Singapore legislation

Clause 12

of Legal Profession Bill

Clause 12

Service of pupillage

(1)

A pupil shall subject to the approval of the Board serve his prescribed period of pupillage —

(a)

with an advocate and solicitor who is and has been in active practice in Singapore for a total of not less than five out of the seven years immediately preceding the relevant date; or

(b)

with any legal officer in Singapore who is an advocate and solicitor of not less than seven years’ standing; or

(c)

partly with an advocate and solicitor under paragraph (a) of this subsection and partly with a legal officer under paragraph (b) of this subsection.

(2)

In any case where the provisions of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of this section apply six months’ pupillage with a legal officer shall count as one month’s period of pupillage with an advocate and solicitor.

(3)

The Board may approve a request that a qualified person serve different parts of his period of pupillage with different masters.

(4)

The Board may in its discretion exempt a qualified person from a maximum of three months’ pupillage upon application made supported by satisfactory evidence that the applicant —

(a)

has been a pupil or read it the chambers of a practising barrister of the United Kingdom or of a member of the Faculty of Advocates of Scotland of more than seven years’ standing; or

(b)

is a solicitor in England or Northern Ireland or a writer to the Signet, law agent or solicitor in Scotland; or

(c)

has been engaged in active practice as a legal practitioner by whatever name called in any part of the Commonwealth.