I am not a "qualified person"
If you are not a “qualified person” (please check the guide ‘Am I a Qualified Person?’), there are other alternatives you can consider:
(A) Practising as a Foreign Lawyer
If you are admitted, qualified or authorised to practise in any jurisdiction, you are allowed to practise foreign law in Singapore if you register as a ‘Foreign Lawyer’ under Part IXA of the Legal Profession Act with the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ Legal Profession (International Services) Secretariat. You will not need to take any courses or examinations.
(B) Practising as in-house counsel
You can practise as in-house counsel in an organisation in Singapore. For more information, please refer to the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association.
(C) Examination for practitioners (public consultation: 1-30 July 2010)
Existing schemes that allow foreign lawyers to practise Singapore law will be reviewed with a view to refining the criteria and streamlining the examinations into a single examination for practitioners. It is envisaged that eligible practitioners who pass the examination will be allowed to practise Singapore law in virtually all corporate areas.
The Board of Directors of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education is seeking feedback on the proposed examination for practitioners. Details of the consultation exercise (1-30 July 2010) and proposals can be found on the website of the Singapore Academy of Law.
(D) Exemption by the Minister for Law
If you do not fulfil the “qualified person” criteria, you may wish to try appealing to the Minister for Law for an exemption.
Please note that each appeal for an exemption will be considered on its individual merits and may be granted subject to conditions. The onus is on the applicant to make a strong case for the exemption sought.