Legal Profession Act
(Chapter 161, Section 5(3))
Legal Profession Rules
R 3
REVISED EDITION 1990
(25th March 1992)
[11th August 1967]
Citation
1.  These Rules may be cited as the Legal Profession Rules.
Definitions
1A.  In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires —
“master” means a person with whom a qualified person has served his period of pupillage before 9th October 2009;
“qualifying relevant legal officer” has the same meaning as in section 13(1)(b)(ii) of the Act.
[S 470/2009 wef 09/10/2009]
Seal
2.  The Board shall have a seal bearing in the circumference the words “Republic of Singapore” and in the centre of the seal the words “The Board of Legal Education” in 3 parallel and horizontal lines.
Meetings
3.  The Board shall meet on not less than 4 occasions in each year and at such time and place as the Chairman, or in his absence the Deputy Chairman, directs.
Chairman and Deputy Chairman
4.  At its first meeting in each calendar year the Board shall elect a Chairman and a Deputy Chairman.
Notice of meeting
5.  The Secretary of the Board shall give to all members 7 days’ notice of each meeting together with the agenda of the matters to be considered by the Board.
Quorum
6.  Subject to section 10(3) of the Act, the quorum of the Board shall be 5 members.
Casting vote
7.  The Chairman, the Deputy Chairman or any other member shall, when presiding over a meeting of the Board, have a casting vote only.
Committees
8.  The Board may from time to time appoint one or more committees from among its members to consider and report to the Board on any matters for which the Board is made responsible by the Act.
Board may authorise Secretary and two other members to sign and endorse cheques
9.—(1)  The Board may by resolution authorise and require the Secretary and either of two named members to sign all cheques drawn on its bank account.
(2)  The Secretary and either of the two named members may be authorised to endorse cheques drawn in favour of and to the order of the Board.
(3)  The Secretary shall pay all moneys received by him into the bank account of the Board and shall issue a receipt therefor.
(4)  The Secretary shall prepare and submit to each meeting of the Board a statement of all amounts received and paid on behalf of the Board since the previous meeting.
(5)  The Secretary shall present to the Board an audited statement of account at the first meeting of each calendar year.
Minutes
10.—(1)  The Secretary, or in his absence a member of the Board nominated by the Chairman, shall keep a record of the proceedings and decisions of each meeting of the Board for incorporation in the minute book of the Board.
(2)  The Secretary shall be responsible for the safe custody of the minute book and for its production at meetings of the Board.
10A.  [Deleted by S 332/2009 wef 31/07/2009]
Courses and examinations prescribed for purposes of section 12(1)(d) and (e) of Act
11.—(1)  For the purposes of section 12(1)(d) of the Act, a qualified person shall have attended and satisfactorily completed any of the following courses:
(a)the preparatory course leading to Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations;
(b)the Postgraduate Practical Course in Law conducted by the Board;
(c)the Postgraduate Practical Course in Law conducted by the University of Malaya in Singapore or the University of Singapore;
(d)the Post Final Practical Course of the Council of Legal Education in England ending no later than 31st December 1968.
[S 470/2009 wef 09/10/2009]
(1A)  For the purposes of section 12(1)( e) of the Act, a qualified person shall have passed —
(a)if he attended the course referred to in paragraph (1)(a), Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations;
(b)if he attended the course referred to in paragraph (1)(b), the examinations for the Postgraduate Practical Course in Law conducted by the Board;
(c)if he attended the course referred to in paragraph (1)(c), the examinations for the Postgraduate Practical Course in Law conducted by the University of Malaya in Singapore or the University of Singapore, as the case may be; or
(d)if he attended the course referred to in paragraph (1)(d), the examinations for the Post Final Practical Course of the Council of Legal Education in England ending no later than 31st December 1968.
[S 470/2009 wef 09/10/2009]
(2)  An applicant for admission shall produce to the Board —
(a)a certificate in Form A as set out in the Schedule if —
(i)he has attended the preparatory course leading to Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations conducted by the Board; and
(ii)he has passed Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations; or
[S 592/2010 wef 15/10/2010]
(b)such other certificate as the Board may require if he has attended any of the other courses mentioned in paragraph (1).
