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[27th July 2001]

[27th July 2001]

PART I

PRELIMINARY

Citation and purpose of these Rules
1. —(1) These Rules may be cited as the Legal Profession (Qualified Persons) Rules.

(2) These Rules set out the qualifications and requirements that a person has to possess and satisfy in order to be a qualified person under paragraph (b) of the definition of “qualified person” in section 2 (1) of the Act.

Definitions
2. In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires —

"accelerated course" means a course of study that is commenced and completed within a period of less than 3 years;

"combined degree" means any single degree that relates to any 2 or more different disciplines of study, such as a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and Information Technology or a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and Accountancy;

"combined degree course" means a course of study that leads to the conferment of a combined degree;

"degree of Bachelor of Laws" means any degree or qualification in law, by whatever name called, which is conferred on a person by any institution of higher learning upon that person having successfully completed a course in law conducted by that institution of higher learning;

"Diploma in Singapore Law" means the Diploma in Singapore Law conferred by the National University of Singapore;

"dual degrees" means any 2 or more separate degrees, each relating to a different discipline of study, that are conferred upon a person upon his successfully completing a dual degree course;

"dual degree course" means a course of study that leads to the conferment of dual degrees, such as a course of study that leads to the conferment of both the degree of Bachelor of Laws and the degree of Bachelor of Accountancy;

"full-time internal candidate" does not include —

(a) a part-time candidate, an external candidate or a self-study candidate; or

(b) a candidate under any correspondence course or twinning programme;

"National University of Singapore" means the National University of Singapore established by the National University of Singapore Act (Cap. 204);

"twinning programme" means a course of study the teaching of which is undertaken —

(a) partly by the institution of higher learning which confers the degree or qualification to which the course leads and partly by any other institution of higher learning; or

(b) wholly by another institution of higher learning or jointly by several institutions of higher learning in conjunction with the institution of higher learning which confers the degree or qualification to which the course leads.

Date of admission as candidate for degree of Bachelor of Laws
3. For the purposes of these Rules, the date on which a person is admitted by any institution of higher learning as a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Laws (whether or not such degree is to be conferred on its own or as a component of any combined degree or dual degrees) shall be the date on which he secures a place as a candidate for the course of study conducted by that institution of higher learning that leads to the conferment of the degree of Bachelor of Laws.

PART II

GRADUATES FROM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

Persons admitted as candidates for degree of Bachelor of Laws by National University of Singapore before 1st May 1993
4. Any person who, before 1st May 1993, was admitted as a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Laws by the National University of Singapore and who, after that date, has passed the final examination for that degree shall be a qualified person.

Persons admitted as candidates for degree of Bachelor of Laws by National University of Singapore on or after 1st May 1993
5. Any person admitted as a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Laws by the National University of Singapore on or after 1st May 1993 shall be a qualified person if he passes the final examination for that degree with at least lower second class honours.

PART III

GRADUATES FROM INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING IN UNITED KINGDOM OR ELSEWHERE

Citizens and permanent residents of Singapore conferred degree of Bachelor of Laws by institutions in United Kingdom before 1st May 1993
6. Any citizen or permanent resident of Singapore who, before 1st May 1993, was conferred the degree of Bachelor of Laws by any institution of higher learning in the United Kingdom shall, irrespective of the class of honours attained by him, be a qualified person if he —

(a) has become a barrister-at-law of England or of Northern Ireland, a member of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland, a solicitor in England or Northern Ireland or a writer to the Signet, law agent or solicitor in Scotland; or

(b) has obtained the Diploma in Singapore Law.

Citizens and permanent residents of Singapore admitted as candidates for degree of Bachelor of Laws by institutions in United Kingdom before 1st May 1993
7. Subject to rule 10, any citizen or permanent resident of Singapore who, before 1st May 1993, was admitted as a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Laws by any institution of higher learning in the United Kingdom and who, after that date but before 1st January 1997, was conferred that degree by that institution of higher learning shall, irrespective of the class of honours attained by him, be a qualified person if he —

(a) has become a barrister-at-law of England or of Northern Ireland, a member of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland, a solicitor in England or Northern Ireland or a writer to the Signet, law agent or solicitor in Scotland; or

(b) has obtained the Diploma in Singapore Law.

Citizens and permanent residents of Singapore admitted as candidates for degree of Bachelor of Laws by institutions in United Kingdom on or after 1st May 1993
8. —(1) Subject to rule 10, any citizen or permanent resident of Singapore who —

(a) on or after 1st May 1993, was admitted as a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Laws by any institution of higher learning in the United Kingdom;

(b) before 1st January 1994, commenced reading the course of study leading to that degree; and

(c) before 1st January 1997, was conferred that degree by that institution of higher learning,

shall, irrespective of the class of honours attained by him, be a qualified person if he —

(i) has become a barrister-at-law of England or of Northern Ireland, a member of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland, a solicitor in England or Northern Ireland or a writer to the Signet, law agent or solicitor in Scotland; or

(ii) has obtained the Diploma in Singapore Law.

