Your client has been arrested and calls you in a state of panic. What can you do to assist him? What are his rights, if any?  What should he expect to happen during investigations, and how can you ensure your client’s interests are protected through this process?

 

We present, in this module, the perspectives of a defence counsel, and an ex-police officer on how you can assist your client at one of the most critical junctures: at the arrest at investigation stage.

 

We will address investigative procedures and timelines, arrest protocols, the rights of vulnerable accused persons, issues of bail and more.

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Moderator:

Ammar Lulla, Senior Associate, Cairnhill Law LLC

 

Speakers:

Wendell Wong, Director, Drew & Napier LLC

Paul Singh, Ex-Police Officer

Want to know what makes a good set of representations?

 

Join us as we hear from a leading criminal defence lawyer, and the Chief Prosecutor of the Attorney General’s Chambers about how you can successfully advance your client’s case and interests through representations.

 

We will explore the basic requirements of representations,  various approaches you may (or may not) wish to employ, and how these may produce a more strategic set of representations.

 

We will also address how you can make successful applications for Criminal Case Management System (CCMS) discussions with the Prosecution, and how it can be wielded effectively as a pre-trial discovery tool. Our speakers will discuss what ought to be disclosed by a defence counsel, and how an early resolution of matters (where warranted) can be attained.

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Moderator:

Stephania Wong, CLAS Fellow, Law Society Pro Bono Services

 

Speakers:

Sunil Sudheesan, Director, Quahe Woo & Palmer LLC

Tan Kiat Pheng, Chief Prosecutor, Attorney-General's Chambers

The conduct of counsel is critical in ensuring that they live up to their duties expected of them, and owed to the Court.

 

In module, we draw on the wealth of experience of a Senior Counsel, defence counsel and the Head of Representation of LSPBS to learn some of the best practices in taking a client’s instructions, and in conducting one’s self.

 

The speakers will address what some of the basic rules of conduct are, unique client interview techniques, what duties are owed to the client and to the Court, when to discharge from a matter, and more.

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Moderator: Sadhana Rai, Assistant Director, Law Society Pro Bono Services

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Speaker: 

Gregory Vijayendran, SC, Partner, Rajah & Tann Asia/ Chairman, Law Society Pro Bono Services

Eugene Thuraisingam, Managing Director, Eugene Thuraisingam LLP

At the sentencing stage, every defence counsel will have the opportunity to influence the sentence and to make an impact on their client.

 

In this module, our speaker will teach you how to present an effective oral, and written mitigation plea on your client’s behalf.

 

This module will help the defence counsel will understand the role and obligations of counsel at sentencing and be able to advocate effectively for clients at the sentencing stage, consistent with the client’s stated interests.

 

It will also go into some of the challenges faced by defence counsel during sentencing advocacy and provide useful pointers on factors which ought to be raised at the sentencing stage.

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Moderator:

Cheryl Ng, Counsel, Trident Law Corporation

 

Speaker: 

Sanjiv Kumar Rajan, Partner, Allen & Gledhill LLP

This module will help the defence counsel will understand how certain drugs metabolises in the body, and briefly learn about the metabolic pathways of common drugs of abuse.

 

We will also address HSA reports in drug cases, and how analysis is done, and presented.

 

Armed with this knowledge, the defence counsel will be in a better position to advice their clients of the merits (or lack thereof) of some of the defences their clients attempt to raise.

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Moderator:

Alice Tan, CLAS Advocate, Law Society Pro Bono Services

 

Speaker: 

Moy Hooi Yan, Laboratory Director, Drug Abuse Testing Unit, Analytical Toxicology Laboratory, Health Sciences Authority

Forensic criminology, with its science-based approach has become central to the practice of criminal law.

 

With the help of a forensic scientist and an associate professor, join us as we explore the various types evidence which are generally analysed during the investigation stage. From hair to bodily fluids, hear from the experts on how DNA is extracted and profiled.

 

We will also cover the various forensic reports available, as well as how these reports can be read and used in your client’s defence.

 

We will also consider the issues to be aware of when selecting and instructing a forensic expert, and what types of experts defence counsel should look for.

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Moderator:

Pramnath Vijayakumar, CLAS Advocate, Law Society Pro Bono Services

 

Speakers: 

Crystal Lai, Consultant Forensic Scientist, DNA Profiling Laboratory, Health Sciences Authority

A/P Ferlin Jayatissa, Lecturer, School of Law, Singapore University of Social Sciences

The Court has emphasised that expert witnesses are quite apart from ordinary witnesses, and that they owe a duty to the Court. 

 

What does this duty entail, and what are the minimum standards expected of expert evidence? How can an expert take the necessary steps to ensure that their evidence is “cogent, reliable, and may be gainfully used in the proceedings for which they were prepared”?

 

What is defence counsel’s duty in instructing an expert, and in presenting expert evidence to the Court? Critically, how can expert witnesses be effectively cross-examined?

 

In this module, we draw on the wealth of experience of our two speakers to address the questions above: Deputy Attorney-General Hri Kumar Nair, SC, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Rajesh Jacob, and Defence Counsel Suresh Damodara. 

 

We will also explore, among other things, some of the challenges forensic psychiatrists and defence counsel face, and the best practices both can adopt to fulfil their respective duties. 

 

**This module is open for psychiatrists to register as well.**

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Moderator:

Sadhana Rai, Assistant Director, Law Society Pro Bono Services

 

Speakers:
Hri Kumar Nair, SC, Deputy Attorney-General, Attorney-General's Chambers

Dr Rajesh Jacob, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, Promises Healthcare

Suresh Damodara, Managing Director, Damodara Ong LLC

Find out the law and strategy of challenging the admissibility of a witness statements.