[S 810/2005 wef 01/01/2006]
(3)  The Secretary shall endorse on the certificate produced to the Board under paragraph (2) the date of its production and his signature.
[S 810/2005 wef 01/01/2006]
(4)  The Secretary shall keep a register for the purpose of recording the name of the person shown on each certificate, the date on which the certificate was granted to him and the date of production of the certificate to the Board.
[S 810/2005 wef 01/01/2006]
Procedure before filing of application for admission
12.—(1)  A qualified person who intends to apply for admission as an advocate and solicitor shall, before filing his application —
(a)register his name with the Board;
(b)produce to the Board such document or documents relating to the qualification by virtue of which he claims to be a qualified person as the Board may require;
[S 618/2009 wef 18/12/2009]
(c)inform the Board, in such form or manner as the Board may require, of —
(i)the proposed date of commencement of his practice training period; and
(ii)such of the following particulars as may be applicable to him:
(A)that he intends to serve his practice training period under a practice training contract with a Singapore law practice of the specified name and address;
(B)that he intends to serve his practice training period through working as a Legal Service Officer; or
(C)that he intends to serve his practice training period through working under the supervision of a qualifying relevant legal officer of the specified name, appointment and address; and
(d)obtain the Board’s approval of the manner in which he is to serve his practice training period.
[S 470/2009 wef 09/10/2009]
(2)  When the Board has given its approval of the manner in which a qualified person is to serve his practice training period, the Secretary shall enter in a register of qualified persons —
(a)the name of the qualified person;
(b)the date of the production of the document or documents referred to in paragraph (1)(b); and
(c)such particulars referred to in paragraph (1)(c)(ii)(A), (B) or (C) as may be applicable to the qualified person.
[S 618/2009 wef 18/12/2009]
(3)  The fee payable on registration shall be $107 (inclusive of the goods and services tax chargeable under the Goods and Services Tax Act (Cap. 117A)).
[S 618/2009 wef 18/12/2009]
(4)  A qualified person shall first notify the Board in writing and obtain its approval if he intends to change the manner in which he is to serve his practice training period, and the Secretary shall enter the date of the notice and the date of the approval in the register.
[S 470/2009 wef 09/10/2009]
(5)  Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a qualified person who before 9th October 2009 has complied with paragraph (1) in force immediately before that date.
[S 470/2009 wef 09/10/2009]
(6)  Paragraph (4) shall not apply to a qualified person who on 9th October 2009 has commenced but not completed his period of pupillage in any of the following circumstances:
(a)the qualified person —
(i)has obtained the Board’s approval to serve, and immediately before that date was serving, his period of pupillage with an advocate and solicitor referred to in section 14(1)( a) or (c) of the Act in force immediately before that date; and
(ii)intends to and does serve on and after that date his practice training period under a practice training contract with the Singapore law practice in which that advocate and solicitor is in active practice;
(b)the qualified person —
(i)has obtained the Board’s approval to serve, and immediately before that date was serving, his period of pupillage with a legal officer referred to in section 14(1)(b) of the Act in force immediately before that date; and
(ii)being a Legal Service Officer immediately before that date, intends to and does serve on and after that date his practice training period through working as a Legal Service Officer; or
(c)both of the following requirements are satisfied:
(i)the qualified person —
(A)has obtained the Board’s approval to serve, and immediately before that date was serving, his period of pupillage with a legal officer referred to in section 14(1)(b) of the Act in force immediately before that date; and
(B)not being a Legal Service Officer immediately before that date, intends to and does serve on and after that date his practice training period through working under the supervision of that legal officer; and
(ii)as long as the qualified person serves his practice training period through working under the supervision of that legal officer, that legal officer is and continues to be a qualifying relevant legal officer.
[S 470/2009 wef 09/10/2009]
[S 810/2005 wef 01/01/2006]
Certificates of good character
13.—(1)  For the purpose of section 17(4)(c) of the Act, the 2 certificates of good character of the applicant shall be given by 2 responsible persons —
(a)who are not immediately related to the applicant; and
(b)who have known the applicant for 2 years or more and have had opportunities of judging the applicant’s character.
