View source for Christopher de Souza

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Short description|Singaporean politician (born 1976)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| honorific_suffix = 
| name             = Christopher de Souza
| image            = [[File:Christopher de souza 1 (cropped).jpg|center|frameless]]
| imagesize        = 
| caption          = Official portrait, 2015
| office1          = [[Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore#List of deputy speakers|Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore]]
| alongside1       = [[Jessica Tan]]
| primeminister1   = [[Lee Hsien Loong]] <br> [[Lawrence Wong]]
| 1blankname1      = Speaker
| 1namedata1       = [[Seah Kian Peng]] <br> (2023–present) <br> [[Tan Chuan-Jin]]<br />(2017–2023)
| term_start1      = 31 August 2020
| term_end1        = 
| predecessor1     = [[Charles Chong]]<br />[[Lim Biow Chuan]]
| successor1       = 
| constituency_MP2 = [[Holland–Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency|Holland–Bukit Timah GRC]]
| term_start2      = 6 May 2006
| term_end2        = 
| predecessor2     = ''Constituency created''
| successor2       = 
| majority2        = {{plainlist|
* 2006: N/A (walkover)
* 2011: 16,367 (20.20%)
* 2015: 31,292 (33.2%)
* 2020: 35,118 (32.72%)
* 2025: 64,174 (58.50%)
}}
| birth_date       = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1976|1|21}}
| birth_place      = [[Singapore]]
| alma_mater       = [[King's College London]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])<br />[[University of Oxford]] ([[Bachelor of Civil Law|BCL]])
| party            = [[People's Action Party]]
| occupation       = {{hlist|Politician|lawyer}}
}}
'''Christopher James de Souza''' (born 21 January 1976) is a Singaporean politician and lawyer who has been serving as [[Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore#List of deputy speakers|Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore]] since 2020. A member of the governing [[People's Action Party]] (PAP), he has been the [[Parliament of Singapore|Member of Parliament]] (MP) representing the Ulu Pandan division of [[Holland–Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency|Holland–Bukit Timah GRC]] since 2006.

A lawyer by profession, de Souza has been working at [[Lee & Lee]] since 2006<ref>[http://www.parliament.gov.sg/mp/christopher-de-souza?viewcv=Christopher%20De%20Souza Christopher de Souza Parliament of Singapore] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320110956/http://www.parliament.gov.sg/mp/christopher-de-souza?viewcv=Christopher%20De%20Souza |date=20 March 2012 }}, accessed on 22 October 2015.</ref><ref>[http://www.leenlee.com.sg/our-people/partners/de-souza-christopher/ Lee & Lee - Partners - Christopher de Souza] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530150540/http://www.leenlee.com.sg/our-people/partners/de-souza-christopher/ |date=30 May 2016 }}, accessed on 22 October 2015.</ref> and had also worked at [[WongPartnership]] between 2011 and 2014. 

Prior to entering politics in the [[2006 Singaporean general election|2006 general election]], he had worked in the [[Singapore Legal Service]].<ref name="Parliament CV" />

==Early life and education==
de Souza was educated at [[St. Joseph's Institution, Singapore#The Lasallian Family|St. Michael's Primary School]], [[St. Joseph's Institution, Singapore|St. Joseph's Institution]] and [[Raffles Junior College]] before graduating from [[King's College London]] in 2000 with a [[Bachelor of Laws]] with first class honours degree. 

He subsequently went on to complete a [[Bachelor of Civil Law]] with distinction degree at the [[University of Oxford]] in 2001 under a scholarship.<ref name="Parliament CV">{{Cite web |title=Member's CV |url=https://www.parliament.gov.sg/docs/default-source/default-document-library/13thparl-cv_-mr-christopher-de-souza.pdf}}</ref>

He had also represented Singapore in [[Field hockey|hockey]] at various tournaments until 2005.<ref name="Parliament CV" /><ref name="leenlee">[http://www.leenlee.com.sg/en/our-people/details.html?tx_smemployeelist_pi1%5BempID%5D=177 Lee & Lee - Partners - Christopher de Souza] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105113723/http://www.leenlee.com.sg/en/our-people/details.html?tx_smemployeelist_pi1%5BempID%5D=177|date=5 January 2015}}, accessed on 31 August 2015.</ref>

