Overview
The Legal Practitioner Support Protocol (“LPSP”) is a peer-support initiative that identifies potential conduct or practice issues early and provides timely mentoring, counselling, or other professional support. It offers an intermediate step to resolve concerns before they escalate into formal disciplinary action. The LPSP is for legal practitioners practising in Singapore only.
History
The LPSP arose from the Ethics and Professional Standards Committee’s Final Report, which recommended a peer support mechanism to rehabilitate or provide timely assistance to practitioners in appropriate circumstances.
The LPSP was launched by the Law Society on 2 June 2025. It builds upon and replaces the previous “Protocol for Implementing the Judicial Feedback Framework on Inappropriate Conduct in Court”.
Objectives
The LPSP personifies the legal community’s collective effort to cultivate systemic ethical resilience within workplaces. Its primary goals include:
- Identifying possible ethical issues early to prevent escalation.
- Providing legal practitioners facing ethical issues with dedicated support.
- Achieving a middle ground in de-escalating matters before a formal complaint is filed against a legal practitioner.
LPSP Framework
Step 1: Feedback Request
The LPSP is activated when the Law Society receives a Feedback Request concerning a legal practitioner from an appropriate member of the legal community, and relating to an appropriate matter.
Who can submit a Feedback Request?
Only the following members of the legal community may submit a Feedback Request:
- The Judiciary
- The Attorney-General’s Chambers;
- The Public Defender’s Office; and
- Legal practitioners.
What must the Feedback Request relate to?
A Feedback Request must pertain to one or both of the following situations:
- Situations of concern relating to a legal practitioner’s practice where it is appropriate to provide assistance.
- Inability to practise properly due to health or other reasons.
Excluded Matters from the LPSP
As a peer-to-peer support mechanism, the LPSP is not intended to address:
- Feedback from clients or members of the public;
- Feedback from former legal practitioners (e.g., in-house counsel); or
- Formal complaints against a legal practitioner.
Step 2: Support Measures
Once a Feedback Request has been reviewed by the LPSP Committee and assessed to be suitable for handling under the protocol, the affected legal practitioner may be provided with various support measures tailored to their needs, including:
- Mentoring and professional guidance;
- Counselling services;
- Specific training programs; or
- Referral to external organisations for professional help.
Submitting a Feedback Request
To submit feedback on a legal practitioner, please email LPSPSecretariat@lawsoc.org.sg with full factual details, supporting documents (if any), and the completed Feedback Request Form (available for download here [login with your ID and password]).
Further Resources
You may wish to view the following resources explaining the LPSP [please note that these materials are for Law Society members only]:
To download the Feedback Request Form, please visit the Law Society’s Members’ Library under the section: Regulatory & Ethics > Society Matters > Legal Practitioner Support Protocol – LPSP > Form of Feedback Request.