[CALS Workshop] Legal Research Collaborations: Key Lessons

The Centre for Asian Legal Studies (CALS) at the NUS Faculty of Law hosted a workshop titled “Legal Research Collaborations: Some Lessons” presented by CALS Visiting Scholar Professor, Stanley Yeo, on Tuesday, 2 December 2025, at the Lee Sheridan Conference Room, Bukit Timah Campus. The session featured insights on the essential elements of successful collaborative research, particularly within the field of law across the Asian region.

During the workshop, the speaker shared observations drawn from forty-five years of experience working with legal academics and practitioners from different jurisdictions. He discussed both the opportunities and challenges inherent in building research partnerships that span national boundaries, legal traditions, and cultural contexts.

To illustrate his approach, the speaker highlighted three major book projects he coordinated. The first, Criminal Law in Malaysia and Singapore, brought together scholars to analyse the development of criminal law in two closely related but distinct jurisdictions. The second project, The Penal Code of Bhutan: A Treatise, involved contributors from several Asian jurisdictions to examine Asia’s newest Penal Code. The third project, The Lao Penal Code: A Comparative Discourse, expanded the comparative discussion by incorporating perspectives from Laos, Thailand, and France, highlighting the dynamic interplay between Asian and European approaches to codification.

Building on these varied experiences, the workshop offered practical guidance on fostering effective collaboration, managing expectations among diverse partners, and producing scholarship that advances academic understanding while remaining responsive to the realities of legal practice. Participants gained a deeper appreciation of the strategies needed to sustain cross-border legal research and the importance of such efforts in advancing Asian legal studies.

The speaker’s long-standing commitment to comparative criminal justice and collaborative scholarship has significantly contributed to the growth of legal research networks in Asia. This workshop reinforced the value of sustained partnership-building as a cornerstone of impactful and meaningful legal scholarship.