Law Matters June 2021 - NUS Law Alumni

June 2021

Message from the Dean

We have just completed a full academic year under the straitened conditions imposed due to the pandemic. Most recently, this included graduation ceremonies last weekend for the classes of 2020 and 2021. These were held online rather than in person, but they were joyous occasions nonetheless. My colleagues and I were able to share video wishes of good cheer — a good number of us putting on full academic robes for the occasion (though does one really need a reason?). We were also delighted to have Tan Min-Liang '02, CEO of Razer, join us and deliver a Commencement speech that was both inspiring and uplifting. As we look beyond the pandemic, there are many reasons for optimism.

Yet one thing I hope does not go back to "normal" is our increased awareness of mental health issues. All of us experienced stress and anxiety over the past year; a growing number realise that there should be no stigma associated with asking for help. This issue of Law Matters addresses some of the highlights of university — winning prizes and competitions, meeting one's life partner — but also some of the challenges, including through discussing the important work of graduates like Padma Jairam '98.

I do hope this finds you and your loved ones well, vaccinated, and in good spirits. And I look forward to seeing many of you in person at future events in the months ahead!

Professor Simon Chesterman Dean, NUS Law

Alumni Features

Padma Jairam '98 on Life and Mental Health

After graduating from NUS Law in 1998, Padma Jairam joined the National Institute of Education (NIE) to pursue a teaching career. In order to be able to help students beyond lessons, she proceeded to study psychology, and is now the Counselling Psychologist & Owner of Padma Jairam – Counselling Psychologist, as well as an Associate Instructor at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. We chat with her about her journey to discovering her passions for teaching and psychology, and the prevailing issue of mental wellness.

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Daryl Yang '19 received the Fulbright Scholarship for Graduate studies in the United States

Daryl Yang '19 is the first graduate from the Law-Liberal Arts Double Degree Programme (DDP) to be heading to the United States to pursue a Masters of Laws degree under the Fulbright Singapore Student Programme.

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Law of Attraction

Studying in law school has been said to be filled with readings and preparations for classes, but many couples have also found love as students at NUS Law. We spoke to two couples about what brought them together and the challenges of being married to a fellow lawyer.

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Faculty Highlights

NUS Law ranked amongst Top 10 law schools in the World

Teo Keang Sood, Tan Lee Meng '72 and Tan Yock Lin appointed as Emeritus Professors

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Giving Campaign

Commencement Class Giving 2021

Newly-minted alumni and Class Champions from the Class of 2021, Dinesh Kumar and Lenon Ong, share their motivations and challenges faced as fund-raisers, and their thoughts on graduating in these unusual times.

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Student Highlights

Kevin Wong '21 received the Ertegun Graduate Scholarship in the Humanities to study at Oxford

Moots Spotlight

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Alumni Features

Padma Jairam '98 on Life and Mental Health

It appears from your CV that law may not exactly have been your first love. Could you share why you chose to read law and your best memories of law school?

As clichéd as this sounds, it was my dad's wish for me to go to Law School. Law was not something I ever considered as a career. Having said that, the study of law was an incredible intellectual journey and so much of what I learned and how I learned has made me the teacher and psychologist I am today. The rigour of Law School, attention to detail and the analytical skills that are honed at Law School have been so very useful in the work I do.

Padma (extreme right) & friends at their Graduation Night in 1998

My best memories have to do with Orientation and the friendships I made. Sleepless nights at campus, zonked out after a night of working on the float for Rag and Flag Day, grimy and feeling invincible for being able to go without sleep for days in a row before crashing

Law School orientation camp was so much fun. I didn't know I had it in me to be that spontaneous and "rah-rah", as I was called back then. Getting my face caked with flour and doing Chinese opera in the middle of the open-air area in front of Ngee Ann City should have been nerve-racking, but all I remember was the fun, laughter and absolute adrenaline rush.

The other best memory has got to be meeting friends who, until today, are still my closest and dearest friends that have been there throughout my life. Looking at the photos I dug up for this interview really brought that back for me.

Could you share with us your passions and motivations going into teaching and then later counselling and psychology?

I was always keenly aware that while my classmates were talking about their legal careers, pupillage and the areas of law they wanted to go into, I didn't share that excitement and sense of wonder. I knew I had to find my own way. I was grateful for my law school education, but wondered what would give me the meaning and purpose I sought, so I tried relief teaching back at my alma mater during the first year semester break and LOVED IT. I loved being around my students, their energy and curiosity, and that I had something to teach and share with them. That gave me purpose.

The day I decided that teaching was what I want to do after being called to the Bar, I realized we all have our place in the world. My classmates were going to be wonderful lawyers and fulfil their purpose in helping people through the legal fraternity. I had my purpose in education, fueled by a desire to help young minds and hearts fulfil their dreams and find their purpose.

