Advanced Contract Law invites students to examine some interesting and controversial topics from this foundational subject. Some topics will build on what students already know in their first-year/basic contract law course (e.g. how does contract law deal with change of circumstances?), some will cover new ground (e.g. the role of good faith in contract law). You will be able to write a paper on a topic of particular interest to you. The course also complements the course Advanced Tort Law and Philosophical Foundations of Contract Law.

Cautionary note for students from Civil Law Jurisdiction: a background knowledge of common law subjects is assumed, including contract, tort, equity, and company law

This course introduces core finance concepts tailored specifically for law students. Adopting a classical finance approach, it covers topics such as asset pricing, diversification, the Efficient Market Hypothesis, the Capital Asset Pricing Model, derivative pricing, financial intermediation, macroeconomic fundamentals, and capital structures. Additional coverage of mergers & acquisitions, corporate governance/law, and securities regulation where relevant highlights essential intersections with legal practice. By bridging the gap between law and finance, students will gain practical insights into how future clients such as investment bankers, traders, institutional investors, and other financial professionals operate.

This course examines ASEAN’s ongoing metamorphosis into a rules-based, tri-pillared (political-security, economic, and socio-cultural) Community pursuant to the mandate of the 2007 ASEAN Charter, paying attention to the current geopolitical climate. It deals primarily with Law but is also attentive to the Non Law and Quasi Law aspects inherent in ASEAN’s character as an international actor and regional organisation; its purposes and principles; and its operational modalities, processes, and institutions.

Students will grasp the complexities of ASEAN’s conversion to the rule of law and rule of institutions within the context of international law and its frameworks; national competences and jurisdiction; and regional relations and realpolitik.

This course provides an insight into international civil aviation and the legal and regulatory issues facing airlines, governments and the common passenger. Issues raised include public air law and policy, private air law, aviation security, climate change and aviation, and of course, the unprecedented coronavirus crisis that is decimating the airline industry. Emphasis will be placed on issues relevant to Singapore and Asia, given Singapore’s status as a major aviation hub and the exponential growth of the industry in the Asia-Pacific. Topics to be discussed include the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, bilateral air services agreements, aircraft safety, terrorism and aviation security, and air carrier liability for death or injury to passengers. Competition or antitrust law issues in the industry will also be analysed, alongside business strategies such as code-sharing, frequent flier schemes and airline alliances. The severe competitive environment introduced by weakening economies, war and terrorism and of course, the COVID-19 pandemic, will also be discussed. This course is relevant for individuals who are keen on air travel and/or interested in joining the aviation industry, governments/civil aviation authorities or law firms with an aviation practice.

Business valuation is a key component of investor and corporate activities and is conducted for many purposes. In recent times, it has gained prominence because of the increase in mergers and acquisitions activities, arbitration and legal proceedings involving damages assessment and shareholder disputes, application of fair value measurements in financial reporting, and the increased emphasis on the role of intangible assets (and intellectual properties) as key value drivers in business.

As business valuation is deeply anchored in corporate activities, regulators have increasingly stepped up their presence and involvement in this practice area, particularly on matters relating to professionalism, and compliance with code and standards. In the conduct of business valuation, the International Valuation Standards (IVS) as developed by the International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC) is being applied by valuers in more than one hundred countries. IVSC is a global valuation standards setter and membership body that works to promote and grow the valuation profession worldwide. The Institute of Valuers and Appraisers of Singapore (IVAS) (under the auspices of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)), that certifies business valuers in Singapore, is a member of the IVSC. Business valuers certified by IVAS are designated as Chartered Valuers and Appraisers (CVA) and will need to comply with the IVS and the code of ethical principles issued by IVSC, when conducting their work in the marketplace.

The subject of business valuation arises frequently in the legal space, particularly in situations relating to insolvency and restructuring, litigation, and mergers and acquisitions. This course is developed for the students to acquire practical knowledge relating to business valuation that is applicable in these circumstances. It will provide the students with the first-hand knowledge of how business valuation is conducted in the “real world” in compliance with the IVS.

