Ms Malathi Das

Mr Harold Seet

Mr George Lim

Volunteers and Members of the Bar

 

Nice to see all of you.

 

1.         I’m here to encourage the spirit of giving, the spirit of pro bono. Well I think Ms Malathi Das had mentioned two “P”s already which is Perspective and Practicality. I think I want to highlight another two “P”s, just to sum up, which is Professionalism and Personal Support. I hope all of you, all law firms, the senior partners in particular, would render support in this important Law Society outreach. I hope many will come over the weekend.

 

2.       I am happy, once again, to be here to launch this Biennial Law Awareness event, “Law Reach” organised by the Law Society.

3.         This morning, I wish to present the case that “Pro Bono Work Pays”. Although this may sound counterintuitive, in reality, pro bono work does pay in three ways; it pays dividends, firstly, for the community, secondly, for the lawyers involved and thirdly, for the law practices undertaking pro bono work as part of their ethos. Let me highlight the value and importance of pro bono work for all these parties.

 

4.          Firstly, the obvious one – the value of pro bono legal work to the community. The Law Society, through its Pro Bono Services Office, has put in place various schemes to ensure that people, and even organisations, of limited financial means have reasonable access to basic legal guidance and help.

 

5.          Low-income individuals and disadvantaged communities may face a variety of legal problems. Some may have to grapple with a host of personal and family problems, and need counseling, or financial or other types of support. To bring basic legal advice to the community, the Law Society runs free Community Legal Clinics (CLC) at the South-East Community Development Council (CDC) and the North-West CDC. Between them, they operate four nights a week from Monday to Thursday. On average, I understand, the Clinics see about 200 cases a month and feedback from users has been positive. As of September this year, almost 6,600 Singaporeans have been helped at these Clinics. About 600 volunteer lawyers, not just junior lawyers, but also senior lawyers, help out at these clinics.

 

6.          How have the Clinics impacted the community?  Let me share a story to illustrate its impact. A 37-year old housewife, married for more than 10 years with one child, called the office for help as her husband, who was having an affair, wanted a divorce. In addition to being very emotionally distraught, she was anxious that she would lose the matrimonial home, as she had not contributed financially to the family in any way since her marriage. She shared that she was having many sleepless nights as she feared that she and her child would be homeless.

 

7.          Within a week of calling in, this lady secured an appointment at one of the CLCs. At the session, she was advised that even if a married woman had not financially contributed to the household, she would still be entitled to a portion of the matrimonial assets, if she had been involved in raising the children and taking care of the home. She was also advised on maintenance payments in the event of a divorce. The legal guidance allayed her anxieties and fears about her financial future and that of her child.

 

8.          Apart from the clinics, the Law Society also runs the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (or CLAS) which provides free legal defence in criminal cases. Established in 1985, CLAS has to date received over 13,000 applications for legal defence or mitigation in criminal cases. 

 

9.          Project Law Help is a programme that helps financially-strapped non-profit organisations in need of commercial non-contentious advice. Under this scheme, volunteer law practices provide free commercial advice to non-profit organisations, thereby helping to ensure that these non-profit organisations’ resources are channeled towards their core mission and activities.

 

10.        The pro bono work carried out by lawyers under these Law Society schemes, as well as schemes run by other organisations, including the Legal Aid Bureau, are carried out quietly, without publicity or fanfare. I would like to take this occasion to thank all volunteers for giving back to the community.

 

 

11.        Pro Bono work, however, is not just about giving. Pro bono work also enriches the giver, i.e. the volunteer lawyers themselves. For young lawyers, pro bono work provides an opportunity to broaden their legal and non-legal skills, in areas which may not be their regular practice areas. This enriches their professional experience, as they get involved in a broader spectrum of the law.

 

12.        Pro bono work also directly impacts people's lives in a meaningful way. In recent years, young lawyers have increasingly opted to specialise in corporate law from the outset upon graduation or soon after graduation. For those who do commercial litigation, such litigation often involves dispute resolution between corporate titans. Whilst it provides excellent training for young lawyers, such work does not offer the gritty, street-level impact that pro bono work frequently involves.

