Outgoing Law Society president opens up about an ongoing internal probe, revealing that key details never reached her, despite repeated requests.
Lisa Sam Hui Min, who will stay on as a Law Society council member, posted late on Dec 17 that she repeatedly asked TSMP Law Corporation for written specifics about the allegations, but received nothing.
The Law Society had not answered The Straits Times’ questions about the alleged misconduct and the probe. ST reported on Dec 16 that TSMP Law was hired by the Society’s audit committee in September to investigate workplace misconduct and excessive overseas spending.
In her LinkedIn update, Ms Sam described the process as an independent, confidential review based on anonymous reports and unsubstantiated claims delegated to TSMP Law. She expressed shock that details supposedly kept confidential were shared with the press before she was informed.
The bullying allegations first appeared online in September, triggering the internal investigation.
Ms Sam said she asked TSMP for the actual allegations in writing so she could craft a meaningful written response, but those details were not provided.
She added that it was unfortunate to learn from The Straits Times about what was allegedly under review.
TSMP’s joint managing partner, Senior Counsel Thio Shen Yi, confirmed to ST that a probe was in progress and that a progress report had been submitted to the audit committee, but declined to share further details. ST reports that several current and former employees were interviewed by TSMP from October to December.
Ms Sam noted that some of the anonymous complaints referenced dates before she took office in 2024, and she said she remains puzzled about what progress update could be shared given the lack of written details on the actual allegations.
She also criticized Thio for speaking to the press about a matter he arguably knew was confidential, suggesting it could breach duties to the Audit Committee and the Law Society of Singapore.
Ms Sam will step down at year’s end, making way for Mr Dinesh Singh Dhillon, who is set to become president in 2026.
The Straits Times has reached out to the Law Society and Ms Sam for comment on the allegations and the probe’s status.
— Andrew Wong, The Straits Times
