Opening by Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Edwin Tong SC, at Singapore Legal Day - The Next Charter

Introduction

1.                 A very good evening to all of you.

2.                 I am just so delighted to be here.

3.                 From where I stand – to be able to see so many of you here gathering together – it really warms my heart, and I want to thank all of you for being here. Even as we were chatting outside, I am sure you felt that familiar sense of connection, even miles and miles away from home.

4.                 Of course, to all our friends who are not Singaporeans or not yet Singaporeans, you will also be part of our legal community. So I welcome you to the Singapore Legal Day, talking about the Next Charter.

5.                 I know also that all of you have demanding schedules. I know some of our law students have exams coming up around the corner. Many of you have commitments on a Friday evening, so it means a great deal to me that you made time for us to be here, made time to come together as a Singaporean legal community, to connect like this.

Singapore Legal Day

6.                 Some of you might have heard of Singapore Day. We have Singapore Day once in a while, and  sometimes in London as well. I am told that it is an event many Singaporeans look forward to each year. Of course, the Laksa, Chicken rice and Satay helps, but this is not Singapore Day.

7.                 This is our version of the Singapore Day, but for the legal community. And it is a historic occasion, because this is the very first time we are holding the Singapore Legal Day anywhere in the world, and we have decided to be here in London. But like Singapore Day, we will also offer you a chance to enjoy a little slice of home and I am reliably told that this will be quite popular – laksa, satay, chicken rice – although I am sure you are not just here for the food (I hope!), but also to come together to reconnect with fellow Singaporeans.

8.                 We chose to hold it here in London, really, for a few reasons. First, we have got the largest concentration of Singapore law students and lawyers outside of Singapore here. Amongst us this evening, you see law students from first year to final year, you see barristers, solicitors, general counsel from junior right across to senior levels, and we have also got very senior practitioners from Singapore here in this crowd tonight.

9.                 So I hope that we can use this opportunity and this occasion to build a community of lawyers amongst us Singaporeans – to foster a stronger sense of connection. I have spoken to a few senior practitioners who are working in London,  and they have all said they are happy to lend their support to younger colleagues amongst us. So I hope that if there is one thing you take away from what I say, is that after you leave this function room this evening, you continue to be engaged, continue to build that community amongst Singaporean lawyers in London.

10.             It also feels particularly meaningful to do it this year, because this year, we mark the bicentennial of the Second Charter of Justice. The Second Charter of Justice, as you know, introduced English common law to Singapore. It is 200th year this year, come November. It was a significant moment in our history. But I think what is even more meaningful was what followed the Second Charter of Justice.

11.             As you know, we all started with the English legal system.  We inherited it, but over the years, we have adapted it. We shaped it. We made it work for us in Singapore, uniquely Singapore way.

12.             We have done well, and gone far. We have built a legal system that is fair, transparent, reliable, and efficient. It is so because we put the rule of law and trust as the foundational piece behind everything that we do in that system.

13.             Today, Singapore is recognised internationally as a leading legal centre,  ranked highly in areas, such as security, absence of corruption, regulatory enforcement, as well as civil and criminal justice.

14.             In fact, this is precisely the foundation that has allowed us to build Singapore into a jurisdiction of choice. A jurisdiction that is anchored by a strong Singapore core of lawyers, with Singapore and international firms operating in tandem in the little island called Singapore, with foreign practitioners, in house counsel, legal academia, all coming together to form our legal industry.

15.             All of this, as I mentioned earlier, underpinned by a strong, almost uncompromising adherence to the rule of law. This has also allowed us to build our country, to build our society, where safety and security is a core priority for all of us,  where a multi-cultural and a very religiously diverse society can live together in harmony. By and large, we enjoy a high degree of unity, and a common sense of identity.

16.             A rule of law, in particular, with respect for all, but never places interests of any one individual over that of the overall good of society.

17.             That is what the rule of law has meant for Singapore, and that is how we have used it to build up Singapore to what it is today, and it is the hallmark of what we have done with the legal system that we have inherited 200 years ago, but carefully nurtured, improved and changed it to use it in a way which has suited us in Singapore.

