Beyond the books: NUS Law students lead through service

Pro bono work offers a crucial life lesson—that the value of a lawyer lies in the impact that he or she has upon the lives of clients, beyond charge-out rates.

That message was highlighted by Professor Andrew Simester, Dean of National University of Singapore Faculty of Law, in his welcome address at the Centre for Pro Bono & Clinical Legal Education’s (CPBCLE’s) 10th Pro Bono Awards Ceremony on 4 February 2026. In attendance were representatives from Tanjong Pagar Community Club, Pro Bono SG, Unity Secondary School, the State Courts and Office of the Public Guardian.

Oft-recited, the sentiment may sound cliche, but at its core is a perennial, powerful truth. And for the students at NUS Law who have not entered the profession, that sentiment is their reality. They have completed over 4,000 hours of mandatory pro bono work for AY 2024/2025 and supported nearly 30 beneficiary organisations, and all that goes beyond simply fulfilling graduation requirements; it shows their unwavering dedication to serving the community through a slew of different projects.

In recognition of their efforts, CPBCLE has set up a new award this year: the Pro Bono Dedication Award. This award honours the top three students who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to pro bono work: Chan Shao Wei ’28, Ryan Chong ’26 and Ma Xinyue ’27. They contributed the highest number of approved Pro Bono Hours in an academic year.

In totality, their work covers, but is not limited to, supporting the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS) with beneficiary interviews, legal research, and mitigation drafting for accused persons of limited means, as well as participating in weekly Meet-the-People sessions, supporting residents with legal and social issues while working across public agencies.

Guest of Honour Mr Dhinesh Dillon ‘94, Chairman of Pro Bono SG, used his keynote address to reinforce that foundational truth of a lawyer’s work, as he tracked the evolution of pro bono work in Singapore through the years. “I’ve come to believe that the true test of the rule of law lies in whether ordinary people are able to access justice in meaningful ways. That belief is what drew me to pro bono work.

“And that is why gatherings like today matter so much. The future of the rule of law does not rest only in Parliament, with judges or senior lawyers—it rests with students like you, and with the choices you make about how you use your legal training.”

And 20 other students were recognised for doing just that, with the Pro Bono Innovation Award going to Ernest Chua ’27. Since 2024, Ernest has been leading the PAP Mountbatten Branch Legal Clinic as its founding student director. Through his grassroots volunteer work there, he identified persistent gaps in legal awareness about the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) among elderly and vulnerable residents. This led him to organise several LPA campaigns within the Mountbatten constituency and, later, expand the initiative islandwide.

The Pro Bono Special Recognition Awards were given to 19 students involved in different projects:

Criminal Justice Club – CLAS

Cheng Xi Jodi

Tang Jun Ngan 

Project Parachute

Chew Ming Xuan, Lumiere

Tan Jia Xin, Calista

Project Law Help (PLH)

Daren Lim Shaowei

Tang Kaijun, Noah

Project Law & You

Donny Christanto

Mark Theng Kaijun

Legal Education and Awareness Programme (LEAP)

Kirsten Tasha Anthony

Gabriel Lee Jian Wei

Mark Lui Zhi Heng

Syariah Law Friends (SLF)

Hana Carlesater

Hilal Iman Bin Mohammad

NUS-Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre (FIDReC) Collaboration

Lee Bao Yu

Yan Hai Rong

NUS-Rajah & Tann PDPA Compliance Assistance Scheme

Rae Ang Sze Wee

NUS Pro Bono Group

Huang Hung Yu, President

Ethan Yeo, Vic-President (Internal)

Wong Yin, Rebecca, Vice-President (External)

This year, through the generous financial support of donors from the NUS Law Class of 1992, the NUS Law Class of 2017 and RHTLaw Asia, eight pro bono projects received financial support to fulfil their goals of reaching their beneficiaries.

NUS Law Class of 1992 Pro Bono Grant

Representing the donors was Mr Joseph Liao. This grant was awarded to four pro bono projects with a catalytic effect—projects that galvanise attention and efforts towards a worthy cause: Building of Bridges, NUS-FIDReC Collaboration, Project Parachute, Project Law Help.

NUS Law Class of 2017 Pro Bono Grant

Representing the donors was Mr Yee Guang-Yi. The project recipients are LEAP, Project Law & You, and Project Legal Awareness for Youths Mentorship (PLAY).

RHTLAW Asia Subhas Anandan Pro Bono Grant

Ms Ashley Phua represented the donor company to award the grant to Thai-ed with Love.

We congratulate all students for embodying the heart and spirit of pro bono and for their commitment towards pro bono projects that serve the community in Singapore and beyond.