H I S T O R Y

Mr Alexander Leathes Donaldson & Mr John Burkinshaw

In 1874, three English Barristers, Alexander Muirhead Aitken, Alexander Leathes Donaldson and John Burkinshaw established the firm of Aitken, Donaldson & Burkinshaw. In 1879, Mr. Aitken retired and the firm came to be known by its present name. Donaldson & Burkinshaw is the oldest established law partnership and one of the premier law firms in Singapore. The founding members of the firm were actively involved and influential in the development of early Singapore's legal framework. In addition to being on numerous public committees that represented the local interest, Mr Aitken also served as Registrar of the Court and as Attorney-General. Mr Burkinshaw served on the Legislative Council, which was the legislative authority of the colony, from 1886 to 1902 with the exception of the interval from 1893 to 1895 when Mr Donaldson sat in his stead. Mr Donaldson was actively involved in setting up the Bar Committee and sat on the first such committee that was elected to office. Mr Donaldson even managed to take time off from the legal fraternity to help set up the Ladies' Lawn Tennis Club in the early 1880s.

Practicing Certificate No 1 of 1874 issued by the Supreme Court of the Straits Settlement, Division of Singapore, admitting John Burkinshaw Esq as an advocate and attorney of the Court.

Boustead Building on Collyer Quay, alongside the Singapore River - the first office premises of Donaldson & Burkinshaw This watercolour is part of a Graham Byfield series on historic buildings in Singapore commissioned by Donaldson & Burkinshaw to celebrate its 118th Anniversary in 1992

When Singapore was part of the Federation of Malaya, the firm used to have offices in Singapore; Malaysia at Johore and Kuala Lumpur; and Sabah at Jesselton (now known as Kota Kinabalu) and Sandakan. After Singapore gained independence, the Malaysian promulgation of the Emergency (Essential Powers) Ordinance No. 30 of 1970 prohibited lawyers who were neither Malaysian citizens nor permanent residents from practising in West Malaysia. Since then, the firm has continued its practice from its Singapore office.

The firm carries on the practice of Advocates and Solicitors, Notaries Public, Commissioners for Oaths, and Intellectual Property Agents in Singapore.