Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2022!

After two years of having the majority of faculty events being virtual or scaled down, we are delighted that we can resume the full ceremonial splendour of a live Commencement this year. Held at the University Cultural Centre on Thursday, 7 July, over 250 students from the LLB, LLM and PhD programmes graduated from NUS Law.

This year’s Guest-of-Honour was Professor S. Jayakumar ’63, Pro-Chancellor of the National University of Singapore. The ceremony also featured Guest Speaker, Mr. Adrian Tan ’90, Partner, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, TSMP Law Corporation and President of the Law Society of Singapore, who shared an inspiring speech about the importance of making a difference in society.

“As human beings we have a larger purpose – which is to serve others. In each of our lives, we might have a brief moment where we have material comfort, health, knowledge and human connection. And we must seize that moment. Not to pursue happiness, but to serve the wider community. What then should we do? One way is to give voice to others – in our work, in our professions, in our craft, in our talent – we must speak for others. We must tell their stories. We must give meaning to their lives. Only by doing so, would we find meaning for ourselves.” he said.

Lee Kay Han graduated as the Valedictorian of the Class of 2022, winning the Chief Justice Prize, Lee Kuan Yew Gold Medal, and Leow Chia Heng Prize as the Best Graduating Student. He also received the Law Society of Singapore Prize for Top 2 Students in his first three years at NUS Law, along with several other subject prizes and best advocate awards at international moots. In his final year, he was a Dean’s Graduate Scholar at the New York University School of Law where he completed his Master of Laws. Beyond the classroom, Kay Han was a co-director of the Student Disciplinary Assistance Scheme, the President of his Class Committee, and co-founded helpimlawst, an online platform for law students to access legal and career resources.

“Looking forward we shouldn’t lose sight of the bigger picture. There’s more to life than a career in the law – which is especially important since law is a notoriously gruelling job. We should find a way for life and work to come together harmoniously, and if we need to, fight for that to become a reality. Also, with great power comes great responsibility – we understand the law in a way that others may not, and so we have this unique opportunity to put this to good use. While this may mean entertaining all your aunties’ and uncles’ legal questions at family gatherings, do also consider volunteering somewhere – there’s plenty to fight for out there. So, live a life you will remember – life’s too short to waste on chasing things that aren’t meaningful!” were his parting words for his classmates.

To the Class of 2022, we hope that you have forged deep ties and memories with your peers during law school – they are the fellow travellers with whom you shared the journey through law school and beyond.