Media - News
Moots Spotlight (October 2020 to April 2021)
One of the valuable educational experiences an NUS Law student can have is to represent the university in mooting competitions. These are some of our students’ achievements in competitions from October 2020 to April 2021.
Congratulations to our Online Dispute Resolution Competition Champions
The Online Dispute Resolution Competition, organised by The PACT India, is a first-of-its-kind competition in India that aims to provide a platform for students to resolve commercial disputes through negotiation and for them to understand how technology interacts with the field of dispute resolution.
44 teams participated in the competition which was held over two weekends on Zoom in September 2020. The teams negotiated in three preliminary rounds, before qualifying for the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the exciting grand final round. Congratulations to our teams who participated!
Champion Team
Best Opening Statement
Top Negotiating Team (in the Preliminary Rounds)
Jolene Gina Abelarde ’23
Cheyenne Lim Yi-Ting ’23
Nicole Marie Christopher ’23
Semi-finalists
4th Best Negotiating Team (in the Preliminary Rounds)
Jason Teoh Soon Ming ’23
Kwek Shu En ’23
Annabel ’23
Lim Chang Lin, Kayleigh ’23
Quarter-finalists
Tristan Tan ’23
Ryan Jay Naidu ’23
Vishnu Menon ’23
NUS Law came in Top in the B.A. Mallal Moot 2020
(L to R): Phoon Yi Hao ’23, Melvinder Singh ’23, Kevin Tang ’23, Kyna Chew ’23
The Grand Finals of the B.A. Mallal Moot 2020 was held over Zoom on 12 October. The competition saw 120 competitors, with the top four finalists engaging each other on an engrossing problem involving the topics of Patient Autonomy and the Personal Data Protection Act. After an exhilarating performance by the finalists, NUS Law would like to offer congratulations to our winners!
Champion
Kevin Tang ’23
Second Runner-Up
Kyna Chew ’23 & Melvinder Singh ’23
Best Memorial
Phoon Yi Hao ’23
The winners would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to the Grand Final Judges – Justice Ang Cheng Hock, Mr Jason Chan SC, and Professor Alan Tan for providing their insightful analysis and feedback for the finalists on their respective performances. We would also like to thank Allen & Gledhill LLP for sponsoring the prestigious B.A Mallal Moot 2020 and we hope that all competitors had a meaningful and exciting learning experience!
NUS Law was placed 5th in the 2020 FDI Moot Global Oral Rounds
Samuel Wittberger ’21, Lai Shueh Chien ’21, Vidya Singanathan ’22 and Adam Ho ’22 were placed 5th in the 2020 FDI Moot Global Oral Rounds! In addition, Samuel Wittberger and Vidya Singanathan were awarded 2nd and 16th Best Oralists in the competition.
The team would like to thank Associate Professor Eleanor Wong ’85 for the opportunity to participate in the competition, Professor Jansen Calamita, Professor Michael Ewing-Chow, Michelle Chua ’21, Shaun Cheng ’21, Samuel Teo ’21, Ong Kye Jing ’21, and Benson Fan ’22 for their invaluable guidance and advice in the lead up to the competition. Additionally, the team would like to specially thank Gwendolyn Oh ’21 and Lydia Lee ’20 for their tireless support and encouragement throughout the competition.
NUS Law clinched two awards at the 19th Intercollegiate Negotiation Competition
1st row (L-R): Tay Hui Ting ’24, Samuel Wee ’24, Jeriel Teo ’24, Kaezeel Yeo ’24
2nd row: Glenda Tan ’24, Matilda Mag ’24, Yoon Shwe Yee ’24, Edwin Chan ’24
We are pleased to announce that two of our NUS teams performed excellently at the 19th Intercollegiate Negotiation Competition (INC) organised by Sophia University. The virtual competition took place on 14-15 November and saw 233 participants from 25 teams across both the Japanese and English divisions, including strong competitors from Australia, Mongolia, Thailand, and Japan. NUS Law would like to offer congratulations to our teams!
NUS Team 1
Tay Hui Ting ’24
Samuel Wee ’24
Jeriel Teo ’24
Kaezeel Yeo ’24
NUS Team 2
Glenda Tan ’24
Matilda Mag ’24
Yoon Shwe Yee ’24
Edwin Chan ’24
The NUS contingent received the prestigious Sumitomo Competition Award, which is awarded to the contingent with the highest cumulative score in both arbitration and negotiation components.
On top of that, they have also won the Squire Patton Boggs Award, awarded to the university that achieves the highest number of total points in the negotiation round in the English language division.
The teams would like to express their heartfelt thanks to their coaches Jeremy Teo ’21 and Dikaios Pang ’21 for their guidance and friendship. They would also like to thank the seniors who benched them for their arbitration and/or trained them for the negotiation round, consisting of Samuel Teo ’21, Isabella Tan ’21, Jerry Wang ’21, Nikhil Angappan ’21, Ng Wei Qi ’21, Jonathan Lee ’21 and Eugene Lau ’21.
