December 2021 ISSN: 0219 - 6441
CELEBRATING THE YEAR OF SG WOMEN WITH OUR ALUMNA PRESIDENT HALIMAH YACOB ’78 LLM ’01 LLD ’16 VENTURING BEYOND THE LAW HO KHENG LIAN ’07 NUS LAW RANKED AMONGST TOP 10 LAW SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD THE 5TH NUS LAW PRO BONO AWARDS CONGRATULATIONS TO CLASS OF 2020 AND 2021 THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE FACULTY OF LAW
CONTENTS
LAWLINK 2021
CONTENTS
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Message from the Dean
Celebrating the Year of SG Women with Our Alumna President Halimah Yacob ’78 LLM ’01 LLD ’16
Dean’s Diary
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Alumni Spotlight
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Law School Highlights
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NUS Law Ranked Amongst Top 10 Law Schools in the World
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Student Features
NUS Law Established COV-AID
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Venturing Beyond the Law Ho Kheng Lian ’07
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NUS Law Received a President’s Certificate of Commendation at the National Day Awards
A Chat with our Alumni Careers Beyond Singapore
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19th Kwa Geok Choo Distinguished Visitors Lecture
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Law Alumni Mentor Programme 2021
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Book Launch
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The 5th NUS Law Pro Bono Awards
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Congratulations to 2021 Justices’ Law Clerks NUS Law Students Create Charity Guide for Donors Congratulations to Class of 2020 and 2021
Reunions
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Class of 2001’s 20th Anniversary Get-Togethers
Benefactors
Appreciation to Donors 19
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NUS Giving
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Alumni Relations & Development NUS Law Eu Tong Sen Building 469G Bukit Timah Road Singapore 259776 Tel: (65) 6516 3616 Fax: (65) 6779 0979 Email: lawlink@nus.edu.sg www.nuslawlink.com www.law.nus.edu.sg/alumni Please update your particulars at: www.law.nus.edu.sg/alumni_update_particulars.asp 1
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DEAN’S DIARY PROFESSOR SIMON CHESTERMAN The life of the law is not always determined by logic; it is shaped by experience. I quoted Oliver Wendell Holmes’s observation in a recent message to our alumni to introduce some of the changes we are making to our curriculum. Given transformations in the way in which law is practised and the fields to which it applies, we need to adapt the way in which it is taught. The same is often true of the careers of our graduates, their lives shaped by their own experiences. The trajectory of many of those lives may sometimes be clearer in retrospect than while charting them. President Halimah Yacob ’78 LLM ’01 LLD ’16 in her thoughtful and moving interview with David Tan in these pages, offers an example of someone who reached law school only after she had overcome great hardship — but entered with a commitment to make the way easier for those who might follow. That commitment led President Halimah to pursue a life in public service. Five years ago, I had the great pleasure of reading the citation when she received an honorary Doctorate of Laws. Back then I noted that her life had been a series of firsts: first Malay woman elected to Parliament, first woman to be elected Speaker, first Singaporean elected to the governing body of the International Labour Organization. She has since become Singapore’s first female President, and our first female Chancellor. It is the nature of many trailblazers to be known not only for what they do, but also for what they represent. In this way, President Halimah has not only made a difference to the many people whose lives she has touched as a labour leader and as a politician, but also those whom she has inspired — to see themselves as not defined solely by their class, their gender, their race, or their religion. This edition of LawLink also celebrates other alumni who have shattered boundaries or expectations. Though the vast majority of our graduates practise law in Singapore, for example, many go into different fields or take their legal skills abroad.
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Tan Min-Liang ’02, this year’s commencement speaker, now heads the gaming giant Razer Inc and encouraged graduates to be open to the path less travelled. Ho Kheng Lian ’07 also went into the field of technology and now herself supports entrepreneurs and start-ups.
CELEBRATING THE YEAR OF SG WOMEN WITH OUR ALUMNA – PRESIDENT HALIMAH YACOB ’78 LLM ’01 LLD ’16 President Halimah Yacob ’78 LLM ’01 LLD ’16 has served in NTUC for more than three decades before joining politics. In her career, she has introduced programmes promoting social cohesion, strengthening interfaith unity, programmes for senior and disabled care, and she is also the patron to many social services agencies. She was the first woman to be the Speaker of Parliament, and the first woman to helm the position of Singapore’s President. As 2021 is the Year of Celebrating SG Women, Professor David Tan caught up with President Halimah on her career journey, challenges, and her advice for women in law.
We also feature three of our young alumni making their mark in London, New York, and The Hague, all interviewed by our aviation law expert (temporarily grounded) Alan Tan ’93.
was alive, but the situation worsened after his death when I was eight years old. I spent a lot of my childhood days helping my mother run a cooked food stall.” When her father died, her mother became the sole breadwinner having to raise five children. “It was a real struggle trying to keep body and soul together, and that almost caused me to drop out of school. It’s difficult to describe that childhood journey except that I hope no child would ever have to go through that. Every year we celebrate Children’s Day. It’s a joyous day for children, but growing up I didn’t know such a day existed as I didn’t even get to celebrate my own birthday,” she said.
As I always remind our students, however, you don’t need to travel far to make an impact. The past year has offered many opportunities for service within Singapore, recognised in our Pro Bono Awards — including the tremendous work that our students did in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such achievements — at home and abroad — are an important reason why NUS Law does so well in rankings. Though I always remind my colleagues that we should take such rankings with a pinch of salt, our success in reaching the top 10 in the world creates further opportunities for our graduates, as well as helping to recruit the best faculty and students in a virtuous circle.
President Halimah remarked that today she sees many adults posting happy photos online of their childhood clasping toys or having parties with their families. However, she did not remember having toys or having her photos taken. So, when she became a public figure, she had great difficulty producing any childhood photographs when asked by the media, and indeed, by LawLink. “I have no regrets though, as deprivation and hardship taught me very valuable lessons that stood me in good stead when I went to work and entered politics,” she shared. “It taught me resilience, the ability to bounce back and not let setbacks and difficulties overcome me and define who I am.”
Perhaps more moving was recognition at home for the work my colleague Joel Lee and his team did in support of the successful hosting of the Singapore Convention on Mediation. As we transition through the pandemic, there will be more opportunities to share with you — hopefully in person! — more about what your class and others have been doing. I hope you find these pages as interesting and inspiring as I do. We also devote a couple of pages to thank those who have made all these achievements possible. If you are in a position yourself to help us create more such opportunities for future generations of law students, please consider using the form at the back to make a donation. Until then, I wish you good health and happiness.
I first met President Halimah in 2017, when in her capacity of Speaker of Parliament, she launched the guidebook “Navigating Muslim Law in Singapore” at the Syariah Law Forum on Bukit Timah Campus. I was struck by how friendly Madam Halimah was, and how frequently she smiled in the course of our conversation. Fast forward to 2021, and she is the first female President of Singapore, providing a steady hand to guide the country through the worst pandemic to ravage the country
since its independence. We have read a lot about President Halimah, but not many of us know about her childhood years. I asked if she could tell us more about her life growing up, and whether there were any significant challenges for her and her family. Childhood days President Halimah recalled the times when she grew up amidst great deprivation and hardship: “We were poor when my father
From NUS to NTUC How did President Halimah end up studying law at NUS? She explained that studying law had always been her choice because when she was young, she was seized with the idea that she could help the most vulnerable and deprived gain access to justice and fair treatment. President Halimah said: “This was due in part to my own growing up years where I witnessed how little power and voice those without resources have. Although I was called to the Bar, I didn’t practise law 3
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but became an in-house counsel in the NTUC Legal Department, advising unions and workers on their industrial relations and employment rights. It was a very fulfilling period as I felt that I was giving voice to workers, fighting for their rights and ensuring a fairer workplace.” Indeed very few law graduates back then wanted to join NTUC as it was not considered a glamourous job or a good paymaster. Most wanted to work for big employers such as the banks or the Legal Service, or go into private practice. President Halimah recalled: “In those days, every time I told a friend or former law classmate that I worked in NTUC, they asked whether I was working for Income or the supermarket. I saw my role then as balancing the bargaining power between unions and employers who had much more resources and were in a stronger position.” She found a niche for herself working in NTUC. “At that time, there were not many lawyers who were wellversed in labour or employment laws,” she elaborated. “Even the university stopped teaching labour law many years ago, maybe because of our peaceful industrial relations climate and labour laws being seen as having little commercial value.” President Halimah’s legal background also helped her to represent workers’ interests and those of Singapore well when she served on the Board of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for 12 years. She became the Workers’ Spokesperson, representing the global workers, on a couple of standard-setting committees including her last piece of work where the ILO Convention on Domestic Workers was successfully negotiated and passed.
