Community Law Training Programme Modules

Divorce matters often present at the community level before proceedings begin, when clients are navigating legal uncertainty alongside safety, financial and family concerns.

This module focuses on the early-stage decision-making required when advising clients on divorce in a community, pro bono or low-bono setting. Through a practical, practitioner-led approach, the session examines how to assess jurisdiction, identify suitable grounds for divorce, manage service and interim issues, and address broader client needs that commonly arise at intake.

The session also explores client management considerations specific to pro bono and low-bono practice, including scope, expectations, and referral pathways, as well as how to recognise and respond to safety concerns and non-legal support needs.

Designed for lawyers and practitioners assisting clients in family law matters, this module equips participants with a clearer framework for triaging divorce cases responsibly and effectively.

• Assess whether a client can — and should — commence divorce proceedings in Singapore
• Identify practical grounds for divorce that are suitable for community-law clients
• Navigate common service challenges, including cases where a spouse cannot be located
• Recognise when interim applications may be urgent, including maintenance and child-related orders
• Manage divorce matters in pro bono and low-bono contexts, including intake, scope and client expectations
• Identify safety risks and determine when protective measures or referrals are necessary
• Navigate legal aid options, social support resources, and language-related challenges in community practice

Children issues are often the most sensitive and urgent aspect of divorce matters, particularly in community, pro bono and low-bono settings where families may face safety concerns, cross-border complexities, or sudden changes to care arrangements.

This module focuses on the key legal and practical considerations when advising clients on child-related issues arising from divorce, including cases involving relocation, transnational families, and potential child abduction or wrongful retention. Using a practitioner-led and community-law focused approach, this module equips participants to identify and manage children issues at an early stage, while keeping the child’s welfare at the centre of decision-making.

• Identify common children issues arising in divorce matters
• Assess and advise on interim and urgent children-related applications
• Navigate issues of care and control, access, and relocation
• Understand the additional challenges faced by transnational families involving foreign parents
• Recognise issues relating to child abduction or wrongful retention, including the relevance of the Hague Convention
• Identify safety concerns and understand when protective measures or referrals may be required
• Manage children issues responsibly in pro bono and low-bono contexts

Financial issues are often the most contentious and anxiety-inducing aspect of divorce, particularly in community, pro bono and low-bono matters where clients may have limited resources, incomplete information, or significant financial power imbalances.

This module focuses on the key legal and practical considerations when advising clients on financial matters arising from divorce, including division of assets and maintenance for spouses and children. Using a practitioner-led and community-law focused approach, this module equips participants to identify financial issues early, assess urgency, and advise clients realistically within the constraints commonly faced in community practice.

The session also examines issues specific to pro bono and low-bono work, including challenges arising from low-income households, single-income families and transnational marriages.

• Identify common financial issues arising in divorce, including division of matrimonial assets and maintenance
• Understand the role of discovery and interrogatories, and the ethical duty of full and frank disclosure
• Navigate spousal maintenance issues, including cases involving a sole breadwinner
• Assess interim maintenance options, including when to proceed by MSS versus summons
• Identify and manage financial issues affecting children, including interim child maintenance
• Understand the challenges faced by transnational families including cases involving trailing spouses and large disparities in financial resources
• Recognise issues specific to pro bono and low-bono clients, including:
  • (a) Dual-income versus single-income family dynamics
  • (b) Absence of a matrimonial home for division
  • (c) Lack of CPF accounts for foreigners
  • (d) Living arrangements for low-income families, including rental housing
• Navigate potential bursaries, financial aid and other support available for children
• Identify common challenges faced by lawyers in pro bono cases at this stage and practical ways to address them

Legal and practical issues often do not end when a divorce is finalised, particularly for community, pro bono and low-bono clients who may continue to face financial, parenting or enforcement challenges after orders are made.

This module focuses on the key issues that arise after divorce proceedings, including appeals, variation of orders, enforcement challenges and post-divorce support. Using a practitioner-led and community-law focused approach, this module equips participants to advise clients realistically on available post-divorce options, assess feasibility in pro bono contexts, and identify appropriate next steps.

The session also examines enforcement and post-divorce challenges faced by transnational families, including cases involving significant financial disparity, as well as the limits of legal intervention and the importance of non-legal support.

• Assess the practicality of appeals for pro bono and low-bono clients
• Identify when variation of orders may be appropriate and feasible
• Understand common enforcement challenges, including cross-border and resource-imbalance issues
• Recognise post-divorce issues faced by transnational families, including cases involving trailing spouses
• Advise clients on available post-divorce legal and non-legal support options
• Navigate counselling programmes and community resources, including Family Service Centres (FSCs)
• Identify common challenges faced by lawyers in pro bono cases at the post-divorce stage and practical ways to address them

Syariah divorce matters raise distinct legal and procedural issues, particularly in community, pro bono and low-bono settings where clients may face language barriers, documentation challenges, or cross-border complexities.

This module focuses on the key issues that arise when assisting clients in Syariah divorce proceedings, including marriages entered into overseas and the resulting need to understand foreign jurisdictions and collate documentation. This module also provides practical procedural guidance on proceedings in the Syariah Court, equipping participants with a clearer understanding of how such matters are navigated in practice.