The passion for psychology came as a result of teaching. While at NIE, a professor who taught "Handling Crisis" noticed how much the module impacted me and how much I really wanted to help the marginalized. She suggested I think about pursuing a Masters in Counselling or Psychology. I didn't think much more of her suggestion at the time, but a seed was planted. As a teacher, my goal was to help my students to be successful and more than anything, to be good people.However, many of them struggled with their own demons and external circumstances which they had no control over. Their frustrations motivated me to pursue the suggestion from my NIE professor, and I started researching graduate school programmes in Counselling Psychology.

Padma (centre, seated) with her students at SUSS

Despite my law degree and Postgraduate Diploma from NIE, I soon found out that a basic degree in Psychology or Education was required. That's how I found myself doing a part-time BA in Psychology on a full scholarship, while continuing to teach. That was an exciting time as I landed a job teaching at Innova Junior College and was soon promoted to Head of English.

Then my mother got breast cancer (again) and this time, it was back with a vengeance. I lost her in the midst of my studies and had to take a year off because I couldn't process her passing. I struggled for a long time with her being gone, and the moment I finished my BA, I got a place at Adler University in Vancouver. I was grateful to move and make a fresh start in 2010.

Do tell us a little about your own personal journey to peace and fulfilment while pursuing your graduate degree in psychology in Canada.

In a word, it was life-changing. Since I left Singapore in such a fragile mental state, I think Vancouver became a safe place for me to find myself and to grow as a person.

Faced with the prospect of being on my own in a new country for 3 years to finish my Masters, I was surprised at how quickly I adapted. I went for Spanish classes, took up Zumba and dance classes to meet people. I had long walks and runs and learned to spend time with myself, which was something I had never done before.

Adler University had a wonderful aspect of their master's programme which entailed doing a community service practicum in addition to the clinical practicum. The "life-changing" aspect of my journey had a lot to with this community service practicum. I volunteered at a small non-profit organization called PACE, that helped sex workers. Through numerous conversations over coffee, I learnt about their lives, and was humbled by their struggles and sheer resilience to survive and was moved to tears by their kindness and compassion towards a world which did not always reciprocate their good intentions. When I faced some of my toughest personal challenges, it was the women who ran PACE who were there for me. They remain my inspiration for what I do today.

Much has been said to create awareness about mental health in the past few years, especially in this last year with the pandemic. Do you think we still need to do more?

Yes, for sure. Although I think we have made a great start, more can be done. The stigma of mental illness is still very evident. There is a culture of suspicion when someone says they are not feeling well but is not able to show actual physical symptoms (much like the headaches or cramps that we know are usual reasons cited when seeking medical leave). There will always be those who are opportunistic and abuse the system, but this should not stop us from allowing people time off, or a reduced work load, when they struggle with genuine stressors in their lives.

I look forward to a day when mental healthcare is affordable and accessible for everyone. We do have free services and those at reduced rates. But the poor mental health professionals at these places are usually severely overworked. Having insurance that can cover counselling sessions may be something to consider. This is already done in several countries. It's time that mental illness is accorded the same importance we give to physical illness.

I think it is also time to give due respect and recognition to those working in mental healthcare. Whether the professional is a counsellor or a psychologist is about the qualification they obtained. While that may be important to determine their competency level, it has no bearing at all on whether the person is compassionate and able to empathise and help someone. As with so many things in Singapore, we really need to stop being caught up with labels.

It is surprising to note that the Singapore Mental Health Survey in 2016 found that those with higher education and who were employed were more likely not to seek treatment! Does greater awareness not help?

I think having the intellectual awareness that something is wrong can be rather different from having the self-awareness and humility to admit that one needs help, and can and should seek help. There is still a lot of stigma attached to "seeking help" and being perceived as "weak". I think given the focus we have on academic achievements, we almost feel that the more educated one is, the more invincible one is. But there is more than enough evidence that mental illness spares no one.

What do you think employers can do to reduce the stigma around seeking help for mental illness, especially when the work arena is typically competitive and performance driven?

As I mentioned earlier, insurance that includes counselling sessions will be great in terms of making counselling accessible for all, while reducing the burden on free or reduced rate services. Another thing that might help is to have honest and open conversations about mental health. Conversations initiated by the senior management can reassure all of us that it is OK to talk about not being OK.

Many surveys and studies have shown that being happy with work, and colleagues and feeling appreciated contribute much more towards job satisfaction than any material remuneration. In which case, competitiveness and performance are probably best served by ensuring that staff feel accepted for who they are.

What are some of the common misperceptions around mental illness, and what can we do to correct these?

That mental illness is always a choice and we can just "suck it up". That it can always be medicated and that medication is the only way to "cure it".