18.             For example, we regularly update our laws to meet evolving needs. I joined MinLaw in 2018 and it has been about eight years or so. In that period of time, we have passed 56 Bills. These are just MinLaw bills, and there are many others from other ministries. That is roughly every one to two Parliamentary sittings, we have a bill.

19.             At the same time, to us in Singapore and our legal system, access to justice remains a core value. I have often said, there is not much point in having a strong legal system, if our people cannot access it, cannot feel that when they need to avail themselves, that they are able to access the system.

20.             So over the years, we have steadily built up the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme. We have enhanced the Legal Aid Bureau. We have just a few months ago, enhanced the threshold, so the bar is lower for those who want to seek access to justice or seek legal assistance. We have Pro Bono SG, which we support, and most recently, a couple of years ago, we set up the Public Defender’s Office. The purpose of doing all this is really to have a legal system looking out for and ensuring that the most vulnerable amongst us can be looked after.

21.             We have also strengthened and continue to strengthen our connections with the world, through partnerships, through agreements, and active contributions on the global stage. Connecting with our partners overseas – like-minded people – through Memorandums of Understanding, Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties, Extradition Treaties, all of which allow us to keep connected and open, even though the world today is getting a lot more introspective and closed.

22.             We have done well, but I think there is much more to do.

23.             We are determined to press on to enhance Singapore’s position, to remain relevant and strengthen the value proposition for clients and for  users, and also evolving to match the aspirations of a younger generation of Singaporeans. Inevitably, that means that we have to learn to adapt, to change and to evolve.

The Next Charter

24.             So when you ask us, what is that next charter. We are now at 200 years. What is the next step? I think we all have a fair idea of what the next charter, the next step, will look like.

25.             But we will be entering this new phase amidst great uncertainty, and profound disruptions.

26.             For one, the world is shifting towards an order that looks very different from what it used to be, increasingly different from the one which we are familiar with and which we know, from the system that has underpinned Singapore’s success. We have progressed in the last six decades or so because we have been part of a system that we understood, that was predictable, open, multilateral, and based on rules. But today, that rules-based international order is eroding under geopolitical pressures.

27.             Where does Singapore fit in this new world order? If we have to maintain our place, we must then keep adapting and keep evolving. We may have to sometimes let go of some of the ways we are used to, and embrace newer approaches to stay relevant. But always holding on to the core values and principles that made Singapore special and successful.

28.             And then there is AI, which is the disruptor of our generation. It will fundamentally alter the way we practice law. It will change the way we teach and learn the law. But the good news is that my Ministry and the government as a whole in Singapore are working on plans to embrace AI in our legal industry. In fact, I believe that if we can do this well, equip ourselves well in AI, train our people in the legal industry to adopt, to embrace and to use and embed AI in the workflows, we can thrive in this new environment. But it will mean that we must be prepared to see changes.

29.             Which brings me to my next point. Amongst things that we need to grapple with is the fact that competition and challenge around us is intensifying. Governments all around the world are strengthening their own capabilities. They are becoming more effective. They are reviewing their own value proposition as well.

30.             Take arbitration as an example. We have built it up carefully over many decades. We started in the early 1990s. We opened up Singapore as a jurisdiction to practise arbitration. We brought in foreign practitioners when you did not even need to have a licence to practise arbitration. It grew, and we have now, because of our rules, our neutrality, our position of compatibility and strong governance, it has become amongst the world’s best – SIAC, as well as Singapore as a choice of seat.

31.             But at the same time, many other jurisdictions are also reforming their laws, whilst arbitral institutions are refreshing their rules and expanding their global reach, essentially trying to compete in Singapore. Across Asia and beyond, cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Dubai, they are steadily climbing up the rankings. They are getting more and more cases. They are getting better and better equipped. They are also using AI and technology to help. Many are also investing in integrated dispute resolution centres, similar to Maxwell Chambers.

32.             In international restructuring and insolvency, jurisdictions like Malaysia and the UAE have recently revamped their frameworks, whilst China and India are exploring significant reforms.

33.             In intellectual property (IP), countries right across Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, they are also strengthening their regimes. Because as more and more the value of companies go into intangibles, there will be more and more need for IP protection, enforcement and innovation.