== Career ==

=== Public service ===
de Souza started his career in the [[Singapore Legal Service]] in 2002 as a [[Law clerk|Justice's Law Clerk]] to [[Chief Justice of Singapore|Chief Justice]] [[Yong Pung How]]. He served as Deputy Public Prosecutor and State Counsel at the [[Attorney-General of Singapore|Attorney-General's Chambers]] between 2004 and 2005 before becoming a Magistrate at the [[State Courts of Singapore|Subordinate Courts]] and Assistant Registrar at the [[High Court of Singapore|High Court]] between 2005 and 2006.<ref name="pap" /><ref name="Parliament CV" />

=== Legal career ===
de Souza joined Lee & Lee in 2006 as a Senior Associate before he became a Partner in 2008. In 2011, he moved to [[WongPartnership]] as a Partner.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WongPartnership adds lawmaker as partner from Lee & Lee {{!}} Asian Legal Business |url=http://www.legalbusinessonline.com/news/wongpartnership-adds-lawmaker-partner-lee-lee/60251 |access-date=2023-10-21 |website=www.legalbusinessonline.com |language=en}}</ref> In 2015, he left WongPartnership and returned to Lee & Lee as a Partner.<ref name="Parliament CV" />

In 2022, the Disciplinary Tribunal of the [[Law Society of Singapore]] made a finding that de Souza had engaged in professional misconduct by assisting a client in suppression of evidence.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/lawyer-and-mp-christopher-de-souza-found-guilty-of-professional-misconduct-over-clients-suppression-of-evidence |title=Lawyer and MP Christopher de Souza found guilty of professional misconduct, denies charge |last=Lum |first=Selina |date=6 December 2022 |publisher=The Straits Times |access-date=7 December 2022 |quote="We are of the view that the failure to make such full and frank disclosure amounted to suppression of evidence by Amber, and by filing the supporting affidavit, the respondent was a party to and assisted in such suppression"}}</ref> However, this decision was overturned on appeal. On 31 July 2023, the [[Court of Three Judges]] acquitted de Souza, finding no intention on his part to suppress evidence on behalf of his client.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 July 2023 |title=Court of Three Judges acquits MP Christopher de Souza of misconduct as a lawyer |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/mp-christopher-de-souza-lawyer-improper-professional-conduct-acquitted-3665811 |website=CNA |quote=The Court of Three Judges, the legal profession's highest disciplinary body, on Monday (Jul 31) acquitted Member of Parliament Christopher James de Souza of improper professional conduct as a lawyer.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=31 July 2023 |title=Court acquits lawyer and MP Christopher de Souza of professional misconduct charge |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/court-acquits-lawyer-and-mp-christopher-de-souza-of-professional-misconduct-charge |website=The Straits Times |quote=People’s Action Party MP Christopher de Souza was cleared of a charge of professional misconduct as a lawyer on Monday.}}</ref> Subsequently, in November 2023, the Law Society of Singapore was ordered to refund de Souza over S$32,000 in costs, affirming his complete exoneration. Through his lawyers, de Souza expressed that he was 'humbled' by the decision and 'feels fully vindicated'.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Law Society ordered to refund Christopher de Souza costs of over S$32,000 after his acquittal |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/law-society-ordered-refund-costs-christopher-de-souza-acquittal-3902566 |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=CNA |language=en |quote=The Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) has been ordered to pay a refund of more than S$32,000 (US$23,700) in costs to Member of Parliament Christopher James de Souza, after the 47-year-old was acquitted of improper professional conduct as a lawyer.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lum |first=Selina |date=2023-11-08 |title=Law Society ordered to refund $32k to Christopher de Souza following acquittal |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/law-society-ordered-to-refund-32k-to-christopher-de-souza-following-acquittal |access-date=2024-05-29 |work=The Straits Times |language=en |issn=0585-3923 |quote=The Law Society of Singapore has been ordered to refund more than $32,000 in legal costs to MP and lawyer Christopher de Souza, in the wake of his acquittal on a professional misconduct charge.}}</ref>

