Promising young lawyers assist courts in novel cases with independent viewpoints

Lawyers Iris Ng (left), 30, from Helmsman and Jonathan Trachsel (right), 34, from Allen & Gledhill, who were appointed under the Young Independent Counsel (YIC) scheme, on Oct 2.

ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI

Published Oct 07, 2026, 08:25 PM

Updated Oct 07, 2026, 08:25 PM

Singapore’s young independent counsel scheme gives early-career lawyers a neutral role in novel court cases and helps judges hear wider legal views.

Iris Ng and Jonathan Trachsel said the work builds advocacy skills, adds fresh angles, and needs strong time management and supportive firms.

The 2026 panel of 12 lawyers was recognised on Oct 7, and applications for the 2027 scheme are now open.

SINGAPORE – Lawyer Iris Ng usually represents clients in shipping, commodities and commercial disputes, and was part of the team handling claims for a major oil spill at Pasir Panjang Terminal in 2024.

In December 2025, a different kind of brief landed in her e-mail inbox.

The 30-year-old counsel at law firm Helmsman was assigned by the court as young independent counsel (YIC) for a set of seven appeals that concerned the sentencing approach for young offenders convicted of scam-related offences.

In May 2026, she made oral arguments before a High Court panel of three judges for the first time.

She submitted that short detention orders should be recognised as a sentencing option , alongside reformative training and imprisonment, for young offenders who hand over their bank accounts to scammers.

Speaking to The Straits Times about the scheme, Ng said looking at a case from an independent perspective meant having the latitude to explore issues further.

“When you are advocating for your client, you would also have their interest in mind and see what is legally permissible, what is in the best interest of your client.

“Whereas in the case of the YIC, you are really taking a step back from everything, and you have a bit more latitude to consider what the current law is and what the law should be.”

She said the YIC’s role was to help the court have a fuller picture of the options open to it, such as the approaches taken by other jurisdictions, or to dig a bit more into the history of a provision.

The scheme is a chance for her to work on topical legal issues that she may not necessarily touch on in her day-to-day practice, she added.

On Oct 7, Ng and 11 other lawyers on the panel of YICs for 2026 were recognised for their contributions to the law at the annual judiciary volunteers appreciation event. It was the first time lawyers on the scheme were recognised at the event.

Applications for 2027 are currently open.

Since 2009, promising young lawyers who are at an early stage of their careers have been appointed by the court under a scheme to bring a fresh perspective on novel or difficult questions of law.

Originally known as the young amicus curiae scheme, it was renamed the YIC scheme as part of efforts to use court terminology that is easier to understand.

Applicants to the scheme are required to have good academic grades and at least two years’ experience as a practising lawyer or as a legal service officer or judicial service officer.

They have to submit their law school transcripts, a piece of written work, and at least one recommendation from a j udge or a member of the legal profession with at least 10 years’ experience.

YICs, who are appointed for a one-year term, do not act for any party to a case.

Their role is to provide submissions from a neutral standpoint to help the court consider a wider range of viewpoints.

The scheme allows these lawyers to gain courtroom experience, hone their advocacy skills, and contribute to the development of the law through their research and submissions.

A former YIC , Jonathan Trachsel, was assigned a civil case and a criminal case during his time on the panel in 2023.

He applied for the scheme after a partner at his firm asked him to think about it, and his mentors at the time encouraged him to go for it.

“You’re not put into a position where you have to advance one side or the other. You really get to just look at it, fresh slate, what do you think the law is or should be,” he said of a YIC’s duty.

Now 34 and a partner at Allen & Gledhill, practising in commercial litigation and arbitration, Trachsel said it makes sense to have another set of eyes look at cases with novel issues or wider implications.

The civil case he did was an accident claim involving the question on whether government subsidies and grants covering a portion of the claimant’s medical expenses were recoverable as damages, as an exception to the general rule against double recovery.

The case had gone through two rounds in the State Courts before he was appointed as YIC for the High Court appeal.

Trachsel said he was familiar with the arguments, which centred on a certain line of cases, but he thought no one had considered a particular set of UK legislation.

“So I thought that was like a new angle that was relevant,” he said.

Both Ng and Trachsel said managing the YIC assignment alongside their regular practice required good time management and communication with superiors and colleagues.

Ng, who obtained her master’s degree from Harvard Law School after graduating from Singapore Management University as valedictorian, said she was fortunate because her brief came during the December holiday period.

“So clients go on holiday, and then you just naturally have a little bit more time to deal with that . Beyond that, I communicated with my superiors, my bosses, who are generally very supportive, and manage timelines.”

“You take the time that you need to, and you just work out a schedule that works for everyone.”

Trachsel, who graduated with first class honours from the National University of Singapore and served as a Justices’ Law Clerk, said he put in the time that he thought was necessary to study the issues.

He said his mentors at the firm were quite understanding and supportive, and his peers and colleagues would step up to take over some of the work.

“But, for that period, it’s like you have an extra gear where, okay, now you finish your day work that’s urgent. You need to then dedicate that extra few hours a day to do your research or your drafting. It’s like a side project,” he said.

Selina Lum is senior law correspondent at The Straits Times.

