Turning adversity into growth: NUS Law graduate Julia Liaw on overcoming life’s curveballs

Growing up, Julia Liaw ’25 spent a lot of time in libraries. Money was tight for her family, especially with two other siblings and a mother battling chronic illnesses. So Julia whiled away her time among the shelves, devouring Enid Blyton books. She went so often that the librarian memorised her identity card number.

“That, in part, was why I decided to pursue law. It’s such a reading-inclined industry,” said Julia, 24. But her journey from libraries to law school came about by chance.

Attracted by the breadth of the curriculum, she initially applied for the liberal arts programme at Yale-NUS College. It was her mother who nudged her towards something more “practical” and encouraged her to pursue a professional degree like law.

After doing the math and factoring in financial aid and a study award she had received from Yale-NUS, Julia realised that studying both—via the Double Degree Programme in Law and Liberal Arts—seemed like the best of both worlds, both academically and economically. She signed on the dotted line, kickstarting her university journey. But it wasn’t always easy.

“In my first year of law school, I struggled a lot academically,” Julia admitted. “It was only in my second year, after going around and seeking guidance from my peers, that I started figuring things out.” Her grades improved so much that she clinched the Most Improved Student Award and secured a place on the Dean’s List.

Despite her academic struggles, Julia continued to push herself outside her comfort zone in other ways. She volunteered as a tuition teacher and student peer counsellor, and even took up extra-curricular activities like ultimate frisbee.

“My experiences growing up contributed to the reasons why I do what I do. When I was a kid, I wished I had more tuition, but I didn’t want my parents to spend money on it,” she said. That was why she volunteered with TEACH SG, an NUS initiative that allows NUS students to mentor youth from disadvantaged families.

She also found time for pro bono work, where she helped the elderly navigate legal matters and crafted publications to raise awareness for sexual assault survivors—work that she found deeply meaningful. “Pro bono work keeps me grounded. It’s the human aspect of law,” she explained. She also joined NUS Law’s Pro Bono Group and its Mooting and Debating Club (MDC), on top of working a slew of part-time jobs outside of school for income. Her days were hectic, often packed to the brim from morning to midnight.

Her experiences challenged her and helped her grow through discomfort. One example was from the time she spent preparing for and participating in the B.A. Mallal Moot, Singapore’s oldest and most prestigious mooting competition, organised by the MDC.

“It made me very uncomfortable going in front of people and speaking when you can’t fully predict the questions that are coming to you. I really disliked it, but I did it because I disliked it,” she said. “It’s made me a clearer thinker, a better speaker, and someone who can see both sides of a point. These are soft skills which I think are the most valuable things I can get out of law school.”

Most importantly, she seized opportunities to have fun, such as travelling to Malaysia for an impromptu dive trip together with a group of friends from Yale-NUS. As her time at university draws to a close, she has planned her next step. Apart from joining a reputable law firm, Julia intends to continue her pro bono work as far as possible.

“I might have a high threshold for burnout—perhaps my circumstances have made things easier for me in that way,” she said with a laugh. “But there are still a lot of things for me to learn when I go into the workplace, and I am excited to grow, both as a lawyer and as a person.”

This story was first published on 11 July, as part of NUS News’ coverage of Commencement 2025, which celebrates the achievements of our graduates from the Class of 2025. Click here for more NUS News stories.