34.             India has also opened its legal market to foreign firms and lawyers on a reciprocal basis.

35.             So the bottom line is, we cannot rest on our laurels. We have done well. We have inherited the charter of justice, and we have done well with it. But we must keep looking ahead, thinking about our next move, and where we need to go next.

36.             The question for us, that I posed some time ago when I met lawyers in Singapore, was: what will that next quantum leap look like? What should we do as a legal industry?

37.             Last month, we took a step towards answering that.  We called the event “The Next Charter” - what is the next bound or the next horizon for us?

38.             For the first time, at The Next Charter, we brought together the entire legal community in Singapore – judiciary, AGC, practitioners, in-house counsel, trainees, students, academics – for a very open conversation. We shared openly, candidly, frankly – a Singapore Legal Day in Singapore.

39.             I shared my vision of what it would take for us to become, or maintain our position as a first-class legal system. It has got to be powered by a top-class profession, trusted by the world. What we need is a legal industry that continues to attract good work into Singapore.

40.             A profession where the brightest minds want to practise in Singapore, and where that talent is then in turn nurtured, developed, and able to succeed. And where legal professionals, whether you are just starting out or with decades of experience already, continue to see the law not just as a job, not just as a career but really as a calling, as a noble profession. A profession that is demanding, but still purposeful and intentional. And where it remains a privilege to be called Counsel, because you are the counsel in more ways than one, in every sense of the word. You are the friend, confidant, the mentor of your client. I think that is why it is a noble profession.

1. You Are Part of Singapore’s Legal Story

41.             How do we achieve all this? Well, let me round back to today’s event, which is Singapore Legal Day, with all of you here in London. 

42.             Let me leave you with three broad messages.

43.             First, for us, we are clear that the “Next Charter” must belong to all Singaporeans, wherever they may be – at home or abroad – like all of you here.

44.             We see all of you as part of Singapore, just that you are operating in a different space.

45.             We have built a strong reputation in Singapore, as I outlined earlier. But Singapore’s reputation does not just sit in our institutions. It travels with our people. It travels with you – each and every one of you – through how you work, how you engage with clients, how you carry yourselves, and how you shape how people perceive Singapore.

46.             We are very proud of all of you, I have come across so many of you – some in school, some in different roles in the firms here, some as barristers, contributing in so many ways, as valuable lawyers and also leaders of law firms right across the globe. I am tremendously proud that we have Singaporeans doing this in London – amongst the most important legal jurisdictions – in the world.

47.             So in that sense, you are all extensions of Singapore. You contribute to Singapore’s standing every single day, even whilst you are abroad. That is my first message to you.

2. Your Singapore Identity

48.             Second, at the same time, being global does not mean losing your Singaporean identity.

49.             Living abroad, of course, opens your eyes. When I chatted with all of you, some of you talk to me about travel, about what you do in your free time, your aspirations. You see different cultures, different systems, and different ways of doing things, and it also helps you to reflect on, in turn, who you are, and what you value.

50.             Singapore has never just been just about systems. It has always been about people – people who care about doing things properly, who feel a sense of responsibility to something larger than themselves. Earlier on, one gentleman said, what can we all do? What can we all do to play a part when you see someone who is more vulnerable, when you see someone who might need to avail themselves of assistance in the legal system? What can we do? So I think all of us have something in ourselves, as legal professionals, to do something larger than ourselves.

51.             I think you do not have to choose between being global and being Singaporean. You can be both.

52.             That is exactly what we need, and what I think the world values – lawyers who are not just technically sound and effective problem-solvers, but who have a strong moral compass to do what is right and not merely what is convenient.

3. Opportunities in Singapore and Asia

53.             Third, I would say, in whatever you are doing now today in London, be it as a solicitor, practitioner, in whichever firm you are in, do well in your chosen fields. Gain that practice experience, be exposed to a legal system that is culturally different, build your networks, and at some point, if and when you are ready to come back to Singapore, we warmly welcome you home.

54.             You will find many opportunities in Singapore. I believe that the growth in the coming years will be centred around Asia. I thought I would just share  why I think so. The world that we live in is now divided in different areas, but let us just focus on Singapore, and Singapore’s place in Asia.

