Eligibility to Register to Sit for the FPE

The eligibility requirements for registration to sit for the FPE are set out in Rule 4 of the Legal Profession (Foreign Practitioner Examinations) Rules 2011. Some of the key eligibility requirements are as follows:

1. A prospective candidate needs to be a foreign lawyer within the meaning of the Legal Profession Act 1966.
   
   Note: A "foreign lawyer" means an individual who is duly authorised or registered to practise law in a state or territory other than Singapore by a foreign authority having the function conferred by law of authorising or registering persons to practise law in that state or territory.

2. A prospective candidate must have, after becoming a foreign lawyer, been engaged in relevant legal practice or work, in Singapore or elsewhere in one or more of the permitted areas of legal practice in any foreign law, for at least 3 years in the 5 years immediately preceding the date on which the application is made.
   
   Note: For the purposes of determining whether a foreign lawyer has been engaged in relevant legal practice or work for at least 3 years, any period spent in attending any course of instruction, course of study or postgraduate education (not being a period spent to satisfy any applicable requirements relating to continuing professional development), and any period spent in serving any articles, period of pupillage, practice training period or other period of supervised training in relation to the practice of law (by whatever name called), shall be disregarded.
   
   Note: "relevant legal practice or work" means (a) active practice as —(i) a legal practitioner, by whatever name called, in any jurisdiction other than Singapore; or (ii)a foreign lawyer in Singapore; or (b) work of a legal nature which is performed as a legal counsel in any corporation or other entity the equity securities of which are listed on the official list of a securities exchange in Singapore or elsewhere.

3. A prospective candidate must be practising in Singapore as a foreign lawyer in a Joint Law Venture, Qualifying Foreign Law Practice, licensed foreign law practice or Singapore law practice, or has received a job offer to practise in Singapore as a foreign lawyer in a Joint Law Venture, Qualifying Foreign Law Practice, licensed foreign law practice or Singapore law practice. It is acceptable if the job offer is contingent on the prospective candidate passing the FPE.

A prospective candidate should satisfy himself that he qualifies for registration for the FPE before making an application. Please note that the Institute will not be able to entertain specific enquiries on whether a particular prospective candidate qualifies to register for the FPE outside of the registration process.

Last Updated: 12 May 2022