Supreme Court Judge Valerie Thean Appointed Deputy Attorney-General

SINGAPORE – Justice Valerie Thean will assume the role of Deputy Attorney-General on April 1, 2026, for a two-year term, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) announced on Monday, March 23, 2026. She will resign from her position as a Judge of the Supreme Court on March 31, 2026, to take on the new appointment.

A Distinguished Legal Career

Justice Thean was first appointed as a Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court on September 30, 2014, and subsequently as a Judge of the Supreme Court on September 30, 2017. The President of Singapore has appointed her to the position of Deputy Attorney-General.

She will join a team of Deputy Attorneys-General that includes Mr. Lionel Yee S.C., Mr. Tai Wei Shyong S.C., and Mr. Goh Yihan S.C.

Educational Background and Early Career

Justice Thean received the President’s Scholarship in 1988 and earned a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) from Downing College, Cambridge University, in 1991. She furthered her education at Harvard Law School, obtaining a Master of Laws in 1995.

She joined the Singapore Legal Service in 1992, beginning her career as a Justices’ Law Clerk. Throughout her career, she has held various key positions within the public service, including Assistant Registrar at the Supreme Court, Senior State Counsel at the Attorney General’s Chambers, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Law, and Senior District Judge of the Family and Juvenile Justice Division of the State Courts.

Contributions to Legal Education and Family Justice

In addition to her judicial and legal service roles, Justice Thean has contributed to legal education as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore Law Faculty, teaching arbitration. She was also the first Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts, a position she held from October 2014 while concurrently serving as a Judicial Commissioner.

Government Recognition

The PMO stated, “The Government thanks Justice Thean for her significant contributions during her time with the judiciary.”

Attorney-General Lucien Wong highlighted Justice Thean’s deep understanding of the Singapore legal system, gained through her diverse roles in the legal service and judiciary, and particularly recognized her contributions to family law and juvenile justice. He expressed confidence that the Attorney-General’s Chambers would benefit from her experience and looked forward to working closely with her.