Law Soc court application for M Ravi to get medical exam to be heard again on Thurs

SINGAPORE – The Law Society’s court application for lawyer M Ravi to get a medical examination, as well as Mr Ravi’s objection to it, will be heard again on Thursday behind closed doors.

Both sides appeared before High Court judge Quentin Loh for several hours today (Feb 24).

The Law Society, represented by Mr Pradeep Pillai of Shook Lin & Bok, had applied to the court for an order for Mr Ravi to submit to a medical exam, after stopping him from practising earlier this month until he was certified fit by a psychiatrist.

The society had to get a court application or, under the Legal Profession Act, its suspension of Mr Ravi would be lifted.

Mr Ravi was previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder and the society was informed this month that his psychiatrist had diagnosed him as being hypomanic. Hypomania is part of bipolar disorder and characterised by a distinct period of elevated or irritable mood. Mr Ravi continued to practise despite being certified medically unfit for duty for four days earlier this month, the society had said.

The Law Society’s council became concerned about his mental condition and fitness to practise. It ordered him to stop practising in his own interests and those of the legal profession and the public, it said in a media statement on Feb 12.