Wednesday, October 21, 2009
8 seats, only 4 candidates
Apathy, sense of disconnect in profession, say lawyers
by Ansley Ng
05:55 AM Oct 21, 2009
<!--replace --><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> var text = "Singapore - Is apathy taking root in the law profession? Or are its champions not doing enough? Those were some of the possible implications after the Law Society\'s annual elections last week received only four nominations for eight seats, said lawyers MediaCorp spoke to.
While it is not uncommon to have fewer candidates than seats, there is generally a contest in at least one of the three categories.
Law Society president Michael Hwang and Mr Leo Cheng Suan, both incumbents, were returned unopposed in the three seats for the Senior Category which is for lawyers in practice for at least 12 years. Lawyers Anand Nalachandran and Laura Liew were the sole nominees in two other categories for those who have clocked fewer years.
One lawyer told MediaCorp: \"I\'m surprised that the level of apathy has dropped to this level.\"
Others interviewed offered various reasons, from how some smaller firms were feeling neglected to a general sense that the society - which regulates the 3,500-strong profession and contributes to the community by providing pro-bono work - was not doing enough to champion their interests.
One senior lawyer who declined to be named suggested a \"disconnect\" between the 46-year-old organisation and its members. An example was how six foreign firms were allowed to ply their trade in Singapore, adding to competition, he said. \"If this had happened in the past, the Law Society would have said no.\"
Unhappiness among small law firms and sole proprietors has been simmering since 2003, when several lawyers tried to unseat the council due to what they perceived as onerous requirements about how they managed their accounts.
But the sense of apathy is not new either, said former Law Society president (1995 to 1997) Chandra Mohan Nair, likening it to political apathy in Singapore. \"Those who feel there is a disconnect ... (should) come out and serve the Law Society and make the changes,\" said the partner at Tan Rajah and Cheah.
In his younger days, Mr Mohan had asked Mr C C Tan, a senior partner and the society\'s first president, if he could serve the organisation. Mr Tan\'s reply: It was his duty to do so. How many senior partners today would say that, Mr Mohan wondered.
Mr Hwang could not be reached for comment as he is not in Singapore.
But Mr Anand, who will serve a fourth term on the council, admitted that finding time to contribute was a challenge, and how a lawyer spends his free time was \"a personal decision that should be respected\".
The remaining vacancies on the 21-member council - in which eight seats are up for grabs annually and the rest are co-opted - will be filled by lawyers co-opted at a meeting next month.
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Singapore - Is apathy taking root in the law profession? Or are its champions not doing enough? Those were some of the possible implications after the Law Society's annual elections last week received only four nominations for eight seats, said lawyers MediaCorp spoke to.
While it is not uncommon to have fewer candidates than seats, there is generally a contest in at least one of the three categories.
Law Society president Michael Hwang and Mr Leo Cheng Suan, both incumbents, were returned unopposed in the three seats for the Senior Category which is for lawyers in practice for at least 12 years. Lawyers Anand Nalachandran and Laura Liew were the sole nominees in two other categories for those who have clocked fewer years.
One lawyer told MediaCorp: "I'm surprised that the level of apathy has dropped to this level."
Others interviewed offered various reasons, from how some smaller firms were feeling neglected to a general sense that the society - which regulates the 3,500-strong profession and contributes to the community by providing pro-bono work - was not doing enough to champion their interests.
One senior lawyer who declined to be named suggested a "disconnect" between the 46-year-old organisation and its members. An example was how six foreign firms were allowed to ply their trade in Singapore, adding to competition, he said. "If this had happened in the past, the Law Society would have said no."
Unhappiness among small law firms and sole proprietors has been simmering since 2003, when several lawyers tried to unseat the council due to what they perceived as onerous requirements about how they managed their accounts.
But the sense of apathy is not new either, said former Law Society president (1995 to 1997) Chandra Mohan Nair, likening it to political apathy in Singapore. "Those who feel there is a disconnect ... (should) come out and serve the Law Society and make the changes," said the partner at Tan Rajah and Cheah.
In his younger days, Mr Mohan had asked Mr C C Tan, a senior partner and the society's first president, if he could serve the organisation. Mr Tan's reply: It was his duty to do so. How many senior partners today would say that, Mr Mohan wondered.
Mr Hwang could not be reached for comment as he is not in Singapore.
But Mr Anand, who will serve a fourth term on the council, admitted that finding time to contribute was a challenge, and how a lawyer spends his free time was "a personal decision that should be respected".
The remaining vacancies on the 21-member council - in which eight seats are up for grabs annually and the rest are co-opted - will be filled by lawyers co-opted at a meeting next month.