 

13.        Pro bono work tends to revolve around protecting the interests of the disadvantaged, and helping those who find it hard to help themselves in dire circumstances. This I believe helps to give “soul” to one’s legal practice, and is very satisfying personally and professionally. Mr Gregory Vijayendran, Law Society’s Pro Bono Ambassador of the year, shared that since he participated in one of these Law Awareness Clinics more than a decade ago, not only has his life been enriched by a sense of fulfillment, he has also honed his skills in effective communication, patient listening, making judgment calls and dispensing with practical legal counsel, and all without having to worry about billable hours.

 

14.        As to the range of pro bono opportunities available, there should not be a one-size-fits-all paradigm. Instead, there should be a menu of opportunities, such that a lawyer can decide on a commitment which is in line with his or her professional interests, personal calling and available time. 

 

15.        I am therefore delighted that the Law Society has, in a very timely manner, compiled a new comprehensive Guide to Legal Pro Bono Opportunities which I believe is put online on its website. The listing sets out the various options for lawyers wishing to do pro bono work, including not just programmes run by the Law Society, but other key programmes as well, such as the Legal Aid Bureau Volunteer Lawyer Scheme, the Supreme Court’s Legal Aid Scheme for Capital Offences and support given to the Community Court by the Association of Criminal Lawyers of Singapore. I hope this Pro Bono Guide will indeed reach out to all lawyers. Take some time to look through it and then decide for yourself based on your own personal decision where you would like to serve. Law Society has a target of every lawyer serving 20 hours a year. I believe Singapore will not be bereft of help.

 

16.        I turn now to the value of pro bono work to a law firm or company. In an increasingly competitive legal marketplace, how does one create differentiation? I suggest that a differentiating factor can be the exercising of corporate social responsibility.  Make a statement about your organisation's values through your pro bono involvement. 

 

17.        How does publicising the values of an organisation translate to good business sense?

 

18.        For one – you will get staff members who are more engaged in the life and work of the firm. Young lawyers, who are typically full of idealism, would appreciate opportunities to participate in pro bono work on a firm-wide initiative, and feel that they are making the difference they had dreamed of in Law School. Many law students actually think about pro bono. If the law firm sets that culture, especially senior lawyers, that will allow young lawyers to continue their passion for pro bono work.

 

19.        Clients too are likely to want to work long-term with a law practice which tangibly displays the strength of character and generosity of spirit required for pro bono work. It shows that the firm is not merely driven by profit and that senior lawyers in the firm are concerned about people and their problems as well. It serves to humanise a firm’s image and paint a better picture of the people behind the firm. It is ultimately the lawyers that make or break a customer’s loyalty to the firm.

 

20.        In short, pro bono involvement is likely to increase a law firm’s visibility and ability to attract and retain people who are passionate about the work they do.

 

21.        I am heartened to note that many law firms have taken concrete steps to  ingrain the pro bono spirit within their firm’s culture. For example, in some firms, the time that their lawyers spend on pro bono matters is credited as billable hours. Before sending representatives for the clinic dates, the senior lawyers in the firms will also hold a round table discussion with junior lawyers to do a “case consultation” for the registered cases, sharing pointers and perspectives on the best way to dispense legal advice. The junior lawyers are trained on the nuts and bolts of common clinical issues, such as criminal law and family law. Even the simple gesture of having a senior lawyer mentor a junior lawyer through an actual clinic session helps to send a strong signal about the values and culture of the firm. All of the practices I have described help create a feeling that pro bono work is a “we” thing, and that it is a continuing commitment irrespective of one’s position in the firm’s hierarchy.  

 

22.        Over the course of this weekend, thousands of people, who ordinarily have no contact with the law, will have the opportunity to hear from lawyers on a range of issues relating to employment, debt management, bankruptcy and internet crime. I commend the more than 60 lawyers who have committed their time and services for the free legal clinics. I encourage Singaporeans to come and learn more about our laws.  

 

23.       Thank you.