Philip Jeyaretnam appointed Supreme Court judicial commissioner

SINGAPORE: Mr Philip Jeyaretnam has been appointed as a judicial commissioner of the Supreme Court, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said on Monday (Dec 7), with his one-year term to commence on Jan 4 next year.

Mr Jeyaretnam was appointed by President Halimah Yacob on the advice of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

“Mr Jeyaretnam’s practice in arbitration and litigation has focused on commercial law and construction law,” the PMO said in a press release. “He is widely recognised as a leading expert in arbitration, construction law and litigation in all major legal publications.”

According to the Supreme Court’s website, a judicial commissioner is “appointed to facilitate the disposal of business in the Supreme Court” and “has the powers of a Judge”.

Judicial commissioners are appointed for specific periods of time determined by the president.

READ: New High Court judge, Supreme Court judicial commissioner and deputy Attorney-General appointed

Mr Jeyaretnam read law at the University of Cambridge, and graduated with first-class honours in 1986. He was called to the Singapore Bar in 1988 and became a senior counsel in 2003 at the age of 38 - among the youngest lawyers to receive the appointment.

Mr Jeyaretnam entered private practice in 1988 and is currently the ASEAN CEO and global vice-chair of Dentons Rodyk & Davidson.

Also on Mr Jeyaretnam’s resume is a stint as the president of the Law Society from 2004 to 2007.

Mr Jeyaretnam is the son of the late opposition figure Mr Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam, and the younger brother of Reform Party secretary-general Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam. He is also a published author.

With the addition of Mr Jeyaretnam to its bench, the Supreme Court will now comprise 25 judges - including the chief justice and four judges of appeal - six judicial commissioners, four senior judges and 17 international judges.