Change will apply to student intakes from AY2016/17 onwards
By Teo Xuanwei, TODAY, 25 Feb 2015
By Teo Xuanwei, TODAY, 25 Feb 2015
The decision to cut eight UK law schools from the list of overseas scheduled universities (OSUs) follows a review by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE), which was called for by a high-powered committee in 2013 to ensure the quality of returning UK graduates.
The number of OSUs has remained at 35 since 2006, including universities from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, America and Singapore.
In a press release yesterday, the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) said it had accepted the SILE’s recommendation, adding that the reduced list of 27 OSUs would apply to prospective intakes from Academic Year 2016/17.
The schools dropped are all from the UK:
- University of Exeter
- University of Leeds
- University of Leicester
- University of Liverpool
- School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
- University of Manchester
- University of Sheffield
- University of SouthamptonMinLaw said: “Transitional provisions will be put in place to ensure Singapore citizens and permanent residents who have secured a place before the relevant cut-off date in any of the UK OSUs omitted from the list are not adversely affected by the change.” The ministry and SILE are still working out the provisions.
Based on estimates obtained from Contact Singapore that the fourth Committee on the Supply of Lawyers cited in its 2013 report, the eight schools accounted for 30 per cent, or 221, of the 729 Singaporean law graduates from the UK in the past three years.
In calling for a five-yearly review of the list of OSUs, the committee — chaired by then Judge of Appeal V K Rajah — noted the burgeoning number of Singaporeans studying to be lawyers in the UK. “If left unchecked, there could be concerns that the increase in absolute numbers will be accompanied by a widening disparity in the fitness of UK OSU law graduates for the rigours of practice,” the committee said.
In calling for a five-yearly review of the list of OSUs, the committee — chaired by then Judge of Appeal V K Rajah — noted the burgeoning number of Singaporeans studying to be lawyers in the UK. “If left unchecked, there could be concerns that the increase in absolute numbers will be accompanied by a widening disparity in the fitness of UK OSU law graduates for the rigours of practice,” the committee said.
While the list was introduced as a “quantitative scythe” to control the number of new entrants to Singapore’s legal market, an update and refresh was needed “so it can better fulfil its present function as a qualitative sieve” that offers the public a general assurance of the competence of overseas-trained law graduates, it added.
In its release, MinLaw said the review by the SILE took into consideration the committee’s recommended methodology for reviewing the OSU list, which was based on a basket of updated UK law-school rankings based on recent data, as well as representations from the universities that could be omitted.
To minimise the risk of error, the committee proposed using the ranking over three years by three UK broadsheets: The Times Good University Guide, The Guardian University Guide and the Complete University Guide.
Last August, Law Minister K Shanmugam weighed in on the issue of the growing number of overseas Singaporean law undergraduates. With about 80 per cent of them returning to practise here, he warned that aspiring lawyers should temper their expectations in terms of pay and job opportunities, in view of a possible oversupply.
The total number of Singaporeans reading law in the UK more than doubled to 1,142 between 2010 and 2013, based on MinLaw’s estimates. In addition, there were 386 Singaporeans pursuing a law degree in Australian universities in 2013. The UK and Australia are the main sources of returning law graduates.
In recent years, more law graduates from abroad have complained of difficulties in securing a practice training contract, a requirement for entry to the Bar, as most firms offer these to the 400 or so Singaporean law graduates.
Commenting on the move, some lawyers who returned from UK universities questioned the methodology for reviewing the list of OSUs, noting that the rankings were “very fluid”.
Ms Diana Ngiam, who graduated from Kings College London in 2010, said: “If the aim is to reduce the number of Singaporean students from the UK, I would suggest reverting to only allowing second-upper degree holders to qualify for admission to the Singapore Bar.”
The requirements were relaxed in 2009 — because of a crunch then — to qualify second-lower honours degree holders from recognised foreign universities for admission to the Bar.
Mr Josephus Tan, a graduate from the University of Southampton’s class of 2007, said the shorter list is “a good immediate measure of sorts where numbers of lawyers are concerned”.