(2) Subject to rules 10 and 11, any citizen or permanent resident of Singapore who —

(a) on or after 1st May 1993, has been or is admitted as a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Laws by any institution of higher learning in the United Kingdom specified in the First Schedule;

(b) on or after 1st January 1994, has commenced or commences reading the course of study leading to that degree; and

(c) is subsequently conferred that degree by that institution of higher learning,

shall be a qualified person if the institution of higher learning and the degree conferred by it are, respectively, one of the institutions of higher learning and one of the degrees specified in the First Schedule and —

(i) in the case of a person who was conferred that degree before 1st January 1997, irrespective of the class of honours attained by him, he —

(A) has become a barrister-at-law of England or of Northern Ireland, a member of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland, a solicitor in England or Northern Ireland or a writer to the Signet, law agent or solicitor in Scotland; or

(B) has obtained the Diploma in Singapore Law; and

(ii) in the case of a person who has been or is conferred that degree on or after 1st January 1997, he —

(A) has attained at least upper second class honours or the equivalent thereof; and

(B) has obtained the Diploma in Singapore Law.

Citizens and permanent residents of Singapore conferred with degrees of Bachelor of Laws from institutions in Australia and New Zealand
9. —(1)   Subject to rules 10 and 11, any citizen or permanent resident of Singapore who, on or after 1st January 1994, has commenced reading a course of study as a candidate for any of the degrees of Bachelor of Laws in any of the institutions of higher learning in Australia or New Zealand specified in the First Schedule and who has been or is subsequently conferred that degree by that institution of higher learning, shall be a qualified person if he —

(a) has been ranked by that institution of higher learning as being amongst the highest 30%, in terms of academic performance, of the total number of the graduates in the same batch who have been conferred the degree or degrees specified in the First Schedule in respect of that institution of higher learning; and

(b) has obtained the Diploma in Singapore Law.

(2)   Subject to rules 10 and 11, any citizen or permanent resident of Singapore who, on or after 28th July 2003, is conferred with any of the degrees of Bachelor of Laws by any of the institutions of higher learning in Australia specified in the Third Schedule shall be a qualified person if he —

(a) has been ranked by that institution of higher learning as being amongst the highest 30%, in terms of academic performance, of the total number of the graduates in the same batch who have been conferred the degree or degrees specified in the Third Schedule in respect of that institution of higher learning; and

(b) has obtained the Diploma in Singapore Law.

(3)   For the purpose of paragraphs (1) (a) and (2) (a), all graduates in the same institution of higher learning who, in the same calendar year, commenced the final year of their course of study leading to the degree or degrees specified in the First or Third Schedule shall be regarded as belonging to the same batch.

Restrictions relating to non-full-time courses in law for purposes of rules 7, 8 and 9
10. —(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) or as otherwise approved by the Board, no person who, on or after 1st January 1996, has been or is conferred the degree of Bachelor of Laws by any institution of higher learning in the United Kingdom shall become a qualified person under rule 7 or 8 (1) or (2) if he had not read the course leading to that degree as a full-time internal candidate of that institution of higher learning.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any person who, in 1996, was conferred the degree of Bachelor of Laws other than as a full-time internal candidate of any institution of higher learning in the United Kingdom if he was admitted as a candidate for that degree by that institution of higher learning before 1st May 1993.

(3) Except as otherwise approved by the Board, no person who has been or is conferred the degree of Bachelor of Laws by any institution of higher learning in Australia or New Zealand shall become a qualified person under rule 9 if he had not read the course leading to that degree as a full-time internal candidate of that institution of higher learning.

Restrictions relating to accelerated courses and dual degree courses for purposes of rules 8 and 9
11. —(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) or as otherwise approved by the Board, no person who has been conferred the degree of Bachelor of Laws by any institution of higher learning in the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand shall be a qualified person under rule 8 (2) (ii) or 9, as the case may be, if —

(a) the course of study that led to that degree was an accelerated course; or

(b) the course of study that led to that degree was a dual degree course and the degree of Bachelor of Laws is a component of the dual degrees conferred on that person.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply if —

(a) the person is admitted by any of the institutions of higher learning specified in the First Schedule for an accelerated course or dual degree course that leads to the corresponding degree of Bachelor of Laws as specified in that Schedule before 1st August 2001; or

(b) he commences reading such a course before 1st May 2002.

Persons obtaining combined degrees
12. Notwithstanding rules 8 and 9, any person who is conferred a combined degree that consists of a degree in law by any of the institutions of higher learning specified in the First or Third Schedule shall be a qualified person if the combined degree course leading to that degree is approved by the Board and the person concerned satisfies such other requirements as the Board may specify.

