A Step Beyond Our Classrooms: An SILE Internship Reflection
By: Cadel Yeoh Sze Hock and Toh Jie Le Caleb
16 October 2026
Note: This article was written by SILE’s interns, and is a reflection of their experiences and takeaways during the SILE internship.
A Step Beyond Our Classrooms
How much could you learn in a week? This was the question on our minds, as well as those of our parents, and peers, when our school, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), announced that we would be embarking on a week-long internship. Yet, Russian playwright Anton Chekhov wrote that “brevity is the sister of talent”, and though the internship lasted merely a week, our experiences broadened our once-limited understanding of law confined to what we have read, heard or watched through videos online. It was incredibly rewarding to gain first-hand insights into the legal field, deepen our understanding of SILE’s institutional operations, and foster a greater appreciation for the function of law beyond commonplace literature.
Off to a Great Start
We remember walking into SILE with bated breaths and embracing the surrounding ambiguity of our first employment opportunity. Greeting us was, in fact, the coziness of the office and the warmth of our mentor, Ms Lim Woon Yee (Assistant Director of SILE). She proceeded to give us a brief overview of SILE’s role. SILE, a private body with public functions, administers the Singapore Bar Exams, and works alongside the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) and the Law Society of Singapore as stakeholders in regulating admissions and ensuring lawyers maintain professional standards.
We were then given four Singapore Law Reports, which detailed cases that SILE had played a role in. We read the arguments SILE had mentioned to the courts in objecting or not objecting to one’s admission to the bar based on an assessment on whether one is of “good character”, fitness to practise and the extent to which it will influence public perception. We quickly realised that absolute candour and integrity are sine qua non for admission, illustrating the everyday dilemma that SILE was in: To balance upholding the integrity and the reputation of the legal profession against giving individuals who have demonstrated personal growth a fair opportunity to rehabilitate themselves and practise law.
Application – Practising what we learnt
Indeed, learning to reason through this dilemma was one of the most fulfilling tasks we embarked on in our time with SILE. We were tasked to examine a case study through the lens of SILE, formulating our own recommendations on whether admission was worthy. Through this, we explored the nuances of academic integrity and examined various documents to assess the extent of candour in one’s account, putting our critical thinking to the test.
When we presented our case study findings to Ms Lim, we engaged in a constructive discussion on the differing perspectives SILE must consider. Her invaluable feedback taught us to adopt a discerning mindset, use technical terms and analyse the case from different perspectives. For instance, we learnt to look beyond surface-level apologies, spot inconsistencies in submitted affidavits, and critically evaluate genuine rehabilitation efforts, based on precedence.
Our critical thinking ability came in handy once more as we assisted Ms Rachel Tan (Executive Director of SILE) in summarising overseas court judgements from New Zealand and Canada relating to the licensing of a prospective lawyer in Ontario and the restoration of a struck-off lawyer to the roll of barristers and solicitors in New Zealand. Reading about international jurisprudence only reiterated the importance of what we had learnt about the high standards expected of legal professionals. The work that we did really gave us a greater appreciation for the work done by SILE. This little-known statutory body is the backbone of the often-overlooked yet critical part of our legal system: the behind-the-scenes work of scrutinising every admission to the bar to safeguard our legal system.
Courtroom Takeaways
On the second day of the internship, we visited the Supreme Court of Singapore with Ms Lim. Though SILE had no official hearings scheduled, we were excited to witness criminal proceedings in the Court of Appeal with the appellant aiming to reduce his 15-year sentence.
Witnessing the Prosecution and Defence in action dismantled our perception of stereotypical Hollywood cliches – shouting, intense debates and gravel-banging. Instead, what we saw was calm and composure in the face of intense questioning from the judges, professionalism in their register used and the ability to think on their feet through their short response time.
It was both our first time witnessing a verdict being professed live, right in front of us. The judges, in keeping the 15-year jail term intact and dismissing the appeal, exercised the fair hand of the law. Unforgiving and uncompromising, as one might say, but that is the reason for the safety and security we enjoy today.
What truly opened our eyes was the weight of responsibility borne by the judges. Witnessing an actual sentence transpiring right before our eyes brought home the gravity of judicial decision-making: a single judgment could shape legal precedent and profoundly alter the course of a person’s life. We therefore appreciated the need for built-in mechanisms – like the Court of Appeal – in maintaining justice and impartiality in one’s administration of it.
But the law is not all brute and cold-blooded. We learnt that the defence lawyer also involved himself in pro bono work, showing how the law is also a social mission to ensure that justice is accessible to all, particularly the vulnerable.
Digital Transformation: Streamlining Processes
Through the internship period, we were also exposed to the concept of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), an annual requirement emphasising lifelong learning for lawyers holding a Practising Certificate. As part of our internship programme, we were tasked by Mr Chia Chong Cher (Head of Digital Transformation) to help ensure that the CPD Centre accurately captures these annual requirements.
As such, we created a system behaviour document synthesising the differing pathways for fulfilling the annual points requirement, whilst simultaneously navigating through the existing CPD framework in order to gain a stronger understanding of its workings.
Mr Chia also shared a different dimension to SILE – innovating solutions. He shared how SILE is phasing out outdated practices like keying in details manually, by pivoting to technology and automation. What can technology do for us in the future? Will we see generative AI, Large Language Models (LLM) and even Blockchain in the legal industry? The possibilities are endless!
Beyond the law – a sweet end
Yet, beyond the desk, the most eye-opening experience for us was the opportunity to converse with, and learn more from Ms Lim. Her stories of her legal journey from the Singapore Legal Service and SILE provided us with candid and valuable insights into the skillsets, opportunities and challenges working in the legal profession. Many of such conversations were shared across food, drinks or the short walk we often shared from the office at Havelock 2 to our lunch location.
Our meals, both inside and outside the office, were equally indelible, as the tight-knit SILE community made the atmosphere warm and hospitable. On our third day, we joined the team to celebrate a staff member’s birthday, gaining a glimpse of the camaraderie that characterised the workplace. We also shared a lunch in the office that offered a wonderful taste of the genuine camaraderie defining the team. Throughout our time, staff members frequently checked in on us and offered support when required, as we had many conversations with them on the different perspectives on the legal landscape. These small moments showed us the friendly workplace culture in SILE that made our learning journey truly memorable and enriching.
As the internship came to a close with a tea shared by Ms Rachel Tan, Mr Jamin Jeow (ACSI’s Deputy Director of Career Opportunities & Guidance), Mr Chia, Mr Valen Lim and Ms Lim, we reflected on how much we had learnt and grown this week. Indeed, we were collectively reminded of American writer Maya Angelou’s words “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away”. We started off this journey underestimating the value of one week, but we left with lessons on integrity, candour, public trust and institutional justice. Short, yes it was, but every task we tackled gave us a beautiful glimpse into the dedication of the legal profession. In many ways, this was one of our most productive and meaningful week of October!
As we leave the SILE office, it is with a bittersweet taste in our mouths. The warmth of the office, kindness of all the SILE mentors whose path we crossed and the entire experience will leave an indelible mark on us. Our heartfelt gratitude extends to Ms Lim Woon Yee, Ms Rachel Tan, Mr Chia Chong Cher, Mr Jamin Jeow, Ms Leo Kim Choo (ACSI Senior Counsellor) and everyone at SILE for accommodating us and making this experience possible.