55.             That region is expanding rapidly, and with it, comes a rising demand, for business, for investment, and yes of course, for legal services. China is now the second largest economy in the world. Japan 4th. India 5th. and ASEAN as a bloc is around the 4th or the 5th. Foreign Direct Investment, which means investments coming from third parties into a country, has been flowing into Asia. It has become the fastest growing region in the world. If you look at Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), Singapore is the only major ASEAN economy to have maintained FDI growth, with investments increasing exponentially, despite Covid.  In 2023, as an example, China, Hong Kong and Singapore, these three countries accounted for 33% of all global FDI.

56.             I believe that Singapore is well placed to be at the heart of these business activities. Indeed, many companies base their regional or global operations here in Singapore. Today, nearly half of all global MNCs have located their Asia-Pacific HQs in Singapore. Over 4,000 businesses with revenues exceeding $100 million operate in Singapore. Foreign firms have also established a strong presence, while our local firms have continued to grow from strength to strength.

57.             This has translated into strong demands for both external as well as in-house counsel. Over the past decade, the number of Singapore-qualified in-house counsel has more than doubled. Importantly, the growth has not come at the expense of our local bar, because over the same period of time, the number of Singapore lawyers holding a practising certificate has grown by 26%. Since opening up our legal sector in the year 2000 – opening up to foreign practitioners coming into Singapore – the past 25 years have seen the number of foreign firms in Singapore more than doubled, and the number of foreign lawyers practising in Singapore more than quadrupled.

58.             All of these are indicators, they are just numbers, but taken together, they point to the fact that there are real and growing opportunities for Singapore.

59.             Therefore, as a legal jurisdiction, we must be prepared to, and we are determined to, take advantage of this potential.

60.             Coming back to the point I’m making – for all of you, the experience you are gaining here, working across different jurisdictions, handling complex matters, engaging international clients, all of this puts you in a strong position to take advantage of these opportunities that will come your way .

61.             There are many pathways available for lawyers. You can join the government, like me, local firms, international firms, be part of the in-house counsel teams, or legal institutions.

62.             Just to make that point easier for you to digest, we brought along our colleagues from the Legal Services, the Judicial Services, the Singapore Institute of Legal Education and Singapore Academy of Law to be with us this evening. If you have questions, if you think there are opportunities for you, they are here for you. They have set up booths behind where you are seated, to share more about qualification or career opportunities, and how you can make that transition when the time comes.

63.             In fact, later on, on the panel, you will hear from a young up-and-coming Singaporean barrister, who is practising in London, has been doing so for the past couple of years. A couple of years ago, I had lunch with him, he made the point to me: how do we close the gap between practising in Singapore and practising in London? I think he found the answer, and later you can ask him.

Conclusion

64.             So as I conclude, 200 years since the Second Charter of Justice, I think it is worth taking a little moment to appreciate how far we have come. I think we have done well as a tiny little Singapore jurisdiction.

65.             Perhaps more importantly for all of us in this room, it is more important to think about what will come next.

66.             Because the next charter will not be written for us, unlike the past, where the Charter of Justice was given to us 200 years ago. Instead, it will be shaped by all of us, by how we all adapt, how we support one another, and how we stay connected wherever we are.

67.             That is why a lot of the motivation behind why we thought we should do this event here in London is because gatherings like this, simple as they may seem, is part of that reminder that we are still one Singaporean community, no matter where you are, no matter where you are practising. Today, the world has become smaller because of technology and because cross-border work have now become quite the norm, unlike the past when I first came out into practice.

68.             So I encourage you to continue to build that community. All of you here are part of that invaluable community, You are all in London or in the UK, and I hope that you will be able to make connections, build bridges and build networks, because that is very important in today’s very digital world. Everything is on Zoom, on Skype, with technology and AI. I think that human connection is most important, and I think all of us here have that very valuable Singaporean community that we can call our own, that we can plug into, and that we can call upon when we need to. So I thank all of you for being here tonight.

69.             I hope that this will just be the start of many more ways that we can stay connected and shape what comes next, as The Next Charter, together. Thank you.

Last updated on 17 April 2026