President Halimah with her classmates, Angela Teo (left) and Susie Koh (right), at their Class of 1978 40th Anniversary Reunion in 2018
President Halimah enjoying a light-hearted moment with friends at the reunion
Entering politics in 2001
during this period she was able to raise numerous issues pertaining to workers and lower income families. She then served at the Ministry of Community Development and Sports (MCYS), now known as MSF, for a relatively short period from May 2011 to January 2013. Finally, Madam Halimah served as Speaker of Parliament for four-and-a-half years between January 2013 to August 2017.
President Halimah was then persuaded that by entering politics, she could potentially contribute to all of Singapore, and not just to the labour movement. She was also very aware of the fact that women leaders must themselves walk the talk in order to be credible. “One of my tasks in NTUC was to persuade younger women to take up leadership positions in their own unions or in NTUC. It was a daunting task because many cited the difficulty of balancing work and family as a huge deterrent. Having spent time cajoling and persuading women to step up and be prepared to sacrifice for a higher purpose, I felt that I should practise that myself,” she shared. “I believe that it is important for women to be involved in policymaking and make their voices heard. When I first joined NTUC in the late 70s, I was inspired by some very strong women and that left quite an impression on me.” Madam Halimah was a backbencher for a decade between 2001 and 2011, and
Professor David Tan with President Halimah (then Speaker of Parliament) at the 2017 Syariah Law Forum 4
Core Values In her inaugural speech, President Halimah highlighted three core values of multiculturalism, meritocracy and stewardship that are fundamental to Singapore’s economic development and social cohesion. I asked her to expound on how these values continue to be relevant in a new normal defined by the COVID-19 pandemic. She explained: “As President, I experienced first-hand the importance of stewardship of our precious financial resources. Without the Past Reserves, we would not have been able to navigate the serious disruptions to the economy and our people’s lives caused by the pandemic. We would have had to borrow to mitigate the impact and in the process incur serious debt which would have burdened future generations. Good governance, honest leadership and prudent management of our financial resources have helped us tremendously during such rainy days.” What about multiculturalism? Is it a term that has been bandied around too often such that people have become desensitised to its fundamental ethos? President Halimah was adamant that “multiculturalism is not just a mantra but something that underpins how we organise our society and our people’s relationships with each other.” She added: “Singapore became independent in 1965 based on this very important principle that every race and creed has a place, and none is more equal than others. But we must expect that multiculturalism
Photo: Ministry of Communications and Information President Halimah was sworn in on 14 September 2017 as Singapore’s 8th President at the Istana
will come under tremendous pressure as people struggle to establish their own identities and increasingly recede into their own enclaves of race, language and religion. It’s already happening all over the world and in many cases the politicians have exploited this for their own benefit. This has led to a lot of conflicts and harm. Whilst our multiculturalism is still strong, we must continue to invest in strengthening it. This cannot be done by the Government alone. Everyone has a part to play.” Last but not least, while meritocracy has served Singapore well by spurring us to do our best to uplift our lives, there are murmurs about its relevance in the years ahead. President Halimah commented: “The concern with meritocracy however is that its rewards may not always be due to one’s efforts alone as other circumstances may impinge on our ability to achieve the desired outcomes. As a result, a smaller group may end up benefitting more because those who have been more successful have the resources to invest in their children’s futures. Hence, there is a need to balance meritocracy with doing more to support those without means. Those who are successful should give back to society and help those who have less. We should work together as a society to
be more caring and inclusive. This is a work in progress and I now see many efforts to help level up children from low-income families through various programmes.” Challenges facing the minority communities in Singapore Minority communities, like all Singaporeans, want to live in a prosperous Singapore that offers them many opportunities to work, live and play. They understand the challenges faced by a small nation state that must punch above its weight despite having no natural advantages like others with more resources. They want to be part of Singapore’s narrative for the future. President Halimah is cognisant of these challenges, and phrased the issues as follows: “Their dreams and hopes are no different from others and they want fair and equal treatment. At the same time, the minority communities too struggle with issues of identity. They are Singaporeans but they are also Malays, Indians and Eurasians with their own faiths, cultures and languages that they struggle to keep amidst the constant changes that our society faces. The Malay community, for instance, find that increasingly, younger Malays cannot speak Malay well, so concerted efforts are made to enhance the use of Bahasa.”
The 21st century brings with it a digital convenience that may empower these communities. President Halimah agrees: “Younger Malays have grown up in a very different environment. They are better educated and are exposed to many different ideas particularly through the internet. They have strong opinions and are more confident in articulating their views. Like other young people, they want their voices to be heard and their views reflected in policymaking.” Looking back, looking forward I asked President Halimah to reflect on some of her many achievements, and wondered if she could single out some memorable moments. She said: “At MCYS, I mooted the idea of the Enabling Village. It was meant to be a community space that would embrace the diversity of our abilities. At that time, it was a novel concept. I am glad it has since broken many new grounds. Just last year, the Enabling Village celebrated its fifth anniversary!” The Constitution prescribes President Halimah’s role as Head of State, whose function includes strengthening bilateral relations through state visits, and she had done quite a few until COVID-19 put a halt to them. Nonetheless, US Vice President Kamala Harris did call on 5
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VENTURING BEYOND THE LAW HO KHENG LIAN ’07
Photo: Ministry of Communications and Information US Vice President Kamala Harris and President Halimah
President Halimah during her visit to Singapore in August 2021. Perhaps true to her grassroots days, President Halimah shared that the role which she truly enjoys is her community role: “Through my community engagements, I met many vulnerable groups in society. I have sought to give them a stronger voice, particularly people with disabilities, those with mental health issues, ex-offenders and those affected by the digital divide. I used the President’s Challenge, a fund which raises more than $10 million every year, to empower our vulnerable groups through various programmes run by social service agencies. I initiated the $20m Empowering for Life Fund under the President’s Challenge. I also launched the Enabling Employment Pledge where more than 175 employers have signed on to train and place people with disabilities. I intend to launch a programme organised by IMH and some social service agencies to help youth with mental health issues.” In 2019, Singapore held its first International Conference on Cohesive Societies. His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan delivered a keynote address at the Conference, which was well attended by local and overseas participants from many countries. This Conference was mooted by President Halimah, and it was a great platform to discuss plans and strategies on strengthening peace and social cohesion. President Halimah shared that there 6
are plans to do a follow-up conference in 2022. On the need to advance the cause of gender equality and ensure greater fairness, equity, and inclusivity in the treatment of women, President Halimah was optimistic about the future. “Whilst I’m glad that we are having this conversation, and efforts to elevate women’s status are more prevalent now, the fact that we are still talking about it, shows that we still have some way to go in achieving equality. It’s a work in progress. The reality is that laws and policies alone will not work, although they are important in framing the issues and ensuring certain desired outcomes. We need a strong mindset shift where women are treated with respect and as equal members of society.” I agree with President Halimah that there are many women of good calibre and capabilities in Singapore achieving success in various industries. Indeed, as she observed, many have broken the glass ceiling to reach where they are now and have paved the way for others. Although she hopes that her Presidency has helped to inspire other women that glass ceilings are meant to be broken and they should always push boundaries, she cautioned: “At the same time, we must acknowledge that societal attitudes towards women have not fully modernised – there may still be expectations on women to shoulder more caregiving responsibilities and preconceived notions of the roles women
should play and how women should behave.” To increase diversity on public listed boards, President Halimah initiated the Diversity Task Force in 2012. The Task Force’s recommendations included the establishment of the Diversity Action Committee, which has since been succeeded by the Council for Board Diversity in 2019. “The results are still not satisfactory, but we are making progress as more women are now represented on boards,” she mused. Advice to women in law As 2021 has been designated the Year to Celebrate SG Women, I cannot resist posing the question to President Halimah if she had any advice for our young female law graduates or for women in the practice of law. She was quick with her reply: “Prior to 1994, there was not a single female High Court judge in Singapore. Today there are seven female High Court judges. This is progress and things will continue to change as momentum builds.” President Halimah notes that there is no stopping this progress as women have entered the workforce in large numbers because of education and will not be content to play a subsidiary role in the workplace. She concludes: “They want their voices to be heard and have access to equal opportunities. My advice to women in law is to be the best that you can be and never settle for second fiddle. Never think from a position of weakness but from a position of strength.”
