Since Singapore allowed foreign registered lawyers to practice, the interest from those wanting to work in the tiny island state has piqued – and it’s the knowledge foreign lawyers can bring of their home jurisdiction which is proving to be a boon to clients of Singaporean firms. Zachary Ivan Scully, a foreign associate with Colin Ng & Partners who is originally from Malaysia, says that his knowledge of commercial transactions from Malaysia is invaluable to Malaysian clients wanting to do business in Singapore

“It is extremely useful that I am able to compare the Malaysian regulatory regime with that of Singapore’s when advising clients who are interested in listing in Singapore,” said Scully. That understanding can also come from practicing in a civil jurisdiction, as Scully mentioned that lawyers from China, the Philippines and even Romania are currently working with the firm.

Scully moved from Malaysia to Singapore shortly after it was opened to foreign lawyers in July 2009. He said he moved to take advantage of the advancing Singapore economy and work in one of Asia’s ‘hub’ cities. He also said his work as a foreign associate at Colin Ng & Partners has been very hands on so far; however there are some restrictions which practitioners need to be aware of. “For example as a litigator, the biggest disadvantage is not having the right of audience in court. As a commercial lawyer, it would be the inability to advise the client on matters of Singapore law and to sign off on correspondences containing legal advice on matters of Singapore law,” he said.  While the jurisdictions are similar, there are differences in substantive law which mean he cannot provide final advice on questions involving Singapore law.

For those interested in moving to another jurisdiction, Scully said that whether firms are looking for foreign associates in particular depends on their individual strategy. “We are living in a borderless world, dealing with clients from various countries as well as with transactions involving different jurisdictions - it would appear that the firm with relevant regional and global exposure would be the firm that has an edge,” he said.

**Mr Zachary Ivan Scully has since been called to the Singapore Bar and continues to practice as a Senior Associate at Colin Ng & Partners LLP.