The course will commence with an introduction to the key concepts of accounting and finance relating to business valuation. It will then explore the valuation landscape, the role that business valuation plays in the marketplace and study the competences, role, and behaviour of business valuers. Students will learn about the valuation concepts, principles, terms, basis, premises, context, process and reporting requirements. An in-depth study of the various valuation approaches and methods, as stated in the IVS will be carried out. The focus will be on the application of the market, income, and cost (asset-based) approaches (and their respective methods and valuation parameters), in valuing business and equity. Last but not least, contemporary issues and challenges surrounding business valuation will also be covered. This includes matters such as the application of various discounts and premiums, rising importance of intangible assets (and intellectual properties) as key value drivers in business, and the consideration of ‘Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)’ matters in valuation etc.

This course will focus on the different transport documents which are used in contracts for the carriage of goods by sea. This will include bills of lading (B/Ls), sea waybills and delivery orders and the growing trend towards eB/Ls. The course will examine the rights and liabilities of the parties to such contracts, including the shipowner, the charterer, the cargo owner, the lawful holder of the bill of lading etc. Major international conventions on carriage of goods, such as the Hague and Hague-Visby Rules, the Hamburg Rules, and the Rotterdam Rules will also be examined.

Commercial conflict of laws is a significant area of legal scholarship and practice. The chief aim of the course is to examine the foundational principles of commercial conflict of laws in Singapore. First, the course identifies and assesses the set of rules based on which Singapore courts decide whether to entertain international commercial disputes. Second, the course outlines the provisions based on which Singapore courts determine the law governing the parties’ cross-border disputes. Finally, the course outlines the rules according to which courts in Singapore give effect to foreign judgments.

This course examines the rules and standards that govern the subject of compliance and risk management. It starts by examining questions of governance: boards of directors, and executives. We then examine the compliance function through the lens of managers, regulators, prosecutors, whistleblowers, and gatekeepers. Next, we consider particular areas of the law: corruption, anti-money laundering, and export controls. We examine case studies where compliance fails and initiatives that go beyond compliance. Finally, we consider risk management as it pertains to lawyers; topics here include the governance of risk; approaches to risk management; reputational, operational, and enterprise risk.

The administration of criminal justice in Singapore requires a robust defence. A good criminal defence needs a sound grounding in criminal law and criminal procedure, and a strong base of written and oral advocacy and communication skills. This is an experiential course that takes students through a case from taking instructions all the way through to an appeal, using the structure of the criminal process to teach criminal law, procedure and advocacy skills. This course will give an insight into the realities of criminal practice – and includes a clinical component which will give students the opportunity to work on active cases.

This course seeks to introduce students to the fundamental principles of Intellectual Property (IP) law in Singapore. It has been designed to induct and immerse students who have little to no knowledge of IP law into one of the most interesting and rewarding areas of law, and to provide a strong foundation for those who intend to pursue advanced courses in IP or information technology. Since the practical application of IP law intersects with many other areas of law (e.g. corporate-commercial law, commercial dispute resolution, compliance), students seeking to complement their knowledge with a basic understanding of IP should also find this course helpful.

This course aims to equip students with the basic understanding of the law of arbitration to enable them to advise and represent parties in the arbitral process confidence. Legal concepts peculiar to arbitration viz. separability, arbitrability and kompetenz-kompetenz will be considered together with the procedural laws on the conduct of the arbitral process, the making and the enforcement of awards. Students will examine the UNCITRAL Model Law and the New York Convention, 1958. This course is most suited for students with some knowledge of the law of commercial transactions, shipping, banking, international sale of goods or construction.

