SINGAPORE: A closed-door meeting at the Law Society of Singapore's (LawSoc) premises on Thursday (Aug 13) saw more than 200 members from the legal fraternity discuss the release of the full findings of the bar association's probe into allegations of workplace bullying and poor work culture.
The evening session, which saw heated debate, comes after a petition by over 100 members demanded the release of the full report. It described the allegations as "by far the most serious the society has faced in its entire history".
The petition was started after Law Minister Edwin Tong gave a statement in parliament earlier this month that an internal audit had identified "significant failings in leadership, workplace culture and governance" within LawSoc.
At Thursday's dialogue, hard copies of the audit committee's report containing a summary of findings and recommendations were made available for members to read ahead of the slated start time at 5.30pm, according to sources who attended the session at LawSoc's premises in Maxwell Chambers.
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Copies of the summary had to be returned before the session ended.
CNA understands that several annexes were missing from the provided documents, including fuller investigation reports by a law firm and an external auditing firm.
During the session, members asked why the full report could not be made available and raised issues of transparency, public perception of LawSoc and conflict of interest related to the law firm which conducted the investigation.
Members also discussed how the leadership had handled concerns that were raised, as well as whether a police report should be lodged over allegations of workplace harassment.
Lawyer Clarence Lun from Fervent Chambers, who attended the session, said on LinkedIn that the disclosure of the full report was necessary for accountability.
"Allowing members to read the audit committee report is a step towards transparency.
"But if that report was itself informed by more extensive underlying investigation reports and materials, members should, subject to legitimate confidentiality and personal-data safeguards, be permitted to understand and review that material for their own analysis and determination," he wrote in a LinkedIn post after the dialogue.
Tensions boiled over at one point when several members raised their voices, prompting a council member to shout at them to take their seats. The dialogue ended at around 9.30pm, overrunning by two-and-a-half hours.
Sources said that the LawSoc council will reconsider whether to release the full report.
CNA has reached out to the LawSoc as well as the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) for comment.
On Sep 13, 2025, MinLaw and the Ministry of Manpower received an anonymous email containing allegations and complaints about certain individuals and practices within LawSoc relating to the period from 2022 to 2025.
MinLaw referred the allegations to the LawSoc council at the time for investigation.
The council subsequently appointed LawSoc's audit committee to investigate the matter and make appropriate recommendations.
The committee, comprising LawSoc members and non-members, submitted its report to the council on Jun 5, 2026. A copy was sent to MinLaw on Jul 1.
Lawyers told CNA that the report examined several areas, including concerns over the organisation's workplace culture and its leadership; possible gaps in corporate governance and internal controls; and the adequacy of protocols governing overseas trips and whistleblowing. Part of the report also addressed allegations of workplace harassment by staff members.
Mr Tong said on Aug 5 that while the audit did not find evidence of deliberate financial impropriety or an intentional cover-up, it identified "significant failings in leadership, workplace culture and governance".
"These failings have no place in an institution such as LawSoc. They undermine confidence within the organisation, affect the wellbeing of its employees, and risk eroding the trust that both the legal profession and the public place in it," Mr Tong said.
He added that the current LawSoc council had acknowledged the audit committee's findings and begun implementing its recommendations.
Days after Mr Tong's parliamentary reply, Senior Counsel Jimmy Yim submitted a petition to the LawSoc calling for the full report to be made available to the society's members.
In a petition dated Aug 7 and seen by CNA, Mr Yim said the report should be accessible to members so they could form their own views and gain a fuller understanding of the complaints, findings and measures to be implemented.
He asked for the report to be made available before Thursday's closed-door dialogue.
In a letter to the LawSoc council dated Aug 11, Mr Yim enclosed the names of more than 100 petitioners seeking the full disclosure of the report.
When contacted by CNA, Mr Yim declined to comment.
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The evening session, which saw heated debate, comes after a petition by over 100 members demanded the release of the full report. It described the allegations as "by far the most serious the society has faced in its entire history".
The petition was started after Law Minister Edwin Tong gave a statement in parliament earlier this month that an internal audit had identified "significant failings in leadership, workplace culture and governance" within LawSoc.
At Thursday's dialogue, hard copies of the audit committee's report containing a summary of findings and recommendations were made available for members to read ahead of the slated start time at 5.30pm, according to sources who attended the session at LawSoc's premises in Maxwell Chambers.
CNA Games
Show More Show Less
Copies of the summary had to be returned before the session ended.
CNA understands that several annexes were missing from the provided documents, including fuller investigation reports by a law firm and an external auditing firm.
During the session, members asked why the full report could not be made available and raised issues of transparency, public perception of LawSoc and conflict of interest related to the law firm which conducted the investigation.
Members also discussed how the leadership had handled concerns that were raised, as well as whether a police report should be lodged over allegations of workplace harassment.
Lawyer Clarence Lun from Fervent Chambers, who attended the session, said on LinkedIn that the disclosure of the full report was necessary for accountability.
"Allowing members to read the audit committee report is a step towards transparency.
"But if that report was itself informed by more extensive underlying investigation reports and materials, members should, subject to legitimate confidentiality and personal-data safeguards, be permitted to understand and review that material for their own analysis and determination," he wrote in a LinkedIn post after the dialogue.
Tensions boiled over at one point when several members raised their voices, prompting a council member to shout at them to take their seats. The dialogue ended at around 9.30pm, overrunning by two-and-a-half hours.
Sources said that the LawSoc council will reconsider whether to release the full report.
CNA has reached out to the LawSoc as well as the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) for comment.
Related:
HOW THE INVESTIGATION CAME ABOUT
On Sep 13, 2025, MinLaw and the Ministry of Manpower received an anonymous email containing allegations and complaints about certain individuals and practices within LawSoc relating to the period from 2022 to 2025.
MinLaw referred the allegations to the LawSoc council at the time for investigation.
The council subsequently appointed LawSoc's audit committee to investigate the matter and make appropriate recommendations.
The committee, comprising LawSoc members and non-members, submitted its report to the council on Jun 5, 2026. A copy was sent to MinLaw on Jul 1.
Lawyers told CNA that the report examined several areas, including concerns over the organisation's workplace culture and its leadership; possible gaps in corporate governance and internal controls; and the adequacy of protocols governing overseas trips and whistleblowing. Part of the report also addressed allegations of workplace harassment by staff members.
Mr Tong said on Aug 5 that while the audit did not find evidence of deliberate financial impropriety or an intentional cover-up, it identified "significant failings in leadership, workplace culture and governance".
"These failings have no place in an institution such as LawSoc. They undermine confidence within the organisation, affect the wellbeing of its employees, and risk eroding the trust that both the legal profession and the public place in it," Mr Tong said.
He added that the current LawSoc council had acknowledged the audit committee's findings and begun implementing its recommendations.
Days after Mr Tong's parliamentary reply, Senior Counsel Jimmy Yim submitted a petition to the LawSoc calling for the full report to be made available to the society's members.
In a petition dated Aug 7 and seen by CNA, Mr Yim said the report should be accessible to members so they could form their own views and gain a fuller understanding of the complaints, findings and measures to be implemented.
He asked for the report to be made available before Thursday's closed-door dialogue.
In a letter to the LawSoc council dated Aug 11, Mr Yim enclosed the names of more than 100 petitioners seeking the full disclosure of the report.
When contacted by CNA, Mr Yim declined to comment.
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