Just a month into the new Academic Year (and new moot season), SMU’s moot team has done Singapore proud at the 12^th edition of the LawAsia International Moot Competition, bringing back the championship trophy for the fourth time!  SMU also won Best Memorials, matching the double it won last year, as well as the 1st-runner-up award for Best Oralist (Wayne Yeo).

The competition this year saw 37 teams participating, with the best 16 teams gathering in Tokyo, Japan, between 18 and 21 September 2017 for the international rounds.  SMU’s triumphant trio – third-year law students Andrew Chia, Claire Lim and Wayne Yeo – achieved top spot after nine grueling rounds of competition.

The moot problem this year was about an arbitration case between a Japanese company and a Myanmar company in the jade business, disputing over the validity of an alleged partnership agreement and the ownership of equipment and software.

The SMU team had qualified for the knockouts as one of the top seeds in a field that comprised universities with strong mooting traditions, such as West Bengal State University, Jodhpur University, and the National University of Singapore.  It then won all of its matches en-route to the final round held on 21 September.

Notably, this is the seventh time SMU has appeared in the championship final of this Moot and it is the fourth time we have won the title (previously in 2013, 2014 and 2016).  The team was coached by School of Law (SOL) alumna Nanthini Vijayakumar, who had also won the moot as a student in 2013 and as a coach in 2016, and co-coached by fellow SOL alumnus Qabir Sandhu.  With this win, SMU now has 22 championship titles in 42 championship finals in all international moot competitions.

Well done!

[Featured photo: Coaches Nanthini Vijayakumar (far right) and Qabir Sandhu (far left) with the triumphant trio from SMU School of Law - Andrew Chia, Wayne Yeo and Claire Lim.]

View Original Article

Singapore, 31 October 2017 (Tuesday)– At an appreciation ceremony held today at the Singapore Management University (SMU) School of Law, the University announced the establishment of the Subhas Anandan Legacy Fund, set up together with the family of the late Mr Anandan, in memory of him and in celebration of the School of Law’s 10th anniversary.

Fund-raising efforts, which started in March this year, have been well-received, and over $120,000 has been raised to-date.  The funds will be used primarily to support a new bursary named in honour of the late Mr Subhas Anandan, as well as activities of the Constitutional Law and Criminal Justice Club at SMU.  The Subhas Anandan Bursary, valued at S$5,000 each, aims at helping Law students through financial hardships.  From January 2018, one needy law Singaporean/Singapore PR undergraduate will benefit from the bursary award each year, in perpetuity.

As part of the School of Law’s efforts to remember and honour Mr Anandan, a room within the SMU Pro Bono Centre has also been named the ‘Subhas Anandan Room’.  The family of the late Mr Anandan has also kindly donated a yellow ribbon painting to be placed in the room.

[Photo: (L-R) Mrs Vimala Anandan, Mr Sujesh Anandan, SMU School of Law Advisory Board Chairman Mr VK Rajah, and SMU School of Law Dean Assoc Prof Goh Yihan]

At the ceremony which was attended by family and friends of the late Mr Anandan, as well as SMU Law students and faculty, Associate Professor Goh Yihan, Dean of the SMU School of Law, said, “On behalf of SMU and the School of Law, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the donors of the Subhas Anandan Legacy Fund.  Your contribution will go a long way towards encouraging more ground-up efforts by our students in the course of their time at the School of Law.  Furthermore, the Subhas Anandan Bursary will undoubtedly make a significant difference in the educational journey of deserving Law students at SMU, such that they can enjoy a fulfilling university education free from financial burden and distractions.”

“Mr Subhas had a heart filled with empathy for the underprivileged and underrepresented; I believe that through our humble efforts, his compassion and spirit of public service will live on in our young lawyers-to-be,” added Associate Professor Goh. 

“The family of Subhas is honoured that so many have come forward for this good cause.  Pro bono work was close to Subhas’ heart and he firmly believed in access to justice for all.  We have no doubt that Subhas would have readily supported SMU’s efforts if he were still around,” said Mr Sunil Sudheesan, nephew of Mr Anandan, and Director, Head Criminal Department, Quahe Woo & Palmer LLC.  Mr Sudheesan is also President of the Association of Criminal Lawyers of Singapore.

- End -

For media enquiries, please contact:

HUANG Peiling

Senior Assistant Director, Corporate Communications

SMU Office of Corporate Communications and Marketing

(65) 6828 0964 / (65) 9845 3361/ plhuang@smu.edu.sg

View Original Article

In support of the Singapore Academy of Law’s (SAL) Future Law Innovation Programme (FLIP), SMU will be SAL’s academic partner for issues relating to legal innovation and the future business of law.  The partnership was announced at a press briefing held on 10 January 2018, where a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between SMU and SAL was officially inked.

Announced last July by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, FLIP is a two-year pilot programme to encourage the adoption of technology, drive innovation and create a vibrant ecosystem for legal technology.  SAL hopes to bring together lawyers, technopreneurs, investors, academics and regulators; and in doing so, support the development of a model for the delivery of legal services in the future economy.

The Programme's aim is to achieve what Chief Justice Menon described in a speech last year as the ‘Uberisation’ of the legal practice, which is a reference to ride-hailing service Uber and its impact on efficiently matching supply and demand.

[Photo: Press briefing held by Singapore Academy of Law on 10 January 2018 (Photo: IMDA)]

Under the agreement with SAL, SMU and will collaborate with FLIP on several fronts, including student and curriculum development, thought leadership, as well as case studies and research.

In particular, SMU School of Law will co-host dialogues and seminars with SAL, develop thought leadership through case studies and research on future law topics, and explore the possibility of curating modular executive education programmes to support leadership and/or legal innovation for FLIP participants.

SMU undergraduates will also stand to benefit from the collaboration.  Students will have the opportunity to take on internships at SAL and at firms which are participating in FLIP, as well as be involved in FLIP-based consulting projects through the University’s experiential and multi-disciplinary SMU-X modules.

[Photo: SMU School of Law Dean, Associate Prof Goh Yihan]

Commenting on the partnership, Associate Professor Goh Yihan, Dean of SMU School of Law, said, “The impact of technology on the legal landscape is clear.  We are very pleased therefore to play our part and contribute our academic expertise as Singapore’s legal profession transforms in response to technology.”

“In the area of research, SMU’s partnership with SAL will certainly catalyse the development of insights into future law topics which will be meaningful, relevant and impactful to the fraternity. In legal education, we have begun to explore incorporating technology-related issues in our legal curriculum, and thus we value this opportunity for SMU undergraduates to be involved in SAL’s FLIP initiatives, as these platforms broaden their perspectives and expose our future lawyers to the possibilities of innovation in the legal sector,” he added.

One of the projects SMU students have been working on involved helping to collate a catalogue of 100 legal industry problem statements from legal counsel, paralegals, other supporting staff and service providers, as well as consumers of legal services, such as corporates, SMEs and private clients.  Together with the Info-communications Media Development Authority, FLIP will look to share and compare these problem statements with other professional industries as part of a cross-industry approach.  The intent is for solution providers to identify multi-sectoral opportunities and be encouraged to develop solutions that have applications across sectors for greater synergy and economic potential.

