Leadership Change in the Law Society of Singapore Following Extraordinary General Meeting

SINGAPORE: In a significant turn of events, the Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) is set to experience a leadership shift. After extensive discussions within the legal community, members gathered on Monday for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) where a majority voted to have Mr. Dinesh Singh Dhillon step aside as the incoming president. Senior counsel Tan Cheng Han will take over the leadership role instead.

The EGM took place at the Wyndham Singapore Hotel at 5 PM, following a resolution passed on December 17, in which Mr. Dhillon agreed to step aside in 2026 “to preserve unity” within the Bar. Lawyers began arriving well ahead of the meeting time, forming a long line to register for attendance, even after the formal proceedings had commenced.

Approximately 500 legal professionals attended the meeting, leading to additional chairs being brought into the already crowded ballroom. Both Mr. Dhillon and Professor Tan were present among the attendees. Senior lawyers Peter Cuthbert Low and Chandra Mohan K Nair, who initially raised concerns about the independence of the Bar and called for the EGM, were also in attendance.

The session kicked off around 5:20 PM under the guidance of the current LawSoc president, Lisa Sam. Over the two hours of discussion, attendees explored several pressing issues impacting LawSoc in recent months, including matters of Bar independence and the election process for council members.

During the meeting, participants frequently stepped out to check in at a reception area where they could scan a QR code to cast their votes. Multiple rounds of voting took place, one of which sought to amend the resolution to clarify that the LawSoc president must be an elected member of the council. This amendment was approved by a significant margin.

By the conclusion of the meeting, 370 members, or 86.5 percent of the total 428 votes, expressed their support for the amended resolution, while 58 votes were cast against it.

Background on Bar Independence Concerns

In early 2025, Mr. Dhillon had been elected by the majority of the 21-member LawSoc council to become president in 2026. His appointment was particularly notable as he was the first president-elect to be a statutory member designated by the Law Minister to the LawSoc council, meaning that he was not elected by LawSoc’s approximately 6,400 members.

This leadership transition reflects the ongoing discussions surrounding the governance of the Law Society and the need for a more transparent electoral process that reinforces the independence of the Bar.