Law Matters September 2021

September 2021

Message from the Dean

Professor Simon Chesterman (Dean, NUS Law)

The life of the law has not been logic, as Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr, once observed. It has been experience. Only rarely does the law map out a bold new path to change the world; more often it adjusts and adapts to the changing needs and mores of society. The same is true of legal education, running the risk that we produce graduates equipped to practice law in a world that has left them, and us, behind.

This issue has been brought into sharp relief by the pandemic, which accelerated trends already in motion.

Technology, most obviously, poses opportunities and challenges for the legal practitioner. An indication of its importance is the book Law & Technology in Singapore, published next month by Academy Publishing. Edited by Justice Andrew Phang ’82, SMU Law Dean Goh Yihan ’06, and myself, it includes a chapter on legal education jointly penned by Yihan and yours truly, together with SUSS Law Dean Leslie Chew ’78 and Dean of the Singapore Institute of Legal Education, my colleague Eleanor Wong ’85.

Yet digital literacy is not the only skill that lawyers need. In my meetings with alumni — occasionally now in person! — a consistent theme has been that business and financial skills would also be beneficial, along with a deep understanding of Singapore’s Asian context. In my fourth term as Dean, revising our curriculum to address these questions is my top priority. Luckily, I have been joined by two new Vice Deans to help chart this new course. Wayne Courtney and Arif Jamal now oversee our undergraduate and our growing graduate academic programmes, and are introduced in this edition of Law Matters. A key part of that growth has been our new JD programme, which was developed by David Tan during his own term as Vice Dean and which he has kindly agreed to direct. You can read more about the new JD students below, along with stories about the diverse paths that our graduates go on to pursue.

I do hope you enjoy this newsletter and that it gives you a window into some of the experiences of today’s NUS Law students, as well as reminding you of some of your own.

Alumni Features

From Law to Fast-paced Tech – Julian Foo ’15

After graduating from NUS Law in 2015, Julian Foo harboured a desire to start his own business one day, however, he acknowledged that he needed to acquire new skills. Today, he is the Deputy Head of ShopBack GO. He shares with Law Matters his journey from law to tech and e-commerce.

[Read More]

Caris Tay ’05 Empowers Youths with Legal Knowledge through Superheroes

Caris Tay was listed in Singapore’s inaugural “40-Over-40” campaign this year, which recognises Singaporean women over 40 who chart a new path despite the risks and challenges. Caris worked as a lawyer and a law lecturer for over a decade before moving to New York City where she became a homemaker. Today, she is the author of the Lex & Rex graphic novel series, comprising a trilogy of comic books that teach kids about the law. We chatted with her to find out about what inspired her.

[Read More]

Joseph Lum, LLM ’18 Uses the Law to do Good for Society

Kwa Geok Choo Scholarship recipient, Joseph Lum, discovered his interest in law when he was studying at Temasek Polytechnic. He went on to study law in England before returning to Singapore and starting practice. Joseph then decided to pursue a Master of Laws in Corporate and Financial Services Law at NUS. Having received financial assistance to pursue his career goals, Joseph strongly believes in the transformative power of giving, and hopes to pay it forward by continuing to make a difference to the lives of those who may be in need.

[Read More]

Faculty Highlights

New Deanery at NUS Law

Get to Know Our New Vice Deans

The NUS Law JD – A Distinct Pathway to Legal Practice

[Read More]

Alumni Events

Rollin’ Good Times at Bukit Timah Homecoming 2021

[Read More]

Student Highlights

NUS Law Students at New York University on the Exchange Plus Programme

Moots Spotlight

[Read More]

Keen to pursue lifelong learning opportunities at NUS Law?

NUS Law offers a wide range of graduate coursework programmes to enable legal professions to upskill and remain competitive in the legal industry. Enrolment for Academic Year 2022 is now open!

Click on the links to find out more: Master of Laws and Juris Doctor.

Join our webinar on Thursday, 30 September 2021, to learn more about our Graduate Programmes. Our directors will give you an overview of the programme structure, scholarship opportunities and application procedures.

Click HERE to register!

Alumni Features

From Law to Fast-paced Tech – Julian Foo ’15

One of the most valuable lessons Julian Foo ’15 learned in law school is encapsulated in this single piece of advice: “Learn how to learn fast”. “Professor Stephen Phua ’88 shared with me that while fundamental legal principles were important, the idea that you need to learn how you learn best was more critical,” said Julian.

