bachelor of Laws; or
(ii)on or after 1 December 2017, if that degree is a degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence;
(e)that person has been ranked by that institution of higher learning as being amongst —
(i)the highest 70%, in terms of academic performance, of the total number of graduates in the same batch who have been conferred the degree or degrees of Bachelor of Laws specified in the Fourth Schedule in respect of that institution of higher learning; or
(ii)the highest 70%, in terms of academic performance, of the total number of graduates in the same batch who have been conferred the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the Fourth Schedule in respect of that institution of higher learning;”;
(f)by deleting paragraph (3) and substituting the following paragraph:
“(3)  For the purposes of paragraphs (1)(e), (2)(e) and (2A)(e) —
(a)all graduates in the same institution of higher learning who, in the same calendar year, commenced the final year of their course of study leading to the degree or degrees of Bachelor of Laws specified in the First, Third or Fourth Schedule are to be regarded as belonging to the same batch; and
(b)all graduates in the same institution of higher learning who, in the same calendar year, commenced the final year of their course of study leading to the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence specified in the First, Third or Fourth Schedule are to be regarded as belonging to the same batch.”; and
(g)by deleting the words “degrees of Bachelor of Laws” in the rule heading and substituting the words “degrees in law”.
Amendment of rule 10
4.  Rule 10 of the principal Rules is amended by inserting, immediately after paragraph (3), the following paragraph:
“(3A)  Except as otherwise approved by the Minister, no person who is conferred the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence by any institution of higher learning in Australia is to become a qualified person under rule 9 if the person had not read the course leading to that degree as a full‑time internal candidate of that institution of higher learning.”.
Amendment of rule 11
5.  Rule 11 of the principal Rules is amended —
(a)by inserting, immediately after paragraph (2), the following paragraph:
“(2A)  Except as otherwise approved by the Minister, no person who is conferred the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence by an institution of higher learning in Australia is to become a qualified person under rule 9 if —
(a)the course of study that led to that degree was an accelerated course; or
(b)the course of study that led to that degree was a dual degree course and the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence is a component of the dual degrees conferred on that person.”; and
(b)by inserting, immediately after the words “Paragraphs (1)” in paragraph (4), “, (2A)”.
Deletion and substitution of First Schedule
6.  The First Schedule to the principal Rules is deleted and the following Schedule substituted therefor:
“FIRST SCHEDULE
Rules 2, 8(1), 9(1) and (3),
11(2) and (4) and 12
Institutions of Higher Learning and
Degrees in Law Conferred
Country
 
Institution
 
Degree
United Kingdom
 
1.University of Birmingham
 
LL.B (Honours)
 
 
2.University of Bristol
 
LL.B (Single Honours)
 
 
3.University of Cambridge
 
B.A. Law
 
 
4.University of Durham
 
LL.B (Honours)
 
 
5.King’s College London (formerly known as King’s College London, University of London)
 
LL.B (Honours)
 
 
6.London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
 
LL.B (Honours)
 
 
7.Queen Mary University of London (formerly known as Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London)
 
LL.B (Honours)
 
 
8.University College London (formerly known as University College, University of London)
 
LL.B (Honours)
 
 
9.University of Nottingham
 
LL.B (Honours)
 
 
10.University of Oxford
 
B.A. (Honours) Jurisprudence
 
 
11.University of Warwick
 
LL.B (Honours)
Australia
 
1.Monash University
 
LL.B,
LL.B (Honours),
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
 
 
2.University of Melbourne
 
LL.B,
LL.B (Honours),
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
 
 
3.University of New South Wales
 
LL.B,
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
 
 
4.University of Sydney
 
LL.B,
LL.B (Honours),
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
New Zealand
 
1.University of Auckland
 
LL.B, LL.B (Honours)
 
 
2.Victoria University of Wellington
 
LL.B, LL.B (Honours)
”.
Deletion and substitution of Third and Fourth Schedules
7.  The Third and Fourth Schedules to the principal Rules are deleted and the following Schedules substituted therefor:
“THIRD SCHEDULE
Rules 2, 9(2) and (3), 11(4) and 12
Institutions of Higher Learning and
Degrees in Law Conferred
Country
 
Institution
 
Degree
Australia
 
1.Australian National University
 
LL.B, LL.B (Honours),
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
 
 
2.Flinders University
 
LL.B, LL.B (Honours),
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
 
 
3.University of Queensland
 
LL.B, LL.B (Honours),
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
 
 
4.University of Western Australia
 
LL.B, LL.B (Honours),
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
FOURTH SCHEDULE
Rules 2, 9(2A) and (3), 11(4) and 12
Institutions of higher learning and
degrees in law conferred
Country
 
Institution
 
Degree
Australia
 
1.University of Tasmania
 
LL.B, LL.B (Honours),
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
 
 
2.Murdoch University
 
LL.B, LL.B (Honours),
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
”.
[G.N. Nos. S 348/2003; S 145/2004; S 493/2005; S 217/2006; S 587/2006; S 187/2008; S 331/2009; S 243/2011; S 290/2014; S 492/2015; S 602/2015; S 354/2016; S 515/2017]
Made on 24 November 2017.
NG HOW YUE
Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Law,
Singapore.
[LAW34/006/031; AG/LEGIS/SL/161/2015/9 Vol. 2]
(To be presented to Parliament under section 185 of the Legal Profession Act).
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