Singapore City, Jun 28 (IANS): An top Indian-origin intellectual property litigator in Singapore has been appointed as a judicial commissioner of the country's Supreme Court by President Halimah Yacob, according to an official statement.

Dedar Singh Gill, 59, is a lawyer with more than 30 years of experience. He is one of Singapore's top intellectual property litigators, representing corporate clients who are household names, the Straits Times reported.

Gill will begin his new role on August 1 for a period of two years, the Prime Minister's Office said on Wednesday.

He follows in the footsteps of Tan Puay Boon, Mavis Chionh and Ang Cheng Hock, who were appointed judicial commissioners in February.

Gill will be sworn in on August 3. With his appointment, the Supreme Court will now have a total of 21 judges (including four judges of appeal and the chief justice), six judicial commissioners, four senior judges and 15 international judges.

Gill was previously managing director of law firm Drew and Napier LLC's intellectual property department, having spent most of his career there since graduation.

He is also a member of the Law Society of Singapore, the Singapore Academy of Law and the International Trademark Association.

Talking about his departure, Davinder Singh, executive chairman of Drew and Napier, said: "While Dedar's departure will be a great and irreplaceable loss to the firm, his appointment to the Supreme Court will forever remain a matter of immense pride for Drew and Napier.

"I am confident that he will serve the country with distinction by enriching our jurisprudence with his sharp mind and wisdom," Singh said.