Quite commonly, legaltech companies, while starting their journey from local markets, would eventually want to expand to an international level and become global. Managing a business in Asia while being in Europe can be problematic for several reasons well-known to entrepreneurs. To develop a business in a specific region, having an office there would be an excellent idea.
Let us now try to assess how good of a choice Singapore can be for your office in Asia. In this article, I also want to share specific tools and institutions that you should pay attention to. So let’s get straight to the point.
A few words on the general environment first. The process of starting a business in Singapore is already renowned as one of the simplest in the world. In addition to that, Singapore has established an organisation called Enterprise Singapore which can also help with bureaucratic processes and even take you through your visa options. This initiative provides support at various stages of starting and growing a business in Singapore, and is definitely a very helpful one if you are considering Singapore as an option.
The process of starting a business in Singapore is already renowned as one of the simplest in the world
There is another famous initiative which has significantly helped to boost Singapore’s startup ecosystem and is continuing to do so. Startup SG provides access to resources such as funding and network, creating a sense of community at the same time. This project has both technology-related and general programs, which help with businesses in Singapore – do check them out!
Specific to tech industry though, the Spark Programme run by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority works with tech startups and offers them support through a hybrid of grant tools and advice from leading industry community partners, initial reference customers, networking programmes, and more.
But these are all general business support programs run by the Singapore government and its partner institutions. From hereon I will share the key insights into Singapore’s legaltech ecosystem for you to decide whether it suits your plans. To gain a rough understanding of where Singapore is heading in this sphere, I highly recommend paying attention to the Legal Industry Technology & Innovation Roadmap Report introduced by the Ministry of Law. A little spoiler here: the Roadmap shows that Singapore is aiming to become nothing less than a LegalTech Hub of Asia.
If your business in Singapore is somehow related to the legal field, you will inevitably some across the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL). Founded by Singapore Government, the organisation is actively involved in the affairs of the legal industry of various kinds. The initiative notably run by SAL is the Future Law Innovation Programme (FLIP) launched in 2018, which has significantly influenced the adoption and development of new technology among law firms, legal departments, and LegalTech startups in Singapore. This two-year program served as both a platform for idea acceleration and a startup incubator. The programme has certainly had a substantial impact in drawing attention to the legaltech sector in Singapore.
Furthermore, the Law Society of Singapore in collaboration with the Ministry of Law initiated two major funding opportunities. Tech Start for Law announced in 2017 and Tech-celerate for Law initiated in 2019 were both run for two years and aimed to foster the adoption of legal technologies in Singapore’s law practices.
We have to be honest – it seems like Singapore’s official (governmental) involvement in legaltech development has dropped in recent years.
What about now? We have to be honest – it seems like Singapore’s official (governmental) involvement in legaltech development has dropped in recent years. On the one hand, even in the absence of centralised legaltech support from the Ministry of Law, legaltech companies can nevertheless rely on general tech-related programs which continue to operate at a highly effective level – the overall startup and business ecosystem in Singapore remains robust as usual.
On the other hand, I hope that Singapore will soon see another round of active initiatives and ongoing projects in legaltech, allowing the industry to remain within a unified ecosystem. Meanwhile, even in the temporary absence of such initiative (which I believe is the case), Singapore’s legaltech sector is taking an interesting turn. Large law firms such as Clifford Chance and Rajah & Tann (and many more) run their own legaltech centres, while legal technology companies organise events and collaboration opportunities.
Large law firms such as Clifford Chance and Rajah & Tann (and many more) run their own legaltech centres, while legal technology companies organise events and collaboration opportunities.
Education system is no exception – it aims to place Singapore at the forefront of research in the intersection of law and technology. Both Singapore Management University (SMU – Centre for Computational Law) and National University of Singapore (NUS – Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and the Law) have established specialised research centres which greatly respond to the digital era. Furthermore, starting from this academic year, NUS Law has introduced its unique Law and Technology course designed and taught by professor Daniel Seng Kiat Boon. This course allows students to gain technical knowledge needed to understand the relationship between technology and law in various fields such as copyright, virtual assets, data protection and evidence. Apart from being a contribution to the scholarship and research, such developments serve greatly for the purpose of nurturing talent for the industry.
But would it be fair to say that the efforts of the private sector and education system are enough to have a sense of community? Probably not, and there is clearly a need for one. It is difficult to say whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing for you. On the one side, for a foreign company expanding to Asia – you might not immediately find your legaltech family and might need to make an extra effort to eventually create one. On the other side, it means flexibility and pioneering opportunities, which certainly leave bigger room for innovation and disruptive ideas.
So…Is Singapore a Good Home for Your LegalTech Representation in Asia? While the dynamics and directions of legaltech developments in Singapore may change, the general conclusion to be drawn is the following: both governmental and non-governmental institutions are unquestionably open to dialogue, and if you have something to offer, simply do not hesitate to step forward!
Mariam Aroian
Former Research Associate
Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and the Law
(National University of Singapore)
Photo by Jahoo Clouseau
