Ex-AG Walter Woon to represent Lee Suet Fern in possible misconduct case

FORMER attorney-general Walter Woon will be acting for Mrs Lee Suet Fern, the daughter-in-law of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, in the case involving her possible misconduct in preparing the late Mr Lee's last will.

Mrs Lee's husband, Mr Lee Hsien Yang, said in a Facebook post on Monday that he is delighted to have Professor Woon on board.

"We look forward to his legal guidance and wise counsel," he wrote. "He will further strengthen the defence team of Abraham Vergis and his team at Providence Law Asia."

In January, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) referred the case to the Law Society because it appeared that she had prepared the late Mr Lee's last will and arranged for him to execute it in 2013.

The AGC said that this had placed Mrs Lee in a position of conflict and was a breach of the rules governing the conduct of lawyers because her husband was a beneficiary in the will.

The share of Mr Lee Hsien Yang, the younger brother of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, increased under the final will.

The AGC noted that Mr Lee Hsien Yang had said publicly that the last will was drafted by Ms Kwa Kim Li of law firm Lee & Lee. But Ms Kwa has denied drafting it.

Mr Lee Hsien Yang has also said that his wife never served as his father's lawyer. Mr Lee Kuan Yew died in 2015.

Mr Lee Hsien Yang also added that the AGC's assertion that his wife has refused to respond to the AGC was untrue, and called on the AGC to release the full correspondence with his wife.

PM Lee and his siblings have been locked in a long-running dispute over the fate of their father's house at 38 Oxley Road.

The AGC had said there will be a full hearing before the disciplinary tribunal appointed by the Chief Justice, and Mrs Lee can present her case there.

THE STRAITS TIMES