A Singapore lawyer has been struck off the rolls after being found guilty of lying to police following a drink-driving accident in Bukit Panjang, bringing an end to disciplinary proceedings arising from the incident.
Steven John Lam Kuet Keng, 56, was removed from the legal profession on 9 July 2026 after the Court of Three Judges determined there were no grounds to depart from the usual penalty imposed in cases involving dishonesty.
Lam had previously been sentenced in November 2025 to eight weeks’ jail, fined S$18,000 and disqualified from driving for six years after pleading guilty to multiple offences, including drink driving, careless driving and providing false information to a public servant.
The disciplinary action followed his criminal conviction, which triggered proceedings under the Legal Profession Act due to the dishonest nature of his conduct.
Court Finds No Reason To Avoid Striking Off
The case was heard by the Court of Three Judges, Singapore’s highest disciplinary tribunal for lawyers, comprising Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Justice Ang Cheng Hock and Justice Hri Kumar Nair.
The Law Society argued that striking off was necessary to maintain public confidence in the legal profession and uphold standards of integrity.
While Lam’s legal team highlighted his remorse and long history of volunteer work, including involvement in legal clinics and community service, the court ultimately ruled that the seriousness of the misconduct warranted the profession’s most severe disciplinary sanction.
The judges acknowledged Lam’s contributions to public service and noted that these factors could be considered in the future should he seek reinstatement to the Bar.
However, they concluded that there was insufficient justification to depart from the presumptive punishment in cases involving dishonesty.
Crash Followed Drinking Session
The incident took place in the early hours of 7 April 2024 after Lam attended a gathering at a friend’s home.
Court documents showed that he had consumed several cans of beer before deciding to drive home.
While travelling along Bukit Panjang Road, he lost control of his vehicle, mounted a road divider and crashed into multiple sections of central guard railings.
Following the collision, Lam allegedly attempted to leave the scene by hailing a taxi but was stopped by members of the public who witnessed the accident.
Investigations later revealed that he twice provided false information to traffic police officers, claiming that an unidentified friend had been driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Breathalyser tests conducted after the incident showed that the alcohol level in his breath exceeded the legal limit.
Previously Convicted Of Drink Driving
The court also noted that Lam had a previous drink-driving conviction dating back to 2006.
At the time of the offences, he was serving as a co-founder and director of Templars Law and had been appointed as a Justice of the Peace in 2023.
Following his conviction, proceedings were initiated to revoke that appointment.
Lam was admitted to the Singapore Bar in 1996 but does not currently hold a practising certificate.
The case serves as a reminder that members of the legal profession are held to particularly high standards of honesty and integrity, both in their professional and personal conduct.
Top photos from Templars Law LLC website and Shin Min Daily News