Ho Kheng Lian ’07 had three good reasons to read law at NUS. First, she loved writing argumentative essays and was always up for debates, whether it was in class or at home. Her next motivation was to fulfil her father’s unrealised dream of becoming a lawyer. But perhaps the most important reason of all was that she knew a law degree from NUS would build a foundation that would allow her to pursue career paths beyond the field of law. While reminiscing about her law school days, Kheng Lian especially recalled fond memories of performing in her graduating year’s Law IV musical production. She played the part of an oracle who imparted pearls of wisdom in dramatic fashion with loud costumes and elaborate dance moves. The fact that her best friends were part of the cast and crew made the experience all the more meaningful. It still fills her with joy and warmth when she thinks about the camaraderie and collaborative spirit of her cohort coming together for the production.
“We spent memorable hours laughing, crying, improvising, and making hilarious props. A dance partner, Ross Tan, had to catch me in mid-air. He was always scared he might break his back, while I was always scared he might drop me,” she laughed.
Like many law graduates, Kheng Lian began her career journey with a stint in a law firm. She practised at Drew & Napier in the insolvency, restructuring, and cross-border litigation team for five years before moving on to Maples and Calder in Hong Kong.
There were also nerve-racking moments, such as the times she had to prepare for moots. The sleepless nights at Kent Ridge Hall doing research, writing papers, and rehearsing with her teammates truly gave her a taste of what real-world practice would feel like.
Even at the onset of her legal career, Kheng Lian had her sights set on breaking out of practice to build her own business.
“Merely thinking about appearing in front of Professor Eleanor Wong ’85 for my first moot had my tongue twisted and my stomach in knots,” said Kheng Lian. “I later learnt how not to blank out and to always be ready, know my material inside out, anticipate questions from every angle, and be prepared with answers that are backed up with research.” Those skills and mindset have since played a crucial role in whatever work she does.
Kheng Lian and her friends in the Law IV musical. 7
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A CHAT WITH OUR ALUMNI – CAREERS BEYOND SINGAPORE Professor Alan Tan ’93 speaks to three of our intrepid young alumni who have taken different paths in pursuit of international careers. of law school, I wasn’t sure what practice area would suit me most – the rotation across four areas (in my case, international capital markets, corporate, arbitration and banking) gives me exposure to transactional and contentious work.
Kheng Lian’s last court hearing in 2013 before she left for Hong Kong Kheng Lian led Open Circles’ efforts with the Singapore National Youth Council to organise an in-person conference, in the midst of COVID-19, to support the EP!TOME of Singapore Entrepreneurship, a conference for future unicorns
“My pupil master, Julian Kwek, whom I still call often, even joked in my first month of pupillage that he imagined I would be one of those who leave law to set up an ice cream shop,” she chuckled. Kheng Lian described the experience of moving to Hong Kong as exhilarating and invigorating. The venture marked her first step in accomplishing her larger ambition, and it opened the door for her to meet a variety of business people from diverse backgrounds. The fast-paced and dynamic environment created a buzz which in turn influenced her to believe that she could realise her aspiration of starting her own business. “By then, I had practiced law for six years, it was a pivotal point in my career to leave and try something new before the opportunity cost got too high,” she said. “I told myself that if I fail, I could always fall back on becoming a lawyer again.” When Kheng Lian left Maples and Calder, she had one resolve – to discover new opportunities and not succumb to tantalising offers from headhunters who knocked on her door. It was during this discovery phase when she became aware that she was carrying self-limiting beliefs which were holding her back. “I limited myself by thinking it was difficult to be in a different industry as I lacked the skill set to do anything beyond the law,” she said. There was even a point where she felt like she had lost her identity and self-worth because she did not have a compelling answer to what her immediate plans were. Nevertheless, she persevered and continued to meet and engage with various people. Then, an opportunity arose for her to co-invest in a tech startup 8
in New York City. She had no prior knowledge of this industry but decided to take the leap anyway. “When I agreed to do it, I learnt about business operations, fundraising, investing, and how to hustle. My eyes were opened to the supercharged world of tech startups in America,” she said. At that juncture, Kheng Lian was shuttling between Singapore, Hong Kong and the United States to immerse herself in the world of tech communities and angel investments. Opportunities began opening up, and soon she found herself in the venture capitalist space. She joined a venture capital firm based in Hong Kong as a partner and successfully raised capital to help her friend, who was the founder of dating app Paktor, close a Series A funding round.
Ventures, her work involves investing in and acquiring early-stage startups, as well as curating consortiums to invest in latestage companies. At Kollective Advisory Partners, she helps provide strategic business advice, and fundraise for startups and venture capital funds. Open Circles is an events and community building company that creates thought-provoking experiences for a global community of leading investors, entrepreneurs, and nongovernment organisations, who gather to solve global problems. In retrospect, leaving her legal career behind was not as difficult as she had initially imagined. “I am grateful for the many who have trusted me and helped me identify what I am good at,” said Kheng Lian. “What matters to me now is that I build a career beyond the law which I can use to touch as many lives as possible.”
As her network and influence grew, Kheng Lian earned the moniker of “Super Connector” and finally gained clarity on how to shape her future by leveraging her strengths.
What is it like working at a Magic Circle firm? What kind of training have you undergone, and what kind of work do you see yourself doing once you’re fully qualified? I took up an England and Wales qualification with Allen & Overy (A&O) because of the two-year training programme that UK firms offer. Fresh out
What do you like about working at a US firm in New York? What kind of training have you undergone at the firm, and what kind of work do you do?
“You have to identify your superpower. I understood mine to be that of being a “Super Connector”, which stems from my love for getting to know people, authentically developing deep relationships, and bringing people together,” she explained.
Having spent a year at Kirkland & Ellis (K&E), what I enjoy about working here is being able to sit next door or bump into people who are brand names in the legal industry, and being able to work with and learn from them. There’s a strong push to make associates independent as soon as possible. It’s the kind of culture that really appeals to me, and it is very gratifying, from an intellectual perspective, to start receiving substantive (albeit supervised) responsibility at an early stage.
