SMU Yong Pung How School of Law, 55 Armenian Street, Singapore (2026)

12/10/2026

In the second instalment of our series spotlighting alumni serving as Young Independent Counsel (YIC), we recognise Iris Ng Li Shan (LLB’18) of Helmsman LLC for her contributions in 𝘔𝘰𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘌𝘳𝘻𝘢𝘯 𝘛𝘢𝘪𝘣 𝘡𝘰𝘩𝘳𝘪 𝘷 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 [2026] SGHC 183.

The case involved seven appeals concerning the sentencing of offenders convicted of scam-related offences, including young people who had relinquished their bank accounts to scammers. Appointed to assist the High Court on novel legal issues, Iris considered the appropriate sentencing approach for young offenders, the framework for bank account relinquishment offences, and the application of these principles to offences committed under earlier legislation.

In her submissions, Iris argued that short detention orders should be considered as a sentencing option for young offenders, alongside reformative training and imprisonment. Her independent perspective helped the Court examine the available sentencing options and the principles that should guide their application.

In its judgment, the Court reaffirmed that rehabilitation should remain the presumptive primary consideration when sentencing young offenders, and that scam-related offences should not automatically warrant imprisonment or reformative training. The decision provides guidance on balancing rehabilitation and deterrence while taking into account the individual circumstances of each offender.

Reflecting on her experience, Iris shared how the YIC scheme has allowed her to build on the foundations laid during her time at SMU Law:

“The YIC scheme is a great opportunity to gain advocacy experience on matters that would typically be argued by more senior members of the profession. SMU’s International Moots Programme gave me a strong foundation, but every live case brings its own challenges — and there is always more to learn.”

We are proud to see Iris draw on her legal training and advocacy experience to contribute to matters of public importance and the development of Singapore law. Her work also reflects how the YIC scheme provides young lawyers with opportunities to support the administration of justice and contribute independent perspectives on complex legal issues.

Read more:
High Court judgment: https://www.elitigation.sg/gd/s/2026_SGHC_183
The Straits Times on Iris & the YIC scheme: https://bit.ly/4AYhiU1

SMU Alumni

09/10/2026

warmly congratulates our Yong Pung How Visiting Professor Daniel Martin Katz on being named one of The National Law Review and Wickard’s 2026 Top 50 Legal Innovators in Academia.

The recognition honours educators, administrators, researchers and academic leaders who are shaping the future of legal education through innovative programmes, impactful research, curriculum development, new institutional initiatives and approaches that prepare students for the evolving demands of the legal profession. The 2026 honourees were selected through an independent Selection Committee process comprising leaders from academia, the judiciary, legal practice, legal technology and innovation.

Prof Katz’s inclusion in the 2026 class reflects his contributions at the intersection of law, technology, legal innovation and professional education, and his continued work in advancing new ways of thinking about how lawyers are trained for a rapidly changing legal landscape.

This recognition reflects the forward-looking scholarship and educational innovation that underpin ’s broader commitment to shaping the future of law and legal education.

08/10/2026

In this first feature of our alumni's contributions as recently-appointed as Young Independent Counsel (YIC), congratulates alumnus Teo Jim Yang (LLB’20) of Ascendant Legal LLC on his appointment as YIC in Great Eastern Financial Advisers Pte Ltd v Lim Siang Heng [2026] SGHC 203.

In a case involving the meaning of a “liquidated sum” under the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018, Jim Yang was appointed to assist on key legal issues arising from the appeal, including whether a contractual debt could remain a liquidated sum where its quantification involved a process beyond mere arithmetic.

Drawing on authorities from Singapore and other common law jurisdictions, Jim Yang advanced the position that the key question is whether the sum can be ascertained through a completed process of quantification without the need for judicial assessment or involvement. The Court agreed with this, describing it as the “true touchstone” for determining whether a debt is a liquidated sum.

The Court also accepted his submissions that a debt does not cease to be liquidated simply because factual investigation or extrinsic evidence may be required to ascertain its precise quantum, and that a liquidated sum need not be an undisputed sum. The Court thanked Jim Yang for his “clear, well-considered and impressively comprehensive” written and oral submissions and providing considerable assistance in illuminating the issues.

The YIC scheme provides opportunities for young lawyers to contribute to cases involving novel or complex legal issues, while gaining valuable experience in legal research and advocacy. Ever since the scheme was renamed from YAC to YIC, more than a dozen SMU alumni have been appointed, with Iris Ng'18, Melissa Ng'18, Ian Mah'20, and Terence Yeo'20 making submissions this year.

Associate Dean for Students and Alumni, Professor Chen Siyuan, who is also Moots Director, noted that many alumni of the Ian Taylor Moots Programme have been appointed as YIC. He further commented: "We are heartened to see our alumni help shape the development of Singapore law. A certain dexterity is needed to switch between advocate and amicus.

Look out for the second feature of this series of our alumni Iris Ng's contributions as YIC next week!

