Law Society of Singapore elects new council members after troubled year

Senior Counsel Jimmy Yim and former LawSoc vice-president Samuel Chacko, the two heavyweight lawyers contesting in groups this election, were both successfully elected to the council.

Senior Counsel Jimmy Yim (left) and Legis Point director Samuel Chacko. (File photos: LinkedIn/Jimmy Yim, Samuel Chacko)

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SINGAPORE: Two prominent lawyers who led separate groups of candidates in a keenly contested Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) election won seats on its council on Thursday (Oct 22), after a troubled year for the professional body.

Senior Counsel Jimmy Yim, chairman of Drew & Napier, secured more than 1,000 votes to return to the council after about 20 years, while former LawSoc vice-president Samuel Chacko was re-elected.

The election, which saw nearly half of the council's 15 elected seats contested, followed months of controversy over allegations of workplace bullying, concerns about LawSoc's work culture and a dispute over its presidency.

Neither group of candidates secured a clean sweep, with Mr Yim's two running mates losing their bids while only one of the four other candidates backed by Mr Chacko was elected.

CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less This year’s election campaign was unusual in how two main groups of candidates vied for votes. Mr Yim and his two running mates said they visited more than 100 law firms and launched a dedicated website soliciting support for their campaign. Mr Chacko, who unsuccessfully contested the LawSoc presidency last year, sought votes alongside four other lawyers, including Dentons Rodyk senior partner Debby Lim, who was also elected. Mr Yim, Mr Chacko and Ms Lim secured three of the four senior-category seats, with RCLT Law’s Remy Choo Cheng Xi taking the fourth , according to results released by LawSoc on Thursday night. The council is the highest body within LawSoc responsible for managing the affairs of the society, which is the statutory representative body and bar association for all lawyers in Singapore. Now that the members of the council have been elected, they will have to select a president, two vice-presidents and a treasurer from among themselves by Jan 1, 2027. Mr Yim’s win comes after he submitted a petition to LawSoc in August that was signed by over 100 members . The petition called for a full report of LawSoc's probe into allegations of workplace bullying and poor work culture to be made available to the society's members. The full report was later withheld at the request of the police, after a police report was made alleging that certain matters disclosed in the report by LawSoc's audit committee may disclose possible offences. Mr Chacko, meanwhile, had unsuccessfully contested the LawSoc presidency last year in an election that subsequently sparked concerns among some lawyers about the independence of the Bar. Seven spots on the council were up for contest this year, following the completion of two-year terms. Nine candidates vied for four seats in the senior category, while three candidates gunned for one spot in the middle category and four candidates contested two spots in the junior category. The senior category is for lawyers with more than 15 years of practice, while the middle category is for those with between five and 15 years, and the junior category is for lawyers who have been practising for less than five years. Mr Thaddaeus Aaron Tan won the single seat in the middle category, with Mr Foo Hsien Weng and Ms Siddartha Bodi clinching the seats in the junior category. Mr Chacko, Mr Choo, Mr Tan are current council members, while Mr Yim, Ms Lim, Mr Foo and Ms Bodi are new additions to the council. Mr Yim and his fellow candidates, Mr Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Yakub, founder of Achievers law firm, and Ms Kay Pang, founder of Kay Pang Law Practice, had set up a website canvassing for votes. They were all candidates in the senior category. The site, lawsoccouncil2027.com, contained videos, a manifesto, leaflets and a slogan: "A Time to Step Forward". It read: "We are a slate of practising lawyers who believe the Law Society can — and must — do better. Better for members, better for the profession, better for Singapore." Mr Chacko wrote in a post on LinkedIn on Oct 12 to seek votes for himself and four other lawyers. They are: Ms Lim of Dentons Rodyk in the senior category, director at Nair, Jen & Tan Bryan Tan in the middle category and Mr Sylvester Gabriel Tan from Bayfront Law and Sherwyn Lee from Tito Isaac & Co in the junior category. In his LinkedIn post, Mr Chacko said he had focused on three things in 2024 when he was elected: Training for practitioners, fair recovery of the cost of providing legal services and the independence of the Bar. He said these three priorities now sit within the LawSoc's Joint Charter, and asked to be re-elected. Also throwing his hat in the ring in the senior category was RCLT Law's Mr Choo, who was contesting a spot in that category for the first time. Mr Chacko had run against Mr Dinesh Singh Dhillon in the internal council election for the 2026 presidency but lost. Mr Dhillon's election as LawSoc president in November 2025 sparked concerns among some lawyers over the independence of the Bar, as he had been appointed to the council by the Law Minister rather than elected by LawSoc members. At an extraordinary general meeting in December 2025, members passed a resolution stating that the society's president shall be an elected member of the council. Mr Dhillon eventually agreed to step aside as LawSoc president in 2026 , with Senior Counsel Tan Cheng Han assuming the role instead. When contacted by CNA earlier on Thursday before the voting closed, Mr Yim declined comment, citing confidentiality. Mr Chacko did not respond to a request for comment.

