SINGAPORE: After weeks of debate within the legal community over the election of the Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) president, a majority of members at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Monday (Dec 22) voted for a resolution for Mr Dinesh Singh Dhillon to step aside as incoming president.
Senior counsel Tan Cheng Han is set to assume the role instead.
The EGM was held at Wyndham Singapore Hotel at 5pm to vote on a Dec 17 resolution, in which Mr Dhillon agreed to step aside as LawSoc president in 2026 “in the interest of preserving unity” for the Bar.
Lawyers began streaming in to register from at least an hour before, forming a long queue to enter the venue even after the meeting had started.
In total, around 500 lawyers turned up, with chairs having to be added to the packed ballroom. Mr Dhillon and Professor Tan were among the lawyers present.
Senior lawyers Peter Cuthbert Low and Chandra Mohan K Nair, who first voiced concerns over independence following Mr Dhillon's appointment as incoming president and had requisitioned for the EGM, were also at the meeting.
The proceedings began at about 5.20pm and was led by the sitting LawSoc president Lisa Sam.
In the meeting that lasted more than two hours, the members discussed various issues faced by the LawSoc in recent months, including independence of the Bar and whether office-holders should first be elected into the LawSoc council.
LawSoc is also facing an internal workplace harassment probe conducted by TSMP Law, though this was not a matter of discussion during the EGM.
At several points, lawyers streamed out of the closed-door meeting to the reception counter to scan a QR code in order to vote.
Several rounds of voting were conducted, including one to amend the consent resolution to state that the LawSoc president shall be an elected member of the council.
At the close of the meeting, a majority voted in favour of the consent resolution. Out of a total of 428 votes, 370 (88.5 per cent) voted for the amended consent resolution, while there were 58 votes against.
Earlier in 2025, Mr Dhillon was elected by the majority of the 21-member LawSoc council to lead the society as president in 2026.
He is the first president-elect to be a statutory member appointed by the Law Minister to the LawSoc council.
This meant that Mr Dhillon, the co-head of international arbitration practice at Allen and Gledhill, was not elected into council by LawSoc's roughly 6,400 members.
Mr Peter Cuthbert Low (left) and Mr Chandra Mohan K Nair exchanging words before the Law Society's extraordinary general meeting at Wyndham Singapore Hotel on Dec 22, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Marcus Mark Ramos)
His appointment sparked unease among some lawyers, who maintained that the presidency should be held by a member who was originally elected into the council.
In the days following the announcement of the appointment in November, Mr Low and Mr Chandra Mohan spearheaded a requisition notice calling for an EGM, proposing resolution that the council should elect a president who had been voted in by LawSoc members.
The requisition notice was deposited with LawSoc on Nov 24, but an EGM was not convened at that point.
Instead, the council invited members to a tea session on Dec 10, where lawyers crossed swords on issues relating to independence.
At the tea session, it was revealed that Mr Dhillon had undertaken not to run for the presidency unless he first contests the council elections around next October, and is voted in.
At around the same time, the LawSoc received two additional motions from two other lawyers.
All the motions were slated to be heard and debated at Monday's EGM.
During a meeting with a small group of members on Dec 17, Mr Dhillon agreed to step aside as 2026 LawSoc president, with Prof Tan taking over the role instead. Mr Dhillon will continue as the vice-president.
A consent resolution reflecting this agreement was circulated online on Dec 18. The document was signed by Mr Low, Mr Chandra Mohan, Mr Dhillon and a lawyer behind one of the additional motions, and witnessed by Prof Tan and lawyer Luo Ling Ling.
In the document, Mr Dhillon agreed to step aside “in the interest of preserving unity” for the Bar and its “legitimate concerns”.
The document acknowledged there was no issue regarding Mr Dhillon's independence or competence, and that he was elected in accordance with established procedure and the law.
All motions and resolutions previously proposed for Monday's EGM were withdrawn "with the consent of all", the document stated.
According to the document, the council will also circulate proposed eligibility criteria for office bearer positions to all LawSoc members within two months of taking office.
They will have at least six weeks to review and provide feedback about the proposal, which will include a minimum service period requirement on the council for office-bearers. The final criteria will be tabled for approval at the annual general meeting in 2026.
