Chief Justice warns of AI disruption, training gaps and burnout as new lawyers enter practice.
Addressing newly admitted lawyers on April 20, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon warned that generative AI, heavy workloads and weak mentorship are reshaping how young lawyers learn, work and decide whether to stay in the profession.
AI Disruption And Foundational Skills
Speaking at the first 2026 mass admission session for 129 new practising lawyers, Chief Justice Menon said routine tasks traditionally done by juniors are being reduced, reconfigured or displaced by generative AI, raising concerns about job prospects and training quality as core skills like deep reading, research and drafting risk being outsourced.
Redesigning Training In An AI Era
He asked how workflows can be redesigned so that young lawyers still develop instincts, discipline and professional judgment, noting that if used wisely, AI can expand access to knowledge and free lawyers to focus on more technical and strategic work, provided they are grounded in legal expertise and fluent enough in AI to use it responsibly.
Ethics, Values And Human Judgment
The Chief Justice stressed that AI has no values, conscience or understanding of the human significance of legal judgment, so institutions must place greater weight on cultivating distinctly human qualities such as judgment, ethicality, responsibility, discernment and integrity as technology takes on more routine work.
Retention, Burnout And Workplace Culture
Beyond technology, he flagged long standing challenges of retaining good lawyers, citing a fresh survey in which about one third of newly admitted lawyers indicated they were likely to leave the profession within three years, most often due to excessive workload, poor workplace culture and lack of guidance or mentorship that leave juniors overextended and under supported.
System Wide Initiatives And New Bar Pathway
With 321 practising lawyers called over three sessions under a new two stage admission process that separates non practising and practising status, Chief Justice Menon highlighted efforts by the Singapore Academy of Law, including AI guides with Microsoft, training with IMDA, the Mindful Business Movement, a Junior Lawyers Professional Certification Programme and a structured career guidance scheme that pairs workshops, self help tools and one to one coaching.
Singapore’s legal profession is entering a pivotal phase where AI reshapes daily work and harsh practice conditions push young lawyers toward the exit, even as new pathways and programmes seek to support them. Indonesians and Singaporeans alike can see in this moment how courts, bar bodies and firms must work together to harness technology, preserve rigorous training and build healthier workplaces so that future lawyers remain both skilled and committed to upholding justice.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , CNA (2026)
Keywords: Sundaresh Menon, Generative AI, Junior Lawyers, Bar Admission, Singapore Academy Of Law
