我很榮幸以香港律師會會長的身份被邀請參與新加坡2012年法律年度開幕典禮。當天有很多知名的來賓一同參與開幕典禮，包括汶萊最高法院的司法常務官Pengiran Hajah Rostaina binte Pengiran Haji Duraman、馬來西亞大律師公會主席Lim Chee Wee、香港大律師公會主席Kumar Ramanathan、新加坡律師會副會長Lok Vi Ming、副會長Leo Cheng、司庫Kelvin Wong、Lisa Sam 及 Kuah B T。
新加坡總檢察長Sundaresh Menon、新加坡律師會會長 Wong Meng Meng 及大法官Chan Sek Keong 分別為開幕典禮致辭。
Sundaresh Menon是第一位致辭的，他說會繼續保持司法獨立及加強法治。他強調每個人也應該得到法律服務，所以法律界已建立了提供義務法律服務給有需要的人的文化。
為了讓外國律師在新加坡能在指定的範疇內執業，新加坡將為外國執業律師制定新的考核及強制的專業進修課程。總檢察長將會擔任一個負責維持法律界的專業水平及保障大眾利益的委員會的主席。
總檢察長發現新加坡的仲裁案件急速增長，當中40%是與新加坡無關的，其中大部分來自香港或其他地方。由於仲裁的重要性不斷提升，檢察院將全力支持使用仲裁去解決爭議。檢察院將向在外國處理民事、刑事及商業案件的法律人員提供訓練，例如英格蘭和威爾士等。另外，檢察院會不時向政府提供有關法律的發展及法律漏洞的資料。
新加坡律師會會長Wong Meng Meng彙報了律師會的工作，特別是刑事法律援助計劃的發展。他說律師會與檢察院正研究如何集中資源推廣義務法律服務，它們的理念是 “不求回報地為陌生人服務”。
有國家制定了強制性的最低義務法律服務時數，美國的最低時數是50小時，而澳洲則是35小時。新加坡正倡議外國律師可以用捐款替代25小時的義務法律服務。對新加坡來說，義務法律服務是法律工作不可或缺的一部分。Wong Meng Meng在致辭完結的時候強調良好的培訓基礎對律師來說是非常重要的。
大法官Chan Sek Keong首先歡迎所有遠道而來參與開幕典禮的來賓，並提醒我們大家身處的世界是不完美的。去年，他談到了刑事法、遺失客戶款項的情況及新加坡對外國律師的需求。今年，他鼓勵資深大律師多參與律師會的義務法律服務計劃及多捐款給義務法律服務基金。另外，他建議律師會考慮制作一個義務法律服務統計表，鼓勵律師免費為貧困的市民提供法律服務。
大法官說外國有法律學院把參與義務法律服務定為課程的一部分。新加坡法律教育學院及新加坡法律協會將會資助一個義務法律服務計劃三年，參與計劃的法律學生須參與80小時的社會服務或義務法律服務。
就著遺失客戶款項的情況，大法官提到應制定樓宇買賣服務的最低收費，而新加坡法律協會將會提供保證金保存服務，律師會則負責監察律師樓的運作。這嚴密的制度暫時是有成效的，他希望在2012年將不會發生律師樓盜取客戶款項的情況。在委聘專家方面，他認為須提升專家的多樣性讓不同經濟狀況的人也能得到專家的協助。
大法官認為專業進修課程能讓執業律師更清楚法律的發展。另外，他認為法官、大律師及檢察院的現時保持著融洽的工作關係。他亦認為設立電子訴訟存檔系統（efs）後將大大提升法律程序的效率。
他樂於看到國際仲裁越趨普及，認為倫敦及紐約是成功的例子。他又認為法治是我們成功的基石，他很期待參與2012年的座談會。
新加坡的外國律師是於檢察院註冊的，而不是在律師會。與香港不同，新加坡的律師會是沒有收益的。
Opening of the legal year in Singapore 2012
Being the President of the Law Society of Hong Kong I was honoured to be invited as one of the oversea guests to attend Singapore
The Honourable Attorney-General, Sundaresh Menon SC (“AG”), the President of the Law Society, Wong Meng Meng SC (“President WMM”) and the Honourable Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong (“CJ”) opened the legal year with their well prepared speeches.
