The Law Society of Singapore v Seah Zhen Wei Paul

Case Significance

The Law Society of Singapore v Seah Zhen Wei Paul [2024] SGHC 224 was decided by a Court of 3 Supreme Court Judges, comprising Belinda Ang Saw Ean JCA (delivering the grounds of decision of the court), Woo Bih Li JAD and See Kee Oon JAD, with the matter heard on 5 and 9 April 2024 and the decision issued on 4 September 2024. The proceedings comprised two applications, C3J/OA 11 of 2023 ("OA 11") and C3J/OA 12 of 2023 ("OA 12"), brought by the Law Society of Singapore against Mr Seah Zhen Wei Paul and Mr Rethnam Chandra Mohan respectively, for the respondents to be sanctioned under s 83(1) of the Legal Profession Act 1966 (Cap 161, 2009 Rev Ed).

According to the grounds of decision, Mr Seah was called to the Singapore bar on 20 May 2006, was an advocate and solicitor for around 14 years, and was at all material times a partner in Tan Kok Quan Partnership. Mr Mohan was called to the bar on 21 March 1992, was an advocate and solicitor for around 28 years, and was at all material times practising as a partner in Rajah and Tann Singapore LLP. The matter concerned professional conduct and breach, and the court referred to the Companies Act, the Evidence Act, the Interpretation Act and the Legal Profession Act. In OA 11 the Law Society was represented by Pillai Pradeep G, and Abraham Vergis SC appeared for Mr Seah; in OA 12 Chan Kah Keen Melvin represented the Law Society, with Davinder Singh s/o Amar Singh also appearing as counsel for a respondent.