One of the most powerful learning moments for me as a psychologist was working with those who have schizophrenia. Many of us, who have not had this condition, cannot comprehend what it is like to lose control of one's mental faculties and feel controlled by some unknown thing or being and have no memory or control over what we do or say.

Change can come from knowledge and understanding. Information is easily available at the click of a mouse. All we have to do is to take the time to find it. And when knowledge is met with empathy, then we might come to realize that "that person could be me" when we read about someone who is struggling with mental illness.

Many of us have been bearing with prolonged stress and uncertainty: adapting and re-adapting to the frequent changes in safety measures and work/school arrangements, while still trying to meet deadlines and handle personal challenges. Add to this the constant stream of bad news, and anyone would feel down! How do we know if it's just the blues and when it's actually time to seek help? Any downsides to waiting to see if we bounce back?

If your 'down moments' seem to stretch for days, and you start to feel that you "have to sleep for 12 hours" every day, or you're just staring into space for hours on end and start to tear up more often than usual, these may be signs that something else might be going on. If your appetite has changed (whether it is over-eating or not eating enough) and if something that made you excited and happy is now something you can't bear, and you are avoiding contact from family and/or friends, these can be tell-tale signs that this is probably not just the blues.

Please do talk to someone. If nothing else, you will feel relieved if the mental health professional says this is not all that serious and can be managed within a few sessions.

The 'wait and see' practice is not bad in itself. I think it's knowing when to stop waiting. One way to take the 'guesswork' out is to journal. This doesn't have to be complicated – just a simple log of how you are feeling and what you did (or didn't get to do) – and over about a month or so, you can notice the trends. Also note down if there were significant events in your life – whatever affected you in some way. Information like that may be very helpful to the psychologist or counsellor if and when you eventually choose to seek help.

What's an easy first step for someone reading this who may want to seek help?

There are of course numerous hotlines you can call. IMH Helpline (63892222), SOS (1800-221 4444) and the National CARE Hotline (1800-202 6868), which was started by MSF in light of the adverse effects of the pandemic and which I volunteer with.

With respect to the legal community in particular, I am heartened that the Law Society has a service called LawCare that provides confidential counselling support for practitioners. They have engaged the services of Counseling and Care Centre as well as The Counseling Perspective. Sessions are fully paid for by the Law Society. There have been a good number of lawyers who have already engaged counselling services through LawCare, so please do not hesitate to reach out. It takes courage to seek help and you deserve to be helped while you are undertaking the noble work of helping others.

What advice do you have for law students and even some alumni trying to chart a path for themselves?

To those contemplating a different path from what is expected, I would say, "Don't be afraid to follow your heart. Your legal education will never be wasted because education is never a waste. And if you fear having to start all over again in another profession, that is normal. I won't lie to you - there will be moments when you might feel regret or want to 'cut and run' and that is OK too. But keep going, because when you get to the place where you feel at home (much like how I feel every day now) and look back on your life's journey, the personal sense of achievement is both humbling and a source of pride."

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Daryl Yang '19 received the Fulbright Scholarship for Graduate studies in the United States

Daryl Yang '19 is the first graduate from the Law-Liberal Arts DDP to be heading to the United States to pursue a Masters of Laws degree under the Fulbright Singapore Student Programme.

The Fulbright Singapore Student Program is part of the Fulbright Program, the most prestigious international educational exchange programme sponsored by the US Government that operates in more than 160 countries worldwide. To date, 60 Fulbright alumni have been recognised as Nobel Laureates, and 39 are serving or have served as heads of state or government. On average, the award is given to two students from Singapore each year.

Daryl graduated from Yale-NUS College and NUS in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (with a minor in Anthropology) and a Bachelor of Laws with Honours. He was called to the Singapore Bar in 2020 and has been practising law at Baker McKenzie. Wong & Leow where he specialises in employment law, commercial litigation and international arbitration. He has also worked with civil society organisations to submit parallel reports to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Singapore's human rights record in relation to disabled people and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community.

Daryl has received graduate school offers from the law schools of the University of California, Berkeley, Columbia University, Harvard University, and New York University. He has decided to pursue a Master of Laws (LL.M) at Berkeley Law, with a specialisation in public interest and social justice, under the Fulbright Program. Daryl developed his interest in disability while on a summer programme at Yale University and he decided to pursue ethnographic research on the mobilisation of disability rights in Singapore for his final-year thesis. He hopes to use the insights he will gain from his time in the US to advance justice and inclusion of disabled people in Singapore through the law.

"The Fulbright Program offers a unique platform for me to build on my Yale-NUS experiences as an intermediary between Singapore and the US. In my past overseas exchanges, I have gained new ideas and perspectives, and I am excited to continue to promote mutual sharing of ideas and experiences between our countries as a Fulbrighter in our collective pursuit of justice and fairness for marginalised communities," said Daryl.