Indeed, that invaluable lesson has been the beacon by which Julian has navigated his career journey – from practising corporate law in one of Singapore's oldest and largest law firms to managing the world of e-commerce with an emerging tech startup.

“They always say that your time in school would not be an accurate reflection of the working world, so I decided to give it a go first before committing to any long-term decisions,” Julian said, explaining his career choice. “So, I was looking to practise law and decide from there.”

He joined Dentons Rodyk in 2016 and was practising Corporate Law with his Senior Partner Marian Ho ’90. He described his two-year stint there as fruitful and enjoyable, and an experience which made him consider practising law for the foreseeable future.

“I had great mentors, my colleagues became close friends, and the work was exciting as well as manageable,” he said.

While Julian appreciated the legal profession, he harboured a desire to start his own business one day. He knew that to fulfil his ambition, he would need to acquire entirely different skill sets.

An opportunity came knocking in 2018 when the CEO of ShopBack was looking for fresh blood to drive a new business unit. Julian recalled spending around 10 hours over seven days with the CEO to understand his potential new role. He decided to take the plunge after he was convinced that the e-commerce company, which operates a discovery and rewards platform that offers a smarter way to shop, was the right opportunity for him to learn the ropes of business management.

Transitioning to a different profession had its challenges. As someone without prior experience in e-commerce or tech, Julian faced a steep learning curve. To push through, he relied on perseverance and a #cantisnotanoption attitude.

“You have to be willing to be nimble. Make mistakes fast, but learn and adapt from them quickly,” he said, adding that simply cruising along is not something one can do in a fast-paced environment like tech.

On how his legal education has helped him progress, he reckons that his skills in spotting legal issues certainly came in handy. “Legal training has sharpened my mind in being able to understand root concerns and problems between various stakeholders and situations, and of course has helped me be more malleable in my thinking to be able to come up with different creative solutions to solve problems,” Julian said.

He did wish he had taken tougher modules back in school that would have been more relevant to his current ambition.

“Perhaps advanced tax law?” he laughed, confessing that he was guilty of chasing grades then and taking easier modules to improve his GPA. “At the end of the day, grades, while important, are not the be-all and end-all.”

Julian assumed the role of Deputy Head of ShopBack GO in July 2021. He continues to find his work exciting. “People managing, solution finding, business planning, and hands-on problem solving would be how I would sum up a typical day,” he said.

Outside of work, he maintains a close relationship with friends from law school. They have a group chat which they named “Constants” because “these are the folks that have been with me through thick and thin.” He finds comfort in the fact that half of his friends have chosen career paths outside the legal profession because it makes it easier to understand each other’s challenges in a tech company or their own businesses.

Julian (left-most) with his law school friends.

When asked what’s the road ahead like for him, and if there are exciting new plans, he shared, “The road ahead is surely challenging, especially in a post-COVID climate for brick and mortar partners. ShopBack GO will need to evolve to stay relevant in order to help both merchants and users solve pain points which may not have been there in the past. As to whether there are any exciting new plans? Always.”

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Caris Tay ’05 Empowers Youths with Legal Knowledge through Superheroes

“Sociology is the study of how society works, and law is a function of society. Studying law was a way of progressing along the trajectory from abstract liberal arts theory to a form of concrete application,” said Caris Tay ’05 on why she decided to read a second degree in Law at NUS.

As a law student, she had intended to kick back and dial down her involvement with school activities. But old habits die hard and she ended up joining several law school committees right from the get-go. “My TG was close-knit, and we were always up to one thing or another outside of classes. Socially, it helped that I wasn’t too far off age-wise, being scheduled to graduate in the same year as guys from my JC batch and only 2 years behind the girls, so I already knew people. Academically, I was in the groove coming straight from sociology, so law felt natural and comfortable, which further cemented my belief that it was a good fit,” said Caris.

Caris Tay (3rd from left) with her TG friends.

Upon completion of her degree, she worked as a lawyer and a law lecturer for over a decade. The turning point in her career came when she moved to New York in 2017 with her husband Luke Tang ’06, who had accepted an overseas posting for work. During that period, she lived the life of a homemaker, parenting their two young children.

