Singapore, 3 March 2010 – The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) is pleased to appoint Professor Walter Woon as the first Dean of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE).

Professor Woon who will be returning to his position as Professor of Law in the NUS Law Faculty on the expiry of his current term as Attorney-General on 10 April 2010, will concurrently assume the position of first Dean of SILE.

The SILE, a company limited by the guarantee of the Singapore Academy of Law was recently incorporated on 18 January 2010 to take over the training functions of the Board of Legal Education.  The SILE would take charge of the post-graduate practical training of graduates from local and overseas universities seeking admission to the Singapore Bar. The SILE would also be responsible for Parts A and B of the Singapore Bar Examinations, the Corporate Practice Exam, training contracts and oversee the introduction of a Continuing Legal Education scheme for lawyers practising in Singapore.

As Dean of the SILE, Professor Woon will be responsible for the programmes of the Institute to help develop Singapore as a centre for excellence in legal training and professional practice standards.

The Singapore Academy of Law is pleased that Professor Woon has accepted the appointment as Dean of SILE.   As chairman of the Board of Legal Education (BLE), Professor Woon’s appointment as Dean of the SILE will bring continuity to the new institute which will take over, inter alia, the training role of the BLE.

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About Singapore Academy of Law

The Singapore Academy of Law is the umbrella body of the legal community in Singapore and has more than 7,000 members.

The Academy’s activities are driven by three strategic priorities – enhancing legal knowledge, improving efficiency of legal practice through the use of technology and supporting the legal industry. The work in each of these areas is directed towards raising the standards and quality of legal practice and building a strong legal community in Singapore.

Besides its role as the official law reporting agency in Singapore, the Academy’s other functions include providing continuing legal education for its members, legal publications, promoting legal research and scholarship, the reform and development of the law, and alternative dispute resolution.

For more details on the Singapore Academy of Law, visit www.sal.org.sg