While at college, Daryl co-founded two inter-university student organisations to drive positive change in the community, namely Community For Advocacy & Political Education (CAPE) and the Inter-University LGBT Network, Singapore (IULN). At CAPE, he initiated over 20 projects and workshops to increase socio-political literacy and inspire engaged citizenship among young people, while at IULN, he coordinated efforts to promote LGBT inclusion on campus through capacity-building and mentorship programmes.

Reflecting on his time at Yale-NUS, Daryl said, "The Double Degree Programme has given me the best of both worlds as I was able to develop not only my legal skills to advocate for social justice but also an interdisciplinary mindset to approach complex social problems from multiple angles."

Associate Professor Lynette Chua said, "I benefitted from the Fulbright Program when I went to Berkeley to study for my PhD. I am delighted that Daryl will not only be a Fulbright Scholar but will also pursue his graduate studies at my alma mater. Berkeley is one of the best places to immerse in innovative, interdisciplinary legal scholarship. I wish Daryl the time of his life."

This story was first published by Yale-NUS College on 8 June 2021.

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Law of Attraction

Don Loo '13 and Sherlene Chong '13

When Don Loo '13 and Sherlene Chong '13 first met at the alleyway between The Summit canteen and Block B, they developed contrasting first impressions of each other. At the time, Don was in charge of organising float activities for the annual Rag and Flag event. Sherlene had volunteered to help a friend at the Rag and Flag event, and that was when their paths crossed.

"I remember that he mocked me for coming late, and he was kind of annoying. So, frankly, it was not a great first impression," said Sherlene.

"For me, it was love at first sight," said Don. He remembered how Sherlene was sitting with her friend and looking bored. At that moment, he decided to tease her as a way of getting to know her. And so, the courtship began.

"Definitely not love at first sight for me," chuckled Sherlene. "It was more of a slow and gradual process. As we started talking more, I realised that he had a great sense of humour and he could always make me laugh without fail."

Talking about dating while studying brought back the couple's memories of campus life. They recounted having vastly different schedules and that they barely bumped into each other on campus. For Don, the best way to reach Sherlene was by messaging her on MSN Messenger in the middle of lectures.

"My favourite places were the Pro Bono room and Student Lounge. Sometimes, I would be playing pool or table tennis with friends while waiting for Sherlene," said Don.

"On the rare occasions that we studied together, it would be at the CJ Koh Law Library. After that, we would have meals at the café opposite the library!" recalled Sherlene.

In preparation for their wedding in December 2020, the couple wanted to return to campus grounds for a photoshoot. Unfortunately, the pandemic put paid to those plans and safety restrictions posed many additional challenges and inconveniences. From scaling down their wedding reception to cancelling an overseas trip, one setback followed another.

"It was really quite stressful to plan a wedding amidst the pandemic but we are glad that it all worked out in the end and we managed to have a cosy and intimate wedding lunch reception with just our immediate family members," said Sherlene, adding that they were glad to have successfully tied the knot on the auspicious date of December 12.

Don is an Associate Director in Dispute Resolution with Drew & Napier while Sherlene is an in-house legal counsel with a local SME. Not surprisingly, their schedules do not always align well. However, they find encouragement in understanding the nature of each other's profession.

"It's really good that I'm married to a fellow lawyer who really understands the pressures and quirks of the job," said Don, noting that Sherlene is empathetic about the occasions when he has to juggle multiple deadlines and is not able to spend much time with her.

Don and Sherlene revealed that their legal training also colours their conversations. "It gets funny and nerdy. When we argue, legal concepts get thrown around all the time. For example, one of us might issue a writ of summons on the other for an infraction," admitted Don.

"Our training has taught us to use logic and sound reasoning with persuasion when making an argument. Don has since mastered that technique very well and uses it to his advantage. However, one can win an argument but still end up the loser," laughed Sherlene.

The adoring couple have some parting words of advice for current law students.

"Study hard but at the same time, don't forget to date and find love," advised Don.

"Treasure the time you have in law school as a couple, as it is likely to be your most carefree time before you enter the working world," added Sherlene.

The love story of Shaun Woo '17 and Wee Le Ting '17 really only started after they graduated. When at NUS Law, they socialised among a group of common friends and occasionally attended the same classes. But nothing romantic brewed, as Le Ting was keen to emphasise.

"It was neither love at first sight nor a slow burn! We only started dating when we were pursuing our training contracts," she said. "But we did hit it off very well from the start, and became close friends rather quickly."

Le Ting recalled how she would ask Shaun questions on Facebook Messenger after their property law tutorials. Through his replies, she discovered that not only was he knowledgeable and insightful but also remarkably patient and generous with his sharing.

