The Judiciary and the Law Society of Singapore announced a joint working committee following the release of a four-year study on lawyer attrition in Singapore on June 23, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4].
The study found that many lawyers are leaving the profession due to stressful court timelines and perceived disrespectful interactions with judges [1, 2, 3, 4]. It involved 31 detailed interviews with former judges, legal academics, and lawyers across firms, plus surveys of 855 current and former lawyers [1, 2, 3, 4].
The committee will examine whether communication and feedback channels between lawyers and the judiciary are effective and well known, review case management and timeline expectations, and promote mutual respect in court interactions [1, 2, 3, 4].
A spokesperson for the Singapore Courts said only two formal judicial conduct complaints were received and investigated in the past three years. They noted, "Our formal, independent judicial complaints process remains active and accessible for conduct-related complaints" [1].
The spokesperson also said, "We have always recognised that timely justice is not a bureaucratic target. At the same time, we are committed to ensuring that the pursuit of timeliness does not come at an unreasonable cost to the practitioners, who are essential partners in the delivery of justice" [1].
The study acknowledged that pressures causing lawyer attrition come from multiple sources including court deadlines, client demands, billing models, senior lawyers, and law schools [4].
The committee aims to address issues identified by the comprehensive study and plan improvements to reduce lawyer attrition. It marks a coordinated effort by the Singapore Judiciary and Law Society to align court practices with current legal realities and support practitioners.
The Law Society will oversee the committee's progress and report findings in the coming months [1, 2, 3, 4].