International construction contracts have by their nature special features, which affect the methods of resolving disputes arising from them. The course reviews terms and clauses of standard forms of international construction contracts (FIDIC Conditions), to explain how risks (inherent in all construction contracts) are typically allocated between parties; and what rights and remedies are available to parties when risks materialise. Further, the course examines how disputes arising from construction contracts are resolved through arbitration especially arbitrations conducted under the Rules of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) which are included in the principal standard forms of contract (FIDIC).

What types of situations give rise to disputes in the international arena and how are these disputes settled? This course provides an overview of the various types of disputes and settlement mechanisms available for the resolution of international disputes – State to State, Individual/Investor to State and between international non-State entities. The course will explore the law pertaining to dispute settlement before the ICJ, WTO and ITLOS as well as international arbitration – both Investor to State Arbitration and Commercial Arbitration. The course will compare these different processes on issues such as jurisdiction, provisional remedies, equal treatment, evidence and enforcement.

The purpose of this course is two-fold: on the one hand, to examine parts of the legal history and heritage of Islam and the development of the traditions of Islamic law on the other, to reflect upon the nature and concept of law coming from this heritage and its influence on other aspects of society. As such, we will read materials, and consider issues, related to three topics: the history of Islamic legal thought from the formative period; the crystallisation of Islamic legal thought into works of fiqh and usul al-fiqh; and the contemporary application and practice of Islamic law.

To respond to climate change and its impacts, domestic governments are changing the way they govern their economies and financial systems. This course provides students with the knowledge and skills to understand how laws are shaping the relationship between climate change and the economy in key jurisdictions around the world. Issues to be considered include market and non-market based legal and policy mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to respond to climate risks, such as carbon markets and taxes, sustainable finance regulation, and green-industrial policies. No background in climate change or economics is required to take the course.

This course focuses on the law, directives and guidelines pertaining to the conduct of investment management activity in Singapore. The primary focus is on the regulatory regime in Singapore but significant elements of selected foreign regulatory regimes affecting investment managers in Singapore will also be introduced. Some of the latest industry trends will be examined. The course is tailored to lay a foundation for those considering a career in the investment management industry, either as a legal practitioner in a law firm or as an in-house legal counsel or compliance officer within an investment management company.

This course will consider the interaction of law and religion in three aspects: firstly, through a consideration of theoretical materials that discuss and debate religion’s (possible) roles in public discourse and in the shaping of law, especially in multi-religious and multi-cultural environments; second, through an examination of a range of religio-legal traditions (e.g., Islamic law, Hindu Law etc); and, third, a consideration of specific instances – in cases, legislation and public issues etc — where law and religion meet.

The Law of the Sea is course in public international law. It governs the rights and obligations of States in uses of the oceans, in the exploitation of its resources and in the protection and preservation of its environment. The main focus of the course is on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which was adopted in 1982 after nine years of negotiations and which was intended to establish a legal order for all uses the oceans that would withstand the test of time. We will examine how UNCLOS came about, how it balances the interests of coastal States and user States, and how its provisions are being interpreted by States and by the institutions established under it. This will include an examination of the relevance and limits of UNCLOS in resolving intractable disputes such as those in South China Sea. We will also examine how UNCLOS is being adapted, modified and supplemented to meet the challenges posed by technological and scientific developments, by the development of international environment law, and by the existential threats posed by global warming and sea-level rise.

Given the privileged role that lawyers play in society, it is unsurprising that the highest standards are demanded of lawyers. The contents of these standards comprise the subject-matter of this course where we will explore legal ethics, professional conduct and professional responsibility with reference to the Legal Profession Act 1966 and the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct) Rules 2015. The focus will be on Singapore law and we will examine the roles and responsibilities of lawyers, the duties that lawyers owe to the various stakeholders in the legal industry, and other issues that lawyers may encounter in their day-to-day practice.

This course provides an introduction to the latest legal developments and areas of significance in modern China. Topics covered include Chinese legal system, legal institutions, civil law, corporate law, finance law and dispute resolution. Through this course, students will benefit from learning substantive aspects of modern Chinese law and will be conversant with Mandarin in the legal context. This course is conducted primarily in Chinese (Mandarin) and is intended for students who possess a basic level of Chinese (Mandarin).