Shaun Woo '17 and Wee Le Ting '17

Shaun, on the other hand, found that Le Ting's outwardly warm and authentic personality couldn't have been more different than his own. As a more reserved personality, he appreciated that she was able to complement his outlook on life. Furthermore, he believed that the way they managed to understand one another really well contributed to their blossoming friendship.

"She gives me the lens to see life through a colourful and vivid perspective, as opposed to the kind of logic which I am naturally inclined to apply," said Shaun.

"He may seem very aloof at first, but he's a very sweet and tenderhearted guy – that was something I learnt to be even truer as time went by," complimented Le Ting.

Reminiscing about the days they used to spend on campus, the couple recounted one fateful day that would change the course of their friendship. The scene was at the benches at the lower quadrangle outside the CJ Koh Law Library and and the Oei Tiong Ham Building.

Le Ting was going through a breakup and had wanted someone to confide in but her close friends were in class. It was her free period and Shaun happened to be available.

"Being desperate to get it off my chest, I decided to ask Shaun if he could lend me a listening ear. We were at best acquaintances at that time, and he actually said 'Yes!'" recalled Le Ting. "He sat there listening to me with such attentiveness and empathy. He didn't mind me going to pieces right in front of him even though we were barely friends!"

"We really only got to know each other on a more personal basis when Le Ting decided to ask if I was free for a chat that one fine afternoon," chipped in Shaun. "It took me slightly by surprise as we weren't that close yet, and had not really interacted on a personal level. Afterwards, we got along really well within our small group of friends that we remain close to."

"That was definitely the inflexion point for our friendship. We had a friendship grounded in trust and confidence from that moment on, and we naturally became closer friends," remarked Le Ting.

Shaun and Le Ting are currently both practising lawyers at Shook Lin & Bok Singapore. They are planning to get married in July 2021. With the fluid pandemic regulations, they are expecting the run-up to their wedding to be a real roller coaster.

In facing future challenges, the couple acknowledged that they strive to strike a balance between putting their time and energy towards the twin priorities of their relationship and careers.

"Dating someone in the same profession can make things easier because we are more understanding towards each other when someone has to disrupt plans because of work," said Shaun.

And, of course, making a marriage work takes effort, and especially in one between lawyers, some quibbling is to be expected.

"We are still learning to lawyer each other less," exclaimed Le Ting. "We are both argumentative by nature, and when we start doing rebuttals and surrebuttals, it definitely exacerbates the situation because we stop listening to each other. It's very unhealthy!"

On relationship tips, the couple advised law students to take it slow.

"Don't feel the pressure to be the classic law school couple when you see people pairing up. Take the time to know each other as organically as possible. Be friends before becoming lovers!" said Le Ting. "The time that you take to build a proper foundation will put you in good stead. The opportunity to see each other in the clearest light possible is invaluable."

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Faculty Highlights

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.

Responding to the announcement, 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."

The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 cover a total of 51 disciplines, grouped into five broad subject areas. The QS Rankings are compiled annually to help prospective students identify the leading universities in a particular subject. Four components are used to rank universities in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021:

Academic reputation
Employer reputation
Research citations per paper
H-index

Believed to be the largest of its kind, the yearly QS subject rankings are based on surveys conducted with over 100,000 individuals in the higher education space regarding teaching and research quality at the universities around the world, and almost 50,000 employers, together with the analysis of 138 million research papers and more than 18.5 million citations. We would like to congratulate and thank everyone who has worked hard to help make NUS Law what we are today!

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Teo Keang Sood, Tan Lee Meng '72 and Tan Yock Lin appointed as Emeritus Professors

NUS Law is pleased to announce that Professors Teo Keang Sood, Tan Lee Meng '72 and Tan Yock Lin were appointed as Emeritus Professors in recognition of their distinguished careers at the Faculty and outstanding contributions to the field of law.

Educated at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur and Harvard Law School, Professor Teo Keang Sood's principal areas of research lie in real property law and strata title. The author of the leading textbook on Strata Title in Singapore and Malaysia, several of his works have been cited with approval at all levels of the courts in Singapore and Malaysia as well as in local and international publications, including the New Zealand Law Commission. He was invited to serve as amicus curiae by the Singapore Court of Appeal in 2019. He has written extensively, and presented papers locally, regionally (including China and Hong Kong) and in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Israel, Serbia and the United States, on land law, strata title and contract law. He has also been appointed as external examiner for universities in Australia and Malaysia for their doctoral candidates in the areas of property law, contract law, and taxation. He was named an Excellent Teacher by NUS in 2002-2003. Among many service contributions, he has served as Vice Dean of NUS Law's then Graduate Division from 2003-2006 and as General Editor of the Singapore Academy of Law Annual Review of Singapore Cases 2000-2021. In 2007, he was conferred the Public Service Medal (PBM) in recognition of his contributions as the inaugural General Editor of this publication. He is also on the editorial board of the Singapore Academy of Law Journal (SAcLJ) and is a panel member of the Strata Titles Boards as well as a member of the Disciplinary Panel of the Council for Estate Agencies.