Other teams of students have also been trained by FLIP and will begin to provide consultancy services to law firms from January 2018 onwards under FLIP’s mentorship.

[Photo: SMU School of Law]

As of January 2018, over 30 participants from 23 entities have signed up for FLIP.  Thus, SMU students will have the opportunity to interact with a range of large law firms (such as Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP and Dentons Rodyk & Davidson), small law firms (including ECYT Law LLC and Consigclear LLC), to local and international legal tech enterprises like SingaporeLegalAdvice.com, LexQuanta, MyLawyer and Zegal, as well as in-house counsel from Discovery Networks and BNP Paribas.

[Featured Photo: (L-R) SMU School of Law Dean, Associate Prof Goh Yihan, and Mr Paul Neo, SAL’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer (Photo: IMDA)]

View Original Article

Singapore, 19 January 2018 (Friday)– Well-respected Senior Judge Chao Hick Tin and former Judge and Attorney-General Mr VK Rajah SC, will bring their extensive legal experience to the Singapore Management University (SMU) as Distinguished Fellows in the SMU School of Law.

Having both served as Judge of Appeal and Attorney-General, Justice Chao and Mr Rajah are both eminent luminaries of the legal profession and judiciary in Singapore.  The appointments provide SMU faculty and students access to their expertise, knowledge and experience.

As Distinguished Fellows at SMU School of Law, they will hold informal talks with students and faculty during their two-year appointment effective from November 2017.  Mr Rajah has also taken on Chairmanship at the SMU School of Law Advisory Board from July 2017 for an initial term of two years.

SMU School of Law Dean, Associate Professor Goh Yihan, said, “It is a huge honour for SMU to be associated with Justice Chao and Mr Rajah.  Both of them have served in the highest position of judiciary and have played a crucial role in the development of Singapore’s legal and judiciary landscape.  The exceptional opportunity to learn from them and tap their collective wisdom will benefit our law faculty and students immensely.” 

Both Justice Chao and Mr Rajah have recently retired from public service after an illustrious career.  In September 2017, a rare valedictory reference – a formal sitting of a full bench of Supreme Court judges to mark events of special significance – was conducted to honour Justice Chao and thank him for his contributions to the country and to mark his retirement after 50 years of public service.  (Justice Chao was subsequently appointed Senior Judge in the Court of Appeal in December 2017 and has begun his new term on 5 January 2018.)  Mr Rajah was also lauded upon his retirement in January 2017 – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong paid tribute to him in a valedictory letter thanking him for his outstanding contributions to Singapore’s jurisprudence. 

About Justice Chao Hick Tin

Justice Chao began his career in the Public Service as a State Counsel in the Attorney-General’s Chambers in 1967 and rose to the position of Senior State Counsel in 1979.  He was appointed Judicial Commissioner in 1987 and elevated to a High Court Judge in 1990.  He was subsequently appointed a Judge of Appeal in 1999.  From 1993 to 1999, he served as the President of the Industrial Arbitration Court and was the Chairman of the Singapore Mediation Centre from June 2003 to May 2006.  He was also the President of the ASEAN Law Association from Dec 2003 to November 2006.

Between 2006 and 2008, Justice Chao was the Attorney-General of Singapore.  In 2008, he returned to the Supreme Court as a Judge of Appeal and Vice-President of the Court of Appeal, a position he has held until his retirement in September 2017. He was appointed as a Senior Judge in the Court of Appeal in December 2017 and began his three-year term on 5 January 2018.

Justice Chao’s judicial career spans nearly 30 years.  With this new appointment, he would have been reappointed to the Court of Appeal an unprecedented six times after reaching the normal retirement age of 65.  He is also the only judge to have worked under four Chief Justices.

He has safeguarded and defended Singapore's interests on the international stage for two decades, making great contributions in this regard.  In 1968, three years after the separation of Singapore from Malaysia, Justice Chao, who was just 25 years old at the time, attended a UN Conference on the Law of Treaties.  At the meeting, he endorsed and reaffirmed the position uttered by the Malaysian representative that the Malaysia-Singapore water agreement ‘could not be terminated or suspended for any political reason’ and placed that understanding on record.

Justice Chao also took part in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea negotiations between 1974 and 1982, and was part of the team who successfully argued before the International Court of Justice at The Hague that Pedra Branca belongs to Singapore.

In the National Day Awards of 2008, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang) for his special contributions to the Pedra Branca dispute case.

About Mr VK Rajah

Mr Rajah was a one of Singapore’s leading commercial lawyers prior to entering public service.  He was among the first batch of Senior Counsel appointed in 1997, and led one of Singapore’s largest law firms.  In 2004, after 20 years of practice, he was appointed a Judicial Commissioner, and within the year a Supreme Court Judge.  Three years later, he became a Judge of Appeal, a position he held until 2014.

During his term on the Supreme Court Bench, he contributed prolifically to Singapore’s jurisprudence, and many of his judgments have shaped the development of Singapore law. 

Beyond the courtroom, he helmed committees, which have enhanced the administration of justice and the vibrancy of Singapore’s legal profession.  These include the Committee to Develop the Singapore Legal Sector, which comprehensively reviewed the entire legal services sector and made bold and important recommendations, including liberalising Singapore’s legal services, and building up Singapore’s exportable legal services in the areas of mediation and arbitration. 

This Committee also proposed to develop Singapore as a centre of legal education, and enhance post-graduate and professional training.  One result was the Singapore Institute of Legal Education, an umbrella institution overseeing vocational training and continuing education for the legal fraternity.  In 2013, Mr Rajah also chaired the 4^th Committee on the Supply of Lawyers.

Beyond legal education, Mr Rajah actively promoted the use of Singapore law in the region.  In 2004, he chaired a Working Committee to study this and went on to head the newly-formed standing International Promotion of Singapore Committee, whose initiatives have helped raise the profile of Singapore law beyond our shores.  As Attorney-General from June 2014 to January 2017, he implemented strategic measures to strengthen and equip the Attorney-General’s Chambers, including setting up an AGC Academy to raise professional standards across the various divisions in the Chambers.  He retired from public service in January 2017. 

Mr Rajah is presently on the Board of Directors of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and is a member of the Essex Court Chambers Duxton (Singapore Group Practice).

_______________________________________________________

For media enquiries, please contact:

HUANG Peiling (Ms)

Senior Assistant Director, Corporate Communications

SMU Office of Corporate Communications & Marketing

Tel: (65) 6828 0964 / (65) 9845 3361 / Email: plhuang@smu.edu.sg

View Original Article

On 25 January 2018, SMU alumna Chow Zi En became the second SMU graduate to emerge champion at the 2018 Maritime Law Association of Singapore (MLAS) Maritime Mooting Competition finals held in the David Marshall Moot Court at SMU School of Law.

