A third law school is in the pipeline to address the “critical shortage” of lawyers practising community law. Law Minister K. Shanmugam said at a press conference yesterday that the new law school will provide a five-year part-time degree programme and is expected to come on board “quite soon”. The new school will provide “alternate pathways” for those looking for a career change and those who take external law degrees, he added. The projected initial intake of 75 students will help boost the overall supply of lawyers by almost 17 per cent. The committee has also recommended that SMU's law intake increases from 120 to 180 over the next three years. NUS will keep its intake at 240 because it is already operating at an optimum capacity. Prospective students for the third law school must also be able to meet the minimum requirements for admission to the Singapore Bar.