“The longer-term solution is to ... raise awareness among the young that the study of law should not equate to the practice of law. It is a discipline that can be useful in other industries.”
Removal of 8 UK law schools from approved list 'only logical': Law Society
By Vimita Mohandas, Channel NewsAsia, 26 Feb 2015
By Vimita Mohandas, Channel NewsAsia, 26 Feb 2015
The Law Society has said that the removal of eight UK law schools from the list of approved foreign universities is only logical given that there are more law graduates than training contracts available.
Mr Thio Shen Yi, president of the Law Society, said: "As a profession, we will only hire the right numbers that we want. It is all about economics - the supply and demand. We are not going to hire extra lawyers just because there is an extra supply. We only hire the right amount of lawyers depending on the amount of work that we have."
He added: "Having said that, as Singapore expands as a legal centre, if things like the Singapore International Commercial Court takes off, and if Singapore law becomes a choice of law for this region, then the scope of Singapore legal services will expand and we will need more lawyers. So maybe there is hope for this large batch of law students.
"But the reality is that it is going to be a very competitive job market for them if they all want to become lawyers; there simply aren't enough training contracts on offer."
The move will affect students heading overseas next year - in particular, those enrolling in the University of Exeter, University of Leeds, University of Leceister, University of Liverpool, School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, University of Manchester, University of Sheffield and University of Southampton.
In total, these eight universities accounted for 30 per cent - 221 out of 729 - of Singaporean graduates from UK law schools in the last three years.
There are 11 UK schools left on the list of Overseas Scheduled Universities (OSU).
For those who have already secured a place in any of these universities before the relevant cut-off date, transitional provisions will be put in place to ensure they are not adversely affected by the change.
Law Minister K Shanmugam had warned of a possible oversupply of lawyers in Singapore last August, following a spurt in the number of Singaporeans studying law overseas.
But lawyer Mr Amolat Singh said this move could be seen as a knee-jerk reaction.
He said that while some may argue that the move would drive up standards among lawyers, beefing up professional development courses would be more effective in maintaining their competencies.
"Ultimately, if you are looking at people practising, it does not matter very much which university you went to. People may go to a certain university, let's say an Ivy League university, but they may not turn out to be good practitioners. They may be very good academically, but that does not translate automatically to a good practising lawyer."
Although the number of recognised overseas universities has remained at 35 since 2006, the total number of Singaporeans reading law in the UK has more than doubled to more than 1,000 between 2010 and last year. In addition, there were 386 Singaporeans pursuing a law degree in Australian universities last year.
The UK and Australia are the main sources of returning law graduates.
Shorter list of approved UK law schools welcomed
Lawyers say it will ensure high standards but students studying there are worried
By Amelia Teng And Amir Hussain, The Straits Times, 26 Feb 2015
THE decision to cut eight British law schools from the list of overseas universities recognised for admission to the Singapore Bar has been welcomed by some lawyers here.
Lawyers say it will ensure high standards but students studying there are worried
By Amelia Teng And Amir Hussain, The Straits Times, 26 Feb 2015
THE decision to cut eight British law schools from the list of overseas universities recognised for admission to the Singapore Bar has been welcomed by some lawyers here.
They said that it will not just ensure the high standards of the legal profession in the country, but also help curtail the growing number of Singapore students flocking to Britain to do a law degree.
But some students already at the affected schools are worried that their degrees would now carry a question mark, making it even harder for them to find a job as a lawyer when they return.
On the recommendation of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (Sile), the Ministry of Law on Tuesday revised the list of recognised universities. It said the University of Exeter; University of Leeds; University of Leicester; University of Liverpool; School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London; University of Manchester; University of Sheffield; and University of Southampton will be dropped from the list.
The changes, which will only affect intakes from next year, leave 11 British universities, such as the University of Birmingham and the University of Bristol. There were no changes to the 10 Australian, four American, two Canadian and two New Zealand universities on the list.
