Legal Industry Division
One of MinLaw’s key objectives is to ensure that the legal services sector contributes to the economic growth of Singapore.
Besides developing Singapore as a location of choice for dispute resolution and other international legal services, MinLaw also formulates policies to ensure quality legal manpower to meet local, regional and international demands for legal services.
The Legal Industry Division is responsible for the growth and development of Singapore’s legal industry.
This is achieved through three key aspects:
- Strengthening our lawyers, law firms and legal institutions through education, training and upskilling.
- Equipping the industry with tools they need, including opening doors to new markets, providing suitable platforms to promote our legal talent and expertise, identifying key areas of growth, assisting in the adoption of technology and ensuring an adequate pool of talent pipeline.
- Creating a conducive environment for all in our legal industry.
Our Structure & Key Responsibilities
The Legal Industry Division comprises five units and works towards the common vision of establishing Singapore as a leading legal and dispute resolution hub in the world.
Work Highlights
Some initiatives that the Legal Industry Division has been involved in through the years include:
(a) Advancing Singapore as a leading legal & dispute resolution hub
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Supporting the growth, expansion and development of Singapore’s dispute resolution ecosystem through close partnership with Singapore institutions, including the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, the Singapore International Mediation Centre and Maxwell Chambers;
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Strengthening cooperation in international commercial dispute resolution with our foreign counterparts, to bring in new opportunities for our institutions and lawyers in key markets;
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Organising the Singapore Convention Week - a signature event in Singapore that serves as a key platform for thought leaders, experts, practitioners and policy makers to discuss emerging trends, address common issues, deliberate on new innovations, and drive change in the dispute resolution space;
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Co-organising the Singapore-China International Commercial Dispute Resolution Conference with the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade; and
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Representing Singapore and participating in dispute resolution-related negotiations at the UNCITRAL.
(b) Strengthening our manpower for the legal industry
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Leading the reform of legal education curriculum, together with the Judiciary and other stakeholders, to equip law graduates and the legal workforce with the skills and competencies required to address future challenges and seize growth opportunities;
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Launching an industry-wide secondment programme, which aims to deepen the capabilities of lawyers in important markets, as well as new or high growth areas, such as sustainability, technology and M&A; and
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Exploring exchange programmes with foreign bar associations to help Singapore lawyers build network externally and gain a deeper understanding of the work in priority markets through overseas attachments or study visit opportunities.
(c) Stakeholder engagement
- Deepening engagements and increasing collaborations with various legal industry stakeholders, thereby better informing policy-making across the Ministry of Law.
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