Caris described her homemaking experience as both exhilarating and disquieting. On the one hand, she welcomed the fresh and fulfilling new challenges relating to parenting. On the other hand, she often experienced a sense of disquiet whenever she was alone with her thoughts, explaining: “All those hours when the kids are in school, the self-reflection hits you like a ton of bricks,” she said. “I guess I started thinking about things like identity, and all the paths I had ever taken in life, and what they spoke about who I really was. That thought process sparked a few resolutions.”

One of those resolutions materialised into a series of graphic novels featuring the adventures of a young superhero named Lex and his magical feline sidekick Rex. Caris' objective was to leverage her background in law, education, and sociology to create the most comprehensive legal resource for teenagers in Singapore.

“I wanted to create something unique and useful, and I wanted that creation to be the interdisciplinary convergence of everything I found meaningful, including children’s rights and education, literary and visual arts, law and sociology. Most of all, I wanted it to be eminently readable, engaging, practical, and accessible,” she explained.

Lex & Rex novels

Caris wrote “Lex & Rex” as a trilogy, with each book angled toward a different perspective of the law. The main storyline follows Lex, a flawed and reluctant young hero, whose journey towards legal education and greatness is thrust upon him, as he battles the supervillain Anarchy, who has personal motivations to demolish the rule of law.

“I set myself a double-barrelled challenge, to create a legit superhero plot with enough twists and turns to do the superhero genre justice, and to simultaneously weave in the most comprehensive amount of legal information possible, such that it could serve as the ultimate repository of youth-related laws in Singapore,” she said.

The book project took three years to reach fruition. Caris recalled countless days doing copious research across various areas of law and translating this vast amount of legal information seamlessly and coherently into the storyline. On top of that, she had to create detailed storyboards and undertake numerous rounds of intensive editing. Perhaps the bigger hurdles lay in managing publication. Without prior expertise, she found herself having to learn a host of new skills like project management and even website maintenance.

“One takeaway is that the creative process makes me feel truly alive. I’m hooked on that energy, especially when it’s underscored by a social mission,” she said, adding that her newfound pursuit has allowed her to learn many other things about herself, and also constantly reminds her of how much she doesn’t know. “In particular, marketing and logistics drive me to the darkest depths of despair.”

After returning to Singapore at the end of 2020, Caris published her graphic novels and also launched “Hey Lex”, a website offering free access to news commentaries, videos, cheat sheets, and other resources for youths to learn about the law.

Her audacious mission to help youths understand and navigate Singapore's laws and legal system was well received. She was recently listed in Singapore’s inaugural “40-Over-40” campaign launched by talent agency Careers Navigators to recognise Singaporean women over 40 who chart a new path despite the risks and challenges. She said, “This recognition is a touching form of validation that has encouraged me. I was especially moved that Twitter chose me for the Circle of Joy award, which specifically recognizes potential for positive impact on society.” she said, adding that she has been enthusiastic about lending a hand to other youth initiatives launched by the Singapore Association of Women Lawyers (SAWL) and Law Society Pro Bono Services.

Caris is fully committed to the adventures of Lex and hopes to turn what began as a book project into a full-fledged social enterprise. These days, she identifies as founder, author, and chief empowerment officer of Hey Lex, and has designed a series of fun interdisciplinary workshops for schools. She has also received requests to produce a book for even younger children.

“It’s really just early days right now. As long as the law keeps evolving, the project will always be a work in progress,” she said.

To lawyers who might wish to explore paths beyond their legal careers, Caris gave encouraging advice: “I saw so much amazing talent in law school, so it’s only a question of what the heart desires. We all share the same fantastic legal education but have such different personal strengths and backgrounds. There’re so many ways to be you, to have fun in the process, and to create something you can feel proud of. Self-doubt will always be a constant, but every experience, obstacle, weakness, failure, and regret can be leveraged with some mental flexibility, so own it!”

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Joseph Lum LLM ’18 Uses the Law to do Good for Society

While pursuing a Diploma in Law & Management at Temasek Polytechnic, Joseph Lum LLM (Corporate and Financial Services Law) ’18 discovered his keen interest in law as a subject of study. This interest was further ignited during his internship, when he witnessed the far-reaching consequences of the law in the lives of the affected parties, and realised the role a lawyer can play. By the time he graduated at the top of his class, with a string of book prizes to boot, there was no doubt in his mind that he would pursue law as a career.