The eight universities which will be dropped had in the last three years accounted for 30 per cent of the 729 Singaporean graduates from British law schools.
But these eight schools are also among the lower-ranked law schools in Britain and their graduates are often the ones who find it harder to get jobs, said NUS law dean Simon Chesterman. "The message to parents and students is that instead of spending tens of thousands of pounds on a law education at a lower-ranked school, they could be better off pursuing other degrees locally."
Last August, Law Minister K. Shanmugam highlighted the spurt in the number of Singaporeans pursuing law overseas. In Britain, the number of Singaporean law students more than tripled from 350 in 2008 to 1,142 in 2013.
This made it harder for returning overseas graduates to get a six-month practice training contract at a law firm - a requirement for entry to the Bar. Last year, nearly 650 graduates competed for about 490 practice training contracts.
The number of local law graduates is currently about 400 each year, and this is set to increase when a third school focusing on criminal and family law opens at the SIM University.
Prof Chesterman was part of the 4th Committee on the Supply of Lawyers.
In 2013, the high-powered panel suggested that Sile review the list of overseas universities every five years - a recommendation which was accepted by the Government. The purpose, the committee said, was to ensure quality control. This is the first revision in the wake of that decision.
Law Society president Thio Shen Yi said a regular review is "important to ensure that we continue to get top-quality entrants to the Singapore Bar".
"In any review process, one can expect some universities to be added or removed. In an environment where there are far more law graduates than training contracts on offer, it is not surprising that this review contracted the existing list," he added.
Some students from the affected British law schools were disappointed with the changes.
Said Goh Jia Jie, 23, a first-year University of Liverpool law student: "Liverpool is still ranked quite highly in Britain and the world, and the education provided to the students is like that at any law school - challenging and arduous."
The Ministry of Law said it will work out provisions with the Sile to ensure that those who have secured a place in the eight schools before 2016 "are not adversely affected by the change", without giving details.
Ms Shannen Tan, a second-year law student at the University of Exeter, was able to look at the bright side. "From a long-term perspective, fewer lawyers will mean an increase in their value and worth in the future," said the 22-year-old.
Some lawyers believe that while a quality degree counts, it is not the only assurance of the makings of a good lawyer.
Said Peter Low law firm director Choo Zheng Xi: "A better way to ensure the quality of law graduates could have been to make the Bar exam more difficult to pass, or to let the market correct itself, because I know some excellent lawyers and law students from these eight universities."
Mr Josephus Tan, 35, a criminal lawyer with Fortis Law Corporation who has been recognised for his pro-bono work, graduated from the University of Southampton in 2007. "It doesn't really matter what school you come from. More importantly, it's your personal qualities, and the passion for the law that matters. I went into law to help people, not because of the prestige or the money," he said.
Current students at delisted law schools 'are not second-tier'
S'pore group in Britain urges firms to look at potential
By Amir Hussain And Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 27 Feb 2015
S'pore group in Britain urges firms to look at potential
By Amir Hussain And Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 27 Feb 2015
THE move to drop eight British law schools from the list of approved universities for admission to the Singapore Bar should not hurt the employment future of students already enrolled there.
This was the call made by the United Kingdom Singapore Law Students' Society (UKSLSS) yesterday after raising concerns that students at the eight "delisted" schools may end up being considered "second-tier" graduates when they return home.
The society's president, Mr Kok Weng Keong, urged local law firms to continue looking beyond where a potential employee earned his law degree when assessing candidates.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) revised the list of overseas recognised universities, dropping the University of Exeter; University of Leeds; University of Leicester; University of Liverpool; School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London; University of Manchester; University of Sheffield; and University of Southampton.
That left 11 British universities on the list.
The changes will affect only next year's intake of students.
In response to queries, MinLaw yesterday made it clear that the lower-ranked universities were shaved off "to ensure the continued high quality of overseas-trained entrants to the Singapore Bar".
Mr Kok, 22, a second-year law student at King's College London, suggested that the move could be due to concerns about the increasing number of overseas law students, which has led to a crunch when it came to training contracts.