Lawyers arriving at Wyndham Singapore Hotel for an extraordinary general meeting on Dec 22, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Marcus Mark Ramos)
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Senior counsel Tan Cheng Han is set to assume the role instead.
The EGM was held at Wyndham Singapore Hotel at 5pm to vote on a Dec 17 resolution, in which Mr Dhillon agreed to step aside as LawSoc president in 2026 “in the interest of preserving unity” for the Bar.
Lawyers began streaming in to register from at least an hour before, forming a long queue to enter the venue even after the meeting had started.
In total, around 500 lawyers turned up, with chairs having to be added to the packed ballroom. Mr Dhillon and Professor Tan were among the lawyers present.
Senior lawyers Peter Cuthbert Low and Chandra Mohan K Nair, who first voiced concerns over independence following Mr Dhillon's appointment as incoming president and had requisitioned for the EGM, were also at the meeting.
The proceedings began at about 5.20pm and was led by the sitting LawSoc president Lisa Sam.
In the meeting that lasted more than two hours, the members discussed various issues faced by the LawSoc in recent months, including independence of the Bar and whether office-holders should first be elected into the LawSoc council.
LawSoc is also facing an internal workplace harassment probe conducted by TSMP Law, though this was not a matter of discussion during the EGM.
At several points, lawyers streamed out of the closed-door meeting to the reception counter to scan a QR code in order to vote.
Several rounds of voting were conducted, including one to amend the consent resolution to state that the LawSoc president shall be an elected member of the council.
At the close of the meeting, a majority voted in favour of the consent resolution. Out of a total of 428 votes, 370 (88.5 per cent) voted for the amended consent resolution, while there were 58 votes against.
EARLIER CONCERNS OVER BAR INDEPENDENCE
Earlier in 2025, Mr Dhillon was elected by the majority of the 21-member LawSoc council to lead the society as president in 2026.
He is the first president-elect to be a statutory member appointed by the Law Minister to the LawSoc council.
This meant that Mr Dhillon, the co-head of international arbitration practice at Allen and Gledhill, was not elected into council by LawSoc's roughly 6,400 members.
Related:
Mr Peter Cuthbert Low (left) and Mr Chandra Mohan K Nair exchanging words before the Law Society's extraordinary general meeting at Wyndham Singapore Hotel on Dec 22, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Marcus Mark Ramos)
His appointment sparked unease among some lawyers, who maintained that the presidency should be held by a member who was originally elected into the council.
In the days following the announcement of the appointment in November, Mr Low and Mr Chandra Mohan spearheaded a requisition notice calling for an EGM, proposing resolution that the council should elect a president who had been voted in by LawSoc members.
The requisition notice was deposited with LawSoc on Nov 24, but an EGM was not convened at that point.
Instead, the council invited members to a tea session on Dec 10, where lawyers crossed swords on issues relating to independence.
At the tea session, it was revealed that Mr Dhillon had undertaken not to run for the presidency unless he first contests the council elections around next October, and is voted in.
At around the same time, the LawSoc received two additional motions from two other lawyers.
All the motions were slated to be heard and debated at Monday's EGM.
During a meeting with a small group of members on Dec 17, Mr Dhillon agreed to step aside as 2026 LawSoc president, with Prof Tan taking over the role instead. Mr Dhillon will continue as the vice-president.
A consent resolution reflecting this agreement was circulated online on Dec 18. The document was signed by Mr Low, Mr Chandra Mohan, Mr Dhillon and a lawyer behind one of the additional motions, and witnessed by Prof Tan and lawyer Luo Ling Ling.
In the document, Mr Dhillon agreed to step aside “in the interest of preserving unity” for the Bar and its “legitimate concerns”.
The document acknowledged there was no issue regarding Mr Dhillon's independence or competence, and that he was elected in accordance with established procedure and the law.
All motions and resolutions previously proposed for Monday's EGM were withdrawn "with the consent of all", the document stated.
According to the document, the council will also circulate proposed eligibility criteria for office bearer positions to all LawSoc members within two months of taking office.
They will have at least six weeks to review and provide feedback about the proposal, which will include a minimum service period requirement on the council for office-bearers. The final criteria will be tabled for approval at the annual general meeting in 2026.
Lawyers arriving at Wyndham Singapore Hotel for an extraordinary general meeting on Dec 22, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Marcus Mark Ramos)
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