Koh Swee Yen SC ’04 – A Passion for Advocacy

The impressive string of accolades and achievements behind Koh Swee Yen SC ’04 might suggest a life that is all work and no play. Yet Swee Yen believes in excelling in both her professional and personal life. She shares her journey from finding her passion for the law to becoming a leading disputes lawyer and touches on how to build a sustainable legal career.

If not a lawyer, what would she be? “A journalist”, reckons Koh Swee Yen SC. Swee Yen describes her path to reading law as somewhat “accidental”. Spurred on by her sister’s suggestion to pursue a professional degree, she considered the various courses, and decided to apply to NUS Law.

Swee Yen enjoyed her first year of law school and quickly developed firm friendships with a group of classmates who somehow just clicked. However, she soon realised that she was guilty of not spending enough time studying. She recalled how her Property Law tutor, Professor Tang Hang Wu, whom she still counts as one of her mentors, pulled her aside one day to tell her that if she spent more time on her studies, she had the potential to do really well.

“I listened to his advice. When I started dedicating more time towards studying, I found that I actually enjoyed reading cases and the study of law,” said Swee Yen.

Her interest grew in the second year of law school when she was roped in by a friend to participate in a moot competition. The pair reached the finals and represented NUS Law at the ALSA (Australian Law Student Association) Moot, which was held in Adelaide.

“During our time at the moot competition, we had the opportunity to meet and interact with many law students from Australia, which was yet another eye-opening experience,” said Swee Yen. “Taking part in the moot competition made me realise that I truly enjoyed the challenges and thrills of arguing a case and seeking to persuade the judge of the merits of the case. I have not looked back since.”

The mooting experience inspired Swee Yen to sign up for International Legal Process, a mooting course taught by Professor Robert Beckman, who was affectionately called “Coach”. She found Prof Beckman an inspiring and passionate teacher, and he became a great mentor to her.

She went on to describe how the skill sets learnt in moots have stayed with her for life. For instance, the ability to formulate a case theory, think deeply and analyse the legal and factual issues, as well as the capacity to be an effective advocate and team player, all continue to be relevant in practice today.

Upon her graduation, Swee Yen was appointed as a Justices’ Law Clerk at the Singapore Supreme Court where she gained a first-hand appreciation of judicial analysis and thinking while training under senior judges.

“I was privileged to be able to clerk for the former Chief Justice Yong Pung How, and the other Judges of the Supreme Court,” she said. “The dedication and contributions of the Judges to the development of law in Singapore motivated me to strive towards greater heights.”

After Swee Yen’s stint as a Law Clerk, she decided to return to private practice with WongPartnership LLP to pursue her passion for advocacy and work towards becoming a leading disputes lawyer.

At the age of 28, Swee Yen became one of the youngest lawyers to become a partner at one of Singapore’s Big Four law firms and has received a string of accolades in her career, including a placement on the Supreme Court’s Young Amicus Curiae 2009/2010 list, Chambers Outstanding Young Partners list for Singapore (2017), and a listing in the Asian Legal Business’ inaugural ‘40 Under 40 list’.

Most recently, at the Opening of The Legal Year  2022 held on 10 January, Swee Yen was appointed as Senior Counsel. The appointment recognises exemplary lawyers who demonstrate outstanding advocacy skills, excellent knowledge of the law and the highest professional integrity. To date, there are 94 legal practitioners conferred with the title and the corresponding right to suffix their name with the initials “SC”.

On what drives her, Swee Yen said, “I am motivated by a very simple goal – to become a better lawyer each day.”

More importantly, she is quick to credit her success to the unwavering support of her family – particularly her mother.

“My mother has always been a pillar of support. She assists me to look after my child on weekdays when I am at work so that I can fully concentrate on work without any worry,” she shared, adding that she considers her child as her greatest achievement,  and that becoming a mother has helped her understand unconditional love.

She also acknowledged that she would not be where she is today without her mentors in law school who believed in her, and the support of her colleagues at work.

When asked how she would encourage young lawyers struggling with time management challenges, disillusionment and burn-out, Swee Yen shared three keys to a sustainable career in law.

“First, work hard and play hard. Everyone needs a break, so find things to do that make you happy outside work and enjoy your life! While I work hard, I have always prioritized family life over work and make it a point not to miss important family events. Spending time with family and loved ones keeps me grounded and allows me to take my mind off work.”

“Second, as clichéd as it may sound, never stop learning. As a disputes lawyer, I learn from each and every courtroom and arbitration experience. I observe my opposing counsel, the witnesses and the tribunal – and there are always learning points, the to-dos and not to-dos.”

“Third, build resilience – to not give up, but persevere. Know that you are in this career for a purpose and keep pushing yourself to become better at your craft. Take small steps if that is all you can do, but never stop trying.”