Professor Tan Lee Meng completed his Bachelor of Laws in 1972 at what was then the University of Singapore. He graduated with First Class Honours, which was quite rare at the time, and went on to earn a Master of Laws degree with Distinction at the University of London in 1974. He joined what became the National University of Singapore, serving as Master of Raffles Hall from 1980 and being promoted to full Professor of Law in 1988. He served as Dean of the Faculty of Law from 1987 to 1992 and as Deputy Vice-Chancellor from 1992 to 1997. His publications include important works on shipping law and insurance, in particular The Law in Singapore on Carriage of Goods by Sea (2nd edn, Butterworths, 1994; 3rd edn 2018) and Insurance Law in Singapore (2nd edn, Butterworths, 1997). In 1997 he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Singapore, initially as a Judicial Commissioner but then swiftly confirmed as a Judge. Because of the nature of a judicial appointment, Lee Meng had to resign from his position at NUS, unlike some of his colleagues who went into government and retained their titles being formally seconded or going on long-term leave. In the course of his appointment to the Supreme Court, Lee Meng served as President of the Industrial Arbitration Court (2002-2007) and as a Senate Member of the Singapore Academy of Law. He rejoined NUS Law in 2013, returning with gusto to research and teaching, including a unique module entitled "Insights of a Judge".

Professor Tan Yock Lin has served on the Singapore Academy of Law's Law Reform Committee almost since its inception. One of its first chairs, Justice of Appeal LP Thean, was known to have said many times that Yock Lin was its most important member and that he had a lot of time for him. Indeed, he is the longest serving member on the Committee and has written the largest number of law reform papers either solely or jointly. He has been very influential in various areas of law reform including illegality, trust law, conflict of laws, and evidence and procedure, and was awarded a Public Service Medal for his work on the Committee in 2008. His many books have ranged across diverse fields including Evidence, Criminal Procedure, Trusts and Equity, Conflicts of Laws, Personal Property and the Legal Profession. Many of these are in areas where there are no other textbooks even today. While the books may have been more for the Singapore profession, Yock Lin was also one of the few from his generation that achieved international recognition for his writings overseas. These have included articles in leading journals such as the Law Quarterly Review, Legal Studies, the Journal of Business Law, and Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly. The fact that he is both a specialist and generalist also shows up in his career. Yock Lin started work first at the Economic Development Board, and then, after obtaining an economics degree and BA in Jurisprudence from Oxford, came back to the Monetary Authority of Singapore, where he was among those who worked for the late Dr Goh Keng Swee as an economist. It is only after that that he moved to NUS Law where he has remained till now. In Yock Lin's time here, he has taught many subjects outside his research interests, not out of choice, but because the Faculty needed him to teach in those areas. This included Singapore legal system, constitutional law, and comparative law. This has been on top of teaching in those other areas on which he has written extensively. Yock Lin has also been an informal mentor (there were no formal mentors in the old days) who has been very helpful in legal discussions with many academics in Singapore including Hans Tjio, Ho Hock Lai, and Wee Meng Seng.

Join us in congratulating them on this exceptional recognition of their many achievements!

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Giving Campaign

Commencement Class Giving 2021

Newly-minted alumni from the Class of 2021, Dinesh Kumar and Lenon Ong are the Class Champions for their batch. While waiting to take the Part B Course, they have been busy raising funds for the Commencement Class Giving 2021 Campaign. We chatted with them to find out their motivations and challenges faced as fund-raisers, and their thoughts on graduating in these unusual times.

Welcome to the NUS Law Alumni family! Please tell us a bit about yourselves.

Dinesh: While in NUS, I was part of the Criminal Justice Club (CJC) and the Singapore Law Review (SLR). In CJC, I was in The Reform Initiative (which provides recourse to individuals who believe they have been wrongfully convicted of crimes) and the Events team (which organised various events to raise awareness of interesting and contemporary criminal justice issues). As the events director in SLR, I worked closely with Lenon, who was the publicity and communications director, in organising the 31st SLR annual lecture. Outside of the law, I love soccer and watching movies.

Lenon: Reflecting on my undergraduate life, I would say that I learned a lot about myself and others through being active in co-curricular activities. I interacted extensively with Dinesh while we were both on the executive committee of the Singapore Law Review. I'm a manga fan, and also enjoy gaming and actual physical exercise too.

What motivated you to serve as fundraisers for Law IV and Commencement Class Giving?

Dinesh: Prior to this, I had no experience with fundraising and felt that this would give me the opportunity to try something different to help others, apart from the pro-bono projects and sub-club initiatives I had been involved with. Fundraising for Law IV was a way to give back to our community through our beneficiary, Touch Community Services (TCS), which serves people of all ages, races and religions to see sustainable change and transformation in their lives.

