# Impact of AI Adoption on Junior Lawyer Training Pipelines and Addressing Developmental Gaps Through One-year Practice Training Framework

- Date: 2026-05-05
- Added: 2026-06-09
- Who: Mr Low Wu Yang Andre · Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai
- Source: https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/sprs3topic?reportid=written-answer-23177
- sgai: https://sgai.md/debates/written-answer-23177/
- License: sgai-authored content (summaries, translations, analysis) is CC BY 4.0 — attribute and link to sgai.md. Verbatim source text (Hansard, speeches, transcripts, policy documents) remains © its original rights holders and is reproduced for reference only. Terms: https://github.com/meltflake/sgai/blob/main/DATA-LICENSE.md

## Why it matters

Parliament has already tabled whether AI is depleting the junior lawyer pipeline; the Ministry of Law has yet to provide a systematic assessment of whether one-year training frameworks can fill the gap.

## Summary

Workers' Party NCMP Mr Low Wu Yang Andre asked the Minister for Law in writing whether the Government has assessed the risk that widespread AI adoption in law firms will shrink the routine work — research and drafting — through which junior lawyers have traditionally developed professional judgment, and whether the new one-year practice training framework under the revised admission process is designed specifically to address this risk. Minister for Law Edwin Tong gave no substantive reply, stating that the Ministry of Law would answer this question orally together with other parliamentary questions filed on the same topic at the next available opportunity, and pointed to the consolidated reply "Workload Reduction at Law Firms from AI Use and Guidelines for Such Use" in the Official Report of 6 May 2026. The underlying tension: AI automation is eroding the legal profession's traditional apprenticeship pathway, while the Government's systematic assessment of the training-pipeline gap has yet to be made public.

## Key points

- WP MP asked whether AI is cutting the research and drafting work junior lawyers learn from
- He also asked if the one-year practice training framework specifically targets this risk
- Law Minister Edwin Tong said the question would be answered orally with related questions
- The substantive reply appears in a consolidated answer dated 6 May 2026

## Full text

© Parliament of Singapore — reproduced for reference only.

53 Mr Low Wu Yang Andre asked the Minister for Law (a) whether the Ministry has assessed the risk that widespread AI adoption in law firms will reduce the volume of routine work, such as research and drafting, through which junior lawyers have traditionally developed professional judgment; and (b) whether the new one-year practice training framework under the revised admission process is designed to address this risk specifically.

Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai : The Ministry of Law will provide an oral reply to this Parliamentary Question, together with other Parliamentary Questions which have been filed on this topic at the next available opportunity. [ Please refer to " Workload Reduction at Law Firms from AI Use and Guidelines for Such Use ", Official Report, 6 May 2026, Vol 96, Issue 30, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section. ]