SINGAPORE, 7 November 2025 — Duane Morris & Selvam LLP is proud to announce that our Managing Director, Mrs. Arfat Selvam, has been awarded with the prestigious Annual International Bar Association (IBA) Pro Bono Award 2025 by the Pro Bono Committee at the Annual Conference of the IBA in Toronto, Canada held on 2-7th November 2025.
Every year, the IBA Pro Bono Award recognises lawyers who demonstrate outstanding commitment to providing free legal services, take innovative approaches to pro bono work, and create significant impact for individuals, communities, or the provision of pro bono services more broadly.
Mrs. Selvam was honoured with the Annual IBA Pro Bono Award 2025 in recognition of her dedication to pro bono service and her tireless efforts to expand access to justice in Singapore.
In her acceptance speech and video, Mrs. Selvam shared:
“Pro Bono is the soul of the profession. It gives opportunity to every lawyer to embrace the work not for profit, but for justice; and to ensure that access to the law is available to all who need it, regardless of the circumstances. The world today is a challenging place. But, we are capable of meeting that challenge, and we should do it. This award, to me is a renewed commitment for me to continue this work for positive change.”
In 2017, Mrs. Selvam was appointed as a Law Society Pro Bono (now Pro Bono SG) Ambassador for 2017/2018, the highest accolade awarded by the Law Society of Singapore in recognition of her outstanding track record in pro bono service. She served as a Director of Pro Bono SG until stepping down in March 2025, continuing to support its mission with the same heartfelt dedication that has defined her career beyond the boardroom.
A highly respected corporate lawyer with over 50 years of experience, Mrs. Selvam advises on complex matters involving mergers, acquisitions, takeovers, and capital markets. Balancing her role as Managing Director of Duane Morris & Selvam LLP with her long-standing commitment to pro bono work, she exemplifies how excellence in corporate practice can be pursued alongside compassion and service to the community, setting a powerful example for the next generation of lawyers.
A well-deserved, heart-earned reward – Congratulations once again, Mrs. Selvam!
About Duane Morris & Selvam LLP
Duane Morris & Selvam LLP is the joint law venture between Duane Morris LLP and Selvam LLC, with its headquarters in Singapore. By way of its global platform and extensive range of legal services, the firm helps companies conduct business in and out of Asia, the United States, Latin America, the United Kingdom and beyond. In addition to the excellent skills of its lawyers, clients benefit from the cultural fluency and key relationships that the firm has developed over many years of practising law throughout the region. The firm has a presence in the key markets of Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Yangon, as well as an office in Shanghai. Supporting these regional offices, the firm operates a series of country desks for India, Indonesia, Korea and Japan. It is regularly ranked among the region’s leading law firms by Chambers & Partners, The Legal 500 and IFLR1000.