Legal Profession (Pro Bono Legal Services) Rules 2013

No. S 658

Legal Profession Act

(CHAPTER 161)

Legal Profession
(Pro Bono Legal Services)
Rules 2013

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 34(2) of the Legal Profession Act, the Minister for Law hereby makes the following Rules:

Citation and commencement

1.  These Rules may be cited as the Legal Profession (Pro Bono Legal Services) Rules 2013 and shall come into operation on 1st November 2013.

Definitions

2.  In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires —

“charity” has the same meaning as in section 2(1) of the Charities Act 1994;

[S 594/2024 wef 31/12/2021]

“institution of a public character” has the same meaning as in section 40 of the Charities Act 1994;

[S 594/2024 wef 31/12/2021]

“National Council of Social Service” means the National Council of Social Service established under section 3 of the National Council of Social Service Act 1992;

[S 594/2024 wef 31/12/2021]

“non‑practising solicitor” means any solicitor who does not have in force a practising certificate;

“permitted pro bono legal services” means any legal services —

(a) which a solicitor can lawfully perform under the Act, other than —

(i) appearing or pleading in any court of justice in Singapore; or

(ii) appearing in any hearing before a quasi‑judicial or regulatory body, authority or tribunal in Singapore; and

(b) which are not provided for or in expectation of any fee, gain or reward.

Exemption from section 33 of Act

3.  Section 33 of the Act does not extend to any non‑practising solicitor or lawyer (NP) in respect only of his or her provision of any permitted pro bono legal services in any of the following circumstances:

(a) the services are provided under any scheme administered by any one or more of the following:

(i) the Society;

(ii) the State Courts referred to in section 3(1) of the State Courts Act 1970;

[S 151/2014 wef 07/03/2014]

[S 594/2024 wef 31/12/2021]

(iii) the Family Justice Courts referred to in section 3 of the Family Justice Act 2014;

[S 651/2014 wef 01/10/2014]

[S 594/2024 wef 31/12/2021]

[S 594/2024 wef 17/07/2024]

(b) the services are provided directly to, or for the benefit of, any charity registered or exempt from registration under the Charities Act 1994;

[S 594/2024 wef 31/12/2021]

(c) the services are provided directly to, or for the benefit of, any institution of a public character;

(d) the services are provided directly to, or for the benefit of, any voluntary welfare organisation which is granted membership of the National Council of Social Service under section 15 of the National Council of Social Service Act 1992.

[S 594/2024 wef 31/12/2021]

[S 594/2024 wef 17/07/2024]

Made this 17th day of October 2013.

BEH SWAN GIN

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Law,
Singapore.

[LAW 06/011/002 V.43; AG/LLRD/SL/161/2010/22 Vol. 1]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 131 of the Legal Profession Act).