• Understand key features of Syariah divorce and how it differs from civil divorce
• Navigate common procedures and applications in the Syariah Court
• Identify issues arising from Syariah marriages entered into overseas
• Manage documentation challenges involving foreign jurisdictions
• Recognise language, cultural and access-to-justice issues in Syariah divorce matters
• Manage Syariah divorce cases responsibly in pro bono and low-bono contexts

Invisible disabilities can significantly affect how clients understand, engage with and participate in legal processes, particularly in community and family law matters where issues of capacity, communication and compliance often arise.

This module focuses on how lawyers and practitioners can better recognise and respond to invisible disabilities when assisting clients in community, pro bono and low‑bono settings. Adopting a practical and community‑law focused approach, the session explores how invisible disabilities may present in family and community law cases, and how inclusive, trauma‑informed practices can improve access to justice.

This session is designed for practitioners working in community legal clinics and family law matters involving vulnerable clients.

• Understand what invisible disabilities are and how they may present in community and family law cases
• Recognise when a client’s condition may affect communication, decision-making or engagement with legal processes
• Apply inclusive and trauma-informed approaches in client management
• Understand the importance of appropriate referrals and cross-sector support

Issues relating to mental capacity, wills and probate frequently arise in community and family law practice, particularly where clients are elderly, have special needs, or lack mental capacity due to cognitive or intellectual impairments.

This module focuses on the practical issues encountered when advising clients on mental capacity, estate planning and post-death matters in community, pro bono and low-bono settings. The session covers situations involving persons who lack mental capacity, including deputyship applications, as well as common challenges faced when managing wills and probate matters for vulnerable clients and families.

The module also explores practical approaches to estate administration in community settings, including proportionality concerns, the suitability of different legal pathways, and how practitioners can guide clients and families through available options responsibly.

This session is designed for lawyers and practitioners assisting clients in community legal clinics and family-related matters involving mental capacity, wills or probate issues.

• Recognise mental capacity issues that may affect a client’s ability to give instructions
• Understand common issues involving persons with special needs who lack mental capacity
• Identify when a deputyship application may be required and key considerations involved
• Navigate wills and probate issues commonly encountered in community practice
• Assess appropriate and proportionate options when advising on estate-related matters
• Manage client and family expectations in pro bono and low-bono capacity-related cases
• Identify appropriate referral pathways where legal intervention is not the sole solution

Child Protection Proceedings can be complex, urgent, and deeply impactful. Using a practical overview of how Care and Protection Order applications are handled in the Youth Court, and the role counsel can play in supporting families through the process.

Learn the key stages of proceedings, from first mention to social report hearings, family conferences, contested hearings, and appeals. Gain insight into common court orders, expectations of represented parties, and how legal assistance can help clients navigate emotionally charged situations with clarity and confidence.

• Understand what triggers Child Protection Proceedings and the role of the Child Protective Service
• Navigate the key stages of proceedings, from first mention to social report hearings
• Understand the scope of Care and Protection Orders and their implications for families
• Advise clients on their rights and obligations in child protection matters
• Identify when legal representation is critical and how to support clients in emotionally charged situations

Adoption and guardianship matters often arise in complex family and caregiving situations, particularly in community and pro bono settings where children may be cared for informally, family arrangements are unstable, or caregivers face housing and immigration challenges.

This module focuses on practical issues in adoption and guardianship matters encountered in community and family law practice, including the scope of the court’s wardship jurisdiction. Adopting a community‑law focused approach, the session examines when guardianship may be sought as a practical solution, including situations where caregivers require legal status to access housing or other forms of support.

The module also addresses the difficulties faced in applications involving foreign caregivers or children, including cases where clients have no stable immigration status in Singapore, and how these factors may affect strategy, expectations and outcomes.

This session is designed for lawyers and practitioners assisting clients in community legal clinics and family law matters involving children and caregiving arrangements.

• Understand the difference between adoption, guardianship and wardship
• Identify when guardianship may be an appropriate alternative to adoption
• Understand the role of wardship and when the court’s supervisory jurisdiction may be engaged
• Recognise practical considerations in guardianship applications, including access to public housing and services
• Navigate challenges in cases involving foreign clients or uncertain immigration status
• Manage client expectations and risks in pro bono and low-bono adoption or guardianship matters

Family violence matters often arise in urgent and high-risk circumstances, particularly in community, pro bono and low-bono settings where clients may be unrepresented, traumatised, or fearful of engaging with formal legal processes.

This module focuses on the practical handling of family violence cases, including applications for Personal Protection Orders (PPOs) and the use of remedies under the Protection from Harassment Act (POHA) where appropriate. Adopting a community‑law focused approach, the session examines how to assess risk, advise clients on available protection, and prepare cases responsibly in time‑sensitive situations.

The session also covers evidentiary and advocacy considerations, including gathering and presenting evidence, managing contested hearings, and practical trial techniques commonly encountered in family violence matters.

This session is designed for lawyers and practitioners assisting clients in community legal clinics and family law matters involving family violence or harassment.

• Understand the scope and application of PPOs under the Women’s Charter and remedies under POHA
• Identify when PPOs, POHA orders, or both may be appropriate
• Assess urgency and advise on interim protection measures
• Gather and organise evidence commonly relied on in family violence cases
• Manage contested hearings and apply practical trial techniques
• Navigate the challenges of representing vulnerable clients in pro bono and low-bono family violence matters