Interviewing with A&G. What are they looking for?

Yes, the Big 4 do recruit associates who previously worked in the Singapore Legal Service. Some partners in the Big 4 are themselves former DPPs.

At some point during your first few years in the Legal Service, you will be sent to do the Singapore Bar Exams to qualify as an advocate and solicitor. This is the same route everyone takes. The only difference is that your work in the Legal Service counts as fulfilling your training requirement in lieu of a Training Contract.

Agc
 

I'm a senior associate in a Big 4 firm. Close to making partner, but for personal reasons I'm considering a move to AGC (civil litigation). Does anyone have any personal experience in making a similar move, and how did you find it?

Friend made similar move. Don't join civil litigation, career progression is almost non-existent for non-scholars. If you want to do civil service, see if you can land an advisory role. That's the bomb if you want work-life balance and good pay.

I studied in SMU and now working in HK in a white shoe firm. One of the options that law graduates in Singapore and elsewhere can consider is working in the North Asia region, especially China (including HK). There are many internship programmes available for law students here in HK. Do try them out. There are many Singaporeans and Malaysians working in the legal sector here. Many settle down here. Surely, there must be good reasons?

All the best to everyone here.

Sorry for my imprecise question - what I actually would like to know is whether Big 4's corporate side will hire qualified Assocs from CCS/ACRA/IPOS/IRAS/MAS/EDB?
If yes, is that common/uncommon practice? Is qualifying through these stat boards seen as an advantage/disadvantage by Big 4 recruiters?

Thanks!

I'm assuming you're a law student because that's quite an alphabet soup of acronyms you've got there and your plans sound very tentative.

Based on your list of stat boards, I think you're referring to secondment postings. Legal Service Officers don't start off their careers in stat boards or ministries. Secondments only happen after an LSO has a couple of years worth of experience at AGC. I'm not sure what you mean by "qualifying through" these stat boards but if you're expecting to be posted to one of those stat boards from Day 1 as an LSO, that's just not happening.

Thanks for your post!

Would you happen to have any advice for junior lawyers planning on making the leap over to HK? What would be the best way of getting a position there? Through recruitment/head hunting firms? Which practice areas are in demand?

:O Another Singaporean lawyer working in HK! Hello there (HK MC trainee here). What department and seniority are you now? How did you end up in HK?

Make sure your Chinese is top notch - Hong Kong does a lot of Sino work, and if your Chinese isn't great (like mine), it can be pretty painful. Cantonese is useful (for mingling with colleagues and getting around) but not necessary.

I'm assuming you're coming as a lateral? I know for my firm, one of the partners was headhunted, and an associate was made an offer when she did a secondment from one of the Big 4.

For law students who want to start as a Hong Kong trainee, the best way is to do a vacation scheme in your penultimate year, and get a training contract on the back of that.

Corporate is probably the most popular. Do note that for litigation, Hong Kong follows the British division of barristers and solicitors, so if you want to do advocacy, look to the chambers instead.

I am guessing that the OP was trying to ask about qualifying for the Bar via the relevant legal officer route. This is a distinct route from the Legal Service Officer route but also 3 years training as well. The idea is to work for some stat board which does both advisory and prosecution work under specific legislations.

Wow this route is one less travelled. I would like to know more as well. Just curious.

But i think all applications are judged on their merits - whether you can add value to the team as associate.