How to check if a lawyer is registered in Singapore?
Answered from official Singapore sources and the reported court record, as of — recomputed live.
Whether a person is a practising advocate and solicitor in Singapore is a public fact. It can be checked through the Law Society's Find a Lawyer directory and the roll of advocates and solicitors maintained under the Legal Profession Act; a current practising certificate is the operative credential.
What the question is really asking
Being "registered" as a lawyer in Singapore has a specific meaning. A lawyer is admitted to the Bar as an advocate and solicitor, and admission is recorded on the roll of advocates and solicitors. To practise, however, an admitted lawyer must also hold a current practising certificate, which is renewed periodically. So there are two related facts: whether a person has been admitted, and whether they presently hold a practising certificate — the latter being the operative entitlement to act as a lawyer.
These are public facts and can be verified. The Law Society of Singapore maintains a public Find a Lawyer directory of practising advocates and solicitors and the firms they belong to. The roll of advocates and solicitors is maintained under the Legal Profession Act, and the registration and regulation of law practices is overseen by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority. Checking a lawyer's status is a matter of consulting these public sources rather than relying on an assertion.
Separately, the reported court record offers an independent public signal. It shows which counsel actually appeared in Singapore's judgments — an objective indication of who is active in litigation. That record does not replace the roll or the practising certificate as the authoritative proof of registration, but it does show, in the courts' own words, which lawyers and firms appear and in what kinds of matters.
Official sources & how it works
The instruments and public records that govern the answer, each with its source and the year it describes.
The professional body's public directory of practising advocates and solicitors and their firms — a primary way to check whether a person currently practises and where.
Source: Law Society of Singapore — Find a Lawyer · as of 2026
The statute under which lawyers are admitted as advocates and solicitors, the roll is maintained, and a practising certificate is required to practise.
Source: Legal Profession Act 1966 (Singapore) · as of 2020
The authority that oversees the registration and regulation of law practices and the licensing framework for legal services in Singapore.
Source: Legal Services Regulatory Authority (Singapore) · as of 2026
What makes a lawyer 'registered' in Singapore?
A lawyer is admitted to the Bar as an advocate and solicitor and, to practise, must hold a current practising certificate. Being on the roll of advocates and solicitors records admission, while the practising certificate shows a present entitlement to practise — both together describe a lawyer who is registered and currently practising.
Where can a lawyer's status be checked?
The Law Society of Singapore maintains a public Find a Lawyer directory of practising advocates and solicitors and their firms. The roll of advocates and solicitors is maintained under the Legal Profession Act, and the registration of law practices is overseen by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority — the authoritative public sources for a lawyer's status.
Does appearing in reported judgments confirm a lawyer is practising?
Appearing as counsel in reported judgments is an independent public indication that a lawyer is active in litigation, but it is not the authoritative record of registration. The roll and the current practising certificate remain the definitive proof; the case record is a separate, objective signal of who appears in the courts.
Explore the court record
This is one part of what the reported record shows about how lawyers and litigation work in Singapore.
- For how many practising lawyers, firms and Senior Counsel there are, and who appears in the court record, see Singapore's legal profession, in numbers.
- For which counsel appear most often in the reported judgments, see Most Active Lawyers in Singapore, Ranked by Reported Court Cases.
Methodology & disclaimer
This page explains the question factually from cited Singapore legislation, official public records and the reported Supreme Court court record. It describes how a process or requirement works in general; it does not tell any particular person what to do, is not a recommendation of any lawyer or firm, and is not legal advice. How a specific matter should be handled depends on its facts and is a question for a qualified lawyer.