Re Monisha Devaraj and other matters: Rescission of Redaction and Sealing Orders for Advocate and Solicitor Admissions
In the General Division of the High Court of Singapore, Choo Han Teck J. allowed the Attorney-General's application to rescind the redaction and sealing orders in the matter of the admission of Monisha Devaraj, Kushal Atul Shah, Sreeraam Ravenderan, Kuek Yi Ting, Lynn, Chow Jun Feng, Matthew, and Wong Choong Yoong, Lionel as advocates and solicitors. The court held that it is better for the applicants to face publicity than to hide from it.
1. Case Overview
1.1 Court
General Division of the High Court1.2 Outcome
Attorney-General’s application to rescind the redaction and sealing orders allowed.
1.3 Case Type
Others (Admission of Advocates and Solicitors)
1.4 Judgment Type
Ex Tempore Judgment
1.5 Jurisdiction
Singapore
1.6 Description
The High Court allowed the Attorney-General's application to rescind redaction and sealing orders, requiring applicants for advocate and solicitor admissions to face publicity.
1.7 Decision Date
2. Parties and Outcomes
| Party Name | Role | Type | Outcome | Outcome Type | Counsels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney-General | Applicant | Government Agency | Won | Won | Lim Toh Han of Attorney-General’s Chambers Jeyendran Jeyapal of Attorney-General’s Chambers Rebecca Soh of Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Law Society of Singapore | Other | Statutory Board | Neutral | Neutral | |
| Monisha Devaraj | Applicant | Individual | Neutral | Neutral | |
| Kushal Atul Shah | Applicant | Individual | Neutral | Neutral | |
| Sreeraam Ravenderan | Applicant | Individual | Neutral | Neutral | |
| Kuek Yi Ting, Lynn | Applicant | Individual | Neutral | Neutral | |
| Chow Jun Feng, Matthew | Applicant | Individual | Neutral | Neutral | |
| Wong Choong Yoong, Lionel | Applicant | Individual | Neutral | Neutral |
3. Judges
| Judge Name | Title | Delivered Judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Choo Han Teck | Judge of the High Court | Yes |
4. Counsels
| Counsel Name | Organization |
|---|---|
| Lim Toh Han | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Jeyendran Jeyapal | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Rebecca Soh | Attorney-General’s Chambers |
| Andrew Chua Ruiming | Drew & Napier LLC |
| Davis Tan Yong Chuan | Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP |
| Chia Boon Teck | Chia Wong Chambers LLC |
| Lalita Chelliah | Mathew Chew & Chelliah |
| Cheryl Ng | Trident Law Corporation |
4. Facts
- The Attorney-General applied to rescind the redaction and sealing orders.
- The applicants' identities generated public interest.
- The Law Society has a responsibility to help the applicants.
5. Formal Citations
- Re Monisha Devaraj and other matters, , [2022] SGHC 93
- Monisha Devaraj, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 14 of 2022, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 14 of 2022
- Kushal Atul Shah, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 22 of 2022, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 22 of 2022
- Sreeraam Ravenderan, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 23 of 2022, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 23 of 2022
- Kuek Yi Ting, Lynn, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 27 of 2022, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 27 of 2022
- Chow Jun Feng, Matthew, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 29 of 2022, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 29 of 2022
- Wong Choong Yoong, Lionel, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 30 of 2022, Admission of Advocates and Solicitors No 30 of 2022
6. Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Judgment delivered |
7. Legal Issues
- Rescission of Redaction and Sealing Orders
- Outcome: The court allowed the Attorney-General's application to rescind the redaction and sealing orders.
- Category: Procedural
8. Remedies Sought
- No remedies sought
9. Cause of Actions
- No cause of actions
10. Practice Areas
- Regulatory Law
11. Industries
- Legal Services
12. Cited Cases
| Case Name | Court | Affirmed | Citation | Jurisdiction | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No cited cases | |||||
13. Applicable Rules
| Rule Name |
|---|
| No applicable rules |
14. Applicable Statutes
| Statute Name | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Legal Profession Act 1966 Section 12 | Singapore |
15. Key Terms and Keywords
15.1 Key Terms
- Redaction
- Sealing orders
- Admission of Advocates and Solicitors
- Second chances
- Publicity
15.2 Keywords
- Admission
- Advocates
- Solicitors
- Redaction
- Sealing Orders
17. Areas of Law
| Area Name | Relevance Score |
|---|---|
| Admission to the Bar | 95 |
| Legal Profession Act | 95 |
| Disciplinary Proceedings | 50 |
16. Subjects
- Legal Profession
- Civil Procedure