The competition, which is into its second edition, is open to anyone who has not been called to the bar, and is organised with the key objective of encouraging law students and young lawyers to explore maritime law.  From 38 competitors last year, this year's moot competition featured about 50 entrants from Singapore's two law schools, the legal service, as well as law firms in the country.  A distinguished panel of more than 50 lawyers from firms such as Allen & Gledhill and Rajah & Tann judged the preliminary and knockout rounds.

[Above photos: The MLAS Maritime Mooting Competition in progress at David Marshall Moot Court. (Photo: Chen Siyuan)]

Competitors this year had to tackle a moot problem concerning an emergency tribunal's powers. The dispute was to be heard by an arbitral panel following the rules of the Singapore Chamber of Maritime Arbitration.  Representing the claimant was Hanspreet Singh Sachdev (Cambridge/Drew & Napier) and representing the respondent was Chow Zi En, who graduated from SMU School of Law’s Class of 2017 and is currently a Practice Trainee with Rajah & Tann Asia.

Eventually, it was Zi En who impressed the esteemed judges – Judge of Appeal Steven Chong, Kenneth Tan SC and Gavin Kealey QC, who declared her the overall winner.  This is the second consecutive time that SMU graduate has won the competition (the first being Nicholas Liu, from the Class of 2015).

For her achievement, Zi En has won herself an exceptional opportunity to complete a fully sponsored internship with 7KBW London, a top commercial chambers with a reputation for excellence, intellectual rigour and providing practical, commercial advice.  This is on top of her prize money of $1500, kindly sponsored by the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore.

[Photo: (L-R) Chow Zi En receiving her award from Judge of Appeal Steven Chong. (Photo: Chen Siyuan)]

[Photo: (L-R) Mr Gavin Kealey QC, Judge of Appeal Steven Chong and Mr Kenneth Tan SC judging the championship finals at David Marshall Moot Court. (Photo: Chen Siyuan)]

[Photo: (L-R) Zi En with fellow finalist, Hanspreet Singh Sachdev. (Photo: Chen Siyuan)]

[Photo: Mr Gavin Kealey QC (R) congratulating Zi En (L) after the final. (Photo: Chen Siyuan)]

View Original Article

Singapore, 2 February 2018 (Friday)– In line with the nationwide SkillsFuture movement, and to support current and future training and development needs of Singapore’s legal fraternity Singapore, Singapore Management University (SMU) today officially announced the rebranding of its School of Law’s Continuing Legal Education (CLE) arm as SMU Law Academy.

The SMU School of Law has, since 2010, been a Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE) -accredited service provider of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).  To date, the law school’s CLE arm has an established track record of providing the legal profession with high quality seminars and auditing programmes to stay informed about contemporary legal developments, with a total of about 1,000 participants taking up its collection of some 30 seminars and workshops organised each year.  

Going forward, the legal profession can look forward to a calendar that features a wider range of SILE-accredited seminars and an even better line-up of prominent faculty members, practitioners and judges as SMU Law Academy speakers.  To help practitioners better plan and schedule their participation, seminars offered by the Academy will, from now on, typically be organised on Friday afternoons, which was found to be the timeslot most preferred by practitioners.

Feedback and past participation statistics also showed that seminars which discuss recent case law and legislative developments in specific legal areas have been particularly well-received by legal practitioners.  Such seminars enable practitioners to upgrade their knowledge in a short time-span, and to appreciate synergies between developments across legal domains.  Responding to this strong demand, the SMU Law Academy will schedule more of these ‘Updates and Topical Developments’ seminars going forward.  Two other categories of seminars will be on offer, namely ‘Foreign and Comparative Law’ and ‘Fundamentals of Law’.

Additionally, the SMU Law Academy will pursue collaborations with other players in the continuing education field to further enhance its range and quality of activities.  In late December 2017, it concluded a partnership with the Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy (SIDRA), under which SIDRA will run its CPD programmes through the SMU Law Academy.

Under an MOU signed in January 2018, SMU School of Law affirmed its support towards the Singapore Academy of Law’s Future Law Innovation Programme (FLIP) by offering carefully curated modular programmes on legal innovation for firms participating in FLIP.  When ready, these will be offered through the SMU Law Academy.  

Furthermore, there are plans afoot for collaboration with the SMU Academy, the University’s life-long learning unit, to roll out interdisciplinary training courses, including on law-and-technology.

Associate Professor Goh Yihan, Dean of SMU School of Law, said, “That the practice of law is growing increasingly complex renders it ever more important for legal practitioners to keep themselves up to date across a broad range of legal subjects, as well as learn about new and developing areas of the law.  We see the opportunity to contribute significantly to the continuing education needs of the legal fraternity through the SMU Law Academy.”

“The School of Law’s strong track record in undergraduate and postgraduate legal education over the last 10 years, and the high-quality continuing education programmes offered since 2010, certainly stand us in good stead to now enhance our professional development curriculum in a targeted manner, including extending our outreach to an audience beyond the legal fraternity,” he added.

Associate Professor Maartje de Visser, who is Associate Dean (Postgraduate Teaching & Curriculum) at SMU School of Law, said, “Building on our law school’s reputation, and leveraging our faculty's expertise as well as SMU’s prime location in the vicinity of law firms and the Courts, the SMU Law Academy offers an exciting range of carefully curated seminars and courses for practitioners, including our growing body of alumni.  Through better alignment of the format and content of our offerings to the needs and schedules of the legal industry, we want the Academy to be their go-to source of information about relevant legal developments, here in Singapore and abroad.” 

For more info on the SMU Law Academy, please visit: https://law.smu.edu.sg/smula

[Featured photo: Dean Goh Yihan announcing SMU Law Academy on 2 February 2018.]

- End -

_______________________________________________________________

Media Contact:

HUANG Peiling (Ms)

Senior Assistant Director, Corporate Communications

SMU Office of Corporate Communications & Marketing

(65) 6828 0964 / (65) 9845 3361 / plhuang@smu.edu.sg

View Original Article

Team SMU has won the Singapore National Round of the 2018 Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, and are on their way to represent the country in Washington, D.C. 

The SMU Jessup moot team comprises final year law undergraduates Chia Chen Wei, Melissa Ng, Alexander Lee, Shriram Jayakumar and Dominic Liew.  Alexander and Shriram were also joint winners of the Best Oralist prize.  The team was co-coached by Assistant Prof Chen Siyuan and Nicholas Liu (Juris Doctor, Class of 2015).

The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, now in its 59th year, is the largest and most prestigious public international law moot competition in the world, with participants from over 645 law schools in 95 countries represented.  The moot issues this year include the invalidation of an arbitration award, the navigational rights of underwater drones, nuclear disarmament obligations, and the use of force.

This is the fifth time SMU has won in the Singapore National Round in the past six years that we have participated.  SMU had also won the International Exhibition Rounds in 2011 and 2012, and came in second in the International Championship in 2013 and 2014.

This victory represents the culmination of months of rigorous training and ardous work by the team and their dedicated coaches.  We wish the team all the best as they fly the Singapore flag high in Washington D.C. next month.