Last August, Law Minister K. Shanmugam highlighted how the number of Singaporean law students in Britain more than tripled from 350 in 2008 to 1,142 in 2013.
This made it harder for returning graduates to get a six-month practice training contract (PTC) at a law firm, a requirement for entry to the Bar. Last year, nearly 650 graduates competed for about 490 PTCs.
According to MinLaw, about 94 per cent of local graduates obtained training contracts between 2009 and 2013, compared with about 70 per cent of overseas graduates during the same period.
The eight universities which will be dropped had, in the last three years, accounted for 30 per cent of the 729 Singaporean graduates from British law schools.
The 4th Committee on the Supply of Lawyers had suggested in 2013 that the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (Sile) should review the list of approved overseas universities every five years - a recommendation which was accepted by the Government.
Sile was supposed to look at how the schools fared in recognised university rankings, such as the Guardian University Guide, before deciding whether they should remain on the list.
But Mr Koh, in the UKSLSS statement, said it was impossible to truly measure the quality of a law school based on rankings, which have been "notoriously prone to fluctuation".
Instead, he pointed out that the eight dropped schools have produced "successful lawyers who are current partners and associates in various firms today".
"It is my sincere hope that the recent delisting does not have the impact of reinforcing 'second- tier' perceptions when assessing candidates," he said.
"An employee's ability to adapt to a high-pressure environment of private practice ought to be a greater consideration than how highly ranked his or her law school may be."
MinLaw has said it will work out provisions with Sile to ensure that those who have a place in the eight schools before next year "are not adversely affected by the change".
Some Aussie varsities 'rated lower', but were not delisted
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 27 Feb 2015
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 27 Feb 2015
SOME of the 10 Australian universities approved for the study of law by Singapore are on a par or worse than several British institutions which were recently delisted - at least according to global ranking reports.
The number of Singapore law students in Britain more than tripled from 350 in 2008 to 1,142 in 2013. The number going to Australia to read law also rose from 303 in 2011 to 386 in 2013.
In a ranking of law degrees worldwide last year, London- based educational consultancy Quacuarelli Symonds placed Australia's University of Tasmania in the 151 to 200 range. This was the same position given to the University of Sheffield and the University of Southampton - two of the eight British varsities dropped from the list of institutions approved for admission to the Singapore Bar this week.
The University of Western Australia and University of Queensland were ranked 51 to 100, the same as Britain's University of Leeds and University of Manchester - both of which were also dropped after a review by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education.
In another world ranking, Australian institutions Murdoch University, Flinders University and the University of Tasmania fared much worse - in places 551, 481 and 401 respectively.
In response, the Ministry of Law said the review did not cover universities in Australia and the United States. This was because "these are subject to the free trade agreements (FTAs) and have to be negotiated in the context of the FTAs".
Delisted British law schools express disappointment
They defend quality of their degrees, will work towards reinstatement
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 28 Feb 2015
They defend quality of their degrees, will work towards reinstatement
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 28 Feb 2015
MOST of the eight British universities which have been removed from Singapore's pool of accredited law schools have expressed their disappointment.
Responding to queries from The Straits Times, they maintained that their law degrees are of high quality, questioned the criteria used to delist them, and added that they will work towards being reinstated in the next review.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) cut the number of British law schools whose students can be admitted to the Singapore Bar from 19 to 11, weeding out those which are believed to have fared poorly in certain rankings. The changes will affect only next year's intake, and not students already studying there.
It explained that the move was "to ensure the continued high quality of overseas-trained entrants to the Singapore Bar".
Except for the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, the other seven delisted law schools - the University of Exeter, University of Leeds, University of Leicester, University of Liverpool, University of Manchester, University of Sheffield, and University of Southampton - all sent e-mail to The Straits Times responding to the Government's decision.
Professor Alastair Mullis, head of the University of Leeds' law school, expressed the sadness that after four decades, "we will soon have no Singaporean students".