8 seats, only 4 candidates
Apathy, sense of disconnect in profession, say lawyers
by Ansley Ng
05:55 AM Oct 21, 2009
<!--replace --><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> var text = "Singapore - Is apathy taking root in the law profession? Or are its champions not doing enough? Those were some of the possible implications after the Law Society\'s annual elections last week received only four nominations for eight seats, said lawyers MediaCorp spoke to.
While it is not uncommon to have fewer candidates than seats, there is generally a contest in at least one of the three categories.
Law Society president Michael Hwang and Mr Leo Cheng Suan, both incumbents, were returned unopposed in the three seats for the Senior Category which is for lawyers in practice for at least 12 years. Lawyers Anand Nalachandran and Laura Liew were the sole nominees in two other categories for those who have clocked fewer years.
One lawyer told MediaCorp: \"I\'m surprised that the level of apathy has dropped to this level.\"
Others interviewed offered various reasons, from how some smaller firms were feeling neglected to a general sense that the society - which regulates the 3,500-strong profession and contributes to the community by providing pro-bono work - was not doing enough to champion their interests.
One senior lawyer who declined to be named suggested a \"disconnect\" between the 46-year-old organisation and its members. An example was how six foreign firms were allowed to ply their trade in Singapore, adding to competition, he said. \"If this had happened in the past, the Law Society would have said no.\"
Unhappiness among small law firms and sole proprietors has been simmering since 2003, when several lawyers tried to unseat the council due to what they perceived as onerous requirements about how they managed their accounts.
But the sense of apathy is not new either, said former Law Society president (1995 to 1997) Chandra Mohan Nair, likening it to political apathy in Singapore. \"Those who feel there is a disconnect ... (should) come out and serve the Law Society and make the changes,\" said the partner at Tan Rajah and Cheah.
In his younger days, Mr Mohan had asked Mr C C Tan, a senior partner and the society\'s first president, if he could serve the organisation. Mr Tan\'s reply: It was his duty to do so. How many senior partners today would say that, Mr Mohan wondered.
Mr Hwang could not be reached for comment as he is not in Singapore.
But Mr Anand, who will serve a fourth term on the council, admitted that finding time to contribute was a challenge, and how a lawyer spends his free time was \"a personal decision that should be respected\".
The remaining vacancies on the 21-member council - in which eight seats are up for grabs annually and the rest are co-opted - will be filled by lawyers co-opted at a meeting next month.
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Singapore - Is apathy taking root in the law profession? Or are its champions not doing enough? Those were some of the possible implications after the Law Society's annual elections last week received only four nominations for eight seats, said lawyers MediaCorp spoke to.
While it is not uncommon to have fewer candidates than seats, there is generally a contest in at least one of the three categories.
Law Society president Michael Hwang and Mr Leo Cheng Suan, both incumbents, were returned unopposed in the three seats for the Senior Category which is for lawyers in practice for at least 12 years. Lawyers Anand Nalachandran and Laura Liew were the sole nominees in two other categories for those who have clocked fewer years.
One lawyer told MediaCorp: "I'm surprised that the level of apathy has dropped to this level."
Others interviewed offered various reasons, from how some smaller firms were feeling neglected to a general sense that the society - which regulates the 3,500-strong profession and contributes to the community by providing pro-bono work - was not doing enough to champion their interests.
One senior lawyer who declined to be named suggested a "disconnect" between the 46-year-old organisation and its members. An example was how six foreign firms were allowed to ply their trade in Singapore, adding to competition, he said. "If this had happened in the past, the Law Society would have said no."
Unhappiness among small law firms and sole proprietors has been simmering since 2003, when several lawyers tried to unseat the council due to what they perceived as onerous requirements about how they managed their accounts.
But the sense of apathy is not new either, said former Law Society president (1995 to 1997) Chandra Mohan Nair, likening it to political apathy in Singapore. "Those who feel there is a disconnect ... (should) come out and serve the Law Society and make the changes," said the partner at Tan Rajah and Cheah.
In his younger days, Mr Mohan had asked Mr C C Tan, a senior partner and the society's first president, if he could serve the organisation. Mr Tan's reply: It was his duty to do so. How many senior partners today would say that, Mr Mohan wondered.
Mr Hwang could not be reached for comment as he is not in Singapore.
But Mr Anand, who will serve a fourth term on the council, admitted that finding time to contribute was a challenge, and how a lawyer spends his free time was "a personal decision that should be respected".
The remaining vacancies on the 21-member council - in which eight seats are up for grabs annually and the rest are co-opted - will be filled by lawyers co-opted at a meeting next month.
