s 29 Privileges of advocates and solicitors
29.—(1) Subject to the provisions of any written law, advocates and solicitors have the exclusive right to appear and plead in all courts of justice in Singapore according to the law in force in those courts; and as between themselves, subject to section 31, have the same rights and privileges without differentiation. (2) Nothing in subsection (1) affects the right which is hereby declared of —(a) the Attorney-General, a Deputy Attorney-General, the Solicitor‑General, State Counsel, Deputy Public Prosecutors and qualified persons appointed temporarily to perform the duties of those persons to appear and plead on behalf of the Government, or on behalf of any statutory board pursuant to section 3(1) or 4(1) of the Attorney‑General (Additional Functions) Act 2014, in those courts; (b) the Public Trustee, the Official Assignee, Assistant Public Trustees and Assistant Official Assignees to appear and plead in those courts under any of the provisions of any law relating to those offices; (c) the Director, a Deputy Director or an Assistant Director of Legal Aid to appear and plead in those courts under the provisions of the Legal Aid and Advice Act 1995 or the International Child Abduction Act 2010; [Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022] (d) a public officer mentioned in section 3(4)(b) of the Legal Aid and Advice Act 1995 to appear and plead in those courts under the provisions of that Act;[25/2014; 41/2014; 50/2018] [Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022] (e) an academic involved in the teaching of law, or a person who was formerly such an academic, to appear and plead in those courts when appointed by those courts as an independent counsel under —(i) the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969* or any Rules of Court made under that Act; or (ii) the Family Justice Act 2014 or any Family Justice Rules made under that Act; [Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022] [Act 23 of 2022 wef 01/12/2022] (f) a person who has special knowledge or experience in any area of law to appear and plead in those courts when appointed by those courts as an independent counsel under —(i) the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1969* or any Rules of Court made under that Act; or (ii) the Family Justice Act 2014 or any Family Justice Rules made under that Act;[Act 25 of 2021 wef 01/04/2022] [Act 23 of 2022 wef 01/12/2022] (fa) a lawyer (NP) who has in force a provisional practising certificate to appear and plead in those courts under the supervision of a solicitor;[Act 37 of 2023 wef 17/07/2024] (g) the Chief Public Defender, a Deputy Chief Public Defender or an Assistant Chief Public Defender to appear and plead in those courts under the provisions of the Public Defenders Act 2022; and[Act 23 of 2022 wef 01/12/2022] (h) a public defender mentioned in section 3(8)(b) of the Public Defenders Act 2022 to appear and plead in those courts under the provisions of that Act.[Act 23 of 2022 wef 01/12/2022] [*Updated to be consistent with the 2020 Revised Edition] (3) Despite subsection (1), an advocate and solicitor who practises in a Joint Law Venture or its constituent foreign law practice, a Qualifying Foreign Law Practice or a licensed foreign law practice is not entitled to practise Singapore law except in accordance with Part 4A and any rules made under section 36M.[40/2014]