Patrick Tay on Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill

The Legal Profession (Amendment) Bill seeks to strengthen the training regime for lawyers and better equip law graduates with the relevant skills and competencies to meet the demands of Singapore’s changing economy, said MP Patrick Tay. Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday (Nov 7), he noted that lengthening the practice training period from six months to a year provides trainee lawyers with a longer runway to hone their skills. He said this must be balanced against the adverse financial impact borne by trainee lawyers, who typically work long hours and are paid monthly allowances or honorariums of between S$1,000 and S$2,500. Mr Tay said that while trainee lawyers should not be driven solely by financial rewards, they should be paid fairly in recognition of their skills and contributions to the firms. He wanted to know if more can be done to ensure that trainees are paid reasonably. Mr Tay also called for mandatory benefits such as paid sick leave and annual leave under the training contracts. He pointed out that the training contracts appear similar to employment contracts and this justifies providing certain basic employment benefits.