The Singapore Academy of Law launches playbook for legal leaders

HCLI-endorsed guide offers practical tools for lawyers across career stages.

Singapore law firms and legal departments are facing rising pressure to modernise management practices as younger lawyers demand closer workplace support and AI reshapes legal work, according to the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL).

SAL launched its Legal Leadership Playbook amid concerns that firms relying on traditional management structures could struggle to retain talent and compete in a changing legal market.

Yeong Zee Kin, Chief Executive of SAL, said younger lawyers increasingly assess employers based on workplace culture, management quality, and openness to technology adoption.

“One of the concerns of young lawyers is the expectation of closer, more personal leadership, and the qualities they look for in leaders,” Yeong said.

He added that “the management reaction to AI and the adoption of AI are important signals to young lawyers,” particularly as firms compete for talent across domestic firms, multinational companies, and regional legal practices.

SAL said firms “more willing to embrace technology, experiment, and support experimentation” are increasingly viewed as attractive employers where lawyers can build long-term careers. He added that leadership demands have expanded beyond technical legal expertise as firms handle more complex transactions and regional operations.

“As legal practice matures, the ability of lawyers to lead teams, lead departments, and even entire organisations needs to be upgraded,” Yeong said.

He noted that legal matters now involve “internal teams and external teams, different types of expertise, experts from consultancy firms, and much more complex schedules and deadlines.”

According to SAL, lawyers now require three distinct capabilities: legal knowledge, technical legal expertise, and the ability to manage people and resources effectively.

“For a lawyer to be successful, he actually needs three dimensions,” Yeong said, adding that “the ability to manage resources and lead teams to deliver legal services has become equally important.”

The discussion also highlighted growing tension between traditional law firm culture and newer expectations around management and workplace development.

“Traditional law firm culture worked very well for that period of time and for the expectation of lawyers during that period of time. We, as lawyers, need to keep our knives sharp in legal technical skills but also in the ability to lead and manage teams. Just as legal knowledge cannot remain unchanged for 20 years, leadership and management skills must also keep pace,” Yeong said.

SAL developed the playbook with the Human Capital Leadership Institute and plans to expand it with case studies, mentoring examples, and practical management guidance tailored to legal workplaces.

Yeong described the initiative as “a living document” designed to evolve alongside legal practice and workforce expectations.

SAL said firms that fail to modernise workplace culture and management practices risk losing younger lawyers, weakening recruitment competitiveness, and falling behind as AI becomes more embedded in legal services.