[Featured photo: (L-R) Dominic Liew, Shriram Jayakumar, Chia Chen Wei, Melissa Ng, Alexander Lee and Nicholas Liu.  Photo credit: Chen Siyuan.]

View Original Article

These past few months have been exciting times for mooters from SMU School of Law as they faced off with local and international teams in various moot competitions held around the world. Despite stiff competition as the global level of mooting standard rises, Team SMU stood out in several moots to bring back honour for the University and the School of Law.  Here’s a quick round-up:

Williem C. Vis and Vis (East) Moot Competitions – Global Top 3 in Vis (East)

Hailed as the most prestigious private international law moot court competition, the Willem C. Vis and Vis (East) Moots are judged by top practitioners from the fields of international law and arbitration from around the world. The Vis (East) moot presents the same legal problem to contestants as the Vis moot, but is targeted at Asian universities and is held in Hong Kong, while the Vis moot is held in Vienna.

Chan Wei Liang, Goh Yong Ngee, Gladys Lim, Lim Joe Jee and Stephanie Sim were part of the SMU combined Vis team representing SMU in Hong Kong this year; while Andrew Chia, Gary Leow, Kenneth Loh and Trishna Menon were deployed to Vienna. The combined team was jointly coached by WongPartnership partner Lionel Leo and SMU international moot alumni Deya Shankar Dubey, Jacob Quek, Tan Jun Hong and Wong Yan Yee.

In Hong Kong, despite facing fierce competition from a record turnout of 128 terms, for the fourth year running, SMU was ranked in the top 3 after eight matches against teams from countries such as Australia, Brazil, Germany, Korea and the US. Joe Jee was also awarded an Honourable Mention for Best Oralist; in the pre-moot held in Kuala Lumpur, the team also won Best Memorial in addition to reaching the octo-finals.

In Vienna, SMU mooters were awarded an Honourable Mention for reaching the advanced rounds in a record field of 350 teams, with Kenneth and Trishna both receiving Honourable Mentions for Best Oralist.

[Photo: SMU's (3rd to 7th from left) Gladys, Stephanie, Joe Jee, Wei Liang and Yong Nge, with fellow competitors at Vis (East).]

Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot

Megan Ho, Ian Mah, Jodi Siah and Yap San Zhi represented SMU in the 16th edition of the Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot, an annual international moot court competition organised by the Hong Kong Red Cross and International Committee of the Red Cross in collaboration with universities in Hong Kong.

Following a series of national and regional rounds which saw participation by over 100 law schools, the top 24 teams converged in Hong Kong for the international rounds.

SMU defeated Thammasat University, University of Colombo and University of Hong Kong before bowing out to eventual overall runners-up University of New South Wales at the semi-finals, marking the sixth time SMU has reached this stage since making its debut in 2011.

The team, which was again coached by alumnus Sui Yi Siong, also ranked third for Best Defendant Memorial.

[Photo: (L-R) Ian, Jodi, Megan, San Zhi and Yi Siong in Hong Kong.]

Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot Court competition

Chan Mei An, Kellyn Lee, Claire Lim and Priscilla Santa Nicole Maria represented SMU in the 11th edition of this moot. The team emerged as quarter-finalists after matches with teams from countries including France, India, and the US. The team was coached by alumni Daniel Liu, Sean Sim, and Luis Duhart.

SMU continues to have one of the best records in this moot, having reached the final twice – in 2015 and 2017 – and winning the last edition.

The Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot Court is the oldest and most prestigious student competition in the area of investment protection law. Its focus is on the oral presentation of legal arguments before an arbitral tribunal composed of specialists in the field during a one week final event. The competition is unique in that it combines the law of investment protection, one of the most modern and fastest developing areas of international law, with the history of international law and of international trade.  This year’s moot saw 47 international teams participating.

Philip C Jessup Moot – National Champion

In March 2018, SMU’s moot team won the national round championship for the fifth time in the last six years. The team, represented by Chia Chen Wei, Shriram Jayakumar, Alexander Lee, Dominic Liew and Melissa Ng, was coached by alumnus Nicholas Liu and Assistant Professor of Law Chen Siyuan. Besides earning the honour of representing Singapore at the International Round, Alexander and Shriram also shared the Best Oralist honours. At the International Round held in Washington D.C. the following month, Alexander and Melissa were ranked 7th and 9th respectively for Best Oralist, the highest SMU mooters have ever ranked in this competition.

[Photo: (L-R) Dominic, Shriram, Chen Wei, Melissa, Alexander Lee and Nicholas.]

Price Media Law Moot Court Competition – 1^st runner-up

Chen Lixin, Grace Goh, Shaun Ou, Nguyen Sinh Vuong, Kartik Singh and Aaron Yoong represented SMU in the 11th edition of the Price Media Law Moot Court competition this year, which saw the top 43 teams (out of a pool of around 100) qualify for the international rounds held in Oxford, England between 9 and 13 April.

Established by the Programme in Comparative Media Law & Policyat the University of Oxford since 2008, the competition aims to foster and cultivate interest in freedom of expression issues and the role of the media and information technologies in societies around the world. The Competition comprises six Regional Rounds (South Asia, Asia-Pacific, South East Europe, North East Europe, Middle East,Africaand Americas) and the selective International Rounds held in Oxford.

SMU won six matches against the likes of Sydney Tech, Osgoode Hall Law School and Rajiv Gandhi National Law University en-route to its fifth ever championship final in this competition.

In the final, the judging panel – which included European Court of Human Rights judges Albuquerque and Ziemele – adjudged SMU first-runner-up, and also named Grace Goh as the Finals Best Oralist. Grace was also named 4th Best Oralist of the tournament, while Shaun Ou came in 5th. SMU also won Best Memorials, its third such award in this competition.

The team was coached by alumni Eugene Neo, Saw Teng Sheng and Chow Zi En.

Air Law Moot Court Competition (SMU’s debut) – Runner-up

SMU participated in the International Air Law Moot Court Competition for the first time this year. The ninth edition of the International Air Law Moot Court Competition was co-organised by the Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation from India, the International Institute of Air and Space Law of Leiden University in the Netherlands and Incheon International Airport Corporation in South Korea. Held from 12-15 April 2018, the moot provides a unique opportunity for students seeking to gain experience in the development of arguments in the field of international law and international air law, while also establishing contacts around the world.

The SMU team comprising Lyndon Choo, Charlotte Tang and Wayne Yeo competed with just under 30 teams, and eventually emerged second after five matches. The team was coached by alumni Shaun Pereira, Tan Jun Hong, and Daniel Ho.  Notably, this was the 13th time our moot team has reached the championship final of an international moot in its debut appearance.

Grateful for the support from the SMU community and the law fraternity

The SMU teams wish to express their gratitude to many faculty members as well as practitioners who had helped to judge practice rounds, not to mention the alumni and corporate partners who have provided invaluable mentorship, coaching and guidance to them. Once again, SMU’s international moot alumni community has been instrumental, and with the official partnership with WongPartnership, SMU’s programme has indeed been strengthened and is set to scale greater heights.