She had unknowingly built a large network of people in diverse fields. Moving forward, she realised that she could use her influence and connect with people to build businesses better and to solve global problems. That would be her business idea. Kheng Lian then founded Kollective Ventures, Kollective Advisory Partners, and co-founded Open Circles. At Kollective
Jessica Teng Sijie ’19 Trainee Solicitor, Allen & Overy LLP
(L-R) Daniel Mananta (Host of Indonesian Idol), Alicia Silverstone (Animal Rights Activist and Actress), her son, Bear, and Kheng Lian at the Open Circles Bali Retreat in 2019
From a training perspective, we started out with a regular set of weekly ‘classes’ called Kirkland University. During these
rounded interests beyond law can help to differentiate you and it is important to demonstrate that you possess the key traits required in a trainee – strong commercial awareness, time management, project management skills, leadership and extracurricular experiences.
Trainees are entrusted with a lot of responsibility. Within days of joining the firm, I was speaking with clients and taking a first cut at drafting and reviewing documents. One of the perks of training in a Magic Circle firm like A&O is the wealth of precedents and legal resources that you can tap on, including a dedicated team in Belfast which provides 24/7 document support.
Being in the UK has also taught me the importance to be outspoken and proactive. Start with simple steps like asking your team out for coffee chats during your internships and actively participating in any career seminars/workshops organised by NUS Law. Taking initiative is key!
While I’m keeping my options open, I’m leaning towards qualifying into Corporate which I like because it cuts across different areas like intellectual property, competition and employment so there’s always something new. I also enjoy learning about the commercial needs of the businesses and investors that we work with and getting involved in negotiations.
London is a great, vibrant place to live – there’s no shortage of activities for the weekend, be it musicals, plays or road trips. The A&O London office is also very well-equipped as it has a cafeteria, gym, on-site beautician and roof terraces with nice views of the city.
What advice would you give to NUS Law students keen to explore a similar path? UK firms generally take a holistic view of their candidates. Portraying well-
Tell me about your time in London.
There aren’t many downsides to living in London but if I had to pick some, it would be the high taxes and the limited selection of green leafy vegetables. For example, the nearest Asian supermarket only stocks bok choy so I was eating this for months on end.
sessions, experts in each of the firm’s specialisations would provide an overview of the practice area, explain the basics, and provide a platform for questions that we might not otherwise get a chance to ask. We also had smaller group sessions, with senior associates, where you would learn the practical things like effective project management and communication skills. The firm continues to offer advanced courses as you go along, and of course, you learn as you go along doing the actual job. I do a mix of M&A, capital markets and financing work, which is the expectation for most who start out in the corporate group. K&E is especially known for its strength in Private Equity M&A, so I have done a lot of work in that space across the full range of markets.
Yash Nair ’20 Associate, Kirkland & Ellis LLP 9
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
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What advice would you give to NUS Law students keen to practice in New York/the US? Apply for the NUS-NYU LLM programme – this was vital in getting me physically in front of the right people. In a market as competitive as New York City, it’s going to be nearly impossible to secure a conversation, let alone an offer, if all you can do is send emails and Zoom. I would also work on getting internships at international firms that had US-linked practices, which I did in the summer of Year 3. I think it helps to have a mix of local and international brand names on your CV, giving you both work experience and some degree of international brand recognition. Apart from your academic ability, you need to be able to display your willingness
to integrate into US culture and work as part of a firm here. In the US, the people that I work with are generally more outgoing, polished and interesting than most other people I’ve met, so I had to rethink my own outlook and make sure that I was meeting (or even exceeding) expectations in these regards. I would encourage taking classes that have financial and even political elements to them. While you may not be analysing balance sheets as part of your job, it is increasingly important that you understand the most basic expression of what the client is concerned about (it’s always money) and how the financial concepts that they grapple with are closely related to legal constructs that you will eventually deal with.
experiences, is enriched by the diverse perspectives from within. I had the opportunity to work closely with and be mentored by the President of the Court, Judge Joan E. Donoghue. My dayto-day assignments involved preparing legal opinions on issues before the Court, contributing to the President’s speeches, attending hearings, and assisting the President in her various legal projects. She is incredibly invested in the lives of the people whom she works with, and not only was she embracing of my “fresh graduate” legal views (even when I disagreed with her), she also took the time to get to know me on a personal level.
Xuan W. Tay ’20 Masters Student at Georgetown University, Former Judicial Fellow to H.E. President Joan E. Donoghue, International Court of Justice (ICJ) (The Hague) What was your experience like at the ICJ? What kind of cases, and which judges, did you have a chance to work on/for? As the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, the ICJ is the preeminent forum for the settlement of disputes between States and plays a crucial role in the development of international law. One significant takeaway for me was the opportunity to experience, behind the scenes, international law’s role in addressing significant international disputes. The Court, being a forum of fifteen judges with their individual lived 10
The best part of my time with the World Court was the lifelong connections I made with colleagues and the other Judicial Fellows. Above all, the memories that would stick with me are the hallway conversations and the dinner parties with a wonderful bunch of people. What advice would you give to NUS Law students wishing to forge a career in international law? Do chat with some of NUS Law’s international legal professors. Our professors have extensive experience in different fields of international law. My own journey to the ICJ would not have been possible without Assistant Professor Tan Hsien-Li PhD ’09 and Associate Professor Vincent-Joël Proulx – the two loveliest and most passionate professors I know. There are various ways to get involved with international law. Organisations
How’s life in New York City? The magic of NYC to me is possibility there is always something new around the next corner and the people here are the most driven, focused and motivated people I have ever met. I think most young people here come for a specific reason or to chase a dream, whether that is being a lawyer, a fashion influencer or even a superstar maitre’d – that attitude reflects across the high standards that people deliver here across the spectrum of professional services, cultural offerings and entertainment.
LAW ALUMNI MENTOR PROGRAMME 2021
Having a community of people like that is also incredibly helpful to keep you motivated. It is ultimately the easiest thing to return to where you are comfortable and build a safe, secure life, but when you are here, you see what could be.
such as the ICJ and the Permanent Court of Arbitration deal more with international legal issues of a general nature, and there are also intergovernmental organisations, such as the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, the World Bank, and the many UN agencies, which deal with specific aspects of international law. Aside from these, students may also consider a career with non-profits, government bodies, private practice, and academia. The ability to speak multiple languages is also a valuable asset in intergovernmental organisations. It is generally a good rule of thumb to pick up at least two official languages of the UN, including English. More importantly, you have to learn to be comfortable with living and working in a diverse setting. Which do you prefer - Washington D.C. or The Hague? Washington D.C., by miles. The weather is perfect, the city is close to nature, and despite all the political hubbub, the city itself is pretty laidback and celebrates persons from all walks of life – regardless of race, sexual orientation, or cultural background. What are your plans Georgetown Law?
for
The launch of the Law Alumni Mentor Programme (LAMP) 2021 was held virtually from 5 to 7 October 2021. This year, we hit another record number in participation - 245 students were matched with 237 mentors. LAMP connects first and second year, Juris Doctor and LLM students with our alumni
lawyers to provide insights and guidance on career and professional development issues, as well as networking opportunities. Each evening of the launch event focussed on different practice areas and career paths, and mentors and mentees had the opportunity to meet and speak in small, intimate breakout room sessions. Many groups engaged in lively conversations,
Most Popular Photo: Loh Wai Yue ’01 and Louis Lim Jun Ren ’23 “It’s been a pleasure to have been able to mentor Louis Lim and it has reminded me why I chose and stuck to a career in private practice. May you and all those aspiring lawyers have auspicious conditions to meet your goals, and may fair winds and following seas always abide with you.”
