LAW@CDC 2025 Launches Access to Justice Community Co-Lab to Co-Create Community Legal Solutions
SINGAPORE, 20 September 2025 – Law Awareness Weeks @ CDC (LAW@CDC) 2025 celebrates Singapore’s 60th year of nationhood with a revitalised programme themed “Let’s Connect, Contribute and Care for our Community”. A collaboration of over a decade between the five Community Development Councils (CDCs) and Pro Bono SG (PBSG), this flagship initiative continues its mission to make legal knowledge accessible and relevant. LAW@CDC highlights the CDCs’ commitment to building Learning and Inclusive communities while supporting the national agenda on Access to Justice, a key pillar of Singapore’s Rule of Law.
The programme was launched on Saturday, 20 September 2025, at Bidadari Community Club by Minister Edwin Tong, Minister for Law, Second Minister for Home Affairs, and Deputy Chairman of the People’s Association, together with the Mayors and representative of the CDCs—Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry & Culture, Community and Youth, Chairman of the Mayors’ Committee, and Mayor of South West District; Mr Baey Yam Keng, Mayor of North East District; Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng, Mayor of Central Singapore District; Mr Alex Yam, Mayor of North West District; and Ms Tin Pei Ling, Vice Chairman of South East CDC.
New in 2025, LAW@CDC launches the Access to Justice Community CoLab, a platform to co-create innovative solutions that addresses community needs in legal awareness. The Access to Justice Community Co-Lab brings together students from Singapore’s three Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) — National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore Management University (SMU), and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) — with members of the wider legal fraternity.
The Co-Lab gives students the opportunity to work directly on community challenges, developing practical solutions that enhance legal literacy and improve access to justice. Solutions can take many forms — from technologybased initiatives to physical engagement programmes — to encourage creativity and flexible approaches to meeting community needs.
Open to current students from various faculties, including law and social work, the Co-Lab will involve teams of four, each guided by an experienced legal mentor. Participants will move through several stages — learning journeys to understand community needs, ideation and prototyping, and finally showcasing their solutions at LAW@CDC 2026.
Since its inception in 2015, LAW@CDC has reached over 18,000 participants through over 370 legal talks and webinars by PBSG’s lawyers and volunteers, equipping residents with essential legal knowledge to tackle daily challenges with confidence. Covering issues from neighbour disputes and family matters to advance legal planning, LAW@CDC has made legal knowledge accessible, fostering stronger, more resilient communities.
The strength of LAW@CDC lies in its robust network of partnerships spanning the legal profession and community sector, including PBSG, three Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) such as the NUS, SMU, SUSS, alongside with professional bodies such as the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association (SCCA), and Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW).
Over the past decade, LAW@CDC has engaged more than 360 passionate lawyers and volunteers to step beyond their traditional roles to become educators and advocates for community empowerment. Through Community Legal Clinics and other initiatives spearheaded by PBSG, volunteer lawyers have demystified complex legal concepts and supported residents in addressing their legal needs. Beyond legal volunteers, the CDCs have activated a broad network of volunteers from various sectors, harnessing their time, talent, and resources to uplift communities. By engaging extensively with public, private, and people sectors through 3P partnerships, the CDCs effectively mobilise and connect volunteers where they are needed most, strengthening community support and fostering a culture of giving back.
At the launch, Minister Tong delivered an insightful speech on the evolution of Singapore’s Rule of Law. He was joined by Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng, Mayor of Central Singapore District, and Mr Dinesh Dhillon, Chairman of PBSG, who also shared their perspectives in their addresses on the role of CDCs in addressing community needs by connecting them with legal resources and the legal fraternity’s commitment to supporting vulnerable communities respectively.
Mr Alex Yeo, Grassroots Adviser to Potong Pasir Grassroots Organisations, also kicked off the inaugural Community Law talk for residents on Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), Wills and End of Life Matters after the launch event.
From 22 September to 30 October 2025, residents can look forward to a rich line-up of legal talks conducted in person and online. Volunteer lawyers and experts will cover topics such as neighbour relations, workplace rights and inclusion, digital responsibility, protections against family violence and online harassment, community action tools, animal welfare, and scam prevention. Residents are encouraged to register early at go.gov.sg/LAW-CDC to participate and empower themselves with relevant legal knowledge.