(2)  At least one of the 2 persons giving the certificates of good character of the applicant must be a resident of Singapore.
(3)  Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Board may accept in place of either or both of the certificates of good character or require in addition thereto such other evidence of good character as the Board thinks fit.
[S 810/2005 wef 01/01/2006]
Certificates referred to in section 17(4)(d) of Act
13A.—(1)  Subject to paragraph (2), for the purposes of section 17(4)(d) of the Act, a qualified person shall exhibit, in his affidavit referred to in section 17(4) of the Act —
(a)if he has, or is deemed to have, served the whole or any part of his practice training period under a practice training contract, a certificate of diligence from each Singapore law practice from which he has received supervised training in relation to the practice of Singapore law pursuant to a practice training contract;
(b)if he has, or is deemed to have, served the whole or any part of his practice training period through working as a Legal Service Officer, a certificate of diligence from the Solicitor-General, the Registrar of the Supreme Court or the Senior District Judge; and
(c)if he has, or is deemed to have, served the whole or any part of his practice training period through working under the supervision of a qualifying relevant legal officer, a certificate of diligence from each such qualifying relevant legal officer.
(2)  A qualified person who before 9th October 2009 has served his period of pupillage or any part thereof under a master may, in lieu of a certificate referred to in paragraph (1)(a), (b) or (c) covering that period of pupillage or part thereof, exhibit a certificate of diligence covering that period of pupillage or part thereof from that master.
[S 470/2009 wef 09/10/2009]
Admissions Committee
14.—(1)  There shall be an Admissions Committee consisting of 2 members from time to time elected by the Board to which the Secretary shall submit all applications for admission and for registration under rule 12(1), together with copies of such supporting documents as are in each case required.
(2)  The Committee shall without delay report to the Board on all such applications.
Forms
15.—(1)  The notice referred to in section 17(3) of the Act shall be in Form B as set out in the Schedule.
(2)  The affidavits referred to in sections 17(4) and 18(4) of the Act in support of an application for admission shall be in the appropriate version of Form C as set out in the Schedule.
(3)  The certificates of good character referred to in section 17(4)(c) of the Act shall be in Form D as set out in the Schedule.
(4)  A certificate referred to in section 17(4)(d) of the Act that an applicant for admission has served his practice training period with diligence shall be in the appropriate version of Form E as set out in the Schedule.
[S 470/2009 wef 09/10/2009]
(5)  The certificates from the Secretary of the Board referred to in section 17 (4) (a) and (e) of the Act shall be in the appropriate version of Form F as set out in the Schedule.
(6)  The certificate referred to in section 18(4)(b) of the Act shall be in Form G as set out in the Schedule.
(7)  The certificate referred to in section 18(4)(c) of the Act shall be in Form H as set out in the Schedule.
(8)  Where the circumstances of an applicant for admission are such that no version of the Forms as set out in the Schedule is applicable in his case, the applicant shall make use of such form as the Board may approve.
[S 810/2005 wef 01/01/2006]
Power to revoke certificates, awards and prizes
16.—(1)  The Board may revoke any certificate, award or prize granted by it to any person if the Board is satisfied that —
(a)the person has obtained the certificate, award or prize through dishonest or fraudulent means; or
(b)the person has, in his application for admission to the Postgraduate Practical Course in Law, made any statement which is false in any material particular or made or produced or caused to be made or produced any false or fraudulent certificate or other academic qualification.
(2)  The Board shall, before revoking any certificate, award or prize under paragraph (1), give the person concerned notice in writing of its intention to do so, specifying a date, not less than 21 days after the date of the notice, upon which the revocation shall take effect and calling upon the person to show cause to the Board why the certificate, award or prize should not be revoked.
(3)  When the Board has revoked any certificate, award or prize under paragraph (1) —
(a)the Board shall inform the person concerned by notice in writing of the revocation and cause the revocation to be notified in the Gazette; and
(b)the person concerned shall, where applicable, return the certificate, award or prize to the Board within such time as the Board may allow.
(4)  The certificate, award or prize shall cease to be valid upon its revocation.
(5)  In this rule, “award” includes an award of a pass or a distinction in any test, examination or assignment.
[S 284/2008 wef 06/06/2008]