This year’s election campaign was unusual in how two main groups of candidates vied for votes.

Mr Yim and his two running mates said they visited more than 100 law firms and launched a dedicated website soliciting support for their campaign.

Mr Chacko, who unsuccessfully contested the LawSoc presidency last year, sought votes alongside four other lawyers, including Dentons Rodyk senior partner Debby Lim, who was also elected.

Mr Yim, Mr Chacko and Ms Lim secured three of the four senior-category seats, with RCLT Law’s Remy Choo Cheng Xi taking the fourth , according to results released by LawSoc on Thursday night.

The council is the highest body within LawSoc responsible for managing the affairs of the society, which is the statutory representative body and bar association for all lawyers in Singapore.

Now that the members of the council have been elected, they will have to select a president, two vice-presidents and a treasurer from among themselves by Jan 1, 2027.

Mr Yim’s win comes after he submitted a petition to LawSoc in August that was signed by over 100 members .

The petition called for a full report of LawSoc's probe into allegations of workplace bullying and poor work culture to be made available to the society's members.

The full report was later withheld at the request of the police, after a police report was made alleging that certain matters disclosed in the report by LawSoc's audit committee may disclose possible offences.

Mr Chacko, meanwhile, had unsuccessfully contested the LawSoc presidency last year in an election that subsequently sparked concerns among some lawyers about the independence of the Bar.

Seven spots on the council were up for contest this year, following the completion of two-year terms.

Nine candidates vied for four seats in the senior category, while three candidates gunned for one spot in the middle category and four candidates contested two spots in the junior category.

The senior category is for lawyers with more than 15 years of practice, while the middle category is for those with between five and 15 years, and the junior category is for lawyers who have been practising for less than five years.

Mr Thaddaeus Aaron Tan won the single seat in the middle category, with Mr Foo Hsien Weng and Ms Siddartha Bodi clinching the seats in the junior category.

Mr Chacko, Mr Choo, Mr Tan are current council members, while Mr Yim, Ms Lim, Mr Foo and Ms Bodi are new additions to the council.

Mr Yim and his fellow candidates, Mr Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Yakub, founder of Achievers law firm, and Ms Kay Pang, founder of Kay Pang Law Practice, had set up a website canvassing for votes. They were all candidates in the senior category.

The site, lawsoccouncil2027.com, contained videos, a manifesto, leaflets and a slogan: "A Time to Step Forward".

It read: "We are a slate of practising lawyers who believe the Law Society can — and must — do better. Better for members, better for the profession, better for Singapore."

Mr Chacko wrote in a post on LinkedIn on Oct 12 to seek votes for himself and four other lawyers.

They are: Ms Lim of Dentons Rodyk in the senior category, director at Nair, Jen & Tan Bryan Tan in the middle category and Mr Sylvester Gabriel Tan from Bayfront Law and Sherwyn Lee from Tito Isaac & Co in the junior category.

In his LinkedIn post, Mr Chacko said he had focused on three things in 2024 when he was elected: Training for practitioners, fair recovery of the cost of providing legal services and the independence of the Bar.

He said these three priorities now sit within the LawSoc's Joint Charter, and asked to be re-elected.

Also throwing his hat in the ring in the senior category was RCLT Law's Mr Choo, who was contesting a spot in that category for the first time.

Mr Chacko had run against Mr Dinesh Singh Dhillon in the internal council election for the 2026 presidency but lost.

Mr Dhillon's election as LawSoc president in November 2025 sparked concerns among some lawyers over the independence of the Bar, as he had been appointed to the council by the Law Minister rather than elected by LawSoc members.

At an extraordinary general meeting in December 2025, members passed a resolution stating that the society's president shall be an elected member of the council.

Mr Dhillon eventually agreed to step aside as LawSoc president in 2026 , with Senior Counsel Tan Cheng Han assuming the role instead.

When contacted by CNA earlier on Thursday before the voting closed, Mr Yim declined comment, citing confidentiality.

Mr Chacko did not respond to a request for comment.

