Prof Tan Cheng Han to lead Law Society after consent resolution passed at EGM
[SINGAPORE] The vice-president of the Law Society of Singapore Professor Tan Cheng Han will lead the organisation in 2026 as president, after an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on Monday (Dec 22).
Prof Tan, a senior consultant at WongPartnership and chief strategy officer at the NUS Law School, will helm the statutory body, with Dinesh Singh Dhillon as a vice-president.
Prof Tan was endorsed and accepted by the LawSoc council as president after a consent resolution, tabled at a meeting on Dec 17, was passed at the EGM which more than 500 lawyers attended.
The meeting was held at the Wyndham Singapore hotel.
LawSoc has about 6,400 members.
The 21-member council also agreed at the meeting on the drafting of proposed eligibility criteria for office bearer positions within two months of the council taking office in 2026.
They include a minimum service period requirement on the council for office bearer positions, and that the president should be an elected member of the council.
Members will have at least six weeks to review and provide feedback on the proposal.
The final proposed critieria will be tabled for approval by members at the annual general meeting later in 2026.
The meeting on Dec 22 brought an end to an eventful two weeks which saw Dhillon agreeing to step aside as president-elect.
The co-head of international arbitration practice at Allen and Gledhill was elected by the majority of the council, the highest body within the society responsible for managing its affairs, in November as the 30th president of the professional body for lawyers.
Prof Tan and Daniel Koh Choon Guan were announced as vice-presidents, with Peggy Sarah Yee May Kuen as treasurer of the organisation.
Lawyers vote every October for members of the council, the highest body within the society responsible for managing its affairs.
Dhillon was slated to replace outgoing president Lisa Sam Hui Min in 2026, but his win at the election caused some disquiet as he was an unelected member of the council.
The council typically comprises 15 elected members, including three members appointed by the law minister, and another three co-opted by the council. All council members serve a two-year term.
Under the Legal Profession Act, the law minister can appoint up to three members to sit on the council. Dhillon was one of the three brought in this time.
The pushback against his election resulted in a number of members seeking to introduce motions at the EGM, including a vote of no confidence against some in the council.
The lawyers agreed to withdraw their motions after a meeting on Dec 17.
The Straits Times had earlier reported that Dhillon agreed to step aside as president of the LawSoc to preserve unity for the Bar and in the light of “legitimate concerns” raised by members.
Dhillon had initially put his name up for presidency in the lead-up to the council elections in November as he had received encouragement from others to do more.
“However, I felt then that there were others who were more suitable. Before the elections, I sounded out several others, including Prof Tan, to lead the Law Society. But he declined,” he told ST.
Dhillon added that he was happy to step aside when Prof Tan said that he was prepared to take over as LawSoc president.
ST has contacted the Law Society and Prof Tan for comments. THE STRAITS TIMES
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