NUS Law faculty Mervyn Cheong receives LASCO Award for his pro bono work on ensuring access to justice

Associate Professor Mervyn Cheong ’08, a long-time volunteer with the Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Offences (LASCO), has been awarded the LASCO Award 2024. The award is a testament to his sterling service, and recognises Assoc Prof Cheong’s dedication and pro bono efforts which have played a crucial role in upholding the administration of justice and ensuring access to justice for all.

LASCO is a scheme which provides legal counsel to accused persons charged with capital offences on a pro bono basis; these are criminal charges that are punishable with the death penalty. Under LASCO, an accused person will be assigned lawyers to represent them at trial, and/or on appeal. The LASCO award was first given out in 2010.

Assoc Prof Cheong has volunteered with LASCO for more than a decade, and was one of the youngest Lead Counsel to be appointed under the scheme. He usually works with one or two assisting volunteer lawyers to act for accused persons, which usually involves either a trial in the High Court, or an appeal in the Court of Appeal.

What motivates him to participate in the scheme? Assoc Prof Cheong answers frankly: “It is challenging to act as defence counsel in capital cases. Over the years, I’ve achieved favourable outcomes in some cases, and adverse results in most. I recall that just last year, I lost a case and the client was sentenced to death, but I still had to regulate my emotions and deliver a lecture the next day.

“It is tough but what motivates me are the occasions when the team’s efforts made a difference and the family of the accused persons are appreciative. Also, undoubtedly the cases are difficult, but it is really in such cases, involving not just liberty but someone’s life, that the accused persons would really need legal representation. So, I try my best to help where I can.”

His involvement began around his second year of practice, when he took on the role of Assisting Counsel. In his seventh year of practice, he applied to be emplaced as a Lead Counsel on the panel of volunteers under the scheme.

Among the more memorable cases he has been involved in include securing an acquittal for an accused person in the Court of Appeal when it was heard by a coram of five judges instead of the usual three judges; acting for the accused in Singapore’s first ever criminal trial involving a murder charge under s 300(b) of the Penal Code (PP v Khoo Kwee Hock Leslie); and acting for the accused in a case that had the initial murder charge reduced to culpable homicide midway through trial, thus avoiding the death penalty.

But Assoc Prof Cheong’s commitment to ensuring access to justice and fair legal representation for all doesn’t stop there. He has been a guiding light for NUS Law students showing how important the work is, through his course elective titled The Capital Offences Criminal Litigation Clinic. Students enrolled in the course have the chance to work with him on LASCO cases, or pro bono capital cases that he takes on separate from the scheme.

When asked about his thoughts on receiving the award, he says, “I feel honoured to receive this recognition from the judiciary. Working on capital cases is always very challenging. I’m thankful for the support from volunteer counsels who have worked with me, mentors who have guided me, and my family who has constantly encouraged me. I also hope that students who have worked with me have taken away some learning points that can help them in their careers.”

About the LASCO Award
This award was first given out in November 2010. Conferred by the Supreme Court, it recognises the pro bono contributions of lawyers in ensuring access to justice for those who are charged with capital offences. Under LASCO, an accused person will be assigned lawyers to represent them at trial, and on appeal if they are charged with a capital offence.