Message from the Dean Celebrating the Year of SG Women with Our Alumna - President Halimah Yacob ’78 LLM ’01 LLD ’16

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.”

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

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

Entering politics in 2001

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 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.

Professor David Tan with President Halimah (then Speaker of Parliament) at the 2017 Syariah Law Forum

President Halimah enjoying a light-hearted moment with friends at the reunion

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 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.”

Photo: Ministry of Communications and Information

President Halimah was sworn in on 14 September 2017 as Singapore’s 8th President at the Istana

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

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 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.”

VENTURING BEYOND THE LAW

HO KHENG LIAN ’07

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.

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.

“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. 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.

Even at the onset of her legal career, Kheng Lian had her sights set on breaking out of practice to build her own business.

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 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.

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.

“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.

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 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.”

(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

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.

Jessica Teng Sijie ’19

Trainee Solicitor, Allen & Overy LLP

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 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.

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.

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.

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 wellrounded 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.

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!

Tell me about your time in London.

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.

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.

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?

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.

From a training perspective, we started out with a regular set of weekly ‘classes’ called Kirkland University. During these 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