Studying law as an undergraduate in England, Joseph found that his time at the polytechnic actually gave him an edge over his peers, and he continued to excel. He also came to understand the importance of helping people with his legal knowledge through his involvement with The Innocence Project. The exposure to cases of miscarriage of justice, and the impact on the defendants and their families, left a deep impression on Joseph and seeded his interest in criminal defence work.

Back home in Singapore and having started practising, Joseph decided to pursue a Master of Laws degree specialising in Corporate and Financial Services Law, motivated by a desire to improve his knowledge of these areas to help to sustain him in practice. He was not disappointed.

“My time at NUS Law has definitely strengthened my understanding and appreciation of the areas of law related to corporate and commercial practice; and has been a great help in my work. I was also greatly enriched to have learnt the methodology of some of the professors (particularly Associate Professor Stephen Phua ’88) in approaching and analysing legal issues – it was an invaluable experience”, he shared.

Joseph was especially grateful to have been a recipient of the Kwa Geok Choo Graduate Scholarship, which supports the best and brightest students in their pursuit of graduate studies at NUS Law. The scholarship allayed his concerns about tuition fees and the loss of income, as well as his career progression, and allowed him to fully concentrate on the coursework. His efforts and focus paid off, and he was even awarded the Rajah & Tann Tax Prize for topping the Tax Planning and Policy module that year.

When asked to share how the late Madam Kwa, a prominent Singaporean lawyer and spouse of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew has inspired him, he noted, “Madam Kwa is an extremely inspiring figure in so many aspects. Her intelligence and foresight in drafting the clauses to guarantee our water supply from Malaysia in the Separation Agreement is highly critical. Without Madam Kwa’s contribution, Singapore would have been in a very vulnerable position throughout the years of nation building.”

Now a lawyer at Lexcompass LLC, Joseph has not forgotten his original motivations behind pursuing a legal career. He is a registered volunteer Defence Counsel with the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme and the Legal Assistance Scheme for Capital Offences.

“As clichéd as it may sound, I was motivated to become a lawyer as I saw that a lawyer has the power to make a positive difference to people,” he elaborated.

“As I am in a privileged position
because of the many helping hands
I have received in my life, I take the
view that it is important to help
others in ways that I can.”

Although Joseph sees being a volunteer as a small and ordinary act, he also recognises that it is something necessary to facilitate access to justice in society.

“I am where I am today because of the sacrifice, efforts, and graciousness of many. As a beneficiary of a scholarship, I was given a helping hand to pursue something that I could not have done without the financial assistance,” Joseph acknowledged.

He strongly believes in the transformative power of giving, and hopes to pay it forward by continuing to make a difference to the lives of those who may be in need. He affirmed, “As I am in a privileged position because of the many helping hands I have received in my life, I take the view that it is important to help others in ways that I can.”

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Faculty Highlights

New Deanery at NUS Law

NUS Law announced the new leadership team in July 2021. Professor Simon Chesterman will continue to serve as the Dean for a fourth term, and he will be supported by two newly-appointed Vice Deans – Professor Wayne Courtney, Vice Dean (Academic Affairs and Undergraduate Studies) and Associate Professor Arif Jamal, Vice Dean (Graduate Studies); Associate Professor Eleanor Wong ’85, Vice Dean (Student Life and Global Relations), Professor Damian Chalmers, Vice Dean (Research), and Ms Jayagowry Appalasamy, Associate Dean (Head of Administration).

[Read More]

Top L - R: Ms Jayagowry Appalasamy, Professor Simon Chesterman, Associate Professor Arif Jamal
Bottom L - R: Professor Damian Chalmers, Associate Professor Eleanor Wong, Professor Wayne Courtney

Get to Know Our New Vice Deans

Introducing Professor Wayne Courtney,
Vice Dean (Academic Affairs and Undergraduate Studies)

Tell us about yourself – where you grew up, what is your background, and what are some of your thoughts and plans as you begin this new chapter as Vice Dean?