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Defence counsels will understand the law relating to the right to cross-examine and learn strategies as well as techniques needed to develop an effective cross-examination consistent with the case theory, all to develop an effective direct examination that advances the defence theory of the case.

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Defence counsels will also understand the law and practice of challenging a client’s competence to stand trial.

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Moderator:

Darrell Low, Partner, Bih Li & Lee LLP

 

Speaker:

Sreenivasan Narayanan, SC, Managing Partner, K&L Gates Straits Law

Most defence counsels will have the opportunity to represent a vulnerable accused person in their course of their practice.

 

This module will help the defence counsel will gain deeper insight into the different types of psychiatric and psychological illnesses, and their symptoms so that counsel can pick up on when a forensic report may be required.  

 

The defence counsel will understand key features of the vulnerable person’s development, how those concepts affect the client’s involvement at all stages of the adult criminal justice system.

 

It will also explore the different legal strategies available to counsel which are specific to such diagnoses to achieve a fair and just outcome for their clients. 

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Moderator:

Muntaz Binte Zainuddin, Partner, I.R.B. Law LLP

 

Speaker:

Chenthil Kumarasingam, Partner, Withers KhattarWong LLP

In this module, we will look at the various provisions of the Penal Code relating to sexual offences, and discuss the elements of these provisions.

 

Our speakers will also discuss the “unusually convincing” standard, and how a defence counsel may set out to establish, through a sensitive yet rigorous cross examination, whether a complainant meets this threshold.

 

Our speakers will discuss the latest jurisprudence on some of the more common sexual offences, and consider how the sentencing bands may be argued in Court. Specifically, the speakers will go into relevant offence-specific and offender-specific factors which may be raised on behalf of the client.

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Moderator:

Pramnath Vijayakumar, CLAS Advocate, Law Society Pro Bono Services

 

Speaker:

Suresh Damodara, Managing Director, Damodara Ong LLC

Sadhana Rai, Assistant Director, Law Society Pro Bono Services

A well conducted examination-in-chief could very well influence the outcome of a case. This is especially so where the witness remains unshaken, even on cross examination.  

 

In this module we explore how a well-conducted examination-in-chief allows the criminal defence counsel to elicit crucial evidence without leading the witness.

 

We also go into some strategies which can be employed for different types of witnesses (i.e. expert witnesses, technical witnesses and more) to ensure clear, useful information is relayed to the Court.

 

This module aims to (re)acquaint the criminal defence counsel with the fundamental tenets of this vital, but sometimes under-appreciated, facet of criminal trials.

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Moderator:

Kimberley Pah, Assistant Manager, Law Society Pro Bono Services

 

Speaker:

Francis Ng, SC, Official Assignee & Public Trustee, Ministry of Law​

Case theory: one of the most difficult and essential craft to master. Is crafting a case theory a science? Is there a foolproof formula that can be applied across the board?

 

Join us as we explore what a “good” case theory looks like, and how to arrive at one. We will draw on his experiences to learn how to craft a persuasive narrative that accounts for all of the admissible evidence such that the criminal defence counsel can compel findings favourable to a client.

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Moderator:

Chooi Jing Yen, Partner, Eugene Thuraisingam LLP

 

Speaker:

Tan Chee Meng, SC, Deputy Chairman, Wong Partnership

This module will introduce some key strategies and skills for the cross examination of witnesses in general.  

 

From preparation to execution, our speaker will share some of the best practices a trial lawyer can employ for a tactical, effective cross examination.

 

In this module, we will go into the type of preparatory work involved ahead of trial. We will also address how to cross examine difficult witnesses, and how to get around roadblocks which may present during cross.

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Moderator:

Sadhana Rai, Assistant Director, Law Society Pro Bono Services

 

Speaker:

Sreenivasan Narayanan, SC, Managing Partner, K&L Gates Straits Law

We continue our module on cross examination by going into cross examination of specific types of witnesses.

 

Vulnerable witnesses can be a fragile and sensitive group of witnesses to cross examine. How can a defence counsel approach cross examination of children and sexual assault complainants?

 

The speaker will also present on strategies for the cross examination of expert witnesses, and the preparation involved in that.

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Further, the cross examination of hostile witnesses involve separate procedures and strategies, which we will explore.

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Moderator:

Sadhana Rai, Assistant Director, Law Society Pro Bono Services

 

Speaker:

Ramesh Tiwary, Founder, Ramesh Tiwary Advocates & Solicitors

Criminal revisions, criminal motions, and appeals. Appearing before a higher court can be daunting.

 

This module will help the defence counsel understand the various modes of appealing a decision, and the considerations involved in deciding whether to file a criminal revision, motion, or appeal.

 

Our speaker will also explore different aspects of appellate advocacy, and how one can make effective arguments before the appellate court.

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Moderator:

Amogh Chakravarti, Deputy Chief Counsel, IMDA

 

Speaker:

Andre Jumabhoy, Director, Andre Jumabhoy LLC

Alternative sentencing options have become an important part of the sentencing regime, and affords young, vulnerable, and other offenders a more rehabilitative option.

 

How do we access such options? What are some of the basic requirements?

 

Join us as we get a defence counsel’s perspective, and speak to probation officers on the available options, and the challenges involved.

 

In this module, we will also take you the practical aspects of these alternative sentences, and how to properly evaluate and advise your client on their chances of these alternative sentences.

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Moderator:

Goh Qian Hui, Assistant Manager, Law Society Pro Bono Services

 

Speakers:

Ashvin Hariharan, Associate Director, Kalidass Law Corporation

Alvin Koh, Assistant Manager/ Operations/ Probation and Community Rehabilitation Service/ Rehabilitation and Protections Group, Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)

Li Zhihui, Assistant Manager / Probation and Community Rehabilitation Service/ / Rehabilitation and Protections Group, Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)