Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) Rules

Legal Profession Act

(Chapter 161, Section 25(7))

Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) Rules

R 6

G.N. No. S 63/1997

REVISED EDITION 2010

(31st May 2010)

[1st March 1997]

Citation

1.  These Rules may be cited as the Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) Rules.

Practice year

2.  In these Rules, “practice year” means the period from 1st April in any calendar year to 31st March in the next ensuing calendar year.

Time for application

3.  An application for a practising certificate in respect of a practice year shall not be submitted to the Registrar earlier than the month preceding the commencement of that practice year.

Application for practising certificate to practise as locum solicitor

4.—(1)  In the case of an application for a practising certificate to practise as a locum solicitor, section 25(1)(a) of the Act shall be modified by replacing sub-paragraphs (ii), (iii) and (iv) with the following sub-paragraphs:

“(ii) the name of the Singapore law practice in which he is or will be practising, if he knows the name at the time of the application; and

(iii) the principal address, and every other address in Singapore, of the Singapore law practice in which he will be practising, if he knows the address or addresses at the time of the application;”.

(2)  An application for a practising certificate to practise as a locum solicitor shall be accompanied by an undertaking by the applicant not to practise as a locum solicitor unless such professional indemnity relating to his practice as a locum solicitor as prescribed in rules made under section 75A of the Act has been obtained.

Training requirements for locum solicitors

5.—(1)  The training required for the purposes of section 26(1A)(b) of the Act —

(a) shall comprise 10 hours of training approved by the Council, of which 6 hours shall relate to areas of practice published on the website of the Law Society for the purposes of this rule; and

(b) shall have been undertaken and completed by the solicitor during the period of 12 months immediately preceding his application for a practising certificate as a locum solicitor.

(2)  Training provided by any institution or body named in a list published on the website of the Law Society for the purposes of this rule, in the areas of practice referred to in paragraph (1)(a), shall be deemed to be approved by the Council for the purposes of this rule.

Evidence

6.  The Registrar or the Council may in his or its discretion require a statutory declaration or such other evidence as he or the Council may consider necessary in support of the facts, circumstances or particulars contained in any application or statement delivered under these Rules.

Form of practising certificate

7.—(1)  Subject to paragraph (2), a practising certificate shall be in Form A or B set out in the Schedule.

(2)  A practising certificate to practise as a locum solicitor shall be in Form C set out in the Schedule.

THE SCHEDULE

Rule 7

FORM A

Rule 7(1)

LEGAL PROFESSION ACT

(CHAPTER 161)

PRACTISING CERTIFICATE

______________________________________________________________

having duly made application and satisfied the requirements of the Legal Profession Act, is hereby authorised to practise as an advocate and solicitor in Singapore during the practice year terminating on the 31st day of March ______.

      Dated this ______ day of ________________________.

REGISTRAR
SUPREME COURT,
SINGAPORE.

FORM B

Rule 7(1)

LEGAL PROFESSION ACT

(CHAPTER 161)

PRACTISING CERTIFICATE

______________________________________________________________

having duly made an application for a Practising Certificate under the Legal Profession Act, is hereby authorised to practise as an advocate and solicitor in Singapore during the practice year terminating on the 31st day of March ______ subject to the conditions contained in the Schedule annexed to this Practising Certificate.

      Dated this ______ day of ________________________.

REGISTRAR
SUPREME COURT,
SINGAPORE.

THE SCHEDULE

      The Practising Certificate of _______________________ dated the _____ day of __________________ is issued subject to the following conditions:

      Dated this ______ day of ________________________.

REGISTRAR
SUPREME COURT,
SINGAPORE.

FORM C

Rule 7(2)

LEGAL PROFESSION ACT

(CHAPTER 161)

PRACTISING CERTIFICATE

(LOCUM SOLICITOR)

______________________________________________________________

having duly made an application for a Practising Certificate under the Legal Profession Act, is hereby authorised to practise as an advocate and solicitor in Singapore during the practice year terminating on the 31st day of March ______ subject to the conditions contained in the Schedule annexed to this Practising Certificate.

      Dated this ______ day of ________________________.

REGISTRAR

SUPREME COURT,

SINGAPORE.

THE SCHEDULE

      The Practising Certificate of ___________________________ dated the _____ day of __________________ is issued subject to the following conditions:

(i) That he/she is a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore;

(ii) That he/she must not hold or receive client’s money, trust money or any security on behalf of a client, or do any other act, as prescribed in rule 18(2) of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct) Rules (R 1);

(iii) That he/she must not commence practice as a locum solicitor in any Singapore law practice unless that Singapore law practice has taken out the relevant professional indemnity insurance required under rule 3(3) of the Legal Profession (Professional Indemnity Insurance) Rules (R 11); and

(iv) That he/she has completed such training as he/she may be required to complete under section 26(1A)(b) of the Legal Profession Act.

      Dated this ______ day of ________________________.

REGISTRAR
SUPREME COURT,
SINGAPORE.

[G.N. Nos. S 63/97; S 74/2000; S 209/2000; S 72/2005; S 578/2006; S 659/2006; S 477/2008]

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) Rules

 

This Legislative History is provided for the convenience of users of the Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) Rules. It is not part of these Rules.
1.	G. N. No. S 205/1970—Solicitors Practising Certificate Rules 1970
	Date of commencement	:	24 July 1970
2.	1990 Revised Edition—Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) Rules
	Date of operation	:	25 March 1992
3.	G. N. No. S 63/1997—Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) Rules 1997
	Date of commencement	:	1 March 1997
4.	1998 Revised Edition—Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) Rules
	Date of operation	:	15 June 1998
5.	G. N. No. S 74/2000—Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) (Amendment) Rules 2000
	(G.N. No. S 209/2000 — Corrigendum)
	Date of commencement	:	1 March 2000
6.	G. N. No. S 72/2005—Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) (Amendment) Rules 2005
	Date of commencement	:	1 April 2005
7.	G. N. No. S 578/2006—Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) (Amendment) Rules 2006
	Date of commencement	:	1 November 2006
8.	G. N. No. S 659/2006—Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2006
	Date of commencement	:	1 January 2007
9.	G. N. No. S 477/2008—Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) (Amendment) Rules 2008
	Date of commencement	:	15 October 2008
10.	2010 Revised Edition—Legal Profession (Practising Certificate) Rules
	Date of operation	:	31 May 2010