Message from Managing Partner Jerry Koh on the occasion of Allen & Gledhill’s 120th Anniversary

28 October 2022

Allen & Gledhill celebrates its 120th Anniversary in 2022. I take this opportunity to send this message to all our clients and friends.

Thank you for your support

A&G’s development is closely woven into the tapestry of the Singapore story. As multinational companies made Singapore their regional headquarters, and Singapore’s importance as a global financial hub grew, so did the fortunes of our local economy and enterprises. With this rising tide, A&G was given opportunities to work with extraordinary companies such as yours. Because of you, we have been able to work on landmark deals and complex cases across multiple jurisdictions and industry sectors. As a result, we have grown to become a leading law firm in Singapore and the region. We thank you and are grateful for your support. We will continue to work hard and give our best on your matters.

Giving back and sustainability

Donation to Law Schools

As I reflect on the last 120 years of our Firm’s history, personally, I thank God for the grace shown in our journey. Just as we have been blessed, A&G hopes to give back and contribute to society in meaningful ways. On 6 October 2022, we renewed our pledge to support legal education in Singapore with a S$1 million donation to the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Law, and the Yong Pung How School of Law of the Singapore Management University (SMU) for scholarships and academic support programmes. This affirms our commitment to nurturing talent for our legal community and supporting Singapore’s aspirations to be an innovative legal hub.

A&G in the Community

A&G also runs an active pro bono programme to provide legal assistance to the needy and those with difficulties seeking access to fair justice. Since the pandemic started, our lawyers have contributed more than 10,000 hours of pro bono work. This has benefitted many self-help groups, charities, NGOs and individuals. Under our pro bono programme, we handle a variety of legal matters including criminal and family cases. Many of our lawyers also volunteer actively in the community. They pack and distribute food for hundreds of needy families, organise charity runs to raise funds for low-income families and children with disabilities, mentor kids and youths-at-risk, and more.

To consolidate all these efforts, we have launched “A&G in the Community”. Through this initiative, we will continue to do our part for the community at large. We want to build a culture throughout the Firm of giving back to society, and we have pledged that each of our lawyers will commit a minimum of 24 hours of pro bono work or community service annually. We hope to make an impact directly at the grassroot and community levels to people and organisations that need help.

Sustainability and ESG

Many of our clients and friends take sustainability issues seriously. You have made this an essential part of your business operations and hold vendors accountable in how they manage resources responsibly. A&G understands that we need to “walk the talk” ourselves. That is why A&G became the first law firm in Singapore to be a member of the United Nations Global Compact (“UNGC”). UNGC is the apex body that promotes sustainable and socially responsible practices globally.

A&G also appointed an independent consultant to audit our carbon footprint, and to help us chart our own sustainability roadmap. As a law firm, we have committed to reducing our carbon footprint by 50% by 2030. Working with NParks and the National Environment Agency, we recently undertook activities such as tree-planting at Joo Chiat, beach clean-up at East Coast Park and e-Waste recycling in our office. We also commissioned our own A&G Electric Vehicle to ensure that we make our daily business trips “green”.

Forging ahead together

Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, in announcing the Forward Singapore roadmap, highlighted that as the world continues to be buffeted by geo-political tensions and economic headwinds, Singaporeans and Singapore companies must recognise that it cannot be “business-as-usual”. He said that we must prepare ourselves to face disruptions and adapt swiftly.

At A&G, we are deeply aware that we cannot be complacent nor rest on our laurels. We are watching the business trends out there closely and are adapting our offerings to this fast-changing world. We hope to stand beside you to navigate the uncertainties and challenges ahead. And we will work even harder, stretch ourselves and try to exceed your expectations.

We look forward to forging ahead together with you in the new normal.