=== Political career ===
De Souza made his political debut in the [[2006 Singaporean general election|2006 general election]] when he joined a five-member [[People's Action Party]] (PAP) team contesting in [[Holland–Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency|Holland–Bukit Timah GRC]]. The PAP team won by an uncontested walkover and de Souza thus became a Member of Parliament representing the Ulu Pandan ward of Holland–Bukit Timah GRC.<ref name="Parliament Profile">{{Cite web|url=https://www.parliament.gov.sg/mps/list-of-current-mps/mp/details/christopher-de-souza|title = MP &#124; Parliament of Singapore}}</ref>

During the [[2011 Singapore general election|2011 general election]], de Souza joined the four-member PAP team contesting in Holland–Bukit Timah GRC. After they won with 60.08% of the vote against the [[Singapore Democratic Party]], de Souza continued serving as the Member of Parliament representing the Ulu Pandan ward of Holland–Bukit Timah GRC.<ref name="yahoo">[http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/final-tally-votes-cast-ge2011-released-171354318.html Final tally of votes cast for GE2011 released] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514180849/http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/final-tally-votes-cast-ge2011-released-171354318.html |date=14 May 2011 }}, Fann Sim, SingaporeScene, Yahoo! News Singapore, 12 May 2011, accessed on 16 September 2011.</ref><ref name="pap">[http://ge.pap.org.sg/candidate/chrisdesouza People's Action Party - MP-Elect Profile - Christopher de Souza] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504142005/http://ge.pap.org.sg/candidate/chrisdesouza |date=4 May 2011 }}, accessed on 16 September 2011.</ref> He retained his parliamentary seats in the subsequent general elections in [[2015 Singaporean general election|2015]] and [[2020 Singaporean general election|2020]] after the PAP team in Holland–Bukit Timah GRC won with 66.60% and 66.36% of the vote against the [[Singapore Democratic Party]] in those two general elections.<ref name="Parliament Profile" />

De Souza has served on various [[Parliament of Singapore#Government Parliamentary Committees|Government Parliamentary Committees (GPCs)]] since 2006, and has been the Deputy Chairman for the GPC on Manpower from 2011 to 2015, and Chairman for the GPC on Home Affairs and Law since 2015.<ref name="Parliament Profile" /> In 2009, he was nominated as a Young Global Leader at the [[World Economic Forum]].<ref name="wef">[http://www.weforum.org/young-global-leaders/christopher-de-souza/index.html World Economic Forum - Christopher De Souza] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814084632/http://www.weforum.org/young-global-leaders/christopher-de-souza/index.html |date=14 August 2011 }}, accessed on 16 September 2011.</ref> On 31 August 2020, de Souza and [[Jessica Tan]] were elected as [[Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore|Deputy Speakers of Parliament]].<ref name="Parliament Profile" />

==Personal life==
De Souza is a Catholic.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Catholic MP talks about his faith and family values |url=https://catholicnews.sg/2013/08/04/catholic-mp-talks-about-his-faith-and-family-values/}}</ref> He and his wife Sharon have four children.<ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.parliament.gov.sg/mps/list-of-current-mps/mp/details/christopher-de-souza Christopher de Souza] on [[Parliament of Singapore]]

{{s-start}}
{{s-par | sg}}
{{s-new | constituency}}
{{s-ttl | title    = Member of Parliament for <br /> [[Holland–Bukit Timah GRC]]
        | years    = 2006 – present
        | alongside = <br / >(2006 – 2011): [[Yu-Foo Yee Shoon]], [[Lim Swee Say]], [[Vivian Balakrishnan]], [[Liang Eng Hwa]]<br / >(2011 – 2015): [[Sim Ann]], Vivian Balakrishnan, Liang Eng Hwa<br / >(2020 – 2025): Sim Ann, Vivian Balakrishnan, [[Edward Chia]]<br / >(2025 – present): Sim Ann, Vivian Balakrishnan, Edward Chia
}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}

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{{14th Parliament of Singapore}}
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Saint Joseph's Institution, Singapore alumni]]
[[Category:Raffles Junior College alumni]]
[[Category:Alumni of King's College London]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of Singapore]]
[[Category:People's Action Party politicians]]
[[Category:Singaporean Roman Catholics]]