The next major international moot on the calendar is the International Criminal Court (ICC) Moot Court competition which will take place at the end of May 2018. We wish our SMU mooters all the best in The Hague, the Netherlands!

[Featured photo: The SMU Team which came in second at the Price Media Law Moot Court Competition. L-R: Lixin, Aaron, Vuong, Kartik, Grace and Shaun.]

View Original Article

Singapore, 4 June 2018 (Monday)– Mooters from the Singapore Management University (SMU) School of Law have been declared champions at the 2018 International Criminal Court (ICC) Moot Court Competition at the International Round held in The Hague, The Netherlands, from 27 May to 1 June. SMU made its debut only in the eighth edition of this competition in 2015, and has reached the competition’s final round four years in a row, winning in 2015, 2016 and 2018. With this third championship title, SMU has improved its tournament-best record, having achieved the most number of finals appearances and championship wins in what is the world's largest and most prestigious competition on international criminal law.

The SMU team – comprising Ilene Chua (3^rd year, LLB), Tracy Gani (4^th year, LLB), Lee Chuan (2^nd year, Juris Doctor), Ng Pei Qi (4^th year, LLB), Tessa Tan Si Ying (3^rd year, LLB) and Yu Zheng Yi (3^rd year, LLB) – won nine matches at The Hague to win SMU’s third championship title at this competition. Ng Pei Qi was also named Best Victim's Representative (2^nd position) and Best Overall Oralist (3^rd position), SMU's first such oralist awards in this competition. The team was coached by SMU alumni Edmund Koh, Nicholas Liu, Beverly Lim and Sampson Lim.

Established in 2008, this version of the ICC Moot Court Competition was organised by Leiden University, in partnership with the International Bar Association and sponsored by the Planethood Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and The Hague Municipality. It is now the largest and most prestigious moot competition in the world on international criminal law, with top students from almost 45 countries and six continents worldwide participating this year.

The competition has four editions: Chinese, English, Russian and Spanish, with the English edition drawing the most teams. This year, the English competition attracted a global turnout of more than 100 participating teams, with the best 60 teams qualifying for the International Round held in The Hague, The Netherlands, from 27 May to 1 June 2018.

The issues in this year’s moot problem related to abusive labour practices and human trafficking, criminal responsibility as an indirect co-perpetrator, and procedural fairness at the national court proceedings. (More details here.)

The competition requires each team to represent three sides: government, prosecution and victims. Each speaker speaks for 30 minutes in total – 20 minutes for main submissions and 10 minutes for rebuttal. Each round pits three teams against each other. The SMU team reached the championship final after eight intense matches, facing off against teams from countries such as Hong Kong, India and the United States.

SMU’s opponents in the final round were Ireland's Honourable Society of the King's Inns and West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences. In the end, it was the SMU team, with their composure, clarity and conviction, which won over the judging panel. The judging bench for the final round, which was presided by sitting ICC judge Geoffrey Henderson, praised the SMU team's performance as ‘masterful’.

"We knew that winning our third title was going to be a real challenge, especially given the high quality of the international teams, but we have outdone ourselves again this year across the board. With the continued support of the University and our partner, WongPartnership, we look forward to scaling greater heights,” said Assistant Professor Chen Siyuan, who heads SMU’s International Moots Programme.

The ICC Moot is but one of various Grand Slam moots (a class-leading competition or one that has more than 100 teams) that SMU takes part in. Since SMU School of Law started its International Moots Programme in Academic Year 2009-2010, out of 18 Grand Slam finals which Singapore has been to (e.g. the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition, Williem C. Vis and Vis East International Commercial Arbitration Moots, Monroe E. Price Media Law Moot, and Frankfurt

Investment Arbitration Moot), SMU has represented Singapore 17 times.

Furthermore, fourth year SMU law undergraduate Tracy Gani has the distinction of being the third student in the history of international moots to have won a second Grand Slam moot – another member of this distinguished club is SMU alumnus Dennis Saw, who won the Price Media Law Moot Court Competition and ICC moot in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

In this AY2017-2018 season alone, SMU has won two championship titles, two first-runners-up and three second-runners-up, including a fourth consecutive championship final appearance at the Price Media Law Moot– another moot in which SMU has the best tournament record. The SMU School of Law’s overall tally for top-three finishes in all international moot competitions now stands at 63. (Please see overall medal tally enclosed at Annex 1).

[Featured Photo: ICC Judge Geoffrey A. Henderson (far right) with the winning team from Singapore Management University. (L-R) Sampson Lim, Ilene Chua, Tessa Tan Si Ying, Tracy Gani, Yu Zheng Yi, Ng Pei Qi and Lee Chuan.  Photo credit: ICC-CPI]

- End -

Enclosures:

• Annex 1: SMU School of Law international moot competition achievements (From Academic Year 2009-10 to 1 June 2018)
• For ICC Moot 2018 official results, please see https:http://www.icc-cpi.int/Pages/item.aspx?name=PR1389 

______________________________________________________________

For media enquiries, please contact:

HUANG Peiling (Ms)

Senior Assistant Director, Corporate Communications

SMU Office of Corporate Communications & Marketing

Contact: (65) 6828 0964 / plhuang@smu.edu.sg

View Original Article

Singapore, 5 June 2018 (Tuesday) – The Singapore Management University (SMU) School of Law has been awarded a major grant of S$4.5 million from the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to helm a five-year Research Programme on the Governance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Use.  SMU School of Law will also set up a new research centre to undertake focused efforts on the Programme.  The award follows a competitive application process that was open to all Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) in January 2018.

The award was announced today by Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Communications and Information, and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, at the Opening of innovfest unbound, the anchor event of Smart Nation Innovations Week.  The grant call by NRF and IMDA was made with the aim of collaborating with an IHL to set up the aforementioned Programme, so as to achieve various strategic objectives, including to (i) promote cutting edge thinking and practices in AI and data policies and regulations; (ii) inform AI and data policy and regulation formulation in Singapore through research publications and stakeholder engagement events and activities; and (iii) establish Singapore as a global thought leader in AI and data policies and regulations.

Professor Steven Miller, SMU’s Vice Provost (Research), said, “SMU is delighted to have secured this research grant to support Singapore’s national needs as we advance Singapore’s digital economy through a focused effort on the governance of AI and data use. This award is the largest research grant that the SMU School of Law has received since its inception in 2007,andprovides strong recognition of our School of Law’s research excellence and ability to be an important contributor in Singapore’s research and policy eco-system. This new programme is based upon a distinctive interdisciplinary approach that will involve other Schools within SMU, highlighting SMU’s strength in doing research at the intersections between disciplines.”

The Research Programme on the Governance of AI and Data Use that the SMU School of Law will undertake will comprise three integrated streams – AI and Society, AI and Industry, and AI and Commercialisation.  The Programme will build critical interdisciplinary capacity in the area that will help build bridges between the academy, industry and government.  It will be carried out by a new research centre to be housed in the SMU School of Law and formally launched later this year.  