Persons admitted as candidates for Common Professional Examination before 1st May 1993
13. Any person who —

(a) before 1st May 1993 has passed the Common Professional Examination conducted by the Council of Legal Education in the United Kingdom or before that date has been admitted by any institution of higher learning in the United Kingdom as a candidate for that Examination; and

(b) has subsequently become a barrister-at-law of England or of Northern Ireland, a member of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland, a solicitor in England or Northern Ireland or a writer to the Signet, law agent or solicitor in Scotland,

shall be a qualified person.

Persons commencing course of study in institutions in certain Commonwealth countries before 1st January 1994
14. —(1) Any person who, before 1st January 1994, has commenced a course of study as a candidate for any of the degrees in law specified in the Second Schedule in any of the institutions of higher learning specified in that Schedule and who, before or after that date, has been or is conferred that degree by that institution of higher learning shall be a qualified person if he obtains a certificate from the Board under this rule.

(2) No holder of any degree referred to in paragraph (1) shall be issued a certificate by the Board under this rule unless he satisfies the Board that he has attained a sufficient standard to be a qualified person.

(3) The Board may, in granting a certificate under this rule, impose such conditions or requirements as it thinks fit to be complied with by a holder of any degree referred to in paragraph (1).

PART IV

MISCELLANEOUS

Board's approval under rules 10 (1) and (3), 11 (1) and 12
15. —(1) For the purpose of rules 10 (1) and (3), 11 (1) and 12, the Board may, subject to such conditions as it thinks fit to impose —

(a) by notification in the Gazette, specify the courses that are approved by it for the purposes of those rules; or

(b) grant its approval under any of those rules on a case by case basis on application by any person.

(2) Unless the Board allows otherwise, an application under paragraph (1) (b) shall be made before the applicant commences the course of study in respect of which he is seeking such approval.

Exemption
16. The Minister may, after consultation with the Board, and subject to such terms and conditions as he may think fit to impose, exempt any person or class of persons from any of the provisions of Part II or III, and the person or class of persons shall, to the extent of the exemption, be a qualified person or qualified persons.

FIRST SCHEDULE

Rules 8 (2), 9, 11 (2) and 12

INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND DEGREES IN LAW CONFERRED

Country		Institution		Degree
United Kingdom		1. University of Birmingham		LL.B (Honours)
		2. University of Bristol		LL.B (Single Honours)
		3. University of Cambridge		B.A. Law
		4. University of Durham		B.A. Law
		5. University of Exeter		LL.B (Honours)
		6. University of Leeds		LL.B (Honours)
		7. University of Leicester		LL.B (Honours)
		8. University of Liverpool		LL.B (Honours)
		9. King’s College, London, University of London		LL.B (Honours)
		10. London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London		LL.B (Honours)
		11. Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London		LL.B (Honours)
		12. School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London		LL.B (Honours)
		13. University College, University of London		LL.B (Honours)
		14. University of Manchester		LL.B (Honours)
		15. University of Nottingham		LL.B (Honours)
		16. University of Oxford		B.A. (Honours) Jurisprudence
		17. University of Sheffield		LL.B (Honours)
		18. University of Southampton		LL.B (Honours)
		19. University of Warwick		LL.B (Honours)
Australia		1. Monash University		LL.B, LL.B (Honours)
		2. University of Melbourne		LL.B, LL.B (Honours)
		3. University of New South Wales		LL.B
		4. University of Sydney		LL.B, LL.B (Honours)
New Zealand		1. University of Auckland		LL.B, LL.B (Honours)
		2. Victoria University of Wellington		LL.B, LL.B (Honours).

SECOND SCHEDULE

Rule 14 (1)

INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND DEGREES IN LAW CONFERRED

Country		Institution		Degree
Australia		1. Monash University		LL.B (Honours)
		2. University of Melbourne		LL.B (Honours)
		3. University of Sydney		LL.B (Honours)
Canada		1. Osgoode Hall,		LL.B
		University of York
		2. University of Toronto		LL.B
Hong Kong		University of Hong Kong		LL.B (Honours)
Malaysia		University of Malaya		LL.B (Honours)
New Zealand		1. University of Auckland		LL.B (Honours)
		2. Victoria University of Wellington		LL.B (Honours).

THIRD SCHEDULE

Rules 9 (2) and (3) and 12

INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND DEGREES IN LAW CONFERRED

Country		Institution		Degree
Australia		1. Australian National University		LL.B, LL.B (Honours)
		2. Flinders University		LL.B, LL.B (Honours)
		3. University of Queensland		LL.B, LL.B (Honours)
		4. University of Western Australia		LL.B, LL.B (Honours).

[G.N.No. S 357/2001]