NUS Law emerged as semi-finalists at the International Insolvency & Bankruptcy Moot Competition
We are pleased to announce that the NUS Law team has emerged as semi-finalists in the International Insolvency & Bankruptcy Moot Competition 2020, organised by the National Law University, Delhi and INSOL India.
The team was selected to participate in the oral rounds from 8 to 10 January 2021 based on their memorandum submission. In addition to placing as semi-finalists, the team has also won the Best Newcomer Team Award and the Best Oralist for Preliminary Rounds.
Best Newcomer Team
Bryan Chia ’22
Zhan Xiangyun ’23
Vijararaj Muthukumaran ’24
Best Oralist for Preliminary Rounds
Vijayaraj Muthukumaran ’24
The team would like to thank their mentors – Kenneth Lim ’04, Professor Umakanth Varottil PhD ’10, Glenn Sim ’19, Uma Sharma ’19, and Ryan Kwan ’20 for their guidance in crafting the substantive arguments and benching the team. The team would also like to thank the NUS Law Mooting and Debating Club for its support and assistance throughout the competition.
Congratulations to our CMS Intellectual Property Moot 2021 winners!
(L to R): Tan Wei Sze ’21, Shannen Leong ’23, Audity Tareq ’22, Benson Fan ’22
NUS Law congratulations our students for winning the CMS Intellectual Property Moot 2021. The competition saw 60 competitors battling it out, and after several gruelling online rounds, the finals were held on 19 January at the CMS Singapore Office.
The topic was mostly centred around intellectual property issues, more specifically trademark and copyright infringement issues. Participants had to debate whether fictitious trademarks such as EYEPAD and EYEWATCH are protected by trademark law, and they also had to deal with the issue of whether a machine learning software can be an author of a literary work.
Congratulations to our winners for their rousing performance at the finals!
Champion
Benson Fan ’22
1st Runner-Up
Shannen Leong ’23
2nd Runners-Up
Tan Wei Sze ’21 & Audity Tareq ’22
The winners would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the judges of the finals – Mark Lim ’94, Tom Scourfield, and Sheena Jacob ’88 for their insightful feedback. They would also like to thank CMS Singapore and IPOS for sponsoring and supporting this moot respectively.
A spectacular performance by NUS Law students at the 6th VMSCL-AIDR International Dispute Resolution Competition (Lex Infinitum VI)
(L to R): Sarfaroj Ahmed Malik ’24, Dean Simon Chesterman, Kaezeel Yeo ’24, Ong Hui Wen ’22
NUS Law students performed spectacularly at the 6th VMSCL-AIDR International Dispute Resolution Competition (Lex Infinitum VI) held virtually from 21 to 27 February.
After 9 intense rounds of mediation and negotiation against 35 other international teams, Sarfaroj Ahmed Malik ’24 was named Champion in the Mediator category while Ong Hui Wen ’22 and Kaezeel Yeo ’24 emerged 1st Runners-Up in the Negotiating Team category. This is the second year running that NUS Law has clinched the Mediator championship and third year in a row that our Negotiating Team has finished 2nd place or better at Lex Infinitum.
The team’s preparation came under the Collaborative Dispute Resolution (CDR) Club’s Competition Division and the supervision from Samuel Teo ’21. The team was coached by competition alumni Nikhil Angappan ’21, Utsav Rakshit ’21, Samuel Wittberger ’21, and advised by Victoria Tay ’20. Victoria and Nikhil were the champions of Lex Infinitum 2020.
The team would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to seniors Leanne Cheng ’19, Mark Lim ’19, Isabella Tan ’21, Samuel Teo ’21, Lai Shueh Chien ’21, Kim Haeyoung ’21, Jonathan Lee ’21, Eugene Lau ’21, Darren Chen ’22, Tan Pei Han ’22, Karen Cuison ’22, and Chan You Quan ’22 for their generous guidance, advice, and support.
NUS Law emerged as Champions at the Grand Finals of the International Commercial Arbitration Moot
The Grand Finals of the International Commercial Arbitration Moot (ICAM) 2021 was held at the Wee Chong Jin Moot Court on 3 March. It was an exhilarating performance, and we offer congratulations to our winners.
Champion
Chew Qing Xuan Kyna ’23
First Runner-Up
Ryan Jay Naidu ’23
Second Runner-Up
Don Loke Song Ze ’24 & Melvinder Singh ’23
Best Memorial
Goh Cheng Wei Benjamin ’24
They would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to the Grand Final Judges – Justice Ang Cheng Hock SC ’95, Ms Judith Gill Q.C. of Twenty Essex, and Mr Chou Sean Yu (Head of Wong Partnership’s LDR Department) for providing their insightful analysis and feedback for the finalists on their respective performances.
