Masters of the Bench

Chao was called to the Bar as a barrister of the Middle Temple in 1965. In 1967, he joined the Attorney-General's Chambers, Singapore where he rose to become a Senior State Counsel in 1979. Chao was appointed the Head of the Civil Division in the Attorney-General's Chambers in 1982 and held that post until his elevation to the Supreme Court bench on 1 October 1987 as Judicial Commissioner. His elevation to the position of a Judge of the Supreme Court followed on 15 November 1990. On 2 August 1999, he was appointed as a Judge of Appeal of the Supreme Court. On 11 April 2006 he stepped down from the court to become Attorney-General of Singapore. He ceased to be Attorney-General and was reappointed a Judge of Appeal every two years since 11 April 2008, and shortly thereafter was appointed Vice-President of the Court of Appeal, until he retired the day before his 75th birthday on 27 September 2017.