Associate Professor Goh Yihan, Dean of the SMU School of Law, who will provide leadership and oversight as a member of the Centre’s Executive Committee, said, “The Research Programme on the Governance of AI and Data Use, and the setting up of a dedicated research centre, are not only timely, but also necessary preconditions of Singapore’s successful digital future.  We are grateful for the trust and confidence that the Government has placed in our law school and will ensure that the Programme achieves its aim of establishing Singapore as a global thought leader in AI and data policies and regulations.  Through the careful integration of the three research streams of AI and Society, AI and Industry, and AI and Commercialisation, we will develop government- and industry-relevant strategies for the governance of AI and data use, thereby contributing to the development of Singapore’s digital economy.”

“More broadly, SMU School of Law is committed to producing research that has meaningful impact in the real world.  This Programme is a cornerstone of our forward strategy of engaging in cutting-edge issues brought about by technology which affect the law and beyond.  Ultimately, we hope that our research will inform our teaching, as we aim to future-proof our graduates with a forward-looking and innovative curriculum that integrates theory and practice in a period that is fast influenced by technology,” Associate Professor Goh added.

The Centrewill establish an Expert Panel, which will comprise individuals from academia, as well as the technology industry and legal professions.  It will also establish institutional partnerships in academia and industry, which will provide international connections and expertise.  Prominent research centres that have committed to working with the Centre include the Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society at Harvard University (and its Governance and Ethics of AI Initiative together with the MIT Media Lab); the Centre for Commercial Law Studies at the Queen Mary University of London; the Centre for Law, Technology and Society at the University of Ottawa; the Digital Asia Hub; and the Zvi Meitar Institute for Legal Implications of Emerging Technologies at IDC Herzliya.  The full list of members on the Centre’s Expert Panel, as well as its institutional partners, will be announced in due course.

The Centre will also engage actively with researchers in the field of AI and data use, and appoint visiting professors and fellows.  The leading experts who have committed to working with the Centre include Professor Ian Kerr, Full Professor and Canada Research Chair in Ethics, Law, and Technology at the University of Ottawa; Professor Urs Gasser, Executive Director of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University; Professor Chris Reed, Professor of Electronic Commerce Law at Queen Mary University of London; Assistant Professor Dov Greenbaum, Director of the Zvi Meitar Institute for Legal Implications of Emerging Technologies; and Malavika Jayaram, the inaugural Executive Director of Digital Asia Hub.

To start off the research programme, the Centre will, together with Digital Asia Hub, and in collaboration with Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Centre for Internet and Society, jointly organise and co-host an event in September that will focus on the AI ethical and governance challenges from a policy perspective, and lay the ground for further collaboration among stakeholders.

- End -

______________________________________________________________

For media enquiries, please contact:

HUANG Peiling (Ms)

Senior Assistant Director, Corporate Communications

SMU Office of Corporate Communications & Marketing

Contact: (65) 6828 0964 / plhuang@smu.edu.sg

View Original Article

Singapore, 26 July 2018 (Thursday) – Singapore Management University (SMU) School of Law and Singapore Judicial College (SJC), Supreme Court, announced today that they will jointly offer a new Master of Laws in Judicial Studies from August 2019. A first of its kind in the region, the new postgraduate degree programme is designed to provide advanced training for serving judges and judicial aspirants both in and outside of Singapore. Candidates can expect to receive instruction by experienced Singapore judges and interact closely with them while undertaking judicial attachments and dissertations during the programme.

The new LLM in Judicial Studies was officially launched today with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between SMU School of Law and SJC. The launch was held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Law Association (ALA) Conference, and witnessed by the Heads of Delegation and participants attending the Conference.

The coursework of the LLM in Judicial Studies has been carefully curated to enhance the candidates’ knowledge and competencies in core areas of the law, such as the law of obligations and business law taught from a comparative perspective. It also equips them for modern day adjudication and judicial administration though core modules such as 'Judgecraft' and 'Law and Technology', alongside electives such as 'Leadership, Management and Professional Effectiveness' and 'Contextual Judging'.

Candidates will also enjoy the immersive experience of a mandatory attachment programme with the Singapore judiciary and being personally supervised by judges in their dissertations for selected empirical judicial research areas. The programme also provides ample networking opportunities with fellow or aspiring judges in Singapore and other international jurisdictions. Upon successfully completing the programme, which takes place in two terms across 10 months, candidates will graduate with an LLM in Judicial Studies degree from SMU.  To enable candidates to better balance their participation in the programme with their work commitments, they can opt to complete the programme on an extended duration basis, where they can complete the first term, take a leave of absence to return to their work, and then return to SMU within one calendar year to complete the second term.

Commenting on the new LLM in Judicial Studies, Chief Justice of Singapore Sundaresh Menon said, "This programme, the first of its kind in the region, has been designed specifically for serving judges and judicial aspirants. The diverse curriculum is jointly developed and will be taught by professors from the Singapore Management University and experienced Singapore judges. Candidates can expect the academic rigour of higher learning coupled with practical judge-craft. The teaching faculty will be supported by the Singapore Judicial College, which has established a reputation for its practical programmes, which focus on enhancing problem-solving skills. Graduates of this programme will enjoy the privilege of being amongst the first members of a new and growing worldwide alumni of judges."

Associate Professor of Law Goh Yihan, Dean of SMU School of Law, said, “The growing complexities of globalisation and technological disruptions are but two reasons of why law – whether as a discipline or profession – is in a state of flux. As such, it is imperative that those working in the law continue to keep themselves abreast of new developments and further hone the skills needed to practise this noble craft."

"This new LLM provides an exceptional opportunity for candidates to immerse themselves in the workings of the Singapore judiciary and beyond. The specially curated practicum will advance the candidates’ adjudication and administrative abilities, while simultaneously allowing them to develop pertinent extra-legal skill-sets and judge-craft. As a dynamic and forward-looking law school, SMU School of Law is excited and honoured to partner with the Singapore Judicial College in this LLM, leveraging the highly-qualified faculty expertise, and multi-disciplinary and interactive pedagogy that our University is renowned for,” he added.

The size of the inaugural cohort, which enrols in August 2019, is expected to be about 25 candidates. Application for admission is now open, and will close on 1 May 2019.

[Photo: SMU School of Law]

[Featured photo: (L-R) Justice Aedit Abdullah and SMU School of Law Assoc Dean Maartje de Visser.]

- End -

More information on the programme is available on the website at this url: https://law.smu.edu.sg/llm/home  _______________________________________________________________________________

For media queries, please contact:

View Original Article

Singapore, 24 September 2018 (Monday) – As Singapore develops its digital economy, a trusted ecosystem is key, where industries can benefit from innovations in technology such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), while consumer confidence and understanding can be assured.  The Minister for Communications and Information Mr S Iswaran announced the establishment of an Advisory Council on the Ethical Use of AI and Data (Advisory Council) in June 2018, to encourage the industry adoption of AI and the roll out of products and services using AI in an accountable and responsible manner.

