Trainee Lawyer’s Application to be Called to S’pore Bar Denied; Employer Later Found to be Unqualified

Usually, the process of trainee lawyers being called to the bar is rather uneventful. 

According to Justice Choo Han Teck, at least 100 applications are made by trainees to be called to the bar and “almost all pass uneventfully”. 

For non-lawyers, being called to the bar basically means being formally qualified to practise law. 

In order to be called to the bar, law graduates currently have to undergo a six-month course and pass the Singapore Bar exam, before proceeding to complete a six-month training contract with a local firm. 

However, for trainee lawyer Mr Kuoh Hao Teng, the process was not an easy one at all. 

Here’s what happened. 

Trainee Lawyer’s Application to be Called to S’pore Bar Denied; Employer Later Found to be Unqualified

Mr Kuoh Hao Teng’s six-month training contract was supervised by Lawyer Tan Jeh Yaw, who then made the strange decision to object to Mr Kuoh’s application for admission to the bar. 

According to Mr Tan, Mr Kuoh had been found playing computer games and watching movies during office hours, neglecting the work that he was supposed to complete. 

Mr Kuoh denied these allegations. 

However, in a surprising turn of events, it was revealed that Mr Tan actually lacked the necessary qualifications to take on trainees. Hence, even if Mr Tan had not objected to his trainee’s application, Mr Kuoh could not have been admitted to the bar. 

Mr Tan is the sole owner of his firm. 

Mr Kuoh graduated from the University of Bristol in 2017 and finished his training under Mr Tan on 11 July 2019. 

On his last day of training, Mr Kuoh presented the necessary documents for his application to be called to the bar to Mr Tan. Mr Tan signed the documents on 26 July 2019. 

The documents included a checklist for the supervisor to check off areas of training that the trainee had completed. 

However, Mr Kuoh felt that Mr Tan had not checked the list correctly, hence he produced another list that he felt was a better representation of his training. He then sent this new list to Mr Tan.

Mr Kuoh then submitted the documents on 29 July 2019 as he had not received any remarks from Mr Tan regarding the changes. 

On 14 August 2019, Mr Tan filed an objection to Mr Kuoh’s admission application and the amended list was brought up as a matter of contention.

The police became involved in the case and Mr Kuoh received a stern warning for forgery. Mr Kuoh later submitted representations to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to retract the stern warning as he said that this incident was a “misunderstanding”. 

Mr Kuoh began a new training contract under the supervision of another lawyer, from whom he received a stellar report. Mr Kuoh then withdrew his first application to the Bar and submitted a second one. 

Mr Tan continued to object to the second application. 

Justice Choo eventually granted Mr Kuoh’s second application and admitted him to the bar after he was informed that Mr Tan had withdrawn his opposition. 

Mr Kuoh’s counsel, Ms Luo Ling Ling, sought compensation from Mr Tan as she found out that he did not have the qualifications to accept trainees. Additionally, it was found that there were other trainees at Mr Tan’s firm. 

Law Graduates Will Have To Undergo Stricter Bar Exam and Longer Training to Practise Law from 2023

Earlier on, it was mentioned that in order to be called to the bar, law graduates currently have to undergo a six-month course and pass the Singapore Bar exam, before proceeding to complete a six-month training contract with a local firm. 

However, a new system will be introduced from 2023 onwards. The new system will allow law graduates who pass the bar exam to be admitted to the bar without having to go through the six-month training contract. 

Such graduates can then go on to take up alternative career pathways such as being in-house legal counsel, academics, and public servants.

However, those who wish to practise law will still have to complete a training contract, which will be increased from six months to one year. 

Additionally, the standard of the bar exam will be even stricter. 

You can read more about it here.

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