THE LAW SOCIETY OF SINGAPORE v LIM TEAN
Key facts
| Court | High Court (General Division) |
|---|---|
| Decided | |
| Judges | Andrew Phang Boon Leong, Sundaresh Menon, Tay Yong Kwang |
| Charges / claim | Legal Profession |
| Counsel | Withers KhattarWong LLP, Chenthil Kumar Kumarasingam, Maria Santhosh |
Source: [2026] SGHC 78, High Court (General Division), decided — eLitigation. Updated .
Catchwords
Practice Areas
Counsel (3)
Case Significance
The Law Society of Singapore v Lim Tean [2026] SGHC 78, decided on 10 April 2026 by the Court of 3 Supreme Court Judges comprising Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon (delivering judgment), Tay Yong Kwang JCA, and Andrew Phang Boon Leong SJ, addressed disciplinary proceedings against advocate and solicitor Lim Tean. The Law Society, represented by Chenthil Kumar Kumarasingam of Withers KhattarWong LLP, sought Lim Tean's striking off the roll under section 98(1) of the Legal Profession Act 1966, alternatively a five-year suspension and a $30,000 fine under section 83(1). Disciplinary proceedings were initiated following a complaint by Lim Tean's former client, Mr Suresh Kumar s/o A Jesupal; the Law Society had preferred three charges with alternatives but withdrew the Third Charge when Mr Suresh declined to testify, proceeding on the remaining two charges. Oral hearings commenced on 11 May 2022. The case is significant both for the gravity of the sanction sought — striking off — and for the involvement of the Chief Justice's court, which convenes under the Legal Profession Act for the most serious professional conduct matters.
[2026] SGHC 78 explained
THE LAW SOCIETY OF SINGAPORE v LIM TEAN ([2026] SGHC 78) is a Singapore judgment decided by the High Court (General Division) on 10 April 2026. It is categorised under Legal Profession. It is a recent decision; within this corpus no later judgment has cited it yet. This page summarises what the reported decision covers and links the primary sources — the full judgment, the statutes it cites, and the other cases it engages with — so the decision can be read in context. It is reference information, not legal advice, and it does not state the outcome or any holding beyond what the official judgment records.
What is [2026] SGHC 78 about?
THE LAW SOCIETY OF SINGAPORE v LIM TEAN ([2026] SGHC 78) is a High Court (General Division) decision from 2026. Its published catchwords are “Legal Profession — Professional conduct — Breach” and “Legal Profession — Disciplinary proceedings — Sentencing”, which indicate the subject matter the judgment addresses. The full reasoning and orders are in the judgment itself, linked below.
Which legislation does [2026] SGHC 78 consider?
The judgment refers to Legal Profession Act (Cap 161). The statutes cited are listed in full on this page, each linking to its primary text.
What sanction did the Law Society seek against Lim Tean in [2026] SGHC 78?
The Law Society of Singapore sought Lim Tean's striking off the roll of advocates and solicitors under section 83(1) of the Legal Profession Act 1966, alternatively a five-year suspension from practice and a $30,000 fine. The application was heard by the Court of 3 Supreme Court Judges on 23 January 2026, with judgment delivered on 10 April 2026.
What triggered the disciplinary proceedings against Lim Tean in Law Society of Singapore v Lim Tean [2026] SGHC 78?
Disciplinary proceedings arose from a complaint by Mr Suresh Kumar s/o A Jesupal, a former client of Lim Tean. The Law Society preferred three charges with alternatives; the Third Charge was later withdrawn when Mr Suresh declined to testify at the oral hearing, which had commenced on 11 May 2022.
Statutes Cited
Cases Cited (11)
Related cases
Other Singapore judgments involving the same parties or counsel.
Referenced in
Statutes interpreted in this judgment
Legal concepts & references
Judgment
Read the full judgment on the official Singapore Courts portal.
Read on eLitigationSource: eLitigation ([2026] SGHC 78)