Samuel Seow:- The Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) requested the Court of Three Judges on Monday (February 28) to have entertainment lawyer Samuel Seow Theng Beng struck off for physically and verbally abusing his employees in 2018.
The Law Society, represented by Dhillon Dinesh Singh, Alisa Toh, and Loong Tse Chuan, stated that Seow had damaged the legal profession. As a senior lawyer with 19 years of experience at the time, Seow “brings terrible dishonor to the bar,” He went on to say that Seow not only expressed “no remorse” but also lacked integrity in how he portrayed his version of events to the media, with his main concern being “his reputation.”
All three justices who presided over the case on Monday expressed their disapproval with Seow’s actions, with Justice Phang stating that he has “never seen or heard anything like this ever” in his years as a lawyer.
On April 17, 2018, a video of the incident at Seow’s then-law practise along South Bridge Road was posted online and became viral. Seow’s assault on the women initially came to light in 2018, after a 30-minute audio recording of a fight between Seow and his niece went viral. Two videos of the acts of violence were released to the internet a year later.
It captured Seow verbally attacking Rachel Kang Pei Shan, an artiste, and Beam Artistes events executive. Seow slammed his finger into Kang’s forehead and pushed at the files she was carrying. Ms. Kang stumbled back. Following that, he began interrogating his niece, Ms. Brenda Kong Shin Ying, who was working for him at the time, regarding the whereabouts of another employee. He was later caught on camera slapping Kong and assaulting another female employee who attempted to pull him away. Finally, a male employee restrained him.
Mr. Dhillon urged the court to disregard the defense’s psychiatric evidence, which claimed Seow was suffering from adjustment disorder at the time.
Seow consulted a psychiatrist a year after the incident, and the report is “very little assistance” since it didn’t explain what adjustment disorder is or how it contributed to Seow’s behavior, he alleged.
Eugene Thuraisingam, Seow’s lawyer, stated that his client admits that he has fallen short of the law profession’s values and is willing to face the necessary penalties.
He stated that Seow was “stressed” at the time and that he has since taken proactive measures such as continuing to see his psychiatrist and taking his medicine. According to Chief Justice Menon, this narrative did not connect with what Seow did.
Justice Phang then expressed his doubts about whether Mr. Thuraisingam’s words “are genuinely helpful or if they are emblematic of this lack of remorse.” Following his criminal case, the Law Society filed eight accusations against him with a disciplinary tribunal, alleging actions unbecoming of an advocate and solicitor. Seow pled guilty to all eight charges, and his punishment was decided at a Monday hearing.
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