SMU Yong Pung How School of Law

Just in from Italy: #SMUYPHSL has emerged as world champions of the 33rd Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot. Having won the Asia-Pacific regional in June, SMU faced off against the other regional winners in Milan. The SMU team -- comprising Elizabeth Ho Li Hui, Raelee Toh, Genieve Wu (胡芷仪), and coached by A/P Chen Siyuan and Bernadette Teo -- prevailed in the world championship round that was judged by International Court of Justice Judges Tomka, Iwasawa, and Brant, and also won Best Memorials. This was SMU's debut in the international rounds of the competition, and the win marks SMU's 60th time it has reached the championship final of a moot that has at least 100 teams worldwide participating. SMU was also involved in three other moots in the last few weeks: - In the Unjust Enrichment Moot in Queensland, the SMU team (Elsa Shalina Abdullah/Nicolette Ang/Ryan Low) reached the championship final and won Best Oralist and Best Memorial prizes. - In the Deakin Commercial Arbitration Moot, one of our teams (Lee Graeme/Ryan Ng) reached the semifinal, while Erica W. of our other team (Samantha Loh) won Best Oralist. - Finally, in the LAWASIA Moot in Malaysia, the SMU team (Estelle Lau/Natasha Lim/Yeo Shan Lyn/Feifu Zhou) reached the championship final and won Best Oralist. SMU students have funding to participate in over 30 international moot competitions every year thanks to the Ian R Taylor Memorial Fund, Providence Law Asia LLC, and the International Moots Alumni Group. The students also receive unparalleled mentorship from a close community of more than 500 moot alumni coaches and judges. Office for Space Technology & Industry, Singapore (OSTIn) #SMUmoots #SMULAW #SMUSOL

At its annual appreciation dinner held earlier this month, the SMU Pro Bono Centre celebrated and recognised the outstanding contributions of #SMUYPHSL students, volunteer lawyers and alumni, who have graciously dedicated their time and expertise in driving initiatives that continue to make a positive impact on the community; and in providing legal assistance to those in need.   The event was graced by Guest-of-Honour Mr Murali Pillai SC, Minister of State for the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport. In his address, Mr Pillai fondly shared his own early pro bono experience and emphasied the importance of access to justice for all, especially vulnerable groups. At the event, 49 recipients who exemplify the highest ideals of pro bono work were recognised in seven categories.   #SMUYPHSL Dean Pey Woan Lee expressed her appreciation to the SMU Pro Bono Centre for introducing innovative and impactful projects which serve to plug gaps in access to justice and at the same time broaden SMU Law students’ exposure.   Read more about our award recipients and the event here: https://lnkd.in/gQxT8dUf #SMULAW #ShapingtheFutureofLaw #SMUProBono #SMULLB #SMUYPHSLAlumni

#SMUYPHSL is pleased to share a new video launched by our SMU Pro Bono Centre that features students sharing their experiences working on videos on legal issues related to ageing under an initiative titled 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 began 3 years ago and was aimed at educating the public on legal issues relating to ageing and to demystify some of the legal instruments available to make the process of getting older easier. A total of five educational videos were produced on topics such as lasting power of attorney, mental capacity, and deputyship. This final video brings some of the students involved in ‘Project Ageing’ back together post-project, as they reflect on their journey and at the same time share personal heartwarming stories and the impact that this experience has had on them. The video can be viewed here: https://lnkd.in/ggmRJNAH. #SMULAW #ShapingtheFutureofLaw #SMUProBono #SMULLB

#SMUYPHSL congratulates our faculty recipients and nominees of the SMU Teaching Excellence Awards 2024. The SMU Teaching Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate the significance of teaching as a complex and multi-faceted profession. These university-level awards honour faculty members for their holistic contributions to peer development, student development, innovative instructional approaches, effective pedagogical practices and course design. We would like to congratulate Ms Ee-Ing Ong, Principal Lecturer of Law, who received the 𝗦𝗠𝗨 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱. In addition, of special mention are the following faculty who were nominees in various award categories for this year’s awards: 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲 Asst Prof Jerrold Soh 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲, 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘀 Assoc Prof Edward Ti 𝗦𝗠𝗨-𝗫 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲 Asst Prof How Khang Lim 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗱𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲 Mr Tan Boon Heng We are indeed grateful for the remarkable dedication and expertise of our faculty in enriching our students’ learning experience. #SMULAW #ShapingtheFutureofLaw #SMUYPHSLFaculty

