Singapore’s Ministry of Law (MinLaw) has announced that foreign law firms will be able to apply for Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licences between July 1 and August 31. This is the second time that such licences are being issued.

As part of efforts to liberalise legal services in Singapore in order to make the city-state a “vibrant legal hub”, MinLaw is issuing these QFLP licences, which allow foreign firms to practise permitted areas of Singapore law.

The first set of licences issued in December 2008 were granted to six firms, namely Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Latham & Watkins, White & Case, Norton Rose, and Herbert Smith. A Channel News Asia report earlier this month said a number of foreign firms in Singapore were considering applying for the second batch of QFLP licences, including Jones Day and Watson Farley Williams.

There will not be any cap on the number of licences granted this year. “The number of licences to be awarded will depend on the quality of applications received for the second round of the QFLP exercise,” said a MinLaw spokesperson in an e-mailed statement. ALB

Ranajit Dam is Southeast Asia Editor at ALB. Follow him on Twitter: @RanajitDam_ALB.

Other related stories:

• Jones Day advises on $1.125 bln oil exploration deal
• Indonesia 'set to cap bank owners' stakes'