Court orders lawyer Samuel Seow to be struck off for abusing employees in 2018

SINGAPORE: A court on Wednesday (May perhaps 18) ordered amusement lawyer Samuel Seow Theng Beng to be struck off the roll of advocates and solicitors for bodily and verbally abusing his staff in 2018.

Delivering the judgment on behalf of the Court of A few Judges, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon explained there was due result in for disciplinary action against Seow.

“It is simple that a realistic man or woman would, with out hesitation, say that as a solicitor he should not have done what he has performed,” reported the Chief Justice.

“His misconduct brings him discredit as a law firm and delivers discredit to the legal occupation as a total.”

The choice to strike off Seow, who has been a attorney for about 20 decades, came soon after the Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) in February urged the courtroom to make such an get.

Seow had pleaded guilty to 8 costs brought in opposition to him by LawSoc for bodily and verbally abusing a few of his workforce in March and April 2018.

At the time, he was the managing director of Samuel Seow Legislation Corporation and also owned a talent administration enterprise regarded as Beam Artistes.

Footage of an incident at Seow’s then-law agency in South Bridge Street on Apr 17, 2018, went viral immediately after it was leaked on the internet.

It showed Seow reprimanding Beam Artistes gatherings executive Rachel Kang Pei Shan, ahead of forcefully poking her forehead with his finger. He then pushed a file Ms Kang was holding, triggering her to stagger back.

After this, he began questioning his niece, Brenda Kong Shin Ying, who was operating for him at the time, about wherever yet another employee was.

In the ensuing fracas, he pushed Ms Kong when a further personnel tried using to restrain him. Seow then broke cost-free and slapped his niece numerous times on her cheeks and head.

He later turned on employee Serene Tan, who intervened to pull him absent. He shouted “you halt it” even though hitting Ms Tan on her arm.

An audio recording of Seow’s assault from Ms Kong was captured on her mobile phone, and a online video of the assault was uploaded on YouTube a 12 months right after the incident.

On other events, Seow also screamed at Ms Kang and threw files, containers and a metal stapler at her, even threatening to destroy her on a person celebration.

He faces pending prison costs in the Point out Courts about the exact incidents of office abuse.

LawSoc mentioned in reaction to queries from CNA that it expects each of its members to act with honour and integrity at all moments.

“This involves, not just how attorneys behave in court docket, but also how they behave to their colleagues and to subordinates at the business,” claimed LawSoc.

“Senior lawyers, in distinct, hold positions of authority, and must show a better degree of decorum and professionalism,” it additional.

LawSoc also explained that in abusing his personnel, Seow fell limited of the “substantial criteria that the profession holds expensive”.

“His misconduct discredits him, and discredits the occupation. So very long as he continues to be a member of the occupation, it proceeds to undermine the standing of the profession. That is why the Regulation Culture took the action that it did.

“Everyone who performs in a legislation company have to sense secure. There will have to be a lifestyle that encourages mental wellness and protection. The Law Society will proceed to promote these values as a matter of priority.”

Striking-OFF Buy

In Wednesday’s ruling, the Court of A few Judges claimed that in scenarios of misconduct not involving dishonesty or conflicts of fascination, there were being two thoughts to think about when determining if a striking-off order was warranted.

Very first, the court must look at irrespective of whether the misconduct factors to any character problems earning the lawyer unfit to be a member of the legal job.

Second, the court must take into account whether the lawyer has brought about grave dishonour to the standing of the legal career.

The court found that both thoughts ended up answered in the affirmative in Seow’s case.

Seow’s perform “evinced this sort of volatility and lack of self-management that it detracts from his means to discharge his expert capabilities”, said Main Justice Menon.

“His conduct was egregious, involving each protracted occasions of bodily and verbal abuse … and severe threats.”

He also reported that the “brief succession” of eight circumstances of misconduct in just about a thirty day period reflected a sustained pattern of offensive conduct.

This was considered to be an aggravating element, together with Seow’s situation of authority over his personnel.

The judges observed that the leaked footage showed that abusive language and “really unruly” conduct had been included.

They also pointed out witness testimony that Seow was “a temperamental gentleman who was inclined to bouts of excessive emotion”, and that shouting and screaming were standard occurrences.

The judgment put constrained excess weight on Seow’s statements of remorse, noting that he at first downplayed his misconduct till the leaked online video footage emerged on the web.

It also identified that there was tiny proof to guidance Seow’s argument that he endured from adjustment problem at the time and that this contributed to his actions.

“We are therefore contented that the respondent’s conduct demonstrates a character defect rendering the solicitor unfit to be a member of the lawful profession,” said the Main Justice.

The Courtroom of Three Judges is the best disciplinary overall body to deal with lawyers’ misconduct. The panel for Seow’s scenario comprised Main Justice Menon, Justice Steven Chong and Justice Andrew Phang.