Regulation 57
Privileges and conditions relevant to Qualifying Foreign Law Practice licence
of Legal Profession (Law Practice Entities) Rules 2015
Subregulation 1
A Qualifying Foreign Law Practice must not practise Singapore law except —
in the permitted areas of legal practice; and
through a solicitor registered under section 36E of the Act, or a foreign lawyer registered under section 36B of the Act, who practises in the Qualifying Foreign Law Practice.
Subregulation 2
Despite paragraph (1), a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice may do all or any of the following through an individual in paragraph (3):
appear and plead in any relevant proceedings, or in any proceedings that are preliminary to any relevant proceedings;
appear and plead in the appellate court in any relevant appeal, or in any proceedings that are preliminary to any relevant appeal;
represent any party to —
any relevant proceedings or relevant appeal in any matter concerning those proceedings or that appeal, as the case may be; or
any proceedings that are preliminary to any relevant proceedings or relevant appeal in any matter concerning those preliminary proceedings;
give advice, prepare documents and provide any other assistance in relation to or arising out of any relevant proceedings, any relevant appeal, or any proceedings that are preliminary to any relevant proceedings or relevant appeal.
Subregulation 3
For the purposes of paragraph (2), the individual is —
a solicitor registered under section 36E of the Act who practises in the Qualifying Foreign Law Practice; or
a foreign lawyer granted full registration under section 36P of the Act who —
is also registered under section 36B or 36C of the Act; and
practises in the Qualifying Foreign Law Practice.
Subregulation 3A
Despite paragraph (2), a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice may not, in any section 36P(1A) proceedings, do any of the following through an individual in paragraph (3)(a):
plead any matter without the permission of the Singapore International Commercial Court or the appellate court (as the case may be) under rule 14(1A)(a) of the Legal Profession (Regulated Individuals) Rules 2015;
make a submission on any matter of Singapore law.
Subregulation 3B
Despite paragraph (2), a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice may not, in any section 36P(1A) proceedings, do any of the following through an individual in paragraph (3)(b):
plead any matter without the permission of the Singapore International Commercial Court or the appellate court (as the case may be) under section 36P(1A)(a) of the Act;
make a submission on any matter of Singapore law.
Subregulation 4
Despite paragraph (1), a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice may do all or any of the following through a foreign lawyer granted restricted registration under section 36P of the Act who is also registered under section 36B or 36C of the Act and practises in the Qualifying Foreign Law Practice:
appear in any relevant proceedings, solely for the purposes of making submissions on such matters of foreign law as are permitted by the Singapore International Commercial Court or the appellate court, in accordance with the Rules of Court 2021;
appear in the appellate court in any relevant appeal, solely for the purposes of making submissions on such matters of foreign law as are permitted by the Singapore International Commercial Court or the appellate court, in accordance with the Rules of Court 2021;
give advice and prepare documents, solely for the purposes of making submissions, in any relevant proceedings or relevant appeal, on such matters of foreign law as are permitted by the Singapore International Commercial Court or the appellate court, in accordance with the Rules of Court 2021.
Subregulation 5
The number of solicitors registered under section 36E of the Act to practise Singapore law in a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice must not at any time exceed 4 times the total number of foreign lawyers registered under section 36B or 36C of the Act who practise in the Qualifying Foreign Law Practice.
Subregulation 6
For the purposes of ascertaining the total number of foreign lawyers referred to in paragraph (5), “foreign lawyer” means any foreign lawyer who has practised law for not less than 3 years in any period after being authorised or registered to practise law.
Subregulation 7
A Qualifying Foreign Law Practice may be —
a joint applicant for a Joint Law Venture licence or a Formal Law Alliance licence; and
a constituent foreign law practice of a Joint Law Venture or a member of a Formal Law Alliance.
Subregulation 8
Where a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice is a constituent foreign law practice of a Joint Law Venture, the Qualifying Foreign Law Practice must not practise law in or from Singapore except through the Joint Law Venture.
Subregulation 9
Except as provided in rules 52(11) and 55(3), a solicitor who is a partner, a director or an employee of a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice must not become a partner, a director or an employee of a Singapore law practice.
Subregulation 10
Every Qualifying Foreign Law Practice must maintain, throughout the period while its Qualifying Foreign Law Practice licence is in force, one or more insurance policies which provide indemnity against loss arising from claims in respect of civil liability in connection with the provision of legal services in or from Singapore by the Qualifying Foreign Law Practice.
Subregulation 11
The insurance policies referred to in paragraph (10) must be of similar coverage terms and for at least the amount required under any rules made under section 75A of the Act in respect of Singapore law practices or such other amount as may be specified by the Director of Legal Services.
Subregulation 12
The Qualifying Foreign Law Practice must submit an annual report of its performance, containing such information as the Director of Legal Services may require, to the Director of Legal Services within 3 months after the end of each period of 12 months commencing from such date as the Director of Legal Services may specify.
Subregulation 13
Every Qualifying Foreign Law Practice must, within 7 days after lodging any document with the Registrar of Businesses, the Registrar of Limited Liability Partnerships or the Registrar of Companies, submit to the Director of Legal Services a copy of the lodged document, if required by the Director of Legal Services to do so.