Where can I get free legal advice in Singapore?
Answered from official Singapore sources and the reported court record, as of — recomputed live.
Free preliminary legal advice in Singapore is available through Pro Bono SG's community legal clinics, the Community Justice Centre for people facing court without a lawyer, and law-school and Law Society pro bono programmes. These provide initial guidance rather than full representation throughout a case.
What the question is really asking
A number of organisations in Singapore offer free legal help, and it is useful to distinguish preliminary advice from full representation. Preliminary advice is a short, no-cost consultation in which a volunteer lawyer explains the law that applies and the options in general terms; representation, by contrast, means a lawyer conducting the whole matter, which is what the means-tested legal aid schemes provide.
The main providers of free preliminary advice include Pro Bono SG, which organises community legal clinics where members of the public can speak with a volunteer lawyer, and the Community Justice Centre, which assists litigants who come to court without a lawyer through on-site advice schemes and guidance on court processes. Law schools run student legal clinics under supervision, and the Law Society supports pro bono initiatives as part of the profession's public service. Consumer and community bodies also provide guidance in their areas.
These services are aimed at giving a person enough understanding to decide what to do next, not at taking over the case. Where a matter needs a lawyer for its whole course, the civil and criminal legal aid schemes are the route to means-tested representation, and this site records how the underlying kinds of disputes have actually been decided in the reported judgments.
Official sources & how it works
The instruments and public records that govern the answer, each with its source and the year it describes.
The national pro bono organisation that runs community legal clinics offering free preliminary legal advice and administers the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme; the site lists current clinic locations and services.
Source: Pro Bono SG · as of 2026
An independent charity that assists litigants-in-person through on-site legal advice schemes and guidance on court processes at the State Courts, for people attending court without a lawyer.
Source: Community Justice Centre · as of 2026
Is free legal advice the same as free representation?
No. Free legal clinics generally offer a short, preliminary consultation in which a volunteer lawyer explains the applicable law and the options in general terms. Representation — a lawyer conducting the entire matter — is different and is provided, for those who qualify, through the means-tested civil and criminal legal aid schemes.
Where are free legal clinics held?
Community legal clinics organised by Pro Bono SG are held at various community locations, and the Community Justice Centre runs on-site advice sessions at the State Courts for litigants attending court without a lawyer. Law schools and other community bodies also host supervised clinics. The organisers publish current locations and session times.
What if a person needs a lawyer for the whole case?
Where a matter requires a lawyer throughout, rather than one-off advice, the means-tested legal aid schemes are the route to representation: the Legal Aid Bureau for civil matters and the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme for many non-capital criminal charges. Each applies its own eligibility criteria, and free clinics can help a person understand which avenue fits.
Explore the court record
This is one part of what the reported record shows about how lawyers and litigation work in Singapore.
- For the means-tested scheme that provides a lawyer for many civil matters, see Who is eligible for legal aid in Singapore.
- For representation in criminal cases through the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, see Who is eligible for criminal legal aid (CLAS) in Singapore.
- For what the reported record shows the courts actually ordered parties to pay in costs, see What Singapore Courts Actually Awarded in Costs.
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.