Frequently Asked Questions relating to practice training period, practice training contracts and Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations and the preparatory course leading thereto

1.         What is a practice training period?

A:         Practice training period is the period during which a qualified person is required to receive supervised training in relation to the practice of Singapore law under a practice training contract with a Singapore law practice, or through working as a Legal Service Officer, or under the supervision of a qualifying relevant legal officer before he can be admitted as an advocate and solicitor.

2.         What is the duration of a practice training period?

A:         Generally, the duration of the practice training period is 6 months. However, if a qualified person receives supervised training through working as a Legal Service Officer or through working under the supervision of a qualifying relevant legal officer, 6 months of such supervised training will only count as 1 month of his practice training period.

3.         Where can I find the requirements relating to practice training period?

A:         The requirements relating to practice training period are set out in Part II of the Legal Profession (Practice Training Period) Rules 2009.

4.         When may the practice training period be served?

A:         A person who became a qualified person on or after 9^th October 2009 may serve his practice training period only after he has passed Part B, and the practice training period must be completed within a continuous period of 8 months. However, if a qualified person serves his practice training period or any part thereof through working as a Legal Service Officer or under the supervision of a qualifying relevant legal officer, he must complete his service of his practice training period within a continuous period of 48 months.

5.         What is a practice training contract?

A:         A practice training contract is a formal training arrangement between a qualified person and a Singapore law practice, pursuant to which the qualified person receives, and the Singapore law practice provides, supervised training in relation to the practice of Singapore law.

6.         Is there a prescribed form of practice training contract?

A:         No, there is no prescribed form.

7.         Where can I find the requirements of a practice training contract?

A:         The requirements relating to practice training contracts are set out in Part III of the Legal Profession (Practice Training Period) Rules 2009.

8.         Who is a practice trainee?

A:         A practice trainee is a person who is serving his practice training period under a practice training contract.

9.         Who is a supervising solicitor?

A:         A supervising solicitor is the person responsible for the supervision of a practice trainee while the practice trainee is serving his practice training period under a practice training contract.

10.       Who may be a supervising solicitor?

A:         A supervising solicitor must be active in a Singapore law practice and must have in force a practising certificate for at least 5 of the 7 years immediately before the commencement of his supervision of the practice trainee.

11.       What are the responsibilities of a supervising solicitor?

A:         A supervising solicitor must ensure that the practice trainee whom he supervises:

(a)        receives adequate training in matters specified by the Board in guidelines# issued under the Rules, including matters relating to professional responsibility, etiquette and conduct,

(b)        is exposed to 2 or more of the following areas of practice:

(i)         civil litigation;

(ii)        criminal litigation;

(iii)       corporate practice;

(iv)       conveyancing practice; and

(c)        attends such courses that may be specified by the Board.

#The guidelines to be issued by the Board pursuant to the Rules are still being worked out and will be available shortly.

12.       What are the responsibilities of a Singapore law practice under practice training contracts?

A:         A Singapore law practice which provides a practice trainee with supervised training under a practice training contract must register with the Board every practice training contract and the particulars of the practice trainee and his supervising solicitor.

When registering a practice training contract with the Board, a Singapore law practice must declare to the Board the number of solicitors in the Singapore law practice who are qualified to be supervising solicitors on the date of commencement of the supervised training under the practice training contract.

The Singapore law practice must ensure that the practice trainee is supervised by a supervising solicitor who is in active practice in the Singapore law practice, that the practice trainee is based in Singapore and that the supervising solicitor performs his responsibilities.

 13.       What if a Singapore law practice does not have the expertise or resources to provide the practice trainee with exposure to an area of practice referred to in the Rules?

A:         The Singapore law practice may arrange for the practice trainee to receive that exposure in another Singapore law practice. During the period of exposure in another Singapore law practice, the practice trainee is deemed to be supervised by his supervising solicitor.

14.       Where can I get details of a practice training contract offered by a particular Singapore law practice?

A:         Singapore law practices are required under the Rules to publish details of the supervised training which they intend to provide under a practice training contract on their websites or on such Internet websites as may be specified by the Board.

 15.       What is Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations and preparatory course leading thereto?

A:         Arising from changes announced in Parliament on 13 February 2009, qualified persons under the Legal Profession Act will have to pass Part B of a new Bar Examination and attend the preparatory course leading thereto in order to be called to the Bar.

