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Synopsis

Curious about the diverse paths that legal careers can take?

This panel discussion will offer insights from experienced legal professionals who began their journeys at one of Singapore’s Big Four law firms. Discover the unique challenges and rewards of working in the top firms of legal industry, and learn how these experiences have shaped their current career trajectories.

Join us to hear from experienced legal professionals who will share their valuable insights and advice on building a successful legal career.

About the Speakers

Kang Yanyi
Partner, Allen & Gledhill LLP

Yanyi started at Allen & Gledhill as an intern more than 15 years ago, and has been there ever since. Her practice focuses on dispute resolution, including civil and criminal litigation, mediation and international arbitration. She specialises in cross-border commercial disputes, investigations, and matters relating to environment, health and safety, employment, and professional liability. Yanyi was seconded to A&G Myanmar from 2017 to 2019, and now splits her time between Singapore and Shanghai, where A&G has a representative office, to grow the international arbitration practice in the regional offices.

Yanyi is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a Director of the Singapore branch. She is an Accredited Mediator with the Singapore Mediation Centre, a Singapore International Mediation Institute Accredited Mediator Level 1, and is appointed to the Law Society Mediation Scheme Panel of Mediators. Yanyi was also an Advocacy Trainer for the Preparatory Course leading to Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations.

Khelvin Xu
Director, Covenant Chambers LLC

Khelvin spent 15 years at one of the Big Four firms, where he was a partner specialising in commercial litigation and arbitration. As a Director at Covenant Chambers, he now combines big firm expertise and sophistication with the agility and flexibility of a chambers model. He regularly acts in complex and cross-border commercial disputes, particularly those involving technology-related issues, and is a certified Mediation Advocate under the International Mediation Institute.

Khelvin has volunteered with the Law Alumni Mentor Programme since 2016, regularly serves as lead trainer in Part B advocacy training, and has conducted advocacy training overseas. Every year, he authors the “Legal Profession” chapter for the Singapore Academy of Law Annual Review of Singapore Cases.

Yin Juon Qiang
Head of Group Investigations, DBS Bank

Juon Qiang started his career at WongPartnership where he practised corporate and commercial disputes for 5 years. He spent the next 4 years at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, leading a team of lawyers within the Enforcement Department. Since joining DBS in 2019, Juon Qiang has taken on various legal and compliance roles, and is currently the Head of Group Investigations at DBS, overseeing Anti-Scam and Anti-Mule operations, internal fraud investigations, Financial Advisors investigations and financial crime intelligence.

Istyana Ibrahim
Deputy Director (Civil & Legislative Policy Division), Ministry of Law

Istyana Ibrahim is a Deputy Director with the Legal Policy Group, Civil & Legislative Policy Division at the Ministry of Law. Her experience spans a variety of areas, namely civil, family and criminal litigation. Her current role involves the review of laws, proposing reforms and pursuing new initiatives in areas such as civil, family and community justice, as well as matters relating to the rule of law, governance and access to justice. She collaborates with stakeholders and partners in the process of policy reviews, to develop practical solutions to issues of national significance.

Previously, Istyana was a Team Lead in the Legal Aid Bureau, co-heading the Civil and Syariah Cases Practice Groups as well as the Legal Tech Committee. Before joining the Legal Aid Bureau, she was a partner in Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP, practising commercial and criminal litigation for almost 8 years. Istyana also co-authored the books, “Muslim Family Law in Singapore” (2022) and “Financial Crimes in Singapore” (2014).

Aziah Hussin
Head of Government Risk (Asia), Global Management Consultancy Firm

Aziah Hussin (LL.M (UCL); LL.B (NUS)) launched her legal career in Dispute Resolution at Drew & Napier LLC, joining after winning the Advocacy Cup in 2008. She was mentored by the late Adrian Tan, former Law Society President, Harpreet Singh S.C. and Hri Kumar S.C. She pursued non-profit work in refugee law and human rights during the Syrian refugee migration and Brexit, working in Sydney and England.

Her postgraduate studies in Public International Law led her to contribute to the Commentary to the UNCITRAL Convention on Mediation and to author on Myanmar investment law (Mahdev Mohan, Chester Brown, The Asian Turn in Foreign Investment). Aziah is dual-qualified as an Advocate & Solicitor in Singapore and a Solicitor in England & Wales. She is also a certified Mediator in Cross-Cultural Fluency & Alternative Dispute Resolution. Currently, she holds the position of Head of Public Sector & Healthcare Risk, Asia, at a global management consultancy firm and serves as Chairperson of the Board of Justice Without Borders. She adopted two stray cats during the pandemic.

About the Moderator

Wong Ju Er
Marketing & Business Development Coordinator, Covenant Chambers LLC

Ju Er is currently a marketing and business development coordinator at Covenant Chambers. When she shares her job with strangers, the common response is surprise that law firms need marketing. To her, marketing and business development is an integral part of legal practice to match the lawyers’ legal expertise with the right clients, to showcase the firm’s capabilities and drive growth.