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资深律师 Jimmy Yim 和前律师协会副主席 Samuel Chacko 这两位重量级律师以团体形式参加此次选举，两人均成功当选为理事会成员。

高级律师 Jimmy Yim（左）和 Legis Point 主任 Samuel Chacko。（资料照片：LinkedIn/Jimmy Yim，Samuel Chacko）

这段音频是由人工智能工具生成的。

新加坡：在经历了动荡的一年后，两名杰出的律师分别带领各自的候选人团队，在竞争激烈的新加坡律师协会（LawSoc）选举中赢得了理事会席位。选举于周四（10 月 22 日）举行。

德鲁纳皮尔律师事务所主席、资深大律师吉米·伊姆（Jimmy Yim）获得超过 1000 张选票，时隔约 20 年重返理事会，而前律师协会副主席塞缪尔·查科（Samuel Chacko）也再次当选。

此次选举中，理事会 15 个当选席位中近一半面临竞争。此前数月，该理事会因职场欺凌指控、对法律协会工作文化的担忧以及主席之争而备受争议。

两组候选人均未能全胜，Yim先生的两名竞选伙伴落选，而Chacko先生支持的另外四名候选人中只有一人当选。

CNA游戏 猜词游戏 逐行破解单词 流行词游戏 用给定的字母组成单词 迷你数独 小谜题，脑力挑战 迷你填字游戏 小方格，大挑战 单词搜索 尽可能多地找出单词 显示更多 显示更少 今年的选举活动不同寻常，主要由两大候选人阵营争夺选票。严先生和他的两位竞选伙伴表示，他们走访了100多家律师事务所，并建立了一个专门的网站来争取支持。去年竞选律师协会主席失败的查科先生与包括Dentons Rodyk高级合伙人Debby Lim在内的其他四位律师一起争取选票，Debby Lim也成功当选。根据律师协会周四晚间公布的结果，严先生、查科先生和Lim女士获得了四个高级席位中的三个，RCLT Law的Remy Choo Cheng Xi获得了第四个席位。理事会是新加坡律师协会（LawSoc）的最高机构，负责管理协会事务。新加坡律师协会是新加坡所有律师的法定代表机构和律师公会。理事会成员现已选举产生，他们必须在2027年1月1日前从成员中选出一位主席、两位副主席和一位司库。严先生的当选源于他于8月向新加坡律师协会提交的一份请愿书，该请愿书获得了超过100名会员的签名。请愿书要求向协会会员公开其对职场霸凌和不良工作文化指控的调查报告。然而，在警方提交报告称，新加坡律师协会审计委员会在报告中披露的某些事项可能涉及违法行为后，这份完整报告应警方要求被扣留。与此同时，查科先生去年曾竞选新加坡律师协会主席，但最终落败。那次选举引发了一些律师对律师公会独立性的担忧。今年，在两年任期届满后，理事会七个席位将进行改选。九位候选人角逐四个资深席位，三位候选人争夺一个中级席位，四位候选人争夺两个初级席位。资深席位面向执业超过15年的律师，中级席位面向执业5至15年的律师，初级席位面向执业不足5年的律师。陈先生赢得了中级席位，符显荣先生和悉达多·博迪女士则分别赢得了初级席位。查科先生、朱先生和陈先生是现任理事会成员，而严先生、林女士、符先生和博迪女士则是新加入理事会的成员。严先生及其竞选伙伴——Achievers律师事务所创始人穆罕默德·易卜拉欣·穆罕默德·雅库布先生和Kay Pang律师事务所创始人彭凯女士——建立了一个网站进行拉票。他们都是资深律师候选人。该网站lawsoccouncil2027.com包含视频、竞选宣言、传单以及一句口号：“勇往直前”。网站上写道：“我们是一群执业律师，我们相信律师协会能够——而且必须——做得更好。对会员更好，对律师行业更好，对新加坡更好。” 10月12日，查科先生在领英上发帖为自己和其他四位律师拉票。他们分别是：资深律师候选人，Dentons Rodyk律师事务所的林女士；中级律师候选人，Nair, Jen & Tan律师事务所的董事陈布莱恩先生；以及初级律师候选人，Bayfront Law律师事务所的陈西尔维斯特先生和Tito Isaac & Co律师事务所的李雪雯先生。查科先生在领英上发帖称，他在2024年当选时，重点关注三件事：律师培训、公平地收回法律服务成本以及维护律师协会的独立性。他表示，这三项优先事项现已纳入律师协会的联合章程，并请求连任。同样竞选资深组席位的还有RCLT律师事务所的朱先生，这是他首次竞选该组席位。查科先生曾在2026年的内部理事会选举中与迪内什·辛格·迪隆先生竞争主席一职，但最终落败。迪隆先生于2025年11月当选律师协会主席，引发了一些律师对律师协会独立性的担忧，因为他是由司法部长任命的，而非由律师协会成员选举产生。在2025年12月的一次特别会员大会上，成员们通过了一项决议，规定协会主席应由理事会选举产生。迪隆先生最终同意于2026年卸任律师协会主席一职，由资深大律师陈成汉接任。周四投票结束前，亚洲新闻台（CNA）联系严先生时，他以保密为由拒绝置评。查科先生未回复置评请求。