I was born in Sydney, Australia, and spent my time growing up there and in other parts of Australia – on Norfolk Island, in the countryside in New South Wales, and in Tasmania. I studied Law and Science (Mathematics and Computer Science) at university and then started work as a corporate lawyer in one of Australia’s “magic circle” firms. After a few years, I realised that this kind of law career was not for me. I shifted into academia and completed a PhD in Law while working part-time. I taught at Sydney Law School up until July 2016, when I moved to NUS Law.

I came to Singapore because I thought Asia (and Singapore in particular) was an exciting place to live, and NUS Law was a leading law school on an upwards trajectory.

The role of Vice Dean (Academic Affairs and Undergraduate Studies) is daunting. I spent a weekend mulling over the Dean’s invitation to take on the role before accepting. A major part of my job concerns the day-to-day running of the faculty – managing teaching staff, classes, teaching facilities, students’ progressions and concerns, and so on. The more interesting part of my job is strategic. Along with the Deanery and other university management, I get to think about new initiatives and to contribute to shaping the future direction of the law school.

This is my first year as Vice Dean and the prudent course is to take small steps. Right now, I’m focused on learning about the Faculty’s operations and making only small changes. Once I have a good grasp of the job, it may be time to be more adventurous.

What led you to be a law academic and what excites you about your area of specialisation (i.e. Contract Law)?

There were some push factors from corporate law and some pull factors into academia. I enjoyed some aspects of corporate law. The work could be challenging, novel and impactful. It was a buzz to see a deal or litigation I had worked on appear in the media a few days later. I learned enormous amounts about law and legal practice from some very talented colleagues. Like any job, though, corporate law had its negatives. It was stressful. The hours were long and I became an unreliable attendee at social events. Perhaps worst of all – for me – was that a lot of the work was painstaking but intellectually dull. I got bored often.

Academia allows much greater opportunity for intellectual stimulation. The hours can still be long, especially if one wants to succeed and get promoted, but it rarely feels like a chore. I am, usually, working on topics that I have chosen and that interest me.

Contract law was one of my favourite courses even as a student. Its structure is intricate yet pragmatic and I find that mixture fascinating. It is also one of the most ubiquitous fields of law. Almost all of us enter several contracts each day. The general principles that apply to, say, buying a cup of coffee are substantially the same as those that apply to buying a passenger aircraft or contracting to build an office tower.

How would friends and acquaintances describe you?

Serious on the outside, more fun on the inside.

Who have been your strongest influences in life and what spurs you on professionally?

The biggest professional influence has been my PhD supervisor, Professor John Carter, a leading Contracts scholar in Australia. He has an astonishing knowledge of the subject and I learn something new every time we talk. Beyond that, he has been a steadfast and wise mentor for almost the whole of my academic career. This sort of support is invaluable, whatever kind of lawyer you happen to be.

As for being spurred on professionally, the appeal of academia is the freedom to go wherever your interests take you. Contracts is a fairly mature field, as many of the basic principles were settled centuries ago. Even so, there are always fresh angles to consider or new problems to solve. It is gratifying when I can see my work influence legal discourse and others’ thinking. Occasionally, a court will hand down a decision that annoys me and so I feel compelled to write something in response.

What would you say to someone who is keen to explore being an academic?

Do it with the right temperament and for the right reasons. You need to be intellectually curious and self-motivated. Academic research in law tends to be a fairly solitary experience, so extroverts who like spending a lot of time with other people may want to consider another career. You also need to decide how important money is to you. Some careers in law will pay substantially more than academia. Law professors are content to forgo those opportunities in return for greater job satisfaction. And then there is the workload. Although our time is usually more flexible than in legal practice, academics have to work extremely hard to be at the top of their field at an international level. The first five years of an academic career can be especially gruelling.

If all of that hasn’t put you off, then consider talking to one of your professors about it or send me an email.

Please share 3 fun facts about yourself.

1. Many years ago, I used to play guitar in a band (we were terrible).
2. I cannot live without coffee.
3. Some of my students think Agent 47 (from Hitman) is my doppelgänger.

What are you most looking forward to once COVID restrictions are fully eased?

Travelling. All things considered, Singapore has been a good place to be during the current pandemic. But I am keen to visit Australia (and other countries) again. I really need a holiday!

Introducing Associate Professor Arif Jamal,
Vice Dean (Graduate Studies)

Tell us about yourself – where you grew up, what is your background, and what are some of your thoughts and plans as you begin this new chapter as Vice Dean?