This is a novel elective course designed to introduce students to multi-disciplinary perspectives and skills relating to crime and criminal justice. It brings together local and international experts in their respective fields (such as criminology, enforcement, prosecution) to teach the various topics. The course is broadly divided into four segments. In terms of substantive topics, this course is broadly in three segments: (a) systems of criminal justice, (b) causes of crime, and (c) how we respond to and deal with crime. The course also introduces some basic skills necessary to understanding and evaluating criminal justice empirical research. Students who elect to take this course should generally have completed courses on Singapore criminal law and Singapore constitutional law or equivalent. Students who have not completed such courses may still elect to take this course, but must be prepared to put in additional time to read up on the basics of Singapore criminal law and Singapore constitutional law.

This course examines the evolving regime for the regulation and protection of multinational enterprises (MNEs) in international law. Although MNEs remain creations of domestic law, the cross-border activities of MNEs increasingly come within the scope of instruments creating obligations and/or rights in international law. In assessing the challenges faced by states and MNEs alike with respect to such transnational regulation, the course takes a rounded and interdisciplinary view of the issues involved, addressing both the commercial and social dimensions of MNE action. In addition to considering the regulatory powers of individual states, developments under international instruments on human rights, environment, finance, taxation and investment are addressed.

The course examines the normative, theoretical and doctrinal issues that arise from the policy favouring arbitration:

• How did the pro-arbitration policy arise historically?
• What exactly does the pro-arbitration policy mean?
• What are the main legal doctrines that implement the pro-arbitration policy?
• In which international legal instruments and national laws is the pro-arbitration policy enshrined?
• How does the pro-arbitration policy sit next to competing public policies?
• What are the implications of the pro-arbitration policy for the protection of the public interest?
• What are the procedural and substantive legal concepts that protect the public interest in commercial, public-private and investment arbitration?

Without competent pre-trial work, one’s case at trial will be prejudiced or worse, one’s client may be deprived of a trial. There are two main components of this course: knowledge of civil procedure and the Rules of Court 2021, and oral advocacy; both aspects are focused on pre-trial matters and applications. The course will cover selected areas of procedural law, sufficient to enable the student to argue pre-trial applications in these areas in a real life and ethical manner. The skills-based aspect of learning is also found in the practical oral advocacy training in arguing pre-trial applications (for example, a summary judgment application).

This foundational course introduces the student to the nature, major principles, processes and institutions of the international legal system, the relationship between international and domestic law and the role of law in promoting world public order. Students will acquire an understanding of the conceptual issues underlying this discipline and a critical appreciation of how law inter-relates with contemporary world politics, its global, regional and domestic significance. Topics include the creation and status of international law, participation and competence in the international legal system, primary substantive norms such as the law regulating the use of force and enforcement procedures. The class will also consider the changing global order in the light of increasing Sino-American conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic and Russian use of force in Ukraine.

‘Transnational law’ refers to regulatory systems whose regulatory reach is not constrained by state borders. It is a relatively newly-emergent form of regulation with which persons with legal training are increasingly being asked to engage. Such engagement requires appreciation of how the different aspects of these distinctive legal systems interact with each other. This seminar will explore these interrelationships, giving the student a framework for evaluating what a particular transnational legal system can and cannot do; and how to best interact with that particular transnational legal system in order to secure outcomes that are both desirable and achievable.

With the leaks of the ‘Panama Papers’ ( https://www.icij.org/investigations/panama-papers/) and the ‘Paradise Papers’ ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise_Papers ) the so-called ‘offshore’ financial industry has come under increasing scrutiny. The main question this course will cover is how, in legal terms, the offshore financial industry works. The emphasis will be on the offshore law of trusts, where many of the modern trusts employed to safeguard the assets of the wealthy were developed, and the civil law foundation as an alternative to the trust as a wealth management vehicle.