Best Online Meet-Up Photo: Audris Yeo ’11 and Caleb Goh ’23 “LAMP - an acrostic Law school’s quite a stressful journey; As difficult as it can be; Mentors make it easier; (Probably the free kopi)”
with mentees not only being able to hear from their own mentors, but also from other mentors as well as mentees from different years of study. Earlier this year, as a gesture of appreciation to our mentors, we sent out dining vouchers which they could use to meet up with their mentees, perhaps over a coffee or a meal. Concurrently, we launched the #lampcoffee&catchup photo contest to encourage them to submit photos of their meet-ups. The photos were uploaded onto Facebook, and the photo with the most number of ‘Likes’ won the Most Popular Photo. Winners were also selected for the Best Online Meet-Up and In-Person Photo. Our heartiest congratulations to the winners (who were rewarded with USD100 Amazon e-vouchers each) and thanks to everyone who gamely joined in the fun! Most importantly, we would like to thank all LAMP Mentors who have generously given your time and shared your experiences and advice to help our students, especially during the past two years.
after
I plan to pursue a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD). I have in mind a fascinating topic I would like to write about, and the nerd in me would very much prefer to pursue this interest in the years to come. An SJD may also allow me to experience what it is like to teach international law, which is something I am keen to try.
Best In-Person Photo: Victor David Lau ’16 and Joshua Goh Zemin ’23
If you are keen to find out more about LAMP or join us as a Mentor, do drop us a note at lawlink@nus.edu.sg.
“Lawyers are a bit like lamps; a little shady.”
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LAW SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS
LAWLINK 2021
NUS LAW RANKED AMONGST TOP 10 LAW SCHOOLS IN THE WORLD In the latest report by London-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject 2021, NUS Law was ranked amongst the top 10 law schools in the world, and number one in the Asia-Pacific region. Having risen consistently in the rankings over the last decade, we are proud to have retained our position as the leading law school in Asia and reaffirmed our position in the legal fraternity and status as Asia’s Global Law School. NUS has also been placed eighth globally for the study of Law, by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by subject. Placed 12th in the previous ranking, we rose four notches to become the first Asian university to achieve a top 10 position in the subject.
Responding to the announcements, Dean of NUS Law, Professor Simon Chesterman said: “Rankings are to be taken with a grain of salt, but our rise over the past decade from 22nd to joining the top ten reflects the outstanding work of the entire NUS Law community. It’s a measure of the calibre of our students, the drive and energy of our faculty and staff, and above all, the achievements of our alumni who make us so proud. This recognition of our efforts will create more opportunities for all our graduates, as well as raising the profile of our research. Yet there’s no room for complacency. We continue to strive for excellence, even as we push to be a more inclusive and diverse community of students and scholars.”
Professor Joel Lee, who led this initiative for NUS and who has done so much to promote mediation in Singapore and abroad, represented the faculty to receive the award. Our heartfelt congratulations to Professor Joel Lee and everyone who contributed to this important milestone.
(L-R) The President’s Certificate of Commendation and the group photo of award recipients (Professor Joel Lee, second from left) 12
NUS Law established the “Kwa Geok Choo Distinguished Visitors Programme” in 2012 as one of the several initiatives to pay tribute to the late Madam Kwa Geok Choo, wife of Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. Under this programme, leading law academics are invited to teach an intensive course at NUS for 3 weeks and to deliver a public lecture on a topical legal issue. Past visitors included Gary Born, Christine Chinkin, Matthew Harding, Ran Hirschl, Michael Klausner, Peter Mirfield, Francis Reynolds, Cheryl Saunders and Mark Tushnet. The lecture will also be published in the Singapore Journal of Legal Studies in 2022.
NUS Law #10 2021 QS World University Rankings by Subject
NUS Law #8 2022 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject
NUS LAW RECEIVED A PRESIDENT’S CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION AT THE NATIONAL DAY AWARDS NUS Law was recognised on 4 April 2021 at the National Day Awards with a President’s Certificate of Commendation for our contributions to the successful hosting of the Singapore Convention on Mediation Signing Ceremony and Conference in 2019.
19TH KWA GEOK CHOO DISTINGUISHED VISITORS LECTURE
NUS Law hosted the 19th Kwa Geok Choo Distinguished Visitors Lecture, titled “Negligence and Autonomy”, with Professor Donal Nolan via Zoom on 30 September 2021.
The session was chaired by Professor David Tan, with a virtual audience of almost 150 participants. A lively discussion followed the lecture, with Singapore Court of Appeal decisions like ACB v Thomson Medical Pte Ltd and Anwar Patrick Adrian v Ng Chong & Hue LLC being discussed.
Donal Nolan is Professor of Private Law in the University of Oxford and the Francis Reynolds and Clarendon Fellow and Tutor in Law at Worcester College, Oxford. He has taught tort law, contract law, international trade law, restitution and commercial law, and has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Florida, the University of Trento and Sichuan University. He is a Senior Fellow of the University of Melbourne, a founding member of the World Tort Law Society, and an elected member of the American Law Institute. Professor Nolan’s research is focused primarily on the law of tort, and in particular on the law of negligence, the law of private nuisance and the interface between tort law and public law. His illustrious list of publications comprises close to 100 books, articles, book chapters and case notes.
BOOK LAUNCH
We, the Robots? Regulating Artificial Intelligence and the Limits of the Law
Professor Simon Chesterman’s new book, We, The Robots? Regulating Artificial Intelligence and the Limits of the Law, was launched at NUS Law on 2 November 2021. Several expert panellists who attended this launch included Mr Yeong Zee Kin ’97, Assistant Chief Executive, Data Innovation & Protection, at the Infocomm Media Development Authority; Ms Arianne Jimenez, Privacy and Public Policy Manager APAC at Facebook; Ms Sunita Kannan, Data & AI Solutions Lead Asia (APJ &ANZ) at Microsoft Headquarters; and Professor Tanel Kerikmäe from the Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia, and Professor Chen Tsuhan, Deputy President (Research & Technology) at NUS, who joined via Zoom. Professor Chesterman shared at the launch how current laws are dealing with AI and what other rules and institutions to govern AI are needed – including the role that AI might play in regulating
itself. Though the prospect of AI pushing beyond the limits of the law may seem remote, these measures are useful now – and will be essential if it ever does. The
panellists also shared their insights on the subject and the challenges hindering proper regulation.
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STUDENT FEATURES
LAWLINK 2021
THE 5TH NUS LAW PRO BONO AWARDS
NUS LAW ESTABLISHED COV-AID
Bottom row (L-R): Ashleigh Gan ’22, Mark Tang ’22 (Co-Founder), Anders Seah ’22 (Founder), Ryan Teo ’22 Middle row: Cheyenne Lim ’23, Professor Alan Tan ’93 (Advisor), Alex Chia ’22 Top row: Cheung Chun Man ’23, Bryan Foo ’23, Thomas Toh ’23
Ms Indranee Rajah ’86 with Natania Peh Hui-Ting ’22 (left) and Toh Ding Jun ’22 (right), who received the Project Legal Awareness (PLAY) Mentorship Award
The NUS Law Centre for Pro Bono & Clinical Legal Education (CPBCLE) organises an awards ceremony annually, which allows us to formally celebrate and recognise outstanding student leadership in pro bono at NUS, and award financial grants towards worthy student pro bono projects. The 5th Pro Bono Awards Ceremony was held on 24 March 2021 at the Wee Chong Jin Moot Court. The event was graced by Ms Indranee Rajah ’86, Minister (Prime Minister’s Office) and Second Minister for Finance and National Development, who was the Guest-of-Honour. The event was also live-streamed over Zoom. All pro bono award recipients, who were recognized for their outstanding commitment and passion for pro bono work, often went beyond their call of duty and expectation. Notwithstanding the trying times brought about by COVID-19, these students continued to ensure that access to justice was not denied for needy beneficiaries. They persevered and came up with creative ways to overcome it, and also helped others deal with the challenges posed by the pandemic. For any pro bono or clinical legal education queries, you may reach out to CPBCLE at probono@nus.edu.sg.
