Law Society's incoming president to step aside

Dinesh Singh Dhillon will now be endorsed and approved by the council as vice-president

- Andrew Wong Correspondent

President-elect of the Law Society of Singapore Dinesh Singh Dhillon has agreed to step aside after a meeting on Dec 17 with members.

Mr Dhillon was elected by the majority of the 21-member Law Society council in November as the 30th president of the professional body for lawyers.

He was slated to take over the helm from outgoing president Lisa Sam Hui Min in 2026, but his win at the election had caused some disquiet as he was an unelected member of the council.

A number of members had intended to introduce motions at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) slated for Dec 22 to seek a vote of no confidence against some members of the 21-member council, among other things.

In a document seen by The Straits Times, the council said Mr Dhillon agreed to step aside as president of the Law Society, in the interest of preserving unity for the Bar and in the light of “legitimate concerns” raised by members.

The council for 2026 was reconstituted with vice-president Tan Cheng Han as president of the organisation. Professor Tan wears several hats, including senior consultant at WongPartnership and chief strategy officer at the NUS Law School.

Mr Dhillon, the co-head of international arbitration practice at Allen and Gledhill, will be endorsed and approved by the council as vice-president.

In a reply to ST on Dec 18, Mr Dhillon said: “I came into the council to serve the best interest of members of the Bar and help address issues which affect the Law Society, and that remains the case for me.”

He also explained the circumstances that saw him stand for the presidency.