I refer to the letter “Train law students on how to use AI in legal practice” by Mr Danny Quah (April 9).

Mr Quah raised an important point on the need to review the training and development of young lawyers as generative artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging digital tools are likely to replace many of the routine legal tasks that are traditionally performed by junior lawyers in their formative years.   

As the representative body of the legal profession in Singapore, the Singapore Academy of Law is keenly aware of the need to develop a new way of training lawyers so they can compete, advance and climb up the value chain. 

In light of this, the academy will be piloting a voluntary Junior Lawyers Professional Certification Programme (JLP) held over 24 months to prepare young lawyers differently. With a shorter runway for training as Mr Quah pointed out, emphasis is placed on letting participants acquire analytical and problem-solving skills.

Participants will be exposed to scenario-based learning and simulation exercises. The course will cater to lawyers engaged in either disputes or corporate work. There are also plans to train lawyers at all levels on using common AI tools.

The academy also recognises that besides equipping our young members with skills to navigate the digital realm, it is also important for them to understand the reasons behind some legal thought processes which may not necessarily be answered by technology.

In developing our JLP curricula, the academy will consult and invite feedback from senior members of the profession to share their expertise and experiences. We will also need the support of our members to prepare young lawyers for practice in a digital economy. 

Foo Kim Leng

Senior Assistant Director, Corporate Communications

Singapore Academy of Law