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AWARDS Three categories of awards were presented – the Pro Bono Special Recognition Award, the Pro Bono Mentor Award and the Pro Bono Innovation Award.
The Pro Bono Special Recognition Awards COV-AID • Anders Seah Nanjie ’22 • Mark Tang Yu Zhong ’22
State Courts Representatives Programme • Wong Weitao ’22 • Alvina Chitra Logan ’22
PLAY Mentorship Toh Ding Jun ’22 • Natania Peh Hui-Ting ’22
•
•
Law & You Shyrie Chopra ’22 • Andrew Ng Jun De ’22 • Shanon Kua Yan Yu ’22 •
Migrant/Domestic Workers’ COVID-19 Guide Charlene Tan ’23 • Ryan Young Wei Jie ’23 NUS PBO In-Person Deputyship Project Sandra Faith Angelica Tan Wan Lin ’20 • Benjamin Ho Kok Hean ’21 •
NUS Law proudly celebrates our students’ efforts to establish the pro bono project, COV-AID. COV-AID was born out of our students’ desire to play their part in helping the public comprehend the vast array of laws, regulations and legal issues arising from the pandemic. Launched on National Day on 9th August 2020, COVAID pays tribute to our frontliners who are leading Singapore’s fight against the pandemic. The COV-AID website serves as a comprehensive one-stop portal presenting explanations on navigating COVID-19related laws, government grants and relief programmes. Another unique feature is Academics on Pandemics, which showcases thought leadership essays authored by NUS Law academics and
• Professor
Alan Tan Khee-Jin ’93 (COV-AID) Allen Sng Kiat Peng ’18 (NUS PBO In-Person Deputyship Project)
The Pro Bono Innovation Award • Anders
Seah Nanjie ’22 (COV-AID)
The team behind COV-AID comprises the founder Anders Seah ’22, co-founder Mark Tang ’22 and a core team of dedicated members advised by Professor Alan Tan ’93. The team, in turn, supervises nearly 80 law students involved in a variety of tasks. Professor Alan Tan, shared: “This project harnesses the amazing talent and energy of our NUS Law students, who have in turn tapped on the expertise of our professors, alumni and friends in the legal and academic communities to make an enduring contribution to the national
and global fight against this crisis of our times.” The COV-AID Project received The Pro Bono Special Recognition Award and The Pro Bono Innovation Award at the NUS Law 5 th Pro Bono Awards Ceremony in March 2021. Follow COV-AID on social media for updates: www.nus-covaid.com facebook.com/nus.covaid.sg linkedin.com/company/nus-covaid instagram.com/nus.covaid/covaid
CONGRATULATIONS TO 2021 JUSTICES’ LAW CLERKS
The Pro Bono Mentor Awards • Mr
guest professors on how COVID-19 has disrupted lives and the economy. The third flagship feature is Conversations with Lawyers, presenting interviews with top lawyers on how the pandemic affects their work and the future of legal practice.
(Top L-R) Ong Kye Jing, Ryan Kwan, Jasmine Goh (Bottom L-R) Jerry Wang, Gwendolyn Oh, Wee Jong Xuan, Lai Weng Han
Congratulations to seven of our alumni from the Class of 2021, who have been appointed as Justices’ Law Clerks (JLC) at the Singapore Supreme Court.
bench memorandums and provide hearing-related assistance to Judges of the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
As JLCs, Ong Kye Jing, Ryan Kwan, Jasmine Goh, Jerry Wang, Gwendolyn Oh, Wee Jong Xuan, and Lai Weng Han will undertake legal research, draft
We congratulate them for having earned their places in the JLC programme with outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements.
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STUDENT FEATURES
LAWLINK 2021
NUS LAW STUDENTS CREATE CHARITY GUIDE FOR DONORS – TRANSPARENCY FOR GOOD strongly encouraged us to reach out to organisations that we would not have thought of reaching out to, such as the Commissioner of Charities and The Straits Times,” said Jolena. With those teething steps, Transparency for Good was born. The plan is to get charities on board to see the value of transparency in good governance, which in turn could inspire greater public trust and garner more donors to their respective causes. To achieve this objective, the team devised a simple process to examine and interpret the financial statements of charities.
What started as a class project under the Business and Finance for Lawyers module has morphed into an enterprising endeavour with beneficial real-world impact. The team of six law students created the initiative Transparency for Good to educate the public on understanding the inner workings of charities, specifically on how finances are managed. One of the team members, Jolena Ang, a part-time student under the NUS Graduate Certificate in Business and Financial Services Law programme, said, “The Business and Finance for Lawyers module taught us skills on how to read and interpret financial statements, so we thought that it would be meaningful to apply what we learned in the module for a good cause.” The other team members include Chester Chin ’22, Arumugham Aishwarya ’23, Byrna Tan ’23, Qian Yan Shan ’23, and Reeve Chia ’23. The team had initially considered more conventional service learning projects such as fundraising for a worthy cause; however, when ideas started bouncing back and forth with Associate Professor Stephen Phua ’88, they were motivated to steer towards a more ambitious goal. “Prof Stephen Phua pushed us to aim high and dream big with our project. He 16
Intuitively named “7 Vital Signs”, the guide analyses seven key areas of a charity, namely its financial health, sources of income, expenditure, fundraising efficiency, proportion of cash going towards direct outcomes, benefit received per beneficiary, and non-financial needs. The idea is to provide a platform for potential donors to make informed decisions about whether their donations will make an impact. Donors would also be connected directly to a charity should they wish to make contributions. Transparency for Good launched a contemporary website with intuitive user interface, but its creation got off to a rocky start when the team’s volunteer coder unexpectedly dropped out of the project because of work commitments. There was doubt over whether the website would become a reality, as none of the team members was skilled in web designing and coding. The team had to overcome this setback by scouting for and learning to use freely available online tools. In addition, they pooled together their diverse skill sets and knowledge to pull off the launch of the website. Some team members used their extensive network of contacts to connect with various charities and reach out to web coders for help. Legal training, too, played a part in exercising due diligence and mitigating risks. “It was encouraging to see how all members of the team worked together
CONGRATULATIONS TO CLASS OF 2020 AND 2021
to build the website,” said Jolena. “It was a long and tedious process, but once we saw the launch of our website to the public, it was very rewarding.” On top of devoting time to such a laborious undertaking, other challenges include juggling between work and school commitments. Most of the time, the team held meetings online after office hours and during weekends. To work more efficiently, they divided themselves into subgroups to handle different aspects of the project. While pitching their project to various charities, the team faced some resistance from charities who were wary of disclosing their financial statements. There were fears that finances could be misinterpreted and doubts about the benefits of participating in such a novel initiative. To assuage their concerns, the team assured that charities would get to scrutinise their reports. On the future of Transparency for Good, Jolena shared her team’s aspiration: “We hope that our project will reach a scale where it becomes a well-adopted standard for charities, and a recognised reference point for members of the public to understand the strengths, weaknesses, and needs of a charity before donating.”
Congratulations to the graduates of NUS Law’s Class of 2020 and 2021! After having virtual Commencement ceremonies earlier this year, our graduates were finally able to celebrate their achievements with inperson Commencement ceremonies on 15 October 2021. As Safe Management Measures (SMM) were implemented to ensure the health and safety of all participants, three separate ceremonies were held at the NUS University Cultural Centre, with over 300 students from the LLB, LLM and PhD programmes graduating from the faculty.