To support the work of the Advisory Council and promote thought leadership in the area, SMU today officially launched a new Centre for AI and Data Governance.  The setting up of the new Centre has been made possible by a major grant of $4.5 million from the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to the SMU School of Law in June 2018, following a competitive application process among several Institutes of Higher Learning in Singapore.

The launch event held at SMU was graced by Guest-of-Honour Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport & Ministry of Communications and Information.  Dr Puthucheary participated in a panel discussion on the ethical, governance and consumer protection implications for the commercial deployment of AI.  The other panellists were Dr Urs Gasser, Executive Director of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University; and Ms Malavika Jayaram, Executive Director of Digital Asia Hub.  The panel was moderated by IMDA Assistant Chief Executive Mr Yeong Zee Kin.

[Photo: Dr Janil Puthucheary (2nd from left) speaking at a panel discussion at the launch event.  (L-R) Mr Yeong Zee Kin, Dr Janil Puthucheary, Ms Malavika Jayaram and Dr Urs Gasser.]

Helming the new Centre as its initial Director is Associate Professor Goh Yihan, Dean of the SMU School of Law.  With an aim to promote cutting-edge thinking and practices in AI, and data policies and regulations, the new Centre, which is housed within the School of Law, will enable Singapore to drive thought leadership on these issues and serve as a centre for knowledge exchange with experts worldwide. It will also adopt a global perspective and track international developments in its research areas.

An Expert Panel has also been established, comprising distinguished experts from academic as well as the technology industry and legal professions, who will provide international know-how and connections.  Prominent research centres and institutional partners around the world have also committed to working with the Centre.  (Please see Annex 1 for details.)

The Centre will undertake research projects under three integrated streams – AI and Society, AI and Industry, and AI and Commercialisation – that will help build bridges between academy, industry and government.  Leveraging multi-disciplinary faculty expertise across SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business, School of Information Systems and School of Social Sciences, it will embark on eight research projects, outlined as follows:

(Stream 1 – AI and Society)

1. Trustworthy AI– which will examine the ethical and social dimensions of developing trust in AI;
2. Privacy and data protection in a world of data-driven agency– which will study the legal, ethical and social dimensions of using big data to carry out tasks;
3. Transforming labour force– which will study how AI and data-driven technologies will fundamentally change Singapore’s labour force;

(Stream 2 – AI and Industry)

4. Automated and connected vehicles policy– which will study the legal, ethical, social and regulatory issues relating to data-driven transportation technologies;
5. Dispute resolution: managing and preventing disputes, and the role of professional advisers– which will examine the opportunities and challenges AI and big data present to the dispute resolution industry;
6. Fintech policy– which will examine the opportunities and challenges AI and big data present to the financial system;

(Stream 3 – AI and Commercialisation)

7. Intellectual Property (IP) and AI– which will examine how developments in AI will challenge the existing norms of IP;
8. Data-logistics, AI and transnational commerce and trading– which will study the challenges and opportunities brought about by AI and big data to transnational commerce and international trade.

In carrying out the above research projects, the Centre will work with various public agencies, private organisations and academic institutions.  The collaborations may include the co-organisation of research conferences and seminars, as well as the exchange of researchers.  For example, the Centre will work with the Centre for Commercial Law Studies at Queen Mary University of London to conduct a pilot study on Trustworthy AI.  The Centrealso plans to organise topical seminars to update the legal and business community, and provide new thoughts to practitioners and decision-makers in the public and business sectors.

The Centre will also enrich the knowledge of SMU’s undergraduate and postgraduate students (not limiting to those studying law) by involving them in joint research programmes with their counterparts in overseas institutions.  An initial example of this collaboration is led by Professor Dov Greenbaum, Director of the Zvi Meitar Institute for Legal Implications of Emerging Technologies.  Professor Greenbaum will lead SMU students on a year-long project where students work with stakeholders associated with an emerging technology to develop a publishable research paper/white paper that provides actionable analysis of that technology and its varied implications.

[Photo: Associate Professor Goh Yihan speaking at the launch of the Centre for AI and Data Governance.]

On the launch of the new Centre,Associate Professor Goh Yihan, said, “As our country advances its digital economy, we are honoured to be able to play our part in supporting Singapore’s national needs through relevant research that has actual and meaningful impact on society and businesses.  At the same time, in this period that is fast influenced by technological disruptions, it is our intent that the research insights generated will inform our teaching, as we aim to future-proof our graduates with a forward-looking curriculum that integrates theory and practice.”

Mr VK Rajah SC, Chair of the Advisory Council, said, “The establishment of the new Centre for AI and Data Governance at SMU, among the first of its kind in Asia, is a significant event.  Through the Centre, SMU can provide critical thought leadership to policy makers both within and outside Singapore.”

The launch of the Centre for AI and Data Governance was held at the Singapore AI Workshop, part of the Global AI Dialogue Series convened by the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, co-organised with and hosted by SMU School of Law and Digital Asia Hub.  The Workshop serves as a seminar to convene multiple stakeholder perspectives on the ethics and governance of AI, with an emphasis on Singapore-specific AI developments as a vertical lens, followed by a horizontal analysis of hard global governance challenges. The hands-on seminar provides a platform for practitioners which has policy, business, or technology responsibilities, both regionally and globally, to develop and share insights on AI from an ethics and governance perspective, with the objective of fostering sustainable dialogue and outlining tangible approaches to tackling the governance challenges faced.

- End -

Annex 1

Expert Panel member list:

1. Chang Zi Qian    , Co Founder, Intelllex
2. Antony Cook, Associate General Counsel and Regional Director for Corporate, External and Legal Affairs for Asia Pacific, Microsoft
3. Bart Custers, Associate Professor, Leiden, eLaw Centre for Law and Digital Technologies
4. Urs Gasser, Professor of Practice, Executive Director, Harvard Law School Berkman Klein Centre for Internet and Society
5. Joan Janssen, Director-General, Ministry of Law
6. Daniel Martin Katz, Associate Professor of Law, Chicago-Kent College of Law
7. Ian Kerr，Canada Chair Professor, University of Ottawa
8. Koh Chia-Ling, Director of Singapore Law Practice, OC Queen Street LLC
9. Richard Koh, Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft Singapore
10. Sophie Mathur, Partner, Global Co-Head of Innovation, Linklaters
11. Steven Miller, Vice Provost (Research), Singapore Management University
12. Andrew Murray, Professor of Law, London School of Economics
13. Joey Pang, Technology Lawyer, DBS Bank
14. Jacqueline Poh, Deputy Secretary， Prime Minister’s Office Strategy Group
15. Rajesh Sreenivasan, Partner and Head, Technology, Media & Telecommunications, Rajah & Tann Singapore
16. Denis Therien, VP Research Partnership in R&D, Element AI

List of partners to-date:

1. Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society, Harvard University
2. Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London
3. Centre for Law, Technology and Society, University of Ottawa
4. Digital Asia Hub
5. Zvi Meitar Institute for Legal Implication of Emerging Technologies, IDA Herzliya

[Featured photo: Official launch of the Centre for AI and Data Governance. (L-R) Assoc Prof Goh Yihan, SMU Provost Professor Lily Kong, Dr Janil Puthucheary, Mr Yeong Zee Kin.]

