Singapore, 14 July 2022 (Thursday) – The Singapore Management University (SMU) and RHT Legal Training Institute (RHT LTI) will be launching a joint course to prepare candidates for Part A of the Singapore Bar Examinations. It is the first-ever collaboration between an autonomous university and private education institute to offer the Part A Examination preparatory course. It combines and replaces the two preparatory courses formerly offered separately by SMU Law Academy (SMULA) and RHT LTI: the SMULA Part A Examination Preparation Programme and the Part A Bar Course respectively.

A Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony will be held on 21 July 2022, 10am at the SMU Yong Pung How School of Law (YPHSL) to formalise the landmark collaboration between SMU and RHT LTI.

The Part A Singapore Bar Examination is a mandatory conversion examination for graduates from overseas scheduled universities who intend to apply for admission to the Singapore Bar. The 8-week course will cover the five subjects set by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE): Company Law, Criminal Law, Singapore Legal System, Land Law and Evidence Law. Jointly offered by SMU Academy, SMU Law Academy and RHT LTI, the course will incorporate both academic and practical expertise, allowing participants to establish a well-rounded and solid foundation in preparation for the Part A Examinations. Taught by experienced faculty from YPHSL and legal practitioners from RHT LTI, the programme will provide specialised training to set the next generation of lawyers up for success in the Part A Examinations.

Professor Walter Woon, Dean of RHT LTI and Lee Kong Chian Visiting Professor at SMU YPHSL said, “We are delighted to be cooperating with SMU to give graduates of the overseas scheduled universities the best training possible for real-life practice and the Bar Exam.” Professor Woon was formerly the Attorney-General of Singapore and founding Dean of the SILE.

Mr Er Kwong Wah, Chairman of RHT LTI and former Permanent Secretary for Education said, “We are proud to be part of this ground-breaking collaboration between a public institution of higher learning and a private education institution. This is a great step forward, fusing private sector know-how with rigorous academic content to give candidates the best of both worlds.”

Mr Jack Lim, Executive Director of SMU Academy said, “It is our mission to contribute to a vibrant continuing education and training ecosystem by providing a wide range of high-quality learning opportunities. This collaboration will be an important addition to SMU Academy’s ever-growing base of partnerships to help candidates from the legal fraternity find the right learning opportunities for their career.”

Associate Professor Darius Chan and Assistant Professor Kenny Chng, Director and Deputy Director of the SMU Law Academy respectively, said, “This collaboration showcases SMU Law Academy’s commitment to work closely with industry partners to deliver structured products that meet the practical needs of our participants. We are confident candidates will benefit from RHT LTI’s expertise and experience.” 

The joint Part A course will commence in August 2022. It is planned to run twice a year, comprising 8 three-hour lessons per subject for a total of 120 contact hours per run. It will be offered online, giving participants more flexibility to attend especially if they are currently studying or working outside of Singapore.

Details of the course are available at: https://www.rhtlti.com/part-a-bar-exam-course/

SMU and RHT LTI will also be collaborating on further legal training courses to meet the multi-faceted demands of the profession and the industry, details of which will be forthcoming.