He described Leeds as one of Britain's leading law schools, pointing to how it recently was ranked eighth out of 67 universities in the Research Excellence Framework, which released its report last December.
"We are convinced that, at the time of the next review, Leeds will present the Sile with a formidable case for re-accreditation."
"We are convinced that, at the time of the next review, Leeds will present the Sile with a formidable case for re-accreditation."
The Singapore Institute of Legal Education (Sile), after accepting recommendations from the 4th Committee on the Supply of Lawyers, said in 2013 that it will review the list of approved law schools every five years.
A University of Liverpool spokesman highlighted its "awardwinning" law clinic, run by final-year students, and pointed out that its criminology and security honours degree programme is offered at the Singapore Institute of Technology.
The director of the University of Leicester International Office, Ms Suzanne Alexander, described the school as ranked among the top 20 British universities, and among the top 1 per cent in the world.
The director of the University of Leicester International Office, Ms Suzanne Alexander, described the school as ranked among the top 20 British universities, and among the top 1 per cent in the world.
She also said that the school, which admitted 49 Singaporean law students between 2012 and last year, continues to have a law exchange programme with the Singapore Management University. She added: "We are naturally very disappointed by the outcome of the Sile review."
A spokesman for the University of Exeter, where there are 110 Singaporean law students, said it is strengthening its law curriculum and is "confident" that it will have a strong case for reinstatement in the future.
Professor Tamara Hervey, head of the University of Sheffield's law school, also expressed similar confidence.
A spokesman for the University of Manchester, which has 98 Singaporean law undergraduates, said it will continue to offer them the "highest quality teaching".
The National University of Singapore's law faculty has an exchange programme with the University of Manchester and said it has no plans to change this.
Some of the universities, such as Leeds, said they were holding dialogues with their Singaporean students to address their concerns over the delisting.
Professor Hazel Biggs, head of the University of Southampton's law school, which takes in 10 to 20 Singaporean students each year, said it is "working closely with our current students to provide the best possible advice and guidance".
Mr Airell Ang, 27, a second- year law student at the University of Liverpool, said that graduates from the eight schools may now find it even harder to get a six- month practice training contract at a law firm - a requirement for the Bar - when they return.
"But I remain optimistic that employers will not look at the school we come from, and our image will not be tainted."
* Why 8 British law schools were dropped
Aim is to ensure talent pipeline, not control number of lawyers: Indranee
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 11 Mar 2015
Aim is to ensure talent pipeline, not control number of lawyers: Indranee
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 11 Mar 2015
THE recent cut to the number of British law schools where Singaporeans can study for admission to the Bar here is not meant to control the number of lawyers and "beat market forces".
Instead, the aim is to ensure "a sufficient pipeline of quality legal talent" to support Singapore's legal needs, Ms Indranee Rajah, Senior Minister of State for Law, told Parliament yesterday.
Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan- Toa Payoh GRC) and Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang GRC), both lawyers, expressed contrasting views on the issue.
Mr Vikram Nair argued for more regulation for those going overseas to study law, to save them the heartache of returning only to find that they cannot practise as a lawyer.
He believes the spurt began in 2011, when data on top earners in each profession was published. Lawyers being near the top of the list "might have sent a signal to prospective students that this might be a path to quick riches".
Official figures show the number of Singapore students reading law in Britain climbed from 350 in 2008 to 1,142 in 2013. This has led to more competition for a six-month practice training contract at a local law firm - a must to qualify as a lawyer.
Last year, nearly 650 graduates competed for about 490 contracts. While 94 per cent of local graduates landed one, the figure was just 70 per cent among graduates who studied abroad.
But Mr Hri Kumar Nair believes having a list of approved universities abroad is "inflexible, subjective and can be arbitrary".
The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) two weeks ago dropped eight British law schools, leaving 11 on the approved list. The changes, which affect next year's intake, came after a Singapore Institute of Legal Education (Sile) review. The next review is in five years' time.
