SINGAPORE – The President has appointed Justice Valerie Thean as deputy attorney-general for a two-year term beginning April 1, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office. She will resign from the Supreme Court on March 31 to assume the new role at the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
Justice Thean will join the current team of deputy attorneys-general – Mr Lionel Yee, Mr Tai Wei Shyong and Mr Goh Yihan – supporting the Attorney-General in leading Singapore’s state legal service. The appointment is made under Singapore’s Constitution, which provides for the Attorney-General and deputy attorneys-general as key public officers responsible for exercising prosecutorial powers and advising the Government on legal matters through the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
“The government thanks Justice Thean for her significant contributions during her time with the judiciary,” said the PMO.
Two-year appointment and transition to the Attorney-General’s Chambers
Thean’s appointment places a sitting Supreme Court judge into the executive legal leadership of the state for a defined two-year period starting April 1, underscoring the practice of rotating experienced members of the Bench and legal service into senior public law roles. The DAG cohort is responsible for assisting the Attorney-General in supervising prosecutions, providing authoritative legal advice on high-stakes policy and governance questions, and representing the state in complex litigation.
The Attorney-General, Mr Lucien Wong, welcomed the appointment and highlighted her breadth of experience across the legal service and the bench.
Attorney-General Mr Lucien Wong said: “I am pleased that Justice Valerie Thean will be taking on the appointment of deputy attorney-general. She has a deep and comprehensive understanding of Singapore’s legal system, having served in multiple roles across the legal service and the judiciary.
“In particular, she is recognised for her contributions to family law and juvenile justice. Beyond the courtroom, she actively engages professionals in legal education and discourse, enriching the broader legal community.
“The Attorney-General’s Chambers will benefit greatly from her vast experience, and I look forward to working closely with her.”
Her move comes at a time when Singapore continues to see a steady pipeline of complex cases in areas such as family justice, public international law and commercial disputes, and when Government agencies are increasingly seeking early legal input on policy design and regulatory changes.
Career across the bench and public service
Justice Thean’s public service and judicial roles span multiple institutions and portfolios, including the courts, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, and the Ministry of Law. Key milestones include:
- 1988: Awarded the President’s Scholarship.
- 1991: Graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours).
- 1992: Entered the Singapore Legal Service as a justice’s law clerk.
- 1995: Earned a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School.
- Held roles including assistant registrar at the Supreme Court; senior state counsel at the Attorney-General’s Chambers; deputy secretary at the Ministry of Law; and senior district judge of the family and juvenile justice division of the State Courts.
- October 2014: Appointed the first presiding judge of the Family Justice Courts, concurrently serving as a judicial commissioner of the Supreme Court (appointed September 2014), where she helped shape Singapore’s specialist framework for family and youth-related disputes.
- September 2017: Appointed judge of the Supreme Court.
- March 31: Scheduled to resign from the judiciary ahead of her transition to the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
She has also contributed to legal education as an adjunct associate professor at the National University of Singapore, teaching arbitration, and has been involved in professional training initiatives that bridge the courts, the bar and government lawyers.
What the Deputy Attorney-General role entails
Deputy attorneys-general assist the Attorney-General in the leadership of the Attorney-General’s Chambers, which serves as the Government’s principal legal adviser and conducts criminal prosecutions in the name of the state. Within Singapore’s system, the Attorney-General functions as the Public Prosecutor, and DAGs exercise delegated authority in that capacity, working with law enforcement agencies on charging decisions and prosecutorial policy.
DAGs typically oversee workstreams spanning criminal and civil matters, public law advice, legislative drafting, and other state litigation and advisory functions, in line with the Attorney-General’s overall responsibilities. The Chambers’ legal advice informs the design and implementation of legislation, regulatory frameworks and major public-sector projects.
Justice Thean’s two-year term as deputy attorney-general begins on April 1, following her resignation from the Supreme Court effective March 31. Her appointment reinforces the continued integration of judicial experience into the leadership of Singapore’s legal service, at the intersection of the courts, policymaking and public administration.
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