07/10/2026

had the honour of presenting three papers at the 5th Judicial Roundtable on the Future of Justice, organised by the Singapore Supreme Court in collaboration with Doshisha University. Centred around the theme of how trust in judicial institutions must be safeguarded in today's volatile world, the conference fielded contributions from highly distinguished international jurists and academics. This included former, current, and future Chief Justices and Supreme Court judges from leading common and civil law jurisdictions around the world.

Presenting on Day 1, Asst Prof Dirk Hartung warned against „legalistic blindness" that could undermine a legal system's ability to preserve its own integrity. Historically, states which had descended into fascism had often done so despite judicial checks because successive power-consolidating moves could technically be justified within the law. Courts may therefore need to be courageously cognizant of wider societal ramifications when deciding cases which may build up into existential threats.

On Day 2, Prof Maartje De Visser examined how the social science literature on trust could help courts better design public-facing legal literacy strategies. A trust-by-design approach that expressly considers the kind of trust one aims to build, and the kind of distrust one seeks to prevent, would be instrumental for making trustworthiness visible for the public. Prof de Visser then suggests several good practices, including plain language summaries, curated legal explainers, and clear misinformation handling protocols.

Asst Prof Jerrold Soh presented on Day 3 his work on how legal AI hallucinations must be carefully managed so they do not erode public trust in law. While legal AI systems have improved rapidly, hallucinations are likely to here to stay due to increasing reliance, the intrinsic nature of language models, and the reality that not every litigant will have access to costly, frontier (legal) AI. Drawing on the literature on dependable systems and failure modes analysis, Asst Prof Soh proposed a framework for preventing, detecting, and remedying legal miscitations, misattributions, and misstatements.

Each of these diverse interventions sparked lively debate amongst the Roundtable's distinguished participants. We express our heartfelt gratitude to the SG Courts, 同志社大学 / Doshisha University, Anselmo Reyes KK, and the Singapore Academy of Law for this excellent opportunity to showcase our research and shape the future of law.

05/10/2026

At the recent Law Awareness Week @ CDC, two teams of and students turned their legal knowledge into practical solutions addressing real community needs.

𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗔𝗶𝗿: 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗩𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴
Inspired by seeing how a Primary 2 student was fined for va**ng, students Joy Liew and Amber Tng, together with SMU students Anson Koh and Lee Yi Terng from the SMU School of Computing and Information Systems, co-developed ClearAir — an app designed to support young people in their journey to quit va**ng. The app features tools such as daily check-ins, financial goals, trigger alerts and a “Craving SOS” function, providing support beyond the counselling room.

𝗦𝗲𝗲-𝗞𝗮𝗸𝗶: 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲
A second team of Law alumni and students — Jace B**g, Lim Chia Yeh (Both LLB’26), Kristen Ng, and Sean Cheng — developed See-Kaki, an AI-powered platform aimed at helping visually impaired individuals navigate the employment claims process. By using a chatbot to guide users through the process, the initiative seeks to make legal information more accessible and easier to navigate.

Both initiatives were developed as part of the Access to Justice Community Co-Lab, highlighting how students can draw on law, technology and interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle challenges faced by different communities to address real-world challenges and create meaningful impact in the wider community.

Read the full story by The Straits Times: https://bit.ly/4zdI5tC

&Technology

02/10/2026

's SMU Law Outreach Club (SLOC) recently held its annual Pro Bono Fair at the heart of the School of Law at the Level 2 Foyer. By bringing the event closer to the student body this year, the fair saw many students dropping by to learn about the stakeholders driving pro bono work forward and how they can contribute.

Through engaging games and sharing by beneficiaries, the fair shone a spotlight on SLOC's 10 internal projects, which span a wide range of causes - from empowering migrant workers, to assisting convicted inmates assess their cases for miscarriage of justice.

The fair also featured other YPHSL sub-clubs such as the Constitutional Law and Criminal Justice Club (CCJC), SMU Mediation and Negotiation Club (SMNC) and The Lighthouse Project; as well as the SMU Pro Bono Centre, Legal Aid Bureau, Pro Bono SG and the Public Defender's Office, who shared about the work they do for the community and how students can contribute.

Through these student-run initiatives and projects run by the SMU Pro Bono Centre, is committed to serving the community and encouraging our students to continue playing their part in making the law accessible to all.

01/10/2026

hosted the first part of our September seminar series, featuring distinguished visiting scholars from Durham University, The University of Melbourne and King's College London. Across three sessions, speakers examined important questions in dispute resolution, directors’ duties and international trade law, reflecting the breadth of contemporary legal scholarship and the value of comparative academic exchange.

1. 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯
Prof William Lucy from Durham Law School examined the possible advantages and challenges that may arise from a shift towards technological dispute resolution. Using three models of dispute resolution as a framework, he explored what may be at stake if current practices are reshaped by technology, particularly in relation to authenticity, transparency and respect.

2. 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴’ 𝘋𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺: 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘮
Prof Rosemary Langford from Melbourne Law School considered the duties of directors as companies approach insolvency. Focusing on the UK, Singapore and Australia, she discussed when directors may be required to consider or prioritise creditors’ interests, as well as the fiduciary nature of the duty, its subjective or objective character, and its relationship with other directors’ duties.

3. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳-𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘐𝘚𝘎 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘓𝘢𝘸
Prof Djakhongir Saidov from King's College London explored the diversity of international sales transactions and the need to understand how different legal regimes respond to varied trade sectors and commercial contexts. Comparing the CISG and English sales law, he highlighted the value of studying both regimes side by side, not only as competing frameworks, but also as sources of mutual learning.

Together, these seminars advanced rigorous discussion on how law responds to changing practices in dispute resolution, corporate governance and international commerce. They also reflect ’s commitment to fostering sustained academic exchange with leading scholars from around the world.

29/09/2026

The SMU Yong Pung How School of Law warmly congratulates Justice Hoo Sheau Peng on her appointment as Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Justice Goh Yihan on his appointment as Judge of the Appellate Division, with effect from 1 October 2026.

Justice Hoo is a valued member of the SMU Yong Pung How School of Law Advisory Board, where she continues to contribute her experience and insights to our School and community.

Justice Goh was formerly Professor of Law at , and served as Dean from 2017 to 2022.

The school is delighted to celebrate the appointments of two valued members of the community to these important judicial roles, and wish them every success in their new roles.

29/09/2026

Every September brings a moot season to a close and ushers in a new one. The month began with the conclusion of the International Moots SMU-X elective, after more than 50 alumni had judged our students in practice and selection rounds. 106 students were drafted for moots held over the next two terms.

September also saw our mooters win prizes in various competitions. In Deakin Arbitration, three students won Best Oralist awards — Joy Liew, Ayda Ko, and A Ramesh Kanna — with the latter two also winning Best Memorial (HM). In the LAWASIA in Seoul, Anica Lo won Best Oralist, SMU's sixth in the competition. In Brisbane, Shenice Long, Krystal Tan, and Isabelle Zining Teo secured SMU's fourth consecutive podium finish in the Unjust Enrichment moot (having previously come in 1st, 2nd, and 2nd). In the A-G’s Cup, Shawn Yip and Timothy Chia emerged as champions, while Rachel Yvonne Malcolm and Guo Yu Hang won Best Memorandum. The final was judged by DAG Valerie Thean, Justice Mohamed Faizal, and JC Low Siew Ling.

The UE team was coached by Chong Kai Sheng'24 and Lee Jie Ting'26; the Deakin teams by Erica Wee'25; and LAWASIA by Ethan Lee'23, Shruthi Harini Janardhanan'25, Shan Lyn Yeo'26, Natasha Lim Shu En'26, and Estelle Lau'26. Commenting on these results, Director of Moots, Professor Chen Siyuan said: "Our alumni continue to be the lifeblood of the Ian Taylor moots programme. They selflessly share their expertise and give up their time and resources to ensure that, just as was the case when they were students, every mooter is well taken care of, and no one is left behind."

SMU students have the opportunity to participate in over 30 international moot competitions every year with minimal financial burden thanks to the Ian R Taylor Memorial Fund, Providence Law Asia LLC, and the International Moots Alumni Group. The students also receive unparalleled mentorship and coaching from a close community of more than 700 moot alumni.

Learn more about our moots programme here: https://vimeo.com/1033450668

28/09/2026

is pleased to share that applications are now open for the 𝐒𝐌𝐔 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 (𝐒𝐌𝐔-𝐏𝐄𝐏) 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, offering outstanding early-career academics and researchers from around the world the opportunity to join SMU’s vibrant and globally connected research community.

Following the successful inaugural round of the SMU-PEP, the scheme returns to attract promising scholars with strong research potential and a commitment to impactful, interdisciplinary work. Successful candidates will join SMU as tenure-track faculty members, with access to dedicated resources, mentorship and opportunities to build their research careers in Singapore and beyond.

The SMU-PEP offers:
• A named Presidential Professorship title as a Presidential Assistant Professor or Presidential Associate Professor
• A tenure-track appointment as an Assistant Professor or Associate Professor
• A generous sign-on bonus and start-up research grant over four years
• The opportunity to hold a secondary courtesy appointment
• Guaranteed PhD studentships in STEM disciplines
• Networking opportunities to expand your professional network
• Mentorship and support in research, teaching and career development
• Competitive benefits, including relocation and other forms of support

Applications are welcomed from candidates who have earned a PhD (or equivalent) within the past five years, or are awaiting formal graduation, and who have demonstrated strong potential for impactful and interdisciplinary research.

For emerging scholars looking to develop ambitious research, collaborate across disciplines and contribute to a globally engaged academic community, the SMU-PEP provides a platform to take the next step in their academic careers.

We warmly encourage eligible candidates to apply and invite our community to share this opportunity with promising scholars in their networks.

⏰ Application deadline: 31 October 2026
🔗 Learn more and apply: https://careers.smu.edu.sg/presidential-early-career-professorship

SMU Yong Pung How School of Law

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