SCCA, GCAI forge Singapore-India in-house counsel partnership

From left: GCAI founding member Shukla Wassan, GCAI co-founder Sanjeev Gemawat, SCCA president Daniel Choo, SCCA Chief Executive Officer Bryan Yeo and Drew & Napier Chairman Jimmy Yim

The Singapore Corporate Counsel Association (SCCA) and the General Counsels’ Association of India (GCAI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration between the in-house legal communities of Singapore and India.

Highlighting the broader significance of the partnership, GCAI co-founder Sanjeev Gemawat said it came at a time of growing economic integration across the region.

“This partnership marks a historic beginning in bringing together the legal communities of India and Singapore at a time when our region is emerging as an increasingly important driver of global trade and commerce,” said Gemawat.

The MoU was signed on 28 August during a GCAI event – entitled India-Singapore Legal Bridge: Enabling Growth, Investment and Effective Dispute Resolution in a Changing Global Economy – held alongside Singapore Convention Week.

“Singapore and India share deep and longstanding ties, and we believe there is tremendous potential in bringing our in-house legal communities even closer together,” said Daniel Choo, president of SCCA.

The partnership will focus on knowledge exchange, professional development and cross-border engagement, with the associations also exploring greater alignment of professional standards for in-house counsel across jurisdictions.

A key initiative under the partnership will be a cross-border immersion programme run by the SCCA Academy, the association’s learning and development arm. It will give local and international students hands-on experience of in-house legal practice and the issues facing legal teams.

The programme will cover areas such as legal technology and artificial intelligence, negotiation and forensic investigations. Students will also learn directly from experienced in-house counsel and industry experts.

Gemawat said the partnership could help build a more integrated legal ecosystem across India, Singapore and the wider region, supporting businesses in cross-border investment and dispute resolution. “We see this as the beginning of a long-term partnership that can contribute meaningfully to the growth and prosperity of the region and its greater contribution to global commerce,” he said.

The event was attended by Manmohan, Justice of the Supreme Court of India; R Venkataramani, attorney general for India; Sudhi Chowdhary, deputy high commissioner of India in Singapore; and Jimmy Yim, chairman of Drew & Napier, along with members of the legal and business communities.