Justice Valerie Thean to be appointed deputy attorney-general from April 1

Justice Valerie Thean has been appointed as deputy attorney-general from April 1, the Prime Minister's Office said on Monday (March 23).

Justice Thean was appointed judicial commissioner in September 2014 and then Supreme Court judge in September 2017.

She will resign from the office of judge effective March 31, and take on her new appointment the next day, joining deputy attorneys-general Lionel Yee, Tai Wei Shyong and Goh Yihan.

A President's scholar, Justice Thean graduated with first class honours from Cambridge University in 1991, and did her Masters of Law from Harvard Law School in 1995.

She joined the legal service in 1992 and has since held various appointments in the legal fraternity, including as assistant registrar at the Supreme Court, senior state counsel at the Attorney-General's Chambers and deputy secretary of the Ministry of Law. 

Justice Thean was appointed the first presiding judge of the Family Justice Courts on Oct 1, 2014, a position she held concurrently while serving as a judicial commissioner.

In a statement on Monday, Attorney-General Lucien Wong said he is pleased that Justice 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....The Attorney-General's Chambers will benefit greatly from her vast experience, and I look forward to working closely with her," the attorney-general added.

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