THEODOROS KASSIMATIS KC v THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE & Anor

Case Significance

Kassimatis, Theodoros KC v Attorney-General and another and another appeal [2024] SGCA 36 was decided by the Court of Appeal, comprising Sundaresh Menon CJ, Belinda Ang Saw Ean JCA and Judith Prakash SJ, which heard the matter on 18 September 2024 and delivered a reserved judgment on 25 September 2024, with Sundaresh Menon CJ delivering the judgment of the court. The decision concerned Civil Appeals Nos 16 and 17 of 2024: the first brought by Theodoros Kassimatis KC and the second by Edward Fitzgerald KC, both King's Counsel of England, against the Attorney-General of the Republic of Singapore and the Law Society of Singapore as respondents.

The appeals arose from applications for ad hoc admission, made in Originating Applications No 696 of 2023 and No 811 of 2023 in the matter of section 15 of the Legal Profession Act 1966, and were connected with Court of Appeal / Civil Appeal No 2 of 2023 and Court of Appeal / Summons No 16 of 2023. The catchwords identify the issue as the ad hoc admission of foreign counsel under the Legal Profession Act, and the judgment framed the appeals as engaging the question of whether foreign counsel seeking such admission could do so. The respondents were represented by counsel from Advocatus Law LLP and the Attorney-General's Chambers, including Christopher Anand s/o Daniel, Hay Hung Chun, Poh Hui Jing Claire, Saadhvika Jayanth, Theong Li Han and Yeo Yi Ling Eileen.