We are indeed proud of our Singapore Management University students from both the Computing & Law (C&L) and LLB programmes, who emerged as Champion and finalists respectively at the recent 2024 edition of the SCCA - Singapore Corporate Counsel Association (SCCA) Legal Eagle Challenge! C&L students from SMU School of Computing and Information Systems - Shanice Giselle Goh, Tiang Zi Xuan and Keylani Karania Dylovan were crowned champions; while our team of #SMUYPHSL Year 2 LLBs Ashley Ong, Ryan Kan and Paw Yuxin were finalists. This year’s challenge saw participants navigate complex real-world scenarios by stepping into the role of a general counsel of a technology company dealing with complaints of their top executives having allegedly engaged in commercial activities that pose conflicts of interest and misconduct. SMU also extends thanks to SCCA for this opportunity in enhancing our students’ learning experience; and also to our faculty, Asst Prof How Khang Lim, whose efforts and dedication played a big part in nurturing a deep passion for law and technology in our students. #SMULAW #ShapingtheFutureofLaw #SMUSCIS #SMULLB #SMUComputing

#SMUYPHSL is thrilled to share Prof Dan W. Puchniak's recently published article in the American Journal of Comparative Law titled 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴: 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘪𝘵. This article undertakes the first in-depth global comparative analysis of the curious transplant of UK-style stewardship codes into jurisdictions dominated by controlling shareholders and examines the role that stewardship plays in these jurisdictions. It reveals that stewardship has been coopted by governments and institutional investors to serve their own diverse purposes—a troubling trend when an authentic focus on an inclusive society and the environment are more critical than ever. In his article, Prof Puchniak uncovers a puzzling question: Why have UK-style stewardship codes spread globally, despite their misalignment with shareholder structures in most countries? Through an in-depth comparative analysis across 20 jurisdictions, Prof Puchniak explores how governments and institutional investors are co-opting these codes to serve their purposes. The study reveals critical insights into global corporate governance, the often-overlooked role (or lack thereof) of institutional investors outside of Anglo-America, and the implications for ESG initiatives. It challenges our understanding of how corporate governance mechanisms are adopted and adapted worldwide. Download the full article here: https://bit.ly/4eIkZRT #SMULAW #SMUYPHSLResearch #ShapingtheFutureofLaw #CorporateGovernance #Stewardship #ComparativeLaw #ESG

#SMUYPHSL’s Prof Henry Gao and Asst Prof Lau Kwan Ho were invited to present their research at the 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢 & 𝘈𝘚𝘌𝘈𝘕 𝘓𝘢𝘸 𝘌𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘛𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘌𝘳𝘢 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. Held in Guiyang, China during the 2024 China-ASEAN Education Cooperation Week, the conference was hosted by the East China University of Political Science and Law and the Guizhou University of Finance and Economics. The digital era raises many issues and questions in global governance. Some of these are addressed by world economies in digital partnership agreements, of which a well-known example is the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA). Focusing on China’s application in 2021 to join DEPA, Prof Gao’s presentation perceptively analysed and discussed the opportunities as well as challenges in respect of any potential accession to the Agreement. Higher legal education is also having to adapt and innovate to adequately prepare graduates for work in the digital era. In Asst Prof Lau’s presentation, he elaborated on the exciting initiatives on blended learning curated by the Singapore Management University (SMU) and its Centre for Teaching Excellence, and discussed lessons and points for further research after having adopted blended learning for his Contract Law courses. #SMULAW #SMUYPHSLResearch #ShapingtheFutureofLaw #Legal #Education