Commencement Class Giving is an ideal way for me to give back to NUS by appealing to our batch mates and others in the NUS Law community to donate to the NUS Law Student Support Fund. One of the aims of the fund is to support students through bursaries, scholarships, grants and other forms of financial aid. It enables students to develop to their full potential regardless of financial background. I am grateful for the many opportunities NUS has provided that have enabled me to grow and develop through the years. Similarly, I feel that no student should be deprived of the opportunity to grow and develop because of financial constraints.

Law IV and Class Giving has also allowed our batch to do something meaningful together, as the Class of 2021, before we graduate and go our separate ways.

Lenon: This might sound cliché to some, but I joined law school hoping that it would empower me to make a difference and impact others' lives positively.

At NUS Law, I found opportunities to help others. I was active in several pro bono projects, including one with the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, and another where we assisted non-profit organisations to be compliant with the Personal Data Protection Act (2012). In my final year, I raised funds alongside Dinesh for Law IV, and we successfully invited many individuals and corporations to partner with us to make a positive impact on our selected beneficiary. Fundraising was not something that I had attempted before, and I wanted to give it my best since it would benefit the needy.

Being nominated to represent my class as a Commencement Class Giving Champion, my primary role is to help raise funds from my graduating peers, juniors, and alumni for the NUS Law Student Support Fund. I believe that showing care while helping others will go a long way and I hope that such acts will encourage others to do the same. I think this is a meaningful way to complete my undergraduate journey at NUS.

What were some of the challenges faced by the class in fundraising and presenting Law IV this year, and how did you overcome them?

Dinesh & Lenon: In this uncertain economic climate, the responses from corporate partners concerning donations had been understandably lukewarm. We decided to reach out to more individuals in a "personal capacity" and managed to exceed our target! We are especially grateful for the support we received from the NUS Law family which has been overwhelming.

The Phase Two (Heightened Alert) period was also disruptive to preparations for Law IV on both the musical performance and the beneficiary engagement fronts. We had to adapt quickly to the regulations by recording the musical performance beforehand, and by constantly communicating with peers and faculty staff.

As for Commencement Class Giving, the primary challenge would be the inability to reach out to people in person. Unlike previous batches, we were unable to set up booths in school to raise awareness, but we did not allow such challenges to deter us. Thus, this year we are tapping more on social media to publicise the fundraising efforts and we hope to reach more people through this channel.

Do you have any words of encouragement for students and alumni to give to NUS Law or volunteer as a fund-raising champion?

Dinesh: At times, the best presents are not the ones we receive, but the ones we give. As we celebrate the completion of our NUS undergraduate journey for my fellow batchmates, let us mark this occasion by doing something meaningful as one class of 2021. For students and alumni of NUS, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the student support fund becomes especially important in providing additional or urgent assistance to students who may need extra financial aid so please do donate generously.

Lenon: Every gift counts! Giving to the NUS Law Student Support Fund will mean providing more support to students through bursaries, scholarships, grants and other forms of financial aid. It's also good to know that we will be contributing to the learning and development of future batches of law students.

What are your thoughts on graduating at this time, and what are your post-graduation plans?

Dinesh: After going through this challenging period where we learnt to navigate online learning, and found novel ways of building bonds with friends, I am confident that the Class of 2021 will be able to deal with the many challenges which will come our way as we embark on a new journey. Although graduating into a COVID-19 job market may seem daunting, I believe that our ability to adapt and improvise will hold us in good stead.

My post-graduation plans would be to find a job where I can explore my interests and also tap on my knowledge to help others. I am also really looking forward to the day when we can travel again!

Lenon: It is an unprecedented time filled with uncertainties, but I believe that in 10 years' time, when we look back, we will appreciate the personal growth that we would have achieved and the level of resilience that our batches have developed. As the Commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2020 and 2021 are being held virtually on Zoom, I really hope that the Class of 2022 will be able to celebrate their Commencement face-to-face!

My post-graduation plans would be to obtain my practicing certificate and eventually land a job in which I can pursue my passion to help others in meaningful ways. In the meantime, I will strive to continue being a good son, friend, and colleague.

If you would like to make a more direct impact on another individual's life, please scan the QR code below to make your gift!