今年的选举活动不同寻常，主要有两个候选人阵营争夺选票。

严先生和他的两位竞选伙伴表示，他们走访了 100 多家律师事务所，并推出了一个专门的网站，为他们的竞选活动争取支持。

去年竞选律师协会主席失败的查科先生与另外四名律师一起寻求选票，其中包括 Dentons Rodyk 高级合伙人 Debby Lim，她也当选了。

根据韩国律师协会周四晚间公布的结果，严先生、查科先生和林女士获得了四个高级类别席位中的三个，RCLT 律师事务所的 Remy Choo Cheng Xi 获得了第四个席位。

理事会是新加坡律师协会的最高机构，负责管理协会事务。新加坡律师协会是新加坡所有律师的法定代表机构和律师公会。

现在理事会成员已经选出，他们必须在 2027 年 1 月 1 日之前从成员中选出一名主席、两名副主席和一名财务主管。

Yim先生的胜诉源于他在8月份向律师协会提交的一份请愿书，该请愿书得到了100多名会员的签名。

请愿书要求向律师协会成员提供一份完整的调查报告，该报告涉及职场欺凌和不良工作文化的指控。

后来，应警方要求，完整报告被扣留。此前，警方报案称，律师协会审计委员会在报告中披露的某些事项可能涉及违法行为。

与此同时，查科先生去年竞选律师协会主席一职失败，那次选举随后引发了一些律师对律师协会独立性的担忧。

今年，市议会七个席位将进行改选，此前各席位的任期均为两年。

九名候选人角逐高级组的四个席位，三名候选人争夺中级组的一个席位，四名候选人争夺初级组的两个席位。

资深律师类别适用于执业超过 15 年的律师，中级律师类别适用于执业 5 至 15 年的律师，初级律师类别适用于执业不足 5 年的律师。

谭达斯·亚伦先生赢得了中级组的唯一席位，而傅显荣先生和悉达多·博迪女士则获得了初级组的席位。

Chacko 先生、Choo 先生、Tan 先生是现任理事会成员，而 Yim 先生、Lim 女士、Foo 先生和 Bodi 女士是理事会新成员。

Yim先生和他的竞选伙伴，Achievers律师事务所创始人Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Yakub先生以及Kay Pang律师事务所创始人Kay Pang女士，建立了一个网站进行拉票活动。他们都是老年组的候选人。

该网站 lawsoccouncil2027.com 包含视频、宣言、传单和口号：“向前迈进的时候到了”。

声明中写道：“我们是一群执业律师，我们认为律师协会能够——而且必须——做得更好。这对会员更好，对律师行业更好，对新加坡也更好。”

查科先生于 10 月 12 日在 LinkedIn 上发帖，为自己和其他四位律师争取选票。

他们是：高级组的 Dentons Rodyk 律师事务所的 Lim 女士，中级组的 Nair, Jen & Tan 律师事务所的 Bryan Tan 先生，以及初级组的 Bayfront Law 律师事务所的 Sylvester Gabriel Tan 先生和 Tito Isaac & Co 律师事务所的 Sherwyn Lee 先生。

查科先生在领英上发帖称，他在 2024 年当选时重点关注了三件事：对从业人员的培训、公平地收回提供法律服务的成本以及律师协会的独立性。

他表示，这三项优先事项现已纳入律师协会的联合章程，并请求连任。

RCLT 律师事务所的朱先生也首次参加了高级组的比赛，这是他第一次参加该组的角逐。

查科先生曾在2026年主席的内部委员会选举中与迪内什·辛格·迪隆先生竞选，但最终落败。

迪隆先生于 2025 年 11 月当选为律师协会主席，这引发了一些律师对律师协会独立性的担忧，因为他是由法律部长任命进入理事会的，而不是由律师协会成员选举产生的。

在 2025 年 12 月的一次特别大会上，成员们通过了一项决议，规定协会主席应由理事会选举产生。

迪隆先生最终同意在 2026 年卸任律师协会主席一职，由资深律师陈成汉接任。

周四投票结束前，亚洲新闻台（CNA）联系到任先生时，他以保密为由拒绝置评。

查科先生没有回应置评请求。

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