Description

The illegality doctrine has undergone various transformations in recent years across the common law world. Two broad approaches can be identified: firstly, a context-specific rules-based approach to different areas of law, and fact situations within those areas, and secondly, a universal discretionary framework applicable across all areas of contract, tort, restitution, property and trusts. In this seminar, we will explain how Singapore law as it stands leans toward the first model, and how UK law has been edging toward the second model post the UK Supreme Court decision of Patel v Mirza. The seminar will cover recent law in all major doctrinal domains including contracts, torts, equity and trusts, unjust enrichment, as well as issues of foreign illegality. Speakers will explain and evaluate the differing models of illegality, with a view to understanding and navigating the evolving terrain. The topic will be of interest to those in corporate and litigation practice where illegality issues often arise, as well as those with an academic interest in the topic.

About the Speakers
A graduate of Harvard Law School and the NUS Law Faculty, Zhong Xing first joined the faculty as a member of the inaugural batch of Sheridan Fellows, subsequently being appointed Assistant Professor in 2018. Zhong Xing’s research and teaching interests are in contract law, private law and legal theory, and commercial and corporate law more generally, as well as the various intersection points between these fields. He has published work in these areas in a number of leading generalist and specialist journals including the Modern Law Review and Legal Studies. Over the last few years Zhong Xing has been the recipient of various awards, including the Hart Publishing Prize for the best paper by an early career scholar at the Ninth Biennial Conference on the Law of Obligations (2018), and previously, Harvard Law School’s Project on the Foundations of Private Law Prize. He teaches contract law and legal theory at NUS Law.

Justin is a Lecturer in NUS’ law faculty. He holds an LLB (NUS, 1st Class Honors), BBA (NUS) and an LLM in tax (NYU, where he was a Vanderbilt scholar). He practised tax law at Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow, advising on the international tax aspects of
cross-border transactions. Justin has published in tax-related journals, including International Tax Review and IBFD’s Asia-Pacific Tax Bulletin. He teaches tax and torts at NUS Law.