Practice Training

Practice Training Contracts

A practice training contract is a formal training arrangement between a qualified person and a Singapore law practice, pursuant to which the qualified person receives, and the Singapore law practice provides, supervised training in relation to the practice of Singapore law.

The requirements relating to practice training contracts are set out in Part V of the Legal Profession (Admission) Rules 2011. A qualified person who is serving his practice training period is called a practice trainee.

The solicitor who is responsible for the supervision of the practice trainee under a practice training contract is called a supervising solicitor.

A supervising solicitor must be in active practice in a Singapore law practice and must have in force a practising certificate for at least 5 of the 7 years immediately before the commencement of his supervision of the practice trainee.

With effect from 15 December 2014: A supervising solicitor of less than 12 years’ standing may supervise up to 2 practice trainees at any one time. A supervising solicitor of not less than 12 years’ standing may supervise up to 4 practice trainees at any one time.

There is no prescribed form of practice training contract. If a Singapore law practice intends to take in practice trainees, it must publish details of the supervised training that it intends to provide on its website (if any) or on such other Internet website as the Institute may specify.

A supervising solicitor is responsible for ensuring that the practice trainee whom he supervises:

  1. receives adequate training during the practice training period in matters specified by the Institute, including matters relating to professional responsibility, etiquette and conduct,

  2. is exposed to 2 or more areas of practice selected from the following areas of practice and from such other areas of practice as the Institute may approve on application by the supervising solicitor:

    1. civil litigation;

    2. criminal litigation;

    3. corporate practice;

    4. conveyancing practice; and

  3. attends during the practice training period, such courses, workshops and programmes as the Institute may specify.

The Singapore law practice must ensure that the practice trainee is supervised by a supervising solicitor who is in active practice in the Singapore law practice, that the practice trainee is based in Singapore and that the supervising solicitor performs his responsibilities.


If a Singapore law practice does not have the expertise or resources to provide the practice trainee with exposure to an area of practice referred to in the Legal Profession (Admission) Rules 2011, the Singapore law practice may arrange for the practice trainee to receive that exposure in another Singapore law practice. During the period of exposure in another Singapore law practice, the practice trainee is deemed to be supervised by his supervising solicitor.

Download the guidelines issued by the Institute pursuant to the Legal Profession (Admission) Rules 2011 here: Practice Training Contract Guidelines.

 

 

Last Updated: 22 September 2021