On 27 August 2026, Professor Devika Hovell delivered a lecture titled “The Constitutional Status of the Bomb” at NUS Law. The lecture reflected on the idea of the bomb as a constitutional artefact: not simply a weapon of unique destructive force, but one that has helped to structure world order. Professor Hovell explored how nuclear weapons shape the conditions of constitutional order, what forms of domination they sustain, and why disarmament should be understood not as utopian aspiration, but as a constitutional imperative.

The NUS Centre for Pro Bono and Clinical Legal Education (CPBCLE) hosted the inspiring finale of the Linklaters Social Impact Competition, which was co-sponsored and initiated by global law firm Linklaters. This year’s challenge ventured into a more ethereal yet vital domain: the heritage and culture in Singapore. Moving beyond challenges from past years like corporate greenwashing and plastic waste, the competition tasked interdisciplinary student teams with exploring how Singapore can preserve its unique cultural “soul”.

Congratulations to Kanika Jamwal PhD ’26, for being awarded the Max Weber Fellowship (MWF) at the European University Institute (EUI)! This is one of the world’s most selective postdoctoral programmes, accepting fewer than 5% of applicants for just 55 to 65 fellowships across the institute’s academic units. Fellows benefit from an inspiring, multidisciplinary environment in the heart of Europe. For Kanika, this is the latest peak in a journey that began in Rajasthan, India, found its intellectual anchor in Singapore, and would now lead her to Italy.

On 18 August, Professor Howard Bennett delivered a lecture titled “The Insurance Act 2015: Is the Devil in the Detail?” at NUS Law. The Insurance Act 2015 introduced significant changes to insurance contract law, amending or repealing a number of central provisions of the Marine Insurance Act 1906. The 2015 Act entered into force in August 2016, and reached its 10th anniversary this August. At the level of general principle, the reforms introduced are welcomed but questions arise once the Act is considered in greater detail. In his lecture, Professor Bennett posited that a more general question is the optimal level of detail to which legislation should extend.

On 11 August, Professor Thomas Poole delivered a lecture titled “False Friend: The Frailties and Pathologies of Alliances” at NUS Law. He explored how even though alliances are valorised as guarantees of security and friendship, they also harbour pathologies, dragging states into wars. Against the backdrop of modern geopolitics, his lecture delved into how imperial expectations within alliances—demands for fealty rather than consultation—risk the corrosion of trust.

Huang Fan PhD ’28, a second-year PhD student at NUS Law, has been awarded the prestigious Fox International Fellowship at Yale University for the academic year 2026/2027. This is an achievement that underscores the world-class calibre of our research community, with the Fellowship being a highly competitive graduate student exchange programme between Yale and a select network of only 20 world-renowned partner institutions. This is the second time an NUS Law student has been awarded the Fellowship.

Congratulations to all of NUS Law’s Long Service Award recipients! In total, 24 staff members were honoured by the Faculty for their dedication and hard work. At the Start of Term Welcome Lunch held on 12 August 2026, Professor Lynette Chua, Vice-Dean of Research at NUS Law, presented the recipients with a certificate in recognition of their dedication.

US Law is delighted to welcome the following visiting faculty for AY 2026/2027, Semester 1: Professor Howard Bennett, Sat Pal Khattar Visiting Professor; Professor Devika Hovell, Kwa Geok Choo Visiting Professor; Professor Thomas Poole, Tan Ah Tah Visiting Professor; Professor Andrew Schwartz; Associate Professor Gilad Abiri; and Associate Professor Marie-Louise Holle.

NUS Law secured a landslide victory at the 9th H.V. Perera QC Memorial Moot Competition (The Victor’s Moot), emerging as Overall Champion, with Varun Karthik ’27 securing the Best Oralist award, Ong Qian Ying Chernys ’29 securing the Best Oralist Runner Up award, and Jared Goh Kiat Gin ’29 securing the Best Oralist of the Finals award. The competition was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the moot problem tackled an international arbitration dispute.

NUS Law welcomed its newest cohort of 245 undergraduates with the Freshmen Inauguration Ceremony on 26 July 2026. A longstanding tradition, the ceremony marks the start of their legal education and welcomes them into the NUS Law community. Since 2024, the ceremony has gained new meaning with the introduction of an ethics pledge, through which the freshmen affirm their commitment to uphold the values of integrity, professionalism and service.

NUS Law alumni gathered on 25 July 2026 to celebrate the Faculty’s return to the Kent Ridge campus after nearly two decades at the Bukit Timah campus. The event brought together alumni from the inaugural Class of 1961 to the Class of 2026 to reconnect with one another, reacquaint themselves with their alma mater at its new home, and witness the unveiling of a commemorative artwork that marks a new chapter for NUS Law.

As we look back on the first half of 2026, we applaud our students for their excellent showing at both moot and dispute resolution competitions, at the local and international level. Travelling to countries including India, Florida and Vienna, 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. Congratulations to the students on their achievements!