NUS Law emerged as Champions for the NLIU INADR International Mediation Tournament 2021
(L to R): Joshua Lim Jing Kai ’23, Jolene Gina Abelarde ’23, Edwin Chan ’24
Congratulations to Jolene Gina Abelarde ’23, Joshua Lim Jing Kai ’23 and Edwin Chan ’24 for emerging as Champions (Client and Counsel Team) in the 9th National Law Institute University and International Academy of Dispute Resolution (NLIU INADR) International Mediation Tournament.
Held virtually, the competition took place from 10 to 14 March, and featured 42 skilled teams from India, Lithuania and the United States. After five gruelling days, the team eventually triumphed over Boston University in the Grand Finals.
The team would like to extend their deepest gratitude to their coach, Darren Chen ’22, as well as Nikhil Angappan ’21, Utsav Rakshit ’21, Audity Binta Tareq ’22, Jerald Tan ’22, Lau Ai Xuan ’22, Ong Hui Wen ’22, and Kaezeel Yeo ’24 for their invaluable advice. The team would not have gone far if not for the kind support it has received.
NUS Law clinched Champions of the 2021 Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot!
(L to R): Nicholas Chia ’21, Yeoh Su-Jane ’22, Shayna Robinson ’22, Ng Wei Qi ’21
Congratulations to Nicholas Chia ’21, Ng Wei Qi ’21, Shayna Robinson ’22, and Yeoh Su-Jane ’22 for emerging as Champions of the 2021 Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot.
The moot was organised by the Max Planck Institute for Legal History and Legal Theory and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. For the first time, the moot was held virtually over two weeks and saw 43 teams from 21 countries participating. The finals were presided over by Pierre Tercier, Sir Michael Wood, and Michael E. Schneider.
The moot is unique in applying the cutting-edge of international law to historical events. This year’s problem was set in the 1840s and focused on the Vieille Montagne mine in Neutral Moresnet, a condominium over which Prussia, the Netherlands, and later, Belgium, were jointly sovereign. The investors’ claim against the three States under a fictional Vienna Investment Treaty raised pertinent issues such as the protection of investments in disputed territories, State succession, foreign control of domestic companies, and the standing of such companies before arbitral tribunals.
The team would like to thank their coaches Violet Huang ’20, Tan Fong Han ’20, Joan Lim-Casanova ’06, and Ian Choo ’18 for their unwavering support and guidance throughout this journey.
For their time and feedback in numerous practice rounds and consultations, the team is deeply grateful to Professor Simon Chesterman, Associate Professor Eleanor Wong ’85, Emeritus Professor M Sornarajah, Professor Antony Anghie, Associate Professor N Jansen Calamita, Visiting Professor Bernard Hanotiau, Visiting Professor Albert Jan van den Berg, Adjunct Associate Professor Matthew Secomb, Adjunct Assistant Professor Aditya Singh, Bay Jia Wei ’22, Chong Fu Shan ’22, Clara Low ’22, Lee Kay Han ’22, Victor Leong ’16, Joshua Hiew ’17, Emmanuel Aw ’19, Low Jia Rong ’19, Yohanes Ng ’21, Gwendolyn Oh ’21, David Isidore Tan ’16, Natalee Ho ’20, Kevin Elbert Toa ’15, Victor Yao ’17, Uma Sharma ’19, Nicholas Lingard, Kate Apostolova, Samantha Tan ’11, Dharshini Prasad ’12, Dr Romesh Weeramantry, Paul Tan ’05, Emily Choo ’10, and Rachel Tan ’17.
The team especially thanks Associate Professor Eleanor Wong ’85 for allowing them the opportunity to represent NUS in this moot.
Congratulations to our INSOL International Fletcher Moot Court Competition Champions!
(L to R): Sia Bao Huei ’21, Rachel Chan ’21, Samuel Teo ’21, Lim Jia Ren ’21
Congratulations to Lim Jia Ren ’21, Rachel Chan ’21, Sia Bao Huei ’21, and Samuel Teo ’21 for emerging as the Champion team at the INSOL International Fletcher Moot Court Competition 2021. The team qualified as the top seed for the knock-out rounds and was awarded the prize for the Highest Ranked Team after the Preliminary Rounds. Samuel Teo also placed 1st in the individual oralist rankings and received the award of Best Individual Mooter in the Preliminary Rounds. After a spectacular showing in the final round, Lim Jia Ren was named Best Individual Mooter in the Final Oral Round.
Held virtually, the competition took place from 15 to 21 March. This year, the competition saw the record highest number of participants from 34 teams in the Written Round, with the top 12 schools advancing to the Virtual Oral Rounds. During the preliminary rounds, the team faced strong teams from China and India. The team narrowly edged out the team from Singapore Management University in the Semi-Final Round and faced the team from West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences in the Final Round.