The preparatory course (“Course”) leading to Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations (“Examination”) is a full-time course.

16.       Where will the Course and Examination be offered?

A:         The Course and Examination will be conducted by the Board of Legal Education (“Board”). In general, lectures will be held at the Supreme Court Auditorium and practice/drafting classes and tutorials will be held at the Subordinate Courts. Details of other venues will be given to accepted students when the Course commences.

17.       What is the duration and dates of the Course and Examination?

A:         The Course will run for a total of 5 months, commencing Wednesday 7 July 2010 and ending Saturday 4 December 2010. Registration will be conducted on 7 July 2010. Accepted students will receive a letter with registration information. There is only one intake per calendar year. There will be 18 teaching weeks, 2 revision weeks and 2 examination weeks.

18.       Must I attend the Course, i.e. can I just take the Examination?

A:         The Course is a full-time course and is compulsory.

19.       What are the relevant fees?

A:         The fees are reflected in the table below.

20.       What are the subjects and teaching hours?

A:         The course will be arranged as follows:-

   (i)     Examinable Subjects

(a)        Civil Procedure;

(b)        Criminal Procedure;

(c)        Commercial Practice (which will include practical aspects of company law, insolvency and winding-up, admiralty, arbitration and credit and security);

(d)        Conveyancing Practice;

(e)        Professional Responsibility (which will include the Legal Profession (Solicitors’ Accounts) Rules and Non-Contentious Costs);

(f)         Family Law Practice; and

(g)        Wills, Probate and Administration.

The Board of Legal Education may in its discretion amend the syllabus for the course or any individual subject as it thinks fit according to the circumstance.

 (ii)     Teaching, Assessment and Examinations

The above examinable subjects will be taught through lectures, seminars, tutorials, Case Management, File Management and Case-Studies. A written examination will be set in each of the seven subjects at the end of the course. Students will be expected to draft in plain English, inter alia, agreements, contractual clauses, letters, opinions, court documents and pleadings and other documents. The written examination in Civil Procedure, Criminal Procedure, Commercial Practice, Conveyancing Practice and Professional Responsibility comprises 70% of the overall grade in those subjects. Assessments make up the remaining 30%. Family Law Practice and Will, Probate and Administration are two separate subjects tested at the same examination. Students must pass each subject.

(iii)     Other Topics and Practical Skills

In addition to the examinable subjects, students will be exposed to other topics in the practice of law as well as practical skills that a young or newly-admitted lawyer is expected to have. More details will be provided in a Handbook distributed to students accepted for the Course.

(iv)    Teaching Hours

(a)        Lectures take place on weekdays from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.

(b)        Tutorials take place on weekdays from 6.00 pm to 7.00/7.30 pm.

(c)        Advocacy Training takes place over 1 full day and a ½ day over 2 Saturdays.

(d)        Edu-dine comprises 3 dinners.

The timetable and details of other lessons and workshops will be made available to students on 7 July 2010.

21.       Who is eligible to take the Course and Examination?

A:         All “qualified persons” under the Legal Profession Act read with the Legal Profession (Qualified Persons) Rules are eligible.

22.       The application form is available on the Board’s website at www.lawsociety.org.sg/ble. The deadlines for the following categories are as follows:

A:         A practice trainee is a person who is serving his practice training period under a practice training contract.

Any application received by the Board after the closing dates specified above will not be accepted.

23.       If I wish to take the Course and examination, when and how can I obtain the study materials?

A:         The Handbook and Manuals will be made available to students about 2 weeks before the commencement of the Course. Students will be notified by a letter as to the date, time and venue of collection.

24.       If anyone fails a relevant subject, will there be a supplementary examination? What happens if the person fails the supplementary examination as well?

A:         Supplementary papers will be conducted in the early week of March of the following year. If a person fails any supplementary paper(s), he/she will have to re-take the relevant paper(s) or the whole Part B in the following year.

25.       Will students be graded, and will I be given a Certificate upon passing the Examination?

A:         The individual subjects will be graded, and a certificate of completion will be issued to students who pass all seven subjects.

26.       Who do I contact for further enquiries?

A:         You may email blegale@singnet.com.sg. For queries relating to admission into the Singapore Bar, please refer to MinLaw's website at www.mlaw.gov.sg.