Institutes & Centres
Highlights
As we come to the half-way mark of 2025, we applaud the efforts of our students for their excellent showing at moot competitions near and far, with new records set at the Vis-Japan Pre-Moot and the Inter-American Human Rights Moot Court Competition. Travelling to countries including India, Japan, Paris, Turkey and the United States, our students gained a broadening of their world views as they benefitted from the opportunity to argue legal standpoints against peers from law schools around the world.
For the first time, NUS Law advanced to the semi-finals in the trilingual competition centred on the unique inter-American legal system, on the topic of human trafficking and human rights. Interpreted rounds, which saw English language oral arguments translated in real time in front of human rights experts, added another challenging layer, even as the rules were changed on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the competition. An English-speaking team has won the competition only twice in its entire history.
Celebrating 20 years of service and impact, the NUS Pro Bono Group (PBG) commemorated its milestone anniversary on 21 February 2025 with a meaningful evening of reflection and recognition. Bringing together students, alumni, faculty and legal industry leaders, the ceremony honoured PBG’s enduring commitment to access to justice and the power of student-driven initiatives.
Ellisha Khairi’s capstone critically examines the persistent issue of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN peacekeepers, a problem that has plagued peacekeeping operations since the 1990s. To centre victims' needs at the heart of the criminal justice system, she argues that hybrid courts offer the most pragmatic solution—the hybrid court model would allow troop-contributing countries to retain primary jurisdiction, while involving international actors when the former is unwilling or unable to act.
Appearing before a rare five-judge coram in the Court of Appeal led by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Assistant Professor Marcus Teo argued on behalf of four death-row inmates that presumptions in the Act infringe fundamental rules of natural justice, which include the presumption of innocence. Assistant Professor Teo’s appearance in this case reflects his legal expertise and advocacy skills, as well as NUS Law’s broader commitment to scholarship that engages with real-world legal practice.
Multi-disciplinary teams across NUS impressed judges at the second Linklaters Social Impact Competition, with their innovative proposals to tackle the problem of plastic pollution. Supported by law firm Linklaters Singapore, the contest addresses social and sustainability challenges. Judges commended the NUS students for their ingenious ideas, the quality of their videos and the level of research, with the champion pulling ahead with a three-pronged approach targeting the economic, cultural and infrastructural aspects of the issue.
