Bar Council out of touch with members, say lawyers
The growing disconnect among lawyers with the Bar Council, coupled with the continued usage of a postal voting system, led to the record low turnout in the recent Bar election for the 2026-2027 term, say lawyers.
Rajsurian Pillai, Goh Cia Yee and Vince Tan told FMT that many lawyers feel increasingly disconnected from the Bar’s work and are unsure their participation will lead to significant changes in their work culture.
Rajsurian said that many members feel that Bar Council elections do not lead to tangible changes in practice conditions, court delays or regulatory burdens.
He said the council’s limited engagement with members also discourages them from feeling personally invested.
“Members are more likely to vote when they feel valued, heard and supported. When engagement occurs only over administrative matters,…
