Apply for admission as a lawyer (non-practitioner) or an advocate and solicitor

Admission as a lawyer (non-practitioner)

If you meet the criteria for a qualified person defined under Section 2 of the Legal Profession Act 1966, you may apply to be admitted as a lawyer (non-practitioner) or (NP). There are also requirements for admission which you will need to satisfy.

Find out more about:

• The information on admission and guidelines provided by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education.
• The Ministry of Law's Admission Requirements webpage.

If you have previously fulfilled requirements for admission under the relevant provisions of the Legal Profession Act 1966 in force immediately before 17 July 2024 (old law), refer to Section 48 of the Legal Profession (Amendment) Act 2023) on whether you may rely on the same for the purpose of any application for admission as a lawyer (NP).

Admission as an advocate and solicitor (new law)

This section applies to applications for admission as an advocate and solicitor under the relevant provisions of the Legal Profession Act 1966 in force on 17 July 2024 (new law).

If you meet the criteria for a eligible person defined under Section 2 of the Legal Profession Act 1966, you may apply to be admitted as an advocate and solicitor. There are also requirements for admission which you will need to satisfy. 

Find out more about:

• The information on admission and guidelines provided by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education.
• The Ministry of Law's Admission Requirements webpage.

If you have previously fulfilled requirements for admission under the old law, please refer to Section 48 of the Legal Profession (Amendment) Act 2023 to check if you are eligible to apply for admission under the new law.

Admission as an advocate and solicitor (old law)

This section applies to applications for admission as an advocate and solicitor under the relevant provisions of the Legal Profession Act 1966 in force immediately before 17 July 2024 (old law). 

You must first ensure that the old law applies to you, including obtaining all necessary exemptions or extensions of time. Refer to Section 48 of the Legal Profession (Amendment) Act 2023 for clarification. 

If the old law applies to you and you meet the criteria for a qualified person defined under Section 2 of the Legal Profession Act 1966 of the old law, you may apply to be admitted as an advocate and solicitor. There are also requirements for admission which you will need to satisfy. 

Find out more about:

• The information on admission and guidelines provided by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education.
• The Ministry of Law's Admission Requirements webpage.

How to apply

All applications to be admitted as lawyer (NP) or an advocate and solicitor are heard in the General Division of the High Court.

You may apply to the General Division of the High Court by way of an Originating Application

• For lawyer (NP), you may apply for Admission as Lawyer (Non-Practitioner) after you have registered with the Singapore Institute of Legal Education.
• For advocate and solicitor (new law), you may apply for Admission of Advocate and Solicitor after qualifying as an eligible person.
• For advocate and solicitor (old law), you may apply Admission of Advocate and Solicitor after you have registered with the Singapore Institute of Legal Education.

File your application online via eLitigation, or visit the LawNet & CrimsonLogic Service Bureau to file in person. Refer to the filing guide on how to file your admission documents on eLitigation. 

Your application must be in accordance with legal requirements, including the following:

• Legal Profession Act 1966, 
• Legal Profession (Qualified Persons) Rules,
• Legal Profession (Admission) Rules (LPAR).
  • LPAR 2024 for lawyer (NP) or an advocate and solicitor (new law)
  • LPAR 2011 for an advocate and solicitor (old law)
• Supreme Court Practice Directions.

The Supreme Court Registry will notify you of the date and time of any admission hearing, after your application is filed and accepted.

When to file

There are fixed dates for admission hearings in the General Division of the High Court, so applicants need to plan ahead to ensure their documents are submitted in time. Scheduling of any hearing is subject to the court’s discretion and availability. The procedures before filing an application as well as the timelines for the filing of the application documents are stated in the 

• LPAR 2024 for lawyer (NP) or an advocate and solicitor (new law)
• LPAR 2011  for an advocate and solicitor (old law)

For lawyer (NP), your application must also be filed within 5 years of the date on which you passed Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations.

Admission hearing dates 2025

Note: There are no admission hearings during the June and December court vacation.

Mass Admission Ceremony 2025

The Mass Admission Ceremony 2025 for the admission of lawyers (NP) will be held over 3 consecutive sessions on Monday, 21 April 2025 and Tuesday, 22 April 2025 at the Supreme Court Auditorium in the following sequence:

The Hearing List indicating the assigned session for each applicant will be published on the Supreme Court Website by mid-April 2025. You may refer to the website nearer the date.

All applicants who intend to seek admission during this year’s Mass Admission Ceremony should take note of the following timelines for the filing of the requisite documents in accordance with the Legal Profession (Admission) Rules 2024 ("LPAR").

Abridgement Applications for Mass Admission Ceremony 2025

Applicants who are not able to comply with the timelines prescribed by the LPAR as stipulated above may apply to the court for abridgement of time. Hearing of abridgement applications for Mass Admission Ceremony 2025 has been scheduled on Monday, 14 April 2025 at 10.00am.

The filing and service of the requisite documents must be completed by the date stipulated below, in accordance with paragraph 156A of the Supreme Court Practice Directions 2021:

Mass Admission Ceremony 2025 - Briefing

The Mass Admission Ceremony briefing will be conducted on Wednesday, 16 April 2025, 10.00am sharp in the Supreme Court Auditorium (Basement 2). Registration will commence from 9.15am and all applicants must be seated by 9.50am. Attendance at the briefing is compulsory for all applicants seeking admission at Mass Admission Ceremony 2025. Applicants who do not attend the briefing will have their admission applications fixed for hearing at the next admissions hearing scheduled after Mass Admission Ceremony. The briefing will take approximately an hour.