Update on Alumni Events

We are keeping a close watch on the developing situation, but for now, alumni reunions and events will continue to be put on hold until larger-scale events are permitted. If your class is celebrating a milestone year and keen to organise a virtual reunion, please email us at lawlink@nus.edu.sg. Meanwhile, to receive our latest news, announcements and invitations, or to indicate your mailing preferences, please update your particulars with us HERE. Do also stay connected to the NUS Law community through our website and by following us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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Student Highlights

Kevin Wong '21 received the Ertegun Graduate Scholarship in the Humanities to study at Oxford

Kevin Wong Wei Li, who graduated this year from the Law-Liberal Arts Double Degree Program (DDP) offered jointly by NUS Law and Yale-NUS, has been selected as an Ertegun Graduate Scholar in the Humanities. The Ertegun Scholarship awards him full funding and a living stipend to study a Masters in Classics at Oxford University later this year. Scholars are also granted exclusive access to the Ertegun House, which offers them a desk and a shared working space with other scholars. Around 15 scholars are selected each year, with an average 1.5% success rate for Masters candidates.

Head of Studies for the DDP in Law and Liberal Arts, Associate Professor Lynette J. Chua said, "I am thrilled for Kevin. He has beautifully melded his love for the classics and his legal training, exemplifying how students who complement their NUS Law studies with a liberal arts education at Yale-NUS College can cultivate their talents and interests that take them beyond the opportunities of legal practice."

We spoke to Kevin to find out more.

Tell us about yourself and your experience in the Law-Liberal Arts Double-Degree Programme

Like many of my peers, I initially chose the DDP on the assumption that I would eventually pursue a legal career. At the same time, I thought the Yale-NUS College education would offer a fun opportunity to maintain and develop my other academic interests, especially in literature, which I've always been fascinated by. As time went by, however, I grew increasingly invested in the literary and classical aspect of my education and less so in the law. That said, there are some areas of law that pique my interest – namely, the more theoretical and historical fields of study like jurisprudence and legal history. I've managed to incorporate some of that into my capstone thesis on classical epic, and I do foresee the law remaining tangentially relevant to my future research – particularly in its intersections with interdisciplinary ideas like rhetoric and morality.

I hope to pursue an academic career in a classical and interdisciplinary literary field, and the DDP definitely played an important role in furthering those ambitions. Beyond the obvious points of connection with academic research – like accessing legal sources and having some inkling as to how law has developed historically – the DDP was helpful simply by helping to narrow down my occupational choices via a process of elimination. I don't think I would have been quite as invested in pursuing an academic career if I hadn't first had a taste of legal practice. After years of legal education and several law firm internships, I'm much more certain about what I want (and don't want) in the future I envision for myself.

Even just having the extra year of undergraduate education as part of the DDP was invaluable. It gave me some much-needed time to grow and reflect; time to develop my areas of research interest; time to learn some literary languages necessary for further study in the humanities; and time to properly plan out my graduate school applications. Although I sometimes wonder if I would have been better off not doing the DDP and graduating a year earlier, I don't think I would have been as mentally prepared for what comes next.

How did you come to apply for the Ertegun Graduate Scholarship in the Humanities and what are you most looking forward to?

There were several factors that drew me to the Ertegun Scholarship. In particular, I love the fact that the Ertegun House represents a shared working space for its scholars. Having had the opportunity to live in the small, residential community of Yale-NUS College over the past five years, I've learned not to underestimate the power of a shared space. My most enriching conversations and intense debates have transpired after simply walking past my peers who were resting in the living room that we share, after we've both had a long day of classes. I understand that in theory, there is nothing to stop like-minded individuals from congregating wherever they might choose – at cafes, homes, libraries, and so on. In practice, however, there is just so much going on in each of our lives at any one moment that having to arrange to interact becomes much harder than it seems. I'm not particularly outgoing and I find it difficult to go out of my way to meet new people, so I would love having this space to facilitate meaningful interactions within an environment that is new and unfamiliar to me.

What course(s) will you be taking at Oxford?

At Oxford, I will be studying a Masters in Classics – the study of ancient Greece and Rome. My interests are primarily philological in nature, concerned with text, language, and narrative as opposed to archaeology or material history. While I have not yet made any final decisions as to my syllabus, my tentative plans are to solidify my grasp of both Latin and Greek, to gain an exposure to a wide range of authors in the genres of epic, tragedy, and rhetoric, and to also take a course on classical reception.

We understand that you are interested to pursue a PhD as well – can you tell us about your career aspirations for after?

I am pursuing an academic career and, hopefully, will one day be able to teach and perform research at a university, whether in Singapore or elsewhere in the world. My research interests lie at the intersection of rhetoric, legal theory, literary criticism, classical antiquity, and contemporary mythological reception.

One of my personal passions is to help broaden the scope of literary research by incorporating traditional forms of literary research within the emerging field of critical game studies. More specifically, I am interested in the role of mythological reception within contemporary digital medium of video game narratives, as well as its social, cultural, ethical, and pedagogical implications.

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Moots Spotlight

One of the most valuable educational experiences an NUS Law student can have is to represent the university in mooting competitions. Here are some of our students' achievements in competitions from October 2020 to April 2021.

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