Named Professorships
Named Professorships at NUS Law
An endowed chair enables us to hire and retain the very best faculty, as well as recognising the achievements of an outstanding academic. As the name of the chair is permanent, it ensures a lasting legacy — with future generations of law students benefitting from the gift. A visiting professorship allows us to bring in distinguished academics, scholars and practitioners to Singapore to teach an intensive module and sometimes offer a public lecture as well.
The following named professorships have been established at NUS Law:
The Amaladass Professorship builds on the Amaladass Fellowship, first established in 2009 in memory of the late legal practitioner Mr M. Amaladass by a friend.
NUS Law received a $2 million donation from retired lawyer and philanthropist, Mr C J Koh, to set up the C J Koh Professorship in Law.
Generously endowed by Mr Lin Tah Hwa in 2023 to honour of Singapore’s third Chief Justice and Mr Lin’s personal friend, Dr Chan Sek Keong '61, the Chan Sek Keong Professorship in Private Law is intended to enhance NUS Law's capacity to attract and retain top scholars in this vital field. Sadly, Mr Lin passed away later that year, leaving behind an inspiring legacy of humility, loyalty and generosity of spirit.
With the support of alumni, friends, philanthropists, and members of the legal profession, NUS Law established the Chan Sek Keong Visiting Professorship in Public Law to honour Dr Chan Sek Keong '61 for his substantial contributions to the development of Singapore law and to celebrate his standing as one of NUS Law's most distinguished alumni.
The Punch and Kaila Coomaraswamy Professorship in the Law of Evidence was endowed by a gift in the will of Mrs Kaila Coomaraswamy, the wife of the former Justice Punch Coomaraswamy. Mr Coomaraswamy was one of the founding members of the Faculty and taught the law of evidence from 1959 to 1969 as a Visiting Lecturer. The Professorship aims to advance his life-long love of the law of evidence, and to commemorate his commitment to equipping students with a sound grasp of the theory, principles and application of the law of evidence in Singapore.
The David Marshall Professorship was established in honour of Mr David Marshall, a pre-eminent criminal lawyer and also Singapore’s first Chief Minister and subsequent Ambassador to France.
NUS Law launched the Geoffrey Bartholomew Professorship in honour of former Dean Prof Geoffrey Bartholomew.
Mr Jernal Singh Khosa (1932 ‐ 1988) was a litigator in Singapore who handled a wide range of disputes and built up a good reputation among his many loyal clients, gaining the respect of fellow lawyers and other members of the legal profession. The Jernal Singh Khosa Professorship in Law Professorship was established in his memory by his wife, Mrs Sarjit Singh Khosa, and celebrates his love for the law and his strong sense of justice, which compelled him to pursue what he believed was right.
The Jones Day CALS Visiting Professorship on the Rule of Law in Asia, as well as the Jones Day Visiting Professorship on Comparative Commercial Law, were both established through a generous endowed gift of US$2 million from the Jones Day Foundation. This gift is the largest single donation from a law firm foundation to NUS Law to date. These endowed visiting professorships enable NUS Law to bring leading scholar-practitioners to Singapore to engage and enrich our students, faculty, the profession, and the wider community.
The Jones Day Visiting Professorship on Comparative Commercial Law, as well as the Jones Day CALS Visiting Professorship on the Rule of Law in Asia, were both established through a generous endowed gift of US$2 million from the Jones Day Foundation. This gift is the largest single donation from a law firm foundation to NUS Law to date. These endowed visiting professorships enable NUS Law to bring leading scholar-practitioners to Singapore to engage and enrich our students, faculty, the profession, and the wider community.
NUS Law established the Kwa Geok Choo Distinguished Visitors Programme in honour of Mdm Kwa Geok Choo. Under this programme, leading law academics are invited to Singapore each year to teach a course at NUS Law and/or give public lectures on highly topical legal issues.
The Kwa Geok Choo Professorship in Property Law was established in honour of Mdm Kwa Geok Choo to mark her achievements as a leading property lawyer.
NUS Law’s pioneer class of 1961 celebrated its 50th anniversary with the establishment of the Lionel A. Sheridan Professorship in honour of NUS Law’s founding dean. Under this Professorship, leading law academics are invited as visiting professors each year to teach a course at NUS Law.
NUS Law was honoured with an endowment from Dr Michael Hwang SC, a distinguished international arbitrator and Senior Counsel with over 50 years of legal expertise, to establish the Michael & Laura Hwang Professorship in International Arbitration.
NUS Law received a gift from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore to endow a Professorship in Maritime Law. The objective is to bring to Singapore visiting professors and distinguished visitors in various maritime disciplines to conduct undergraduate and postgraduate courses as well as seminars, specialist workshops and conferences for the maritime community in Singapore.
NUS Law established the Peter Ellinger Visiting Professorship to honour Prof Peter Ellinger’s immense contribution to the development of legal education in Singapore.
NUS Law received a gift from Mr Sat Pal Khattar, ’66 LL.M. ’71 and family to establish the Sat Pal Khattar Professorship in Tax Law.
Saw Swee Hock Centennial Professorship in Law was made possible with a donation from Prof Saw Swee Hock and will be used to appoint and support a strategic hire to raise the quality of education and research in NUS Law to greater heights.
The Tan Ah Tah Professorship in Environmental Law was created through a legacy gift from the late Mdm Eileen Tan in honour of her late father, Mr Tan Ah Tah. Mr Tan was Acting Chief Justice of Singapore from 1958 to 1968, and the first local-born person to be appointed Judge of the Supreme Court on 2 May 1955, serving until 29 November 1975.
NUS Law received a gift from former Chief Justice Mr Yong Pung How, LLD ’01 and Mrs Yong Wei Woo to establish the Yong Shook Lin Professorship in Intellectual Property Law.
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