SINGAPORE, 7 October 2024 — More than 13,000 legal professionals can opt for a free group mental health and wellness insurance scheme that includes access to clinical counselling and behavioral health coaching sessions[1] to help them build mental wellness and cope with the mental stress of legal practice.

The bespoke group policy, available to all active[2] members of the Singapore Academy of Law (“SAL”), was developed in partnership with Singlife. The scheme will be available from 2025 and includes health and wellness benefits valued at over $1,000 per member per annum to promote general wellbeing and support a healthy lifestyle amongst legal professionals.

The scheme was announced by The Honourable Justice Valerie Thean at the inaugural Legal Professional Symposium, organised by SAL. She said, “Globally and locally, surveys indicate mental wellness is an issue of concern, and not only within the legal profession. This initiative is timely.”

“The legal profession plays a critical role in the administration of justice. Having good mental wellness practices can positively impact their quality of life and work efficiency. It is an area that can easily be overlooked. We hope that this insurance scheme can help our members build resilience and enjoy a fulfilling and sustainable career in the law,” said Mr Yeong Zee Kin, Chief Executive of SAL.

The inaugural Legal Profession Symposium was attended by more than 160 members of the legal community at the State Courts. It provided a platform for legal professionals to discuss values and standards across the profession. Panel discussions covered ethical issues in criminal law, family law, personal injury, and property damage.

Findings[3] have revealed that nearly two-thirds of 234 respondents were likely to leave legal practice in the next five years, and more than one-third were considering leaving the profession entirely. This underscores the urgent need for law firms to create supportive environments that attract and retain talent while maintaining professional standards.

At the Symposium, Justice Thean called for a community effort—involving the various sectors of the profession such as the Law Society, Singapore Corporate Counsel Association, law schools and SAL—in addressing these issues.

SAL’s initiatives include:

1.    An Ethics Repository:  This repository, which will be available on LawNet, will be a one-stop resource for lawyers, consolidating, for the first time, a comprehensive collection of ethics-related content such as curriculum assets, courses, rules, regulations, codes of conduct, practice directions, and key decisions from the Disciplinary Tribunal and the Court of Three Judges. Legal professionals will be able to use these resources to fulfil up to half of their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements related to ethics.

2.    Enhanced ethics training: More programmes dedicated to ethics and professional standards will be introduced, including in specialist practice areas. 

3.    Updated guide on professional conduct: From this year, newly called lawyers will receive A Civil Practice – Good Counsel for Learned Friends, a guide on professional conduct, court etiquette, and manners. First published in 2011, the latest edition has been updated to reflect current practices and designed as a journal for notes and reflections, with pages for mentors to provide guidance to junior lawyers.