"I believe everyone who wants to practise law or any other discipline should be entitled to try, provided they meet the minimum standards to practise in Singapore and are prepared to compete in the market for work," said Mr Hri Kumar Nair, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Law. He urged MinLaw not to change admission rules "so regularly", and suggested that quality can be maintained through the way the Bar exam is set.
Ms Indranee said MinLaw will discuss this with Sile and the Law Society, noting: "The number of available training contracts and retention of trainees are determined by the law firms, not the Government. It depends on their manpower needs, which in turn are determined by market forces."
She also said there are insufficient criminal and family law lawyers, a shortage "unlikely to be addressed by the current supply of law graduates, as many of them aspire to practise commercial... law". Community law-focused UniSim Law School (ULS), which will first take in 50 to 75 students a year, is a "targeted measure" to address this problem. She said the ULS steering committee is finalising its report and more details will be revealed later.
FOR AND AGAINST
Two MPs give their views on restricting the number of overseas universities where Singapore students, who want to practise law here, can study
I have long been against such rules, and their constant changes. They mess with people's plans and they mess with their minds. Picking the right universities in the way we do, I think, is inflexible, subjective and can be arbitrary. I believe everyone who wants to practise law or any other discipline should be entitled to try, provided they meet the minimum standards to practise in Singapore and are prepared to compete in the market for work. That principle currently applies to any graduate of any trade or profession, and law should not be any different.
- Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC), a lawyer with Drew & Napier
Personally, I am in favour of more regulation. The process to qualify as a lawyer is relatively long, requiring study, practical training and, finally, traineeship. If a person starts embarking on this journey at the age of 18 to 21, in the expectation that they would one day become lawyers, they may feel they have wasted their time if, at the very end, they are unable to get training contracts and jobs. It might be kinder to restrict the numbers earlier so that prospective students do not unnecessarily embark on a journey they cannot complete. This is especially so if the families have incurred significant costs and debts to send their children abroad in the hope they would be able to pay it back once qualifying.
- Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang GRC), a lawyer with Rajah & Tann
"I believe everyone who wants to practise law or any other discipline should be entitled to try, provided they meet the minimum standards to practise in Singapore and are prepared to compete in the market for work," said Mr Hri Kumar Nair, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Law. He urged MinLaw not to change admission rules "so regularly", and suggested that quality can be maintained through the way the Bar exam is set.
Ms Indranee said MinLaw will discuss this with Sile and the Law Society, noting: "The number of available training contracts and retention of trainees are determined by the law firms, not the Government. It depends on their manpower needs, which in turn are determined by market forces."
She also said there are insufficient criminal and family law lawyers, a shortage "unlikely to be addressed by the current supply of law graduates, as many of them aspire to practise commercial... law". Community law-focused UniSim Law School (ULS), which will first take in 50 to 75 students a year, is a "targeted measure" to address this problem. She said the ULS steering committee is finalising its report and more details will be revealed later.
FOR AND AGAINST
Two MPs give their views on restricting the number of overseas universities where Singapore students, who want to practise law here, can study
I have long been against such rules, and their constant changes. They mess with people's plans and they mess with their minds. Picking the right universities in the way we do, I think, is inflexible, subjective and can be arbitrary. I believe everyone who wants to practise law or any other discipline should be entitled to try, provided they meet the minimum standards to practise in Singapore and are prepared to compete in the market for work. That principle currently applies to any graduate of any trade or profession, and law should not be any different.
- Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC), a lawyer with Drew & Napier
Personally, I am in favour of more regulation. The process to qualify as a lawyer is relatively long, requiring study, practical training and, finally, traineeship. If a person starts embarking on this journey at the age of 18 to 21, in the expectation that they would one day become lawyers, they may feel they have wasted their time if, at the very end, they are unable to get training contracts and jobs. It might be kinder to restrict the numbers earlier so that prospective students do not unnecessarily embark on a journey they cannot complete. This is especially so if the families have incurred significant costs and debts to send their children abroad in the hope they would be able to pay it back once qualifying.
- Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang GRC), a lawyer with Rajah & Tann
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