The first to speak was AG who stated that he would continue to strengthen the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. He emphasised that access to justice is valued and that the pro bono culture is intertwined firmly with the legal profession.
To enable foreign lawyers to practice in particular sections of law in Singapore
AG will be chairing a committee to balance practice and ethics whilst protecting public interest as the result of Singapore
AG noted that arbitration cases are surging with 40% of the cases being non Singapore-related and was mostly from Hong Kong and other parts of the world. Since this is becoming a significant practice it will be fully supported by AG chamber. Training of civil and criminal practice officers in overseas jurisdictions such as England
President WMM reported on the work of the Law Society and in particular on the developments in the criminal bar and the pro bono work under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme. He stated that discussions between the Law Society and AG chambers on as to how to pull their resources together in promoting pro bono work was taking place with their aim being, “to work for strangers without expectation of any rewards”.
He further noted that with overseas experiences there are mandatory minimum hours of service for pro bono work with there being 50 hours in the states and 35 hours in Australia Singapore
CJ welcomed all the guests who travelled locally and coming afar to the event and he reminded us that we lived in an imperfect world. Last year, he talked about criminal practice, clients’ money being lost and the need for a larger pool of foreign lawyers in Singapore
Further more he suggests that the Law society may consider publishing a pro bono league table. An idea of free work for poor neighbours without rewards was established.
He stated that oversea law schools were making pro bono services part of their education curriculum. The Singapore Institute of Legal Education and the Singapore Acadamy of Law will fund the program for 3 years with JD and law students to commit 80 hours of community service or pro bono work.
CJ stated that there should be a minimum fee for the conveyancing practice and the Singapore Academy of Law is to provide a stakeholders service with the Law Society conducting spot checks on practice in law firms. CJ hopes that 2012 would be a misappropriation-free year. He also noted that the water tight system seemed to be working but there was indeed a need for a greater diversity of experts where those who could not afford the same degree of representation need not be disadvantaged.
CJ noted that it was essential that continuing professional development will make practitioners more aware of legal developments. Furthermore he believed that the working relationship between the bench, bar and the AG chambers has been effective and the emergence of an E- litigation filing system (efs) would be efficient since it will have exponential gain once it is stabilised
A good point CJ made was that the growth of international arbitration was healthy with London and New York
Foreign lawyers in Singapore
Law Society. Unlike Hong Kong their Law Society generated no income.
坐在我身旁的分別是Kumar RamaNathan伉儷及Lim Chee-wee
Mr. and Mrs. Kumar RamaNathan and Lim Chee- wee sat next to me.
在最高法院大樓內與馬來西亞大律師公會主席Lim Chee-wee 合照
Inside the Supreme Court Building with Lim Chee- wee, the President of the Malaysian Bar
遊覽Sands
與Bobo吃完晚餐後，我來到Sands賭場遊覽了一會。這賭場十分龐大，但氣氛和其他賭場是一樣的，只遊覽一次便已足夠。
Touring the Sands
After having dinner with Bobo, I went to the casino, Sands for a brief visit. It is a huge building but the atmosphere was universally the same as any other casino elsewhere. It is enough to only see it once.
The SkyPark
在SkyPark上的景觀是與別不同的，你能看到五光十色的壯觀夜景。這人造的景觀虛幻卻使人著迷。同時我也看得出新加坡的新舊交替，Raffles Place突然失去了它的光環，光芒被SkyPark徹底蓋過。
The SkyPark
It is quite a different story at SkyPark where the light is vibrant and the view is spectacular. All these create an artificial and illusory glamorous scene and at the same time I spotted the stark contrast and difference between the new and the old glories. The Raffles Place has suddenly lost its halo and is totally outshone by the new born star- SkyPark.