TAN 

Zhi Peng Benny

Benny graduated from the National University of Singapore in 2012 and was placed on the Dean’s List in his final undergraduate year. He has also received interdisciplinary training from his MPhil in Criminological Research from the University of Cambridge, for which he was awarded the Manuel López-Rey Graduate Prize (2019) for being overall top student across both Mphil programmes offered by the Cambridge Institute of Criminology.

Benny has experience as a Deputy Public Prosecutor and State Counsel at the Attorney-General’s Chambers, as well as a pro bono defence counsel. At NUS Law he has taught legal skills courses to both undergraduate and graduate students, and currently teaches evidence law and criminal law. His areas of research specialisation include criminal law (in particular sentencing law and policy), and criminal evidence and procedure.

For displaying high teaching standards and commitment to teaching excellence, Benny has been awarded the NUS Faculty of Law Teaching Excellence Award (AY15/16, 17/18, 19/20, 21/22, 22/23, 23/24) as well as the NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award for AY17/18 and in 2025. He is currently Professorial Fellow with the AGC-Legal Service Academy, Fellow with the NUS Teaching Academy, and Director Legal Skills Programme at NUS Law.

Benny is the author of Foundations of Criminal Law in Singapore (Academy Publishing, 2022), and co-/updating author of two other books. He has also published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals, and his work has been cited by the various courts in Singapore. He thrice won the Best Feature Article prize awarded by the Law Society of Singapore, Law Gazette (2015, 2016 and 2021). Benny has been appointed independent counsel (formerly known as amicus curiae) by the High Court and Court of Appeal (Singapore) to assist the respective court in cases involving novel or complex issues of the law.

At NUS Law, Benny actively supervises and mentors various student pro bono projects. In 2025, he was awarded the NUS Law Pro Bono Mentor Award for being an outstanding supporter of NUS Law students’ efforts in pro bono. He is also a member of the faculty’s student advisor committee, where he offers academic mentorship and pastoral care to students.

• Criminal Law (with particular focus on sentencing issues)
• Law of Evidence & Criminal Procedure
• Pedagogy
• Statutory Interpretation
• Psychology of Judgment & Decision-Making