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SINGAPORE: As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly displaces the opportunities for young lawyers to develop foundational skills such as legal research and analysis, these skills are expected to degrade, perhaps even to the point of affecting a lawyer's ability to check if an AI-generated product is correct.
Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said this in his speech at the opening of the legal year at the Supreme Court on Monday (Jan 12).
He said the core function of a lawyer and the nature of legal work would be affected by the emerging ubiquity of generative AI, and that it would "upend the practice of the law and the way we train and develop lawyers".
"At the same time, ensuring that our profession is ready to harness new technology responsibly will improve the public's access to justice," he added.
Attorney-General Lucien Wong said in his speech that there is still a place for lawyers in an AI world: "As lawyers, we place our client's interests above our own and advocate for him or her, but this does not always mean saying 'yes'.
"Sometimes, it may mean saying 'no'. This is why lawyers are given 'instructions' and not 'prompts'."
He also said that the lawyer is not there to be a "frictionless instrument of the client's will", or a mere mirror of his or her desires, but is a "trusted and loyal adviser and champion".
"The very best lawyers know their clients' needs better than the clients themselves. They make their clients feel seen, known and understood; they discern the true concerns lying behind their clients' queries; and they explore the underlying interests behind hardened positions to identify potential trade-offs and win-win outcomes across issues," the Attorney-General added.
"AI may be able to answer your questions, but it cannot tell you when you are asking the wrong question."
Attorney-General Lucien Wong delivering his address during a ceremony for the opening of the legal year at the Supreme Court on Jan 12, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)
The Chief Justice said he had proposed a public-private partnership to tackle the issue of AI, and stressed that the approach to the education and training of new lawyers must be transformed.
Steps that the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) has taken towards this include launching a career coaching programme with legally trained coaches, supplemented with an AI-powered career coach.
SAL will also partner with the Infocomm Media Development Authority to equip practitioners to use AI effectively and responsibly, with more details to come by the first half of this year.
Chief Justice Menon said the industry must also recognise the potential implications of AI.
"While AI will power a widening range of tools capable of assisting practitioners, we must recognise and guard against the potential accompanying risks, including the real possibility that AI will affect or even compromise the development of foundational skills such as legal research, analysis, drafting and reasoning."
Professor Tan Cheng Han, Law Society of Singapore's president, touched on the concern that technology is likely to shrink the need for the type of work that many lawyers, particularly junior lawyers, do today.
"Another concern is the ability of the profession as a whole to access, utilise and apply technology effectively, including the ability to understand their ethical obligations when doing so."
Professor Tan Cheng Han, president of the Law Society of Singapore, delivering his address during the ceremony for the opening of the legal year at the Supreme Court on Jan 12, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)
He also said that if many lawyers do not understand or are unable to have reasonable access to technological tools, this affects their clients' access to justice.
"The inaugural annual Legal Tech-Guide issued by the Information Technology Committee is a good start towards fostering greater understanding."
He has also asked for solutions from relevant committees on how to enhance access to relevant tech tools, and for the development of programmes that can better educate lawyers on how the tools can be used, while making these programmes accessible and affordable.
Source: CNA/ll(sf)
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FAST
SINGAPORE: As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly displaces the opportunities for young lawyers to develop foundational skills such as legal research and analysis, these skills are expected to degrade, perhaps even to the point of affecting a lawyer's ability to check if an AI-generated product is correct.
Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said this in his speech at the opening of the legal year at the Supreme Court on Monday (Jan 12).
He said the core function of a lawyer and the nature of legal work would be affected by the emerging ubiquity of generative AI, and that it would "upend the practice of the law and the way we train and develop lawyers".
"At the same time, ensuring that our profession is ready to harness new technology responsibly will improve the public's access to justice," he added.
Attorney-General Lucien Wong said in his speech that there is still a place for lawyers in an AI world: "As lawyers, we place our client's interests above our own and advocate for him or her, but this does not always mean saying 'yes'.
"Sometimes, it may mean saying 'no'. This is why lawyers are given 'instructions' and not 'prompts'."
He also said that the lawyer is not there to be a "frictionless instrument of the client's will", or a mere mirror of his or her desires, but is a "trusted and loyal adviser and champion".
"The very best lawyers know their clients' needs better than the clients themselves. They make their clients feel seen, known and understood; they discern the true concerns lying behind their clients' queries; and they explore the underlying interests behind hardened positions to identify potential trade-offs and win-win outcomes across issues," the Attorney-General added.
"AI may be able to answer your questions, but it cannot tell you when you are asking the wrong question."
Attorney-General Lucien Wong delivering his address during a ceremony for the opening of the legal year at the Supreme Court on Jan 12, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)
STEPS TO TACKLE THE ISSUE
The Chief Justice said he had proposed a public-private partnership to tackle the issue of AI, and stressed that the approach to the education and training of new lawyers must be transformed.
Steps that the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) has taken towards this include launching a career coaching programme with legally trained coaches, supplemented with an AI-powered career coach.
Related:
SAL will also partner with the Infocomm Media Development Authority to equip practitioners to use AI effectively and responsibly, with more details to come by the first half of this year.
Chief Justice Menon said the industry must also recognise the potential implications of AI.
"While AI will power a widening range of tools capable of assisting practitioners, we must recognise and guard against the potential accompanying risks, including the real possibility that AI will affect or even compromise the development of foundational skills such as legal research, analysis, drafting and reasoning."
Professor Tan Cheng Han, Law Society of Singapore's president, touched on the concern that technology is likely to shrink the need for the type of work that many lawyers, particularly junior lawyers, do today.
"Another concern is the ability of the profession as a whole to access, utilise and apply technology effectively, including the ability to understand their ethical obligations when doing so."
Professor Tan Cheng Han, president of the Law Society of Singapore, delivering his address during the ceremony for the opening of the legal year at the Supreme Court on Jan 12, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Wallace Woon)
He also said that if many lawyers do not understand or are unable to have reasonable access to technological tools, this affects their clients' access to justice.
"The inaugural annual Legal Tech-Guide issued by the Information Technology Committee is a good start towards fostering greater understanding."
He has also asked for solutions from relevant committees on how to enhance access to relevant tech tools, and for the development of programmes that can better educate lawyers on how the tools can be used, while making these programmes accessible and affordable.
Related:
Source: CNA/ll(sf)
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