New senior counsel Danny Ong calls on lawyers to dare to be unconventional in modern legal landscape

[SINGAPORE] The Republic’s lawyers can no longer afford to be just well-schooled in legal matters, with the profession demanding them to step out of their comfort zones and think beyond technical skills, said Danny Ong, the sole senior counsel appointed in 2026.

Traditionally, the title of senior counsel was conferred to those who demonstrated brilliance in advocacy, but Ong believes technical skill and legal proficiency alone no longer define a top advocate.

What matters today, in his view, is a more holistic set of qualities: contributions to the profession, broad commercial awareness, and the ability to operate on the international stage.