Singapore’s Ministry of Law (MinLaw) has established the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA), a body that will handle all licensing matters relating to law practices in the city-state, and also allowed non-lawyers to become partners of firms.

According to a release issued by MinLaw, the LSRA will take over certain regulatory functions previously carried out by the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ Legal Profession Secretariat (in respect of licensing of foreign law practices and foreign law practice collaborations with Singapore law practices, and registration of foreign-qualified lawyers) and the Law Society of Singapore (in respect of various approvals applicable to Singapore law practices).

Law firms can now apply for non-lawyers to become partners, directors or shareholders of their firms, with the shareholding cap set at 25 percent. They can apply to the LSRA to be registered as Regulated Non-Practitioners. MinLaw says that this will “give law practices greater flexibility to attract and retain non-lawyer talent, for example, those with strong management or finance experience, who can add value to the firm’s legal practice.”