I grew up on the West Coast of Canada, in Vancouver, as an “immigrant kid”. My parents had migrated to Canada from East Africa. Further back, my family traces its heritage to Gujarat in today’s India (though I have yet to visit the state of Gujarat). I also spent some time in Eastern Canada, having done my first university studies in Montreal and Toronto.

As the new Vice Dean of Graduate Studies, I took over from Professor Umakanth Varottil PhD ’10, who was the former Director of Graduate Coursework Studies. I hope to build on Umakanth’s good work and strengthen our LLM programmes. I am also working closely with my colleagues Wayne Courtney (the Vice Dean of Undergraduate Studies) and David Tan (the Director of our JD Programme) to ensure that our new JD programme gets off to a good start.

What led you to be a law academic and what excites you about your area of specialisation (i.e. Legal Theory, Law and Religion)?

I sometimes think I fell backwards into academia. I thought I would just be a lawyer in Canada at first, but legal practice and I did not get along too well after a while (though I am grateful for the bit of practice experience I had). After that, I got more interested in policy-type work, which had an academic as well as an applied component. It became clear, however, that to be taken seriously in the policy field, a PhD was important, and my boss at the time was a PhD (a former professor of Religious Studies in the US) who strongly encouraged me to undertake a PhD.

I did some teaching part-time during my PhD and really enjoyed the experience. I think it was my enjoyment of teaching that, at some point in the PhD journey, convinced me to pursue an academic career.

As for my fields of interest, I suppose I am interested in the way theory probes the nature and shape of law. Law and religion is one “applied” area that theory can help illuminate. Theory helps us address the questions of how legal and religious ideas and institutions, methods and mechanisms, beliefs and believers influence each other, for better and for worse, in the past, present and future.

How would friends and acquaintances describe you?

Can I go with “I hope kindly … or at least charitably”? This is a tough one to answer. Please ask them (and then secretly tell me what they said)!

Who have been your strongest influences in life and what spurs you on professionally?

Our biggest influences are always the people we spend most of our time with – our family and friends. Professionally, my teachers have been my greatest influences. In particular, there were a few who, while maintaining the highest intellectual standards, also showed great generosity, humility and kindness. I am inspired by these exemplars who have made real contributions both to their fields of knowledge (through their research and writing) and to their students (through their teaching).

What would you say to someone who is keen to explore being an academic?

I think that it is a wonderful job, but it is also a calling, and it is a long (potentially lifelong) journey. Ideally, you should enjoy both teaching and research.

Please share 3 fun facts about yourself.

1. This is the third continent that I have lived on.
2. An Italian professor taught me to make perfect pasta.
3. My plants in my office appear to be dying!

What are you most looking forward to once COVID restrictions are fully eased?

I would like to be able to visit my family in Vancouver again. It has been a long time since I last met them.

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The NUS Law JD – A Distinct Pathway to Legal Practice

NUS Law launched the Juris Doctor (JD) programme, a graduate law degree which offers a pathway to practise law in Singapore, in September 2020. The NUS Law JD comprises of a 2-year single graduate degree programme for candidates holding a basic law degree from another jurisdiction; and a 3-year single graduate degree programme for candidates holding a non-law degree. In exceptional circumstances, the 3-year JD can be completed in 2.5 years. The JD programme is as rigorous as the LLB degree in its teaching approach to the foundational law subjects, with candidates being required to read all the core compulsory modules such as torts, contract, criminal law, company law and evidence. JD candidates will have the same internship and traineeship opportunities as LLB students.

As Asia's global law school, NUS Law has been instrumental in shaping Singapore's legal landscape and producing leading lawyers for over six decades. NUS Law’s stellar reputation and heritage in shaping Singapore's legal landscape are some of the reasons why students made NUS their top choice when deciding where to pursue a JD. Both Tan Kang Min ’23 and Zeenat Binte Noor Mohamed ’24 belong to the inaugural cohort of JD students who started classes in August this year.

Tan Kang Min began her legal career in Malaysia before moving to Singapore as a foreign associate with Allen & Gledhill. Over the years, she worked with numerous NUS Law alumni and was deeply impressed by their high level of professionalism and extensive legal knowledge. Choosing to read the JD at NUS Law was an easy and natural choice when she decided to fulfil her ambition of qualifying as a lawyer in Singapore.

