Justice Sushil Nair, who will succeed Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon on February 26, 2027, emphasized that harassment and bullying are unacceptable for lawyers both in court and the workplace [1, 2, 3]. At a Legal Profession Symposium attended by more than 300 lawyers on July 29, Nair called these issues "an unacceptable red line" and highlighted the need for urgent action on the matter [1, 2, 3].

Nair, 62, pointed to challenges faced by young lawyers, including harassment, excessive workloads, and a culture of unethical behavior affecting retention and sustainability of the profession [2, 3]. A 2023 survey of young lawyers confirmed these issues remain significant barriers within the legal community [2, 3]. He told attendees, "If we do not nurture our lawyers, we will be unable to deliver good legal services and we will become less competitive" [1].

He urged law firm leaders to acknowledge and address the specific challenges faced by young lawyers to improve retention. Nair said law firm leaders must appreciate these issues to sustain the profession and its role in supporting Singapore’s economic success and the rule of law [1, 2, 3].

Nair joined the judiciary as a judicial commissioner on April 1, 2025. He became a High Court judge shortly after, then was appointed a justice of the Court of Appeal on June 15, 2025 [2, 3]. He praised current Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, 64, who has led the country’s judiciary for over 14 years and announced his retirement effective February 26, 2027 [2, 3].

Plans to enhance the legal profession’s sustainability have been led by Menon and Law Minister Edwin Tong in recent years, including responses to a study by the Law Society of Singapore and the human insights firm Anthro, which flagged pressures from court processes [2, 3]. Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam has also expressed concern about lawyer attrition [2, 3].

On leadership transition, Nair assured the legal community that efforts led by the current Chief Justice will continue unabated: "Let me assure you that I, too, view this a critical area that requires urgent action. I, therefore, assure you that this important work, currently ably driven by the Chief Justice, will continue unabated, even with leadership transition" [2].

Nair’s swearing-in is scheduled for February 26, 2027, when Menon will retire after a notable tenure since November 6, 2012 [1, 2, 3].