Brenndon Keith Soh
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Law Society (SLS) intends to implement the Continuing Professional Development Rules to ensure that there is an annual minimum mandatory requirement for lawyers to undertake and improve their knowledge, skills and experience.
President of the statutory body and regulator of the legal profession in Sabah, Brenndon Keith Soh, said the rationale is to not only maintain but to enhance a lawyer’s expertise, professionalism and competency.
“The law continues to evolve and therefore our lawyers must be kept up to date with the latest development of legislation, both at State and Federal level,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He said the legal profession must strive for the highest standards to meet the expectations of the community.
Furthermore, he said the SLS intends to make rules concerning professional indemnity for all lawyers and ensure that there is a minimum insurance coverage for every lawyer in Sabah.
“It is perceived that this will provide financial protection and security for both the lawyer and the client,” he added.
In addition, Brenndon said last month the SLS was requested to appear and provide its views to the Committee on Institutional Reform. Among others, it was observed that the Pakatan Harapan manifesto includes an undertaking to review and monitor the fair implementation of the Malaysia Agreement 63 (MA63).
“As a result, there is now an intention to establish a committee between all the three Bars in Malaysia, namely the SLS, Advocates Association of Sarawak and the Bar Council in Peninsula Malaysia with a view to providing a common policy position on MA63,” he said.
The three Bars of Malaysia will be meeting in Kota Kinabalu on July 27 to discuss this as well as other national issues affecting the legal profession, he added.
Brenndon was elected unopposed as the president of SLS during its annual general meeting on June 30.
Also elected unopposed was assistant secretary Song Wei Wan.
Those elected were Roger Chin – Vice President, secretary – Mohamed Nazim Maduarin
treasurer – Ryan Soo and committee Members – Wendy Lee, Marianne Ghani, Chong Kian Ming, Dominic Ghani, Chan Wai Ling and Alice Lim.
The SLS’s objects include upholding the cause of justice without regard to its own interest or that of its members, uninfluenced by fear or favour; to facilitate the acquisition and dissemination of legal knowledge by members of the legal profession; to assist the government and the courts in all matters affecting legislation and the administration and practice of the law in Sabah; to protect and assist the public in all matters and if necessary to voice or express opinion relating, ancillary or incidental to, the law and to promote a system of legal advice and aid to deserving persons.