“I aspire to build my legal career in Singapore, so pursuing the JD programme was an easy decision. It provides valuable supplements to my legal knowledge and a pathway for me to be called to the Singapore Bar,” she said. “Crucially, NUS Law is the only law school in Singapore that officially offers a two-year programme for students who hold a basic law degree from another jurisdiction.”

Tan Kang Min

On top of that, Kang Min appreciates that the programme will be taught by an esteemed faculty including experienced legal practitioners and visiting professors from leading law schools in the world, such as Oxford and Harvard.

“The elective modules for the JD programme are also extensive and relevant. This allows me to explore the legal areas I would like to pursue in my career, refine my interests, and craft a degree that is personalised to my needs,” she said.

Zeenat Binte Noor Mohamed

Former economics lecturer Zeenat Binte Noor Mohamed is returning to NUS to pursue her lifelong dream of studying law - a subject that she has an exceptional interest in, and also one in which she hopes will answer her calling to serve a larger community.“After teaching for 15 years, I wanted to acquire new skills for my personal development,” said Zeenat. “I have a keen interest in Family and Criminal Law and look forward to being able to provide legal advice at Community Legal Clinics as well as engage in pro bono work.”

Going back to school after two decades of working life proved to be a highly refreshing and exciting change for Zeenat. She believes that her professional experience coupled with a mature mindset would help her settle in well.

“I believe I can have an enriching learning experience from interacting with both local and international students as well as renowned professors,” she said, adding that she is looking forward to overseas student exchange opportunities that are available to JD students in the three-year programme.

Likewise, for Kang Min, her experience of returning to school has been challenging yet rewarding. She was surprised to have gained many fresh perspectives just one month into the programme.

“The programme is no less challenging than working in a law firm as the course syllabus is intensive, rigorous, and requires a high degree of commitment,” she said. “I particularly enjoy the diverse perspectives expressed within the discourses and debates facilitated by top calibre faculty members. I have had invigorating exchanges with some of my fellow students who are qualified lawyers from civil law jurisdictions.”

According to Professor David Tan, Director of the JD Programme, the NUS Law JD is established to be Singapore's premier professional graduate law degree. It provides students with a customised experience and also access to a kaleidoscope of over 120 electives offered in the LLM and LLB programmes.

“Whether in the two-year or three-year JD programme, you will have the opportunity to select modules from specialisation clusters such as intellectual property and technology law, corporate and financial services law, international arbitration and dispute resolution or international and comparative law,” said Professor Tan.

“Your pathway to a successful legal career in Singapore begins here at Asia's top law school.”

Professor David Tan

Applications to the NUS Law JD opens from 15 September to 15 November 2021. Find out more from the JD webpage.

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Alumni Events

Rollin’ Good Times at Bukit Timah Homecoming 2021

This year’s Bukit Timah Homecoming celebrations took NUS alumni on a journey back to the Rollin’ Good Times. Not only did they relive fond memories, they were also brought up to date on some key current developments and were offered glimpses into the future – all in the comfort of their own home.

Organised by NUS Alumni Relations and co-hosted by NUS Law and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS (LKY School), the annual homecoming kicked off with a strong virtual lineup. Taking flight in a hybrid format, the celebrations included programmes webstreamed live from the NUS Bukit Timah Campus (BTC) Auditorium as well as pre-recorded videos. Due to the COVID-19 Heightened Alert restrictions, there was only a small gathering at the BTC, with many more joining in via Zoom.

We were delighted that several alumni from the NUS Law Class of 1971 were able to join in this unique event, to mark their 50th anniversary since graduation.

Professor Danny Quah (left) and Professor Simon Chesterman (right)

Professor Tan Eng Chye speaking at the event

In addition to an entertaining programme of pre-recorded song and dance performances and poem recitals by NUS alumni from various faculties, Professor Danny Quah, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and Professor Simon Chesterman, Dean of NUS Law, led an in-person Interactive Dialogue on ‘The Future of Work: AI as Destructive Creation or Creative Destruction?’.

It was an enlightening session as the two deans discussed opportunities and threats posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the role that work plays in one’s identity. Participants raised similarly thought-provoking questions in an interactive exchange.

