In December 2007, the Singapore Government accepted in principle the recommendations of the Committee headed by Justice V K Rajah to comprehensively review the entire legal services sector. The most significant set of proposals made by the Committee concerned the liberalisation of the legal services sector, in particular the creation of the Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) scheme.

Prior to the QFLP scheme, foreign law practices were permitted to practise Singapore law only within a Joint Law Venture through a Singapore law practice. The QFLP scheme allows selected foreign law practices to practise Singapore law in permitted areas of legal practice through Singapore-qualified solicitors employed by them.

The QFLP scheme opened for applications on 14 August 2008 and closed on 9 October 2008. Applications were assessed using a set of selection criteria designed to ensure the QFLP scheme helps to meet the following outcomes:

• Support Singapore's key economic growth areas, such as the financial services sector
• Grow the legal services sector in Singapore
• Attract and retain talent in the legal services sector in Singapore.

On 5 December 2008, the Government announced the award of QFLP licences to the following firms (in alphabetical order):

• Allen & Overy
• Clifford Chance
• Herbert Smith
• Latham & Watkins
• Norton Rose
• White & Case.

The QFLP scheme will be reviewed in due course with a view to further liberalisation of Singapore's legal services sector.