It has indeed been a very positive year for our #SMUYPHSL students participating in international mediation and negotiation competitions thus far! Kicking off with the 5th edition of the 𝗦𝗞 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗿𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, our LLBs Chloe Mak and Loh Ee Hsuen, guided by alumnus Ong Pin Ern (LLB’ 24) and Tian Xinhe, emerged as Champions in the negotiation category. This marks the second consecutive year SMU has won amidst stiff competition from close to 100 teams. At the prestigious 𝗜𝗕𝗔-𝗩𝗜𝗔𝗖 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗖𝗗𝗥𝗖) Vienna 2024, #SMUYPHSL was the only university team to achieve awards in both the Mediation and Negotiation categories. This competition, designed around the esteemed Willem C. Vis Arbitration Moot, represents one of the highest levels for Mediation Competitions. Coached by LLM alumni Yong Eng Wah (LLM’14), our LLB Pham Ngoc Diep bagged the 1st Runner Up award in Mediation; while the Best Teamwork in Negotiation was awarded to the team of Daniel Koh Chong Eng, Hong Wen Yu, and Teo Jie Xuan. At the 𝟴𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗗𝗖-𝗜𝗖𝗖 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗔𝗣𝗖𝗠𝗖 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰), the team of Rachel Smitha Pary, Amritha Anburajan and Tang Wai Yong, coached by alumni Kimberly Sim Wei Qing and Chye Shu Li (both LLB’21), reached the semi-finals and was ranked 2nd out of 28 teams in the preliminary rounds of the competition. At the 𝗔𝗣𝗜𝗜𝗧 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗔𝗟𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗖 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰), our team of Elisha Mark Tan, Lee Qing Aun, Serena Lee Oh, and Jonathan Teo emerged 1st runner-up out of 26 teams; while our second team comprising Andie Joy Liew, Khong Hui Xi, Ong Xiao Hui and Tan Shaw Eun Shaun, made it to the quarter-finals out of 26 teams. The teams were coached by alumni Chuan-He Foo (LLB ‘22) and Ong Pin Ern and Yap An Yi (both LLB’24) respectively.  Last but not least, Annadine Yeo Shu Hui (JD) and Tian Xinhe emerged as semi-finalists in the 9th edition of 𝗛𝗦𝗙-𝗡𝗟𝗨 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, a by-invitation-only negotiation competition involving 31 law schools around the world. They were coached by Benedict Hoon (LLB ’19), Bill Phua (LLB ’24) and Linus Koh (LLB ’24). The school would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all alumni coaches and peers, for their guidance, support and dedication.  #SMULAW #ShapingtheFutureofLaw #SMUYPHSLADR #Mediation

#YPHSL was privileged to host Justice Judith Prakash, SMU Distinguished Fellow, this week. In an 80-minute session with more than 50 of our mooters, Justice Prakash shared invaluable tips and perspectives on persuasive advocacy and effective oral communication, and also discussed some of the differences between moots, trials, and appeals. Moderated by her former law clerk and current YPHSL faculty Assistant Professor Nicholas Liu'15, the session also saw students seeking Justice Prakash's views on a wide range of topics, which she kindly obliged. Erica Wee, a fourth year student, said: "It was an incredible opportunity for us to engage with Justice Prakash, who has had decades of experience as a lawyer and a judge. In answering our questions about what made excellent advocates, she focused on skills we could all seek to develop and steps anyone could take to become better students, lawyers, and people in the profession. We are deeply grateful for her time and hope to take her advice with us as we represent Singapore and the university on the international stage." #SMULaw #SMUSOL #SMUmoots #ShapingtheFutureofLaw

#SMUYPHSL is pleased to partner with Allen & Gledhill LLP once again for the 2nd edition of the 𝗔&𝗚 𝗬𝗣𝗛𝗦𝗟 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. This year, students were asked to share their thoughts on the intersection of environmental & climate change issues, and their future roles as Singapore lawyers, along with suggestions for implementing their views. We received over 35 submissions from both individuals and teams, representing the collective efforts of approximately 60 YPHSL students. After due deliberation, the following prizes were awarded:   1st Prize: ⁠Raelee Toh 1st runner-up: Tammie Ong & Megan Yeoh 2nd runner-up: Joel Ko & Kaelynn Kok   As a special nod to this year’s sustainability theme, special wooden medals that are also designed to be turned into keychains were given out to the awardees.   The school extends its appreciation to Allen & Gledhill for the sponsorship of this writing partnership. We are grateful to have Ms Lei Theng Lim and Mr Ramesh Selvaraj join us for the awards ceremony in support of our students.   We would also like to extend thanks to #SMUYPHSL faculty Assoc Profs Michelle Lim and Nengye L. for reviewing the finalists’ submissions; #SMUYPHSL Dean Prof Pey Woan Lee for her unwavering support; and Principal Lecturer Ee-Ing Ong and Ms Ruby Lee, Head and Asst Head of the A&G YPHSL Legal Writing Programme, respectively.   Finally, we encourage all student participants to continue on their writing journey, and we look forward to viewing their future efforts! #SMULaw #SMUSOL #ShapingtheFutureofLaw #LegalResearchWriting