One way to be called to the Singapore bar is to serve a 6 months pupillage with a Singapore law firm.

After graduating from a Singapore university with a law degree, or with a Diploma in Singapore law (if you previously graduated from a recognised foreign university with a law degree), you will start your pupillage in the month of June for 1 month. You will then attend the Practical Law Course conducted by the Board of Legal Education for 6 months from July to December. You will resume your pupillage for 5 months from December to the following May, and be called to the Singapore bar thereafter. You will then start the next phase of your career as an Associate.

We recruit our Pupils with the aim of retaining them as Associates, and we do retain the vast majority of our Pupils.

Lee & Lee is known to have a friendly working environment, and our Pupils are treated and trained well. This is evidenced by the fact that most of our 2005, 2006 and 2007 Pupils who were retained as Associates are still working in the firm.

Pupils will be assigned to the department that they are recruited for. Nevertheless, the pupillage program is flexible in that a Pupil can switch departments, or work in 2 departments at the same time to find out which department he or she is suited for. We believe that it is important for our Pupils to work in the area of practice that they are most suited for.

Our Pupils and Associates are trained and guided by our Partners including a Senior Counsel and about 10 Partners each with more than 20 years of experience. Our Associates are also given responsibilities early on in their careers like dealing with a corporate client, or arguing a trial in Court on behalf of a litigation client.

Our Pupils and Associates are exposed to a diverse range of clients with differing needs. We have many established and prominent clients. Given our firm’s reputation, we also attract many walk-in clients who are men in the street with legal problems or issues that they need help with.

Our Pupils will be paid the market rate, which is currently S$2,000 per month during pupillage and S$500 per month during the Practical Law Course. Our Pupils who are retained as Associates will also be paid the market rate, which is currently S$4,500 per month.

We are currently looking to recruit about 10 Pupils a year. Some of our Pupillage positions for 2010 and 2011 have already been filled.

If you are interested in serving your pupillage with us, please send your covering letter and CV to our Recruitment Partners, Mr Matthew Saw and Mr Julian Tay, at matthewsaw@leenlee.com.sg and juliantay@leenlee.com.sg respectively. Please state in your covering letter which department(s) you are interested in.