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LawSoc members vote against plan to sell current premises

SINGAPORE — The Law Society’s (LawSoc) plan to sell its current South Bridge Road premises to partially fund a new, bigger home was voted down by members on Monday, sending the search back to the drawing board, and with half the budget.

The sale of the Law Society's current premises, a 7,427 sq ft four-storey shophouse at 39 South Bridge Road, bought in 1997 for S$7 million, would bring in an estimated S$19 million to partially fund the purchase, if members had agreed to the plan. Photo: Google Maps

The sale of the Law Society's current premises, a 7,427 sq ft four-storey shophouse at 39 South Bridge Road, bought in 1997 for S$7 million, would bring in an estimated S$19 million to partially fund the purchase, if members had agreed to the plan. Photo: Google Maps

SINGAPORE — The Law Society’s (LawSoc) plan to sell its current South Bridge Road premises to partially fund a new, bigger home was voted down by members on Monday, sending the search back to the drawing board, and with half the budget.

TODAY understands the LawSoc had considered several locations for its new premises, such as Chinatown Point, The Adelphi, The Octagon and Havelock II, based on a budget of S$31 million, as reported by The Straits Times last month.

But the kitty has now been slashed to S$15.5 million, or about half the sum, after 38 out of 79 members who attended an extraordinary general meeting held on Monday voted against selling the current building.

The sale of the 7,427 sq ft four-storey shophouse at 39 South Bridge Road, bought in 1997 for S$7 million, would bring in an estimated S$19 million to partially fund the purchase, if members had agreed to the plan.

Responding to TODAY’s queries, a LawSoc spokesperson said members were offered the choice of either selling the existing shophouse and using the proceeds to buy a larger space, or retaining the existing property and buying an additional but smaller premises.

“They chose the latter option. Armed with this mandate, the Law Society is now surveying the landscape to see how we can put members’ wishes into effect,” she added.

It did not respond to queries on the timeline for the purchase.

The LawSoc council initially planned to purchase an additional property to complement the existing site — where space is constrained as a conserved building, with a lift and staircase, a spokesperson said — and to accommodate more meeting and seminar rooms. But as more options emerged during the search, it “considered it more efficient to house all our operations under one roof (if feasible)”, she said, in explaining the idea to sell and move to a new place.

A resolution to set a S$15.5 million cap on the purchase of new premises — including stamp duty, legal fees, renovations, and incidental expenses — was passed 50-16, with two members abstaining. The resolution also carried the condition that LawSoc members would not have to bear any new building levy for the transaction, which should be funded from the society’s reserves and/or a bank loan.

The LawSoc spokesperson also said a resolution to spend up to S$9 million on buying a new place was passed at last year’s annual general meeting.

In a press release issued by the LawSoc yesterday, president Gregory Vijayendran said the divided views on whether to sell the current premises “reflected an understandable sentiment given the attachment a number of senior members of the Bar feel about the present premises which entailed a sacrificial contribution for its purchase”.

Mr Vijayendran added: “The council is grateful to members attending the (meeting) for the strong majority given to council for an enhanced mandate to purchase additional premises.”

Responding to the change in plans, Senior Counsel Lok Vi Ming said it was not surprising that some members have developed a strong attachment to the LawSoc premises, given that it has been around for two decades.

“(The) vote gives the Council a strong mandate to invest wisely in premises that will accommodate facilities for the benefit, use and enjoyment of future members. S$15.5 millon is a huge sum, it is a strong statement of intent to further strengthen the Bar,” added Mr Lok, who is a former LawSoc president.

Lawyer Michael S Chia was also not surprised, adding that some members felt that LawSoc would lose its visibility and identity if it were to sell the building on South Bridge Road.

“Some people feel that ... this is the first home we bought and it’s visible. We are in the central business district, it’s near the courts, lawyers going from office to courts pass by LawSoc,” he said. “But if you sell it, and if you buy something else hidden in some building, you lose that visibility.”

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