10 月 2 日，根据青年独立律师 (YIC) 计划，来自 Helmsman 律师事务所的 30 岁律师 Iris Ng（左）和来自 Allen & Gledhill 律师事务所的 34 岁律师 Jonathan Trachsel（右）被任命为律师。

ST 摄影：AZMI ATHNI

发布于 2026 年 10 月 7 日晚上 8:25

更新于2026年10月7日晚上8:25

新加坡的青年独立律师计划使职业生涯初期的律师在新案件中扮演中立角色，并帮助法官了解更广泛的法律观点。

Iris Ng 和 Jonathan Trachsel 表示，这项工作可以培养倡导技能，增加新的视角，并且需要强大的时间管理能力和支持性公司。

2026 年由 12 名律师组成的专家组于 10 月 7 日获得认可，2027 年的申请现已开放。

新加坡——律师 Iris Ng 通常代表客户处理航运、商品和商业纠纷，她曾是 2024 年巴西班让码头重大漏油事故索赔处理团队的成员之一。

2025年12月，她的邮箱里收到了一份不同类型的简报。

这位 30 岁的 Helmsman 律师事务所律师被法院指派为青年独立律师 (YIC)，负责处理七起上诉案件，这些案件涉及对被判犯有诈骗相关罪行的青年罪犯的量刑方法。

2026年5月，她首次在高等法院三名法官组成的小组面前进行了口头辩论。

她认为，对于将银行账户交给诈骗分子的年轻罪犯，应将短期拘留令视为一种量刑选择，与改造培训和监禁并列。

吴先生在接受《海峡时报》采访时谈到该计划，他表示，从独立的角度审视案件意味着有更大的自由度去进一步探究问题。

“当你为你的客户辩护时，你也会考虑到他们的利益，看看什么是法律允许的，什么是对你的客户最有利的。

“而对于 YIC 来说，你实际上是从所有事情中抽身出来，你有更大的自由度去思考现行法律是什么以及法律应该是什么。”

她表示，青年移民委员会的作用是帮助法院更全面地了解其可选择的方案，例如其他司法管辖区采取的方法，或者更深入地了解某项条款的历史。

她补充说，该计划让她有机会处理一些她在日常工作中可能不会接触到的热门法律问题。

10月7日，吴先生及其他11位入选2026年度青年顾问团的律师在年度司法志愿者表彰活动上因其对法律界的贡献而受到表彰。这是该计划的律师首次在该活动中受到表彰。

2027年的申请现已开放。

自 2009 年以来，法院根据一项计划任命有前途的年轻律师，让他们以全新的视角看待新颖或棘手的法律问题。

最初被称为“年轻法庭之友方案”，后来更名为“YIC方案”，这是为了使用更容易理解的法庭术语。

申请该计划的人员必须拥有良好的学业成绩，并且至少有两年的执业律师、法律服务人员或司法服务人员的工作经验。

他们必须提交法学院成绩单、一篇书面作品，以及至少一封来自法官或具有至少 10 年经验的法律界人士的推荐信。

青年独立顾问的任期为一年，不代表案件中的任何一方。

他们的职责是从中立的角度提交意见，以帮助法院考虑更广泛的观点。

该计划使这些律师能够获得法庭经验，磨练辩护技巧，并通过他们的研究和提交材料为法律的发展做出贡献。

前青年独立委员会成员乔纳森·特拉赫塞尔在 2023 年担任该委员会成员期间，被分配了一起民事案件和一起刑事案件。

在他所在公司的一位合伙人建议他考虑一下该计划后，他申请了该计划，而他当时的导师也鼓励他尝试一下。

“你不会被置于必须支持任何一方的境地。你可以完全从零开始审视问题，思考你认为法律是什么，或者应该是什么，”他谈到青年独立顾问的职责时说道。

现年 34 岁、在 Allen & Gledhill 律师事务所担任合伙人，从事商业诉讼和仲裁的 Trachsel 表示，对于具有新颖问题或更广泛影响的案件，让其他人来审视是有意义的。

他代理的民事案件是一起事故索赔案，涉及政府补贴和补助金是否可作为损害赔偿金追偿的问题，这是禁止重复赔偿一般规则的例外。

该案在州法院经过两轮审理后，他被任命为高等法院上诉的青年代表。

特拉赫塞尔表示，他熟悉这些论点，这些论点围绕着一系列特定的案例展开，但他认为没有人考虑过英国的特定立法。

“所以我觉得这是一个很有意思的新角度，”他说。

Ng 和 Trachsel 都表示，在日常工作之余兼顾 YIC 的工作需要良好的时间管理以及与上级和同事的沟通。

吴女士从新加坡管理大学以全校第一名的成绩毕业后，又在哈佛法学院获得了硕士学位。她说自己很幸运，因为她的案子是在十二月假期期间接到的。

“所以当客户休假时，你自然会有更多的时间来处理这些事情。除此之外，我还会与我的上级、我的老板沟通，他们通常都很支持我，并且会安排好时间进度。”

“你慢慢来，制定一个对大家都合适的日程安排。”

特拉赫塞尔毕业于新加坡国立大学，获得一等荣誉学位，曾担任法官助理。他表示，自己投入了他认为必要的时间来研究这些问题。

他说，公司里的导师们都非常理解和支持他，他的同事和同行们也会主动承担一些工作。

“但是，在那段时间里，就像你多了一个档位，好了，现在你完成了当天紧急的工作。你需要每天额外抽出几个小时来进行研究或撰写文件。这就像一个副业，”他说。

Selina Lum是《海峡时报》的资深法律记者。