Lawyer attrition stable, but workplace issues persist: Shanmugam

Key difficulties include long hours and derogatory or unfair treatment in court.

Attrition amongst lawyers has remained broadly stable over the past decade; however, workplace issues in the profession should not be dismissed, according to Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam.

Citing figures presented by Law Minister Edwin Tong, Shanmugam said about 60% of lawyers remained in practice after five years between 2015 and 2024, whilst about 40% remained after 10 years.

“But that does not mean there is no problem, and everything is okay,” he said at the NUS Law Freshmen Inauguration Ceremony.

Key difficulties include long hours, workplace pressure, toxic cultures, and derogatory or unfair treatment in court, Shanmugam noted, citing a Law Society study published last month.

Practitioners and former lawyers interviewed for the study also raised concerns about whether legal practice was a sustainable career and how artificial intelligence could affect their profession.

Shanmugam said some lawyers leave practice for reasons unrelated to workplace conditions, including moves into banking, public service, business, charities, and in-house roles.

However, complaints involving poor supervision, inadequate training and workplace mistreatment required action.

“None of what I have said about law being a demanding profession excuses poor supervision, lack of training, harassment, bullying, and unreasonable treatment of lawyers,” he added.

The Law Society is forming a task force to examine the concerns, whilst the Judiciary and the society are setting up a joint committee to study the feedback.

Shanmugam said more detailed data was needed to establish how widespread the complaints were, alongside views from law firms and the courts. “You need to size the problem and verify it, and then deal with it.”

The number of local lawyers in practice rose 26% from 2015. Singapore also has about 4,800 in-house counsel, up by one-third over the same period.

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