To find out more about Transparency for Good, visit: transparencyforgood.org This year’s Commencement ceremony featured guest speaker, Mr Tan MinLiang ’02, Co-Founder and CEO of Razer Inc. The NUS Law alumnus debunked a common trope that he was disillusioned with his law career and gave it up to start Razer, and shared how studying law and his early years as a lawyer made a profound impact on his subsequent career in computer gaming. “Just remember, as you step out to the world, you will meet the people who will matter to you. Life is short and you should pursue your passion. Despite all these difficult times, you will find opportunity and you will succeed!” he said.
Tay Wei Xuan ’20, who graduated as the Valedictorian of the Class of 2020, gave an inspirational speech from the International Court of Justice in The Hague. He said, “The courage to pursue what I love found me after two years into law school. I chose to save up to take a gap year feeding koalas in Brisbane. I chose to pursue my interest in the less conventional field of international law. And, in what was the most frightening moment of my parents’ lives, I chose, not to get a Training Contract (TC). I do not doubt most of us worked hard, even struggled, to be here. We can be so incredibly proud – those late nights, forfeiting recess weeks, Wikipedia-ing answers to tutorials. Still, it is difficult not to recognise the privilege we now have. NUS Law has privileged us with a legal education which, among many things, equipped us with the skills to stand up for others and ourselves.” Quoting Oscar Wilde, he added, “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that’s all”. I encourage all of us to value ourselves, and head out into the world to live.”
The Valedictorian of the Class of 2021, Jerry Wang Qiyu ’21, was awarded the Chief Justice Prize, Leo Chia Heng Prize, and Lee Kuan Yew Gold Medal. He was also awarded the Law Society Book Prize for Top 2 Students consecutively in AY18/19 and AY19/20, as well as subject prizes – the Rajah & Tann Tax Prize, Lucien Wong Corporate Finance Law Prize, and Tan Sook Yee Property Law Prize. He was also the Champion for the Attorney General Cup 2019 and represented New York University (NYU) in the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot during his Master of Laws at NYU. He shared in his speech that, “Our sense of duty and responsibility to society must always remain unchanged. Our legal training has equipped us with the ability to look at issues from a different perspective, to understand issues from a legal standpoint. Such skill is truly a privilege, empowering us to help people in society who may not know about their rights; who may not how to defend themselves in law. Let us muster our courage to step into our careers, be open-minded and flexible to adapt to the changing times but at the same time, never forget our duty and responsibility.” 17
REUNIONS
LAWLINK 2021
REUNION CLASS OF 2001’s 20TH ANNIVERSARY GET-TOGETHERS The Class of 2001 celebrated their 20th anniversary this year with small group gatherings. Alumnus Fong Wei Kurk ’01 shares with us about his class reunion amidst COVID-19 restrictions. “Ordinarily, this year would have been a big get-together for the Class of 2001 given that it’s our 20th Anniversary of graduation from law school. Alas, these are not ordinary times! Despite the challenges brought about by COVID-19 restrictions, we determined early on in the year that we would carry on with our reunion, be it in groups of 2, 5 or 8, and wherever in the world we may be! After all, our cohort had experienced the unique challenge of graduating into a recession in 2001, with several of us struggling to get
18
retained after our pupillage. If we could overcome that, surely we could overcome the challenges posed by COVID-19! The plan was for our classmates to gather in small groups depending on the thenprevailing COVID-19 restrictions and take a photo of the gathering, after which we would stitch the photos together into a grand montage. Unfortunately, such technological wizardry continues to elude us as we age so we had to make do with a collection of the photos we have taken.
The response has been overwhelming, with photographic contributions coming in from a variety of gatherings and even from places like Hong Kong and the UK! The smiles on the faces, albeit with a wrinkle or two and perhaps some grey hair (or no hair for some!), only serve to demonstrate that COVID-19 or not, getting together with our classmates and reminiscing over good old days in law school never gets old!”
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BENEFACTORS
LAWLINK 2021
BENEFACTORS NUS LAW OFFERS SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR DONORS:
Muthucumaraswamy Sornarajah
Singapore Academy of Law
Thomson Reuters Corporation Pte Ltd
Nesadevi Sandrasegara ’61
Singapore Exchange Limited
Toh See Kiat ’82
Newsman Realty Pte Ltd
Singapore Institute of Legal Education
Tote Board
Ng Chee Siong Robert
Singapore Maritime Institute
TPB Menon ’61
Ng Poh Meng
Singapore Mediation Centre
TSMP Law Corporation
A Balasubramaniam Reddy ’80, LLM ’90
Ernst & Young Solutions LLP
Koh Juay Kherng ’82
Ng Siang Kok Francis
Singapore Press Holdings Limited
Tung Yang Thong, Issac ’00
Adrian Ooi ’08
Estate of Chng Mui Lin, Isabel
Koh Kheng Lian ’61
Ng Soon Kai ’89
Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd
United Overseas Bank Limited
Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation Limited
Stefanie Yuen Thio ’93
V K Rajah ’82
Stephenson Harwood
Wee Ewe Lay, Laurence Wee Ewe Seng, Patrick John ’89
ADTLaw LLC
Estate of Koh Choon Joo
Koh Tee Huck, Kenneth ’83
Allen & Gledhill LLP
Estate of Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat
Koh Thong Bee, Tommy ’61
Amarjeet Singh ’61
Estate of Theresa Kamala Ambrose
Kok Pin Chin, Stanley ’03
Norton Rose (Asia) LLP
Sundaresh Menon ’86
Ang Peng Koon Patrick ’89
Evangelos Apostolou
Kuok Group of Companies Singapore
NUS Law Class of 1988
Suresh Nanwani ’81
Wee Foundation
Ang Shunli Alanna Suegene Uy ’06
Eversheds Harry Elias LLP
Lam Chung Nian ’97
Ojha Shikha LLM ’11
Susan De Silva ’83
Wee Woon Hong ’89 Wei Sze Shun George
Ashurst LLP
Fam Siu Ping, Anita ’86
Lee & Lee
Ong Siew Ling, Debbie ’89
Tan Cheng Han ’87
Asian Patent Attorneys AssociationSingapore Group
Foo Tuat Yien ’76
Lee Foundation
Oon & Bazul LLP
Tan Chong Huat ’89
Wing Tai Foundation
Lee Geok Chiau, Grace ’93
Pang Khang Chau
Tan Ken Hwee ’94
Wing Tai Holdings Limited
Asok Kumar s/o Naraindas
Gan Hiang Chye ’89 & Gan Lai Peng Nee Kong
Lee Ho Wah ’86
Withers KhattarWong LLP
Baker & Mckenzie Foundation
Gary F Bell
Paul Anantharajah Tambyah
Tan Kwang Hwee
Lee Hsien Loong
Peter Fu Chong Cheng
Tan Rajah & Cheah
Woh Hup (Private) Limited
Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow
Giam Lay Hoon ’86
Lee Hwai Bin ’00
Phang Boon Leong, Andrew ’82
Tan Su May ’87
Wong Fong Fui
Barclays Bank PLC
Gita Satryani Juwita ’05
Lee Kay Tuan, David ’92
Wong Meng Meng ’71
Boo Geok Seng, Lawrence ’80, LLM ’88
Gladys Mirandah ’76 & Patrick Mirandah
Philip Jiminez
Tan Tee Jim ’79
Lee Kim Tah Holdings Limited
Philip Nalliah Pillai ’71
Tan Tze Gay ’87
Wong Soon Peng Adrian ’99
Lee Soo Hiang Madeleine
Quahe Woo & Palmer LLC
