Locum Practice
A locum solicitor is engaged on a temporary or freelance basis by one or more law practices.
A locum Practising Certificate ("PC") issued by the Registrar of the Supreme Court is required before one may practise as a locum solicitor.
The processes and procedures for applying for a locum PC are similar to
that of application for a PC for full-time practice save that certain special qualifications and restrictions apply for locum PC applicants.
Special Qualifications
Only Singapore citizens or Permanent Residents may apply for locum PCs; and
10 hours of mandatory training by the Law Society is required to be completed by you unless you had either :
practised in a Singapore law practice or been employed as a legal officer for 3 years out of 5 years immediately preceding the application; or
practised as a locum solicitor at any time within the period of 3 years immediately preceding the application.
Restrictions
You cannot be or continue to be a sole-proprietor, partner or director of a law practice, or a full-time employee of a law practice;
You cannot hold or receive clients' money or trust money or any security on behalf of a client;
You cannot open, maintain or operate any client or trust account, and you cannot give instructions in respect of any such account;
You cannot sign any cheque or effect any instruction for the withdrawal of money from a client or trust account;
You cannot sign any bill of costs (referred to in section 118 of the Legal Profession Act) or any letter accompanying such bill;
You cannot act as a solicitor-trustee.
You must be supervised by a proprietor, partner or director of the law practice which engages you as a locum solicitor.
Your step-by-step guide to applying for a locum PC begins here.
Click here to view the register of law practices interested in engaging a locum solicitor.
