The Singapore Bench and International Judges of the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) came together virtually to discuss and assess legal developments, as well as chart the course for the year ahead. The theme this year was “Transforming Justice in Pursuit of a New Normal”.

Themed “Trends & Developments in International Commercial Litigation”, the live webinar brought together key players in the international commercial dispute resolution landscape. Distinguished local and international speakers engaged in in-depth panel discussions on the new procedural rules of the SICC, emerging trends and opportunities for commercial courts, and other dispute resolution options in a post-pandemic world.

A new specialised court was established in the State Courts to hear all criminal and civil matters under the Protection from Harassment Act.

A total of 457 newly minted Advocates and Solicitors were called to the Bar virtually this year. In Chief Justice Menon’s speech titled “The Legal Profession Amidst the Pandemic: Change and Continuity”, he said the pandemic had brought the use of technological tools into the mainstream of many legal tasks and processes and accelerated the migration of traditional processes to a digital format.

Legislation designed to transform and future-proof the legal system was passed in Parliament. The Bill will support the digital transformation of the Courts and the implementation of the new Rules of Court, provide a statutory framework for the Attorney-General to intervene in court proceedings, enable courts to grant freestanding interim relief, and harmonise and enhance court processes.

Parliament approved the creation of a new commission that effectively separates the judicial and legal services in Singapore. It comes after six decades under an “integrated” system where a single Legal Service Commission oversaw officers deployed to both the judicial and legal branches. The structural changes aim to put both services on a better footing by allowing them to reap the benefits of greater specialisation and prepare for future challenges.

The new website at www.judiciary.gov.sg provides an integrated gateway to information on the Judiciary of Singapore, with information presented in layman’s terms to demystify court processes alongside user-friendly and intuitive features.

The Rules of Court 2021 aim to transform the nation’s civil litigation process by enhancing the efficiency and speed of adjudication while keeping legal costs reasonable.