Tan Zhi Peng Benny ’12
Wong Yuen Kuai, Lucien ’78
Tay Seong Chee Simon ’86
WongPartnership LLP
Rajah & Tann Foundation
Temasek Foundation International CLG Limited
Woon Cheong Ming, Walter ’81
Raj Kumar s/o Naraindas
Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited
RHTLaw Asia LLP
Yap Wai Ming ’86
The Family of Bennett Lam ’86
Roderick Edward Martin ’72
Yeap Poh Leong, Andre ’86
The Family of Edlyn Yap Mei Li ’96
S Rajendran ’62
Yeoh Cheng Huann
The Family of H.L. Wee
Sachi Saurajen ’61
Yeo Meng Heong Stanley ’76
The Family of Ho Thian Cheh ’61
Yeong Zee Kin ’97
Sandrasegara K P
The Giving Back Foundation
Yim Wing Kuen, Jimmy ’82
Santa Clara University, School Of Law
The Grace, Shua and Jacob Ballas II Charitable Trust
Yip Hsien Chang, John ’92
Cecilia Wee Chong Jin & Family Chan Chee Yin, Andrew ’04 Chan Sek Keong ’61 Chan Seng Onn ’86 Chan Wah Teck, Jeffrey ’73 Chao Hick Tin Chee Wei Liang, Michael & Helen Chee Chen Jie’An, Jared ’09 Chew Gek Khim ’84 Chia Ah Mooi, Sally Chia Jee Phun, Jennifer ’71
Goh Joon Seng ’62 Goh Soo May Goh Yong Hong ’61 Gwee Tiong Hai, Raymond ’82 Harveen Singh Narulla ’02 Helen Yeo ’74 Helmsman LLC Herman Jeremiah ’87 Herman Ronald Hochstadt Hew Kian Heong ’92 Ho Kin San ’87
Lee Teck Leng, Robson ’93 Lee Tye Beng, Joel Lee Yih Sin, Eugene ’93 Lee Yuen Ying, Amy ’82 Leena Pinsler ’82 and Jeffrey Pinsler Leow Siak Fah ’70 LexisNexis Liew Chih Yuan, Steven ’93 Lim Chong Kin ’95 Lim Geck Chin, Mavis
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP
Lim Peng Huan & Sim Pei Fang
Sat Pal Khattar ’66, LLM ’71 and family
Lok Vi Ming
Sembcorp Cogen Pte Ltd
Low Kee Yang
Seng Kiat Boon, Daniel ’92
Lye Lin Heng, Irene ’73
Ser Holdings Pte Ltd
The Maritime Law Association of Singapore
Manoj Pillay Sandrasegara ’93
Shantini Tharmanason LLM ’05
The Ngee Ann Kongsi
John & Lydia Ewing-Chow
Shook Lin & Bok LLP
The Riady Family
City Developments Limited
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Joseph Liow Wang Wu ’92
Shook Lin & Bok Malaysia
The Silent Foundation Ltd
Clifford Chance Pte Ltd
Mediacorp Pte Ltd
K Shanmugam ’84
Simon Arthur Chesterman
The Tan Chin Tuan Foundation
Colin Ng & Partners LLP
Messrs Wonders Engineering Co Pte Ltd
K&L Gates Straits Law LLC
Sin Boon Ann ’86
Thio Su Mien ’61
D.S. Lee Foundation
Michael Hwang
Kan Ting Chiu ’70, LLM ’88
Davinder Singh ’82
Michael Stephen Puhaindran ’96
Kao Kwok Weng, Jonathan ’10
Dentons Rodyk & Davidson LLP
Microsoft Operations Pte Ltd
Kelvin Tay ’93 & Grace Tay
Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara ’88
Microsoft Singapore Private Limited
Keppel Corporation Limited
Drew & Napier LLC
Minn Naing Oo ’96
Khoo Bee Lian
Edmund Jerome Kronenburg ’96
Khoo Boo Teck Randolph ’89
Mohamed Faizal Mohamed Abdul Kadir ’05
Edward Lam
Kishore Mahbubani
Mohan Reviendran Pillay ’85
Ella Cheong
Koh Jimmy
Morgan Lewis Stamford LLC
Chiang Ju Hua, Audrey ’95
Intellectual Property Office Of Singapore
Chin Siew Hoong, Margaret ’89
IRB Law LLP
Chng Teck Yeong, Callistus
Jazmyn Chelliah
Chong Horng Siong, Steven ’82
Jennifer Suriyiacala Marie ’83
Chua Lee Ming ’83
Johann Heinrich Jessen
Chua Li Boon, Elizabeth
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The Henry Luce Foundation, Inc The Law Society of Singapore
Yap Kok Kiong ’89
Yong Pung How LLD ’01 Yong Wei-Woo
* Listed are donors who have cumulatively given S$10,000.00 and above to NUS Law since 2000, as at 9 November 2021. * Some donors have asked to remain anonymous.
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LAWLINK 2021
HEARTFELT THANKS TO DONORS The past two years have been a challenge for everyone, and law students facing financial burdens exacerbated by the pandemic have been no exception. On behalf of our students who have benefited from your generosity and kindness, we want to express our heartfelt thanks to all our Donors. We share some of the thank you notes from our students below.
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When I heard that I was awarded the Chandra Mohan K Nair Scholarship, I was beyond elated. My parents have worked hard for many years to provide for my education, more than I could ever repay. I’m grateful for this scholarship because it not only allows me to alleviate their financial strain, but also serves as a tangible fruit of their labour. Their excitement and happiness upon receiving news of the scholarship was worth every effort I have made towards law school thus far. I cannot thank you enough for this opportunity, which has given me renewed motivation to continue working hard, and to live up to the spirit of the scholarship and the ideals that it stands for.
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Sarfaroj Ahmed Malik ’24 Year 2 student & recipient of the Chandra Mohan K Nair Scholarship
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Ever since the pandemic struck, things have not been going well for many people and my family is no exception. The impact has been immense as my father is working in the F&B sector, which has been hard hit by COVID-19 restrictions, and he has suffered income reduction since the onset of the pandemic with no end in sight. Hence, I sincerely appreciate the bursary which has greatly eased my family’s financial burden. Thank you so much for your generous support, especially during this difficult time.
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Khor Zhao Xiang ’25 Year 1 student & recipient of the Ella Cheong Bursary
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Thank you for generously donating towards a bursary at NUS Law for financially disadvantaged students. It has not been easy having to cope with studies while worrying about my finances. My family lives from pay-check to pay-check, and this year has been the hardest as my mother, the sole breadwinner in our family, was retrenched due to the pandemic. Without this bursary, I would not be able to afford my daily necessities, such as medical bills or buying textbooks that cannot be sourced from the library. Knowing that I have some emergency cash in hand also takes a load off my shoulders. I am really grateful for your generosity and I hope that you know your donation really does greatly impact the lives of students like me. It gives us the encouragement to persevere despite hard times.
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Edwin Lim ’25 Year 1 student & recipient of the Faculty of Law Bursary
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I am writing this letter to convey my heartfelt gratitude for your contribution to the Faculty of Law Bursary, which has made education much more affordable for people like me. I can’t put into words exactly the sense of relief and gratitude I felt when I received news that the bursary had been awarded to me. It has helped to alleviate the financial burden on my family. It also enables me to have an allowance for my daily expenditure, such that I do not have to add on to my parents’ burden, or work part-time and juggle that with my studies. I thank you for your generous donation.
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Angeline Tan ’22 Year 4 student & recipient of the Betty Wu Lee Bursary
22
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