The Wealth Management Institute (WMI) and the Law Society of Singapore have launched a major multi-year training initiative to equip Singapore’s 6,500 practising lawyers with specialised skills in family office advisory. The partnership, formalised on 26 September 2025, responds to the rapidly expanding family office landscape in Singapore and the rising demand for sophisticated legal expertise in wealth management.
Singapore’s family office sector has grown exponentially, with single-family offices surpassing 2,000 by the end of 2024—over five times the number recorded five years ago. This mirrors the nation’s broader wealth management momentum, with assets under management (AUM) rising 12.2% year-on-year in 2024 to exceed SGD 6 trillion. As ultra-high-net-worth families increasingly require support on complex cross-border structuring, regulatory compliance, governance and succession planning, the need for formally trained legal advisors has intensified.
Starting in 2026, WMI will introduce Foundation and Advanced certification programmes covering family office governance, succession planning, operations, AML/CFT compliance, ESG considerations and international tax. The programmes will be delivered by WMI’s established faculty network and guided by an Expert Panel with Law Society representation to ensure practical relevance.
Law Society President Lisa Sam emphasised that the collaboration strengthens the legal profession’s alignment with Singapore’s growing wealth management ecosystem, while WMI CEO Foo Mee Har highlighted the critical role lawyers play in safeguarding governance, navigating cross-border complexities and supporting long-term family interests.
The certification will be accredited by the Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore (IBF), making it eligible for IBF-STS and SkillsFuture funding. It also supports the profession’s continuing professional education requirements under the Mandatory Ethics Component framework.
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