The team would like to extend their deepest gratitude to everyone who has volunteered their time to help the team in the past months. The team’s achievements would not have been possible without the generous support that it has received. In particular, the team would like to thank Professor Wee Meng Seng ’93, Ms Blossom Hing, Mr Ashok Kumar, Mr Derrick Teo, Mr Sanjev Guna ’18, Ms Lee Bik Wei ’07, Mr Tham Hsu Hsien ’02, Mr Jason Chan ’02, Mr Alexander Yeo ’09, Mr Ramesh Kumar ’07, Ms Jo Tay, Uma Sharma ’19, Glenn Sim ’19, Ryan Kwan ’20, Sim Hong ’19, Tammie Khor ’19, Kua Choon Searn ’18 and Yeow Yuet Cheong ’18.
Additionally, the team would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to their coach Kenneth Lim ’04, for his unwavering encouragement and support.
NUS Law came up Top in the 2021 Advocacy Cup
(L to R): Suraj Lingaraj Bagalkoti ’22, Teo Jin Yang, Anthony ’23, Dean Simon Chesterman, Noah Lim ’23, Vishnu Menon ’23
The 2021 Advocacy Cup Finals was held on 31 March at the Wee Chong Jin Moot Court. The preliminary rounds dealt with a contractual dispute involving the law of agency, while the semi-finals and finals dealt with a criminal offence of breaching a Stay-Home Notice under Regulation 3(3) of the Infectious Diseases (COVID-19 – Stay Orders) Regulations 2020. After three rounds of competition, NUS Law would like to congratulate our winners for their outstanding performance at the finals!
Champion
Noah Lim ’23
1st Runner-Up
Suraj Lingaraj Bagalkoti ’22
2nd Runners-Up
Teo Jin Yang, Anthony ’23
Vishnu Menon ’23
The NUS Law Mooting and Debating Club would like to thank Dean Simon Chesterman for being the Guest of Honour. And would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to the esteemed judges, Justice Dedar Singh Gill, Siraj Omar S.C. and Associate Professor Eleanor Wong ’85 for gracing the event. We would also like to thank Drew & Napier LLC for their kind sponsorship, and Mr Victor Choy for his invaluable contribution to the success of the Advocacy Cup 2021.
The NUS Law team competed in the Finals of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and won Best Oralist awards
(L to R): Arjit Pandey ’22, Rebecca Loo ’21, Abhishek Srivastava ’21, Bay Jia Wei ’22, Timothy Chong ’21
Congratulations to the NUS Law team who represented Singapore and competed in the World Finals of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition on 17 April.
In keeping with the focus on topical issues of public international law, this year’s problem saw concern in a global pandemic, and the obligations and responses of States with respect to the outbreak. It also involved questions of the jurisdiction of the Court, a desperate claim for political asylum by an alleged rogue scientist, and State responsibility for a suspicious aircraft explosion.
The international rounds usually held in Washington, D.C. were held online this year due to the pandemic, and the Championship Final was judged by three sitting judges of the International Court of Justice. The team did us proud and ultimately emerged 1st runners up!
Team members
Abhishek Srivastava ’21
Arjit Pandey ’22
Bay Jia Wei ’22
Rebecca Loo ’21
Timothy Chong ’21
Best Oralist (Championship Round)
Bay Jia Wei ’22
Best Oralist (Preliminary Rounds)
Abhishek Srivastava ’21
“Behind every word that was spoken were copious amounts of legal research put together by a very frantic (yet capable) team and the brilliant minds of 5 very inspiring (yet humble) coaches. There was faith (in each other), unspoken hunger, and quiet resilience — I’d like to think that the team’s every step towards the World Finals was a culmination of those.” – Bay Jia Wei, Best Oralist in the Championship Rounds for the World Finals of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.
“It is truly humbling to join the ranks of distinguished NUS Law alumni that have performed exceedingly well in the Jessup Competition and achieved the Best Oralist awards. This could not have been possible without my incredibly talented teammates, our superhuman coaches, and the unwavering support of our professors, seniors and loved ones.” – Abhishek Srivastava, Best Oralist in the Preliminary Rounds for the World Finals of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.
The team would like to thank their coaches: David Isidore Tan ’16, Joshua Hiew ’17, Natalee Ho ’20, Victor Leong ’16 and Victor Yao ’17, for their relentless dedication, tireless guidance and tender loving care. The team also wishes to thank Vice Dean Eleanor Wong, the NUS Law deanery, Law Faculty staff, NUS Libraries, Jessup Alumni and all who have helped them along the way. The team is also grateful to those who provided the facilities and equipment support for the virtual competition.