| K. Shanmugam | |
|---|---|
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 21 May 2011 |
|
| Preceded by | George Yeo |
| Minister for Law | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 May 2008 |
|
| Preceded by | S. Jayakumar |
| Minister for Home Affairs | |
| In office 1 November 2010 – 20 May 2011 |
|
| Preceded by | Wong Kan Seng |
| Succeeded by | Teo Chee Hean |
| Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 21 May 2011 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1959 Singapore |
| Political party | People's Action Party |
| Alma mater | National University of Singapore |
Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam (Tamil: காசிவிஸ்வநாதன் சண்முகம்;, born 1959) better known as "K. Shanmugam", is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he is currently the country's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law. He is a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency.
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A Tamil Indian, Shanmugam was educated at Raffles Institution from 1972 to 1977, before going on to study law at the National University of Singapore where he graduated with a First Class Honours degree in 1984. He was admitted to the Singapore Bar as an Advocate & Solicitor in 1985. He then went into private practice and became a Senior Partner and Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution at the Singapore law firm Allen & Gledhill.
Shanmugam had a successful practice and was consistently recognised in various international publications as one of the top litigation, arbitration and insolvency Counsel in Asia. While he was in private practice, he regularly handled trial work in major corporate, commercial, insolvency disputes for private and public listed companies, major international and Singaporean banking and finaicial institutions, multinational corporations and professional practices.
In 1998, Shanmugam became one of the youngest lawyers to be appointed a Senior Counsel of the Supreme Court of Singapore at the age of 38.
Shanmugam became a Member of Parliament in 1988 when he was elected as a member for the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency. He served as a member of Parliament and continued to practise law until 2008, when he was brought into the Cabinet to replace Professor S Jayakumar as Minister for Law.[1] He was concurrently made the Second Minister for Home Affairs in 2008, and succeeded Wong Kan Seng as the Minister for Home Affairs in 2010.
Following the 2011 general election, Shanmugam relinquished his portfolio as Minister for Home Affairs and was made the Minister for Foreign Affairs, while continuing to serve as Minister for Law.[2]
Shanmugam is currently an MP for the Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Wong Kan Seng |
Minister for Home Affairs 2010-2011 |
Succeeded by Teo Chee Hean |
| Preceded by S. Jayakumar |
Minister for Law 2008–present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by George Yeo |
Minister for Foreign Affairs 2011–present |
Incumbent |
|
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