This section features manuals, guides and brochures which provide information and instructions to students and lawyers involved in pro bono work.
A. Criminal Legal Assistance Schemes
Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS)
Administered by Pro Bono SG (formerly known as the Pro Bono Services Office of the Law Society of Singapore), this scheme provides legal assistance to those charged with non-capital offences and who cannot afford legal counsel.
Public Defender’s Office
Established as a department under the Ministry of Law, the Public Defender’s Office provides legal assistance to Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who are charged with non-capital criminal offences or who wish to file/defend an appeal but are unable to afford legal representation due to limited means.
SG Courts: Seek Help for a Criminal Case
Information on criminal legal assistance schemes including:
B. Legal Aid Scheme
Legal Aid Bureau
Information on the types of services available through the Bureau and how to apply for them.
Various guides can be found on the LAB website, including the following:
Pro Bono SG
Previously called Law Society Pro Bono Services, PBSG is a registered charity providing access to justice for the needy and vulnerable through legal awareness, guidance, and representation. On this website, you will find talks & webinars relating to:
A. General
Represent Yourself in Court: Rights and Responsibilities
Information on how a litigant-in-person (LIP) will have to handle court proceedings and applications without a lawyer.
B. Civil Matters
User Guide: Rights and Responsibilities of Self-represented Parties in Civil Proceedings
Information for the self-represented litigant in a civil case in the High Court, State Courts or Family Justice Courts. Published on the Singapore Courts website.
How to File for Bankruptcy for Yourself
Information on the Debtor's Bankruptcy Application. Published on the Singapore Courts website.
C. Criminal Trial
Guidebook for Accused In Person: A Guide to Representing Yourself in Court
Published by the State Courts in conjunction with the Community Justice Centre to help self-represented accused understand the criminal process (2017)
Represent Yourself in a Criminal Trial
The steps to take in a criminal trial when one chooses to conduct a case without a lawyer. Published on the Singapore Courts website. Also see:
COVID-19 Legal Booklet for Migrant Workers (2020)
Guide covering some of the problems faced by migrant workers due to COVID-19 like salary, termination of employment and transfer issues. Published in 6 languages with the assistance of NUS Law students by the Centre of Pro Bono and Clinical Legal Education.
COVID-19: Legal Fact Sheet for Migrant Workers (2020)
Infographic in 6 languages created with the assistance of NUS Law students working under the NUS Centre for Pro Bono and Clinical Legal Education.
IP Arts Infopack (2020)
Manual produced by the Intellectual Property Students' Association (NUS Law), and supported by IPOS and NUS Centre for the Arts. Seeks to equip visual and performing arts groups in Singapore with a basic framework for understanding IP protection in Singapore.
Legal Help and Support
The SG Courts website provides information on how to get help if you have a case in the Singapore Courts, including ways to get legal aid, advice and administrative or emotional support.
Legal Toolkit for Witnesses: With a Focus on Vulnerable Witnesses (2020)
Joint collaboration between the NUS Centre for Pro Bono & Clinical Legal Education, Hagar Singapore Ltd, the State Courts and the Community Justice Centre.
Navigating Muslim Law in Singapore (2017)
Guidebook published by the Syariah Law Forum Organising Committee, NUS Law. Available for reference in the C J Koh Law Library.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Deputyship Applications (2019)
Prepared by NUS Law students and published by the NUS Centre for Pro Bono & Clinical Legal Education. This guidebook is useful to caregivers who are intending to apply for deputyship orders in person. Available for reference in the C J Koh Law Library.
When a Death Occurs: a Guide to Practical Matters (2018)
Published in partnership with Ang Chin Moh Foundation, this is a collaboration between Singapore Hospice Council and volunteer students from NUS Law supervised by Ruby Lee. It covers legal aspects relating to a death, including asset distribution.