The event came to a fruitful close with NUS President Professor Tan Eng Chye’s uplifting address as he took the opportunity to congratulate the Class of 1971 on their golden jubilee.

Segments of the Bukit Timah Homecoming, including the Interactive Dialogue, are available for viewing HERE.

Extracted and modified with permission from the article first published on 13 July 2021 by NUS News.

Update Your Particulars

We are keeping a close watch on the situation and look forward to being able to organise alumni reunions and events when larger-scale social gatherings are permitted.

Meanwhile, if you are from the Class of 1994, Class of 2006 or Class of 2011, do remember to update your contact details HERE so that we can get in touch if your class reunion plans do come to fruition!

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Student Highlights

NUS Law Students at New York University on the Exchange Plus Programme

Eight of NUS Law’s Year 4 students have successfully embarked on their NYU-NUS LLB-LLM Exchange Plus Programme! We speak to Lee Kay Han ’22 and Jonathan Kow ’22 on their exchange experience so far.

Tell us about yourself!

Kay Han: My time in NUS has been fantastic and I’m particularly proud of creating helpimlawst.com with two good friends, Bryan and Sheares. It’s an online forum where NUS Law students can ask questions and seek advice from others on a range of topics such as subject reviews, training contract applications, and where to go for exchange. When I’m not studying hard and enjoying myself in the Angsana, I like to play tennis and mahjong – both of which I try to make time for every week!

Jonathan: Before I left for NYU on the Exchange Plus Programme, I stayed at Temasek Hall for 2 years and my favourite module was Insurance Law! Apart from studies, my hobbies include cooking, tennis and mahjong!

Did you always know you wanted to study abroad? What do you hope to get out of being an exchange student at NYU?

Kay Han: I always wanted to spend some time studying abroad to broaden my perspectives and meet people from different walks of life. I hope that that during this one year at NYU I will make many good friends from around the world (so I have people to show me around when I am holidaying!). I also look forward to learn more about law from a different perspective. I am looking forward to the opportunity to travel around the US and parts of Canada before we return, and experience the best foods and national parks along the way.

Jonathan: I am particularly excited to be living abroad as I hope to be able to experience new cultures, meet new people and broaden my horizons!

How are classes different in New York from classes in Singapore?

Kay Han: Classes in NYU feel more intense, partly because the Socratic method of teaching is more pronounced here in that teachers actively cold call on students (which does not really happen in NUS), and also because students are more willing to speak up and contribute in class. It also seems like using powerpoint slides is not the norm here in NYU, which is an interesting change. Otherwise, the professors in NYU and NUS are both extremely passionate about what they teach and classes are very enjoyable.

Jonathan: By and large, I think that classes are the same, as professors at both NYU and NUS are equally passionate and engaging! Perhaps the main difference is the international outlook offered by the LLM students from different jurisdictions!

Have you spent time apart from your family before? Has homesickness kicked in?

Kay Han: Not for such an extended period of time (the longest was 4 weeks). Luckily, homesickness has not set in yet – we are still settling into life here in NYU, and we are enjoying ourselves exploring the city and meeting new people. I talk to my family and friends regularly to tell them how life in NYC is like. We also brought some Singaporean food over so we won’t be missing that too soon!

Jonathan: I have never been away for such a long period before but I’m not too homesick as I call my family frequently. Furthermore, there are tons of Singaporeans in New York which is always comforting!

Describe your favourite day in New York. What’s fun there?

Kay Han & Jonathan: So far, our favourite day was when we tried a fantastic Cuban diner for breakfast with some new friends we made at NYU, before going to visit the Guggenheim and then heading to Flushing Meadows to watch the US Open at night.

Is there anything interesting that you learned about the culture there?

Kay Han & Jonathan: People here are much friendlier than we were told to expect! It’s pretty normal for people you meet to chat with you about life and make good conversations. It’s been great meeting and talking to new people!

Can you tell us about your career aspirations for after?

Kay Han: Being in NYU for just a month has broadened my views on how international the world is, and I want to start practice where I can gain exposure to an internationally diverse range of work and people.

Jonathan: I too would like to practice law in a firm that allows me to work with diverse individuals from different backgrounds.

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 July to September 2021.

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