_______________________________________________________________

Media Contact

HUANG Peiling (Ms)

Senior Assistant Director, Corporate Communications

SMU Office of Corporate Communications & Marketing

(65) 6828-0964 / plhuang@smu.edu.sg

View Original Article

Singapore, 15 November 2018 (Thursday) - Element AI, a global company that delivers AI software products that augment decisions to make businesses safer, stronger, and more agile, today announced partnerships with GIC, SGInnovate and Singapore Management University (SMU) at a ceremony attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Singapore Minister of Communications and Information H.E. S Iswaran. These partnerships expand the Element AI footprint in Asia and reinforces its commitment to the Singapore AI ecosystem, from large corporations to the startup community to academia. As part of its mission of global expansion, Element AI is replicating a proven model of success by working with key Singapore based corporations, startup incubators, and research institutions to convert the latest academic breakthroughs into robust AI products that can be integrated and uniquely customised at scale.

“The Singapore industrial ecosystem consists of renowned institutions with deep expertise in building global enterprises, incubators with a proven history of launching world-changing companies, and prestigious academic institutions conducting the research critical to understanding the world around us and lighting the path forward,” said Element AI CEO Jean-François Gagné. “This Singapore technology ecosystem is familiar to us at Element AI because it’s that environment that led to the creation of our company, so we’re thrilled to be signing agreements with these like-minded partners today. Through collaborative research drawing on the best and brightest expertise from Singapore and Canada, we’re very excited about what is possible as we focus on augmenting collective intelligence and transforming industry as we know it with the help of role-centric AI products.”

The Singapore AI ecosystem is unique in its ability to integrate government, academia and private enterprise efforts to advance technology adoption in AI. For example, GIC through its innovation labs, accelerates the use of innovative technologies and incubates new ideas, in collaboration with its business units, start-ups, research organisations, and universities. The new partnership between Element AI and GIC initiates a collaboration that will focus on the application of advanced machine learning techniques to challenging problems encountered by large asset managers. Together, they will undertake research on technology trends that can be implemented enterprise wide.

The partnership between Element AI and SGInnovate will prioritise the expansion of the deep tech talent pool in Singapore, and the development of the fast-growing technology startup ecosystem in ASEAN. Together, Element AI and SGInnovate will focus on the potential of AI-related startups to help corporations and governments address a variety of challenges. To this end, both parties will co-host a series of events and work alongside technical founders to create opportunities for startups to deploy, improve, and further scale AI solutions. This will be done, in part, through collaborations with the portfolio companies of SGInnovate as well as from the wider market.

Steve Leonard, Founding CEO of SGInnovate said, “Two years ago, SGInnovate was launched with a mission to help ‘scientist-entrepreneurs’ form, build, and scale deep tech startups. Given how hard it is to build a deep tech company, we know how important it is to work with great partners. Our new relationship with Element AI, one of the most exciting AI startups in the world, will help us to increase our impact as a deep tech investor and company builder. SGInnovate and Element AI will look to generate commercial opportunities for deep tech startups to build, deploy, improve, and scale AI-system solutions. Through the shared work of SGInnovate and Element AI, the deep tech startup ecosystem across ASEAN will also be given a boost.”

A premier university in Asia, SMU emphasises rigorous, high-impact, multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary research. In addition to the University, the SMU School of Law, having been awarded a competitive grant of $4.5 million by the Singapore’s National Research Foundation in June 2018, established a first-of-its-kind Centre for AI and Data Governance (CAIDG) in September 2018.  Element AI and SMU School of Law will be embarking on a research collaboration in relevant areas on the governance of AI. Specifically, SMU will be responsible for carrying out the Singapore aspect of research while Element AI will focus on the North American aspects as well as leverage its global researcher network. Together, all parties will share information, tools, and approaches in order to deliver issues and recommendation papers.

Associate Professor Goh Yihan, Dean of SMU School of Law, who is also the Initial Director of CAIDG and said, "In carrying out our research on AI Governance issues, we have emphasised the importance of reaching out to both academia and industry. This is especially true as we create meaningful impact in this fast-moving space, and why we are very excited about our collaboration with Element AI. This is certainly a wonderful partnership; I look forward to working together in identifying and researching relevant topics in the months ahead."

_______________________________________________________________

About Element AI
Element AI delivers AI software products that augment decisions to make businesses safer, stronger and more agile. Element AI is headquartered in Canada with offices in Montreal, Toronto, London, Singapore, and Seoul and is funded by leading investors including BDC Capital, Data Collective, Fidelity Investments Canada, Hanwha Investment, Intel Capital, Microsoft Ventures, National Bank, NVIDIA GPU Ventures, Real Ventures, and Tencent. http:http://www.elementai.com

About SGInnovate
At SGInnovate, we believe that Singapore has all the resources and capabilities needed to tackle ‘hard problems' that matter to people around the world. As part of our Deep Tech Nexus Strategy, we are focused on adding tangible value to the Singapore deep tech startup ecosystem in two key areas – development of Human Capital and deployment of Investment Capital. With the support of our partners and co-investors, we back deeply technical founders through equity-based investments, access to talent, and support in building customer traction. Our efforts are prioritised around transformational technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and MedTech, which represent impactful and scalable answers to global challenges. SGInnovate is a private-limited company wholly owned by the Singapore Government.  For more information, please visit www.sginnovate.com

About Singapore Management University Law
Established in 2000, Singapore Management University (SMU) is recognised for its high-impact multi-disciplinary research that addresses Asian issues of global relevance, and for its innovations in experiential learning. With 10,000 students, SMU offers bachelors, masters and PhD degree programmes in Accountancy, Business, Economics, Information Systems, Law and Social Sciences, and executive development programmes. Through its city campus, SMU enjoys strategic linkages with business, government and the wider community in Singapore and beyond. www.smu.edu.sg
_______________________________________________________________

For media enquiries, please contact:

Element AI
Gregg Delman | gregg@elementai.com

FleishmanHillard
Eunice Cheng | Eunice.Cheng@fleishman.com, +65 64246366

SGInnovate
Grace Chiang | grace@sginnovate.com, +65 97979615

SMU
Huang Peiling | plhuang@smu.edu.sg, +65 68280964, +65 98453361

View Original Article

Singapore Management University (SMU) hosted its first-ever legal technology hackathon on campus last month.  Held over three consecutive days in early February, the Hackathon, which was organised by SMU’s Legal Innovation and Technology (LIT) club and made possible by the generous support of the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) and Rajah & Tann Technologies (R&TT), saw 50 students from six local tertiary institutions vying for the top prizes.

The 18 participating teams, which comprised students from both the legal and IT-related disciplines, were challenged to come up with innovative technological solutions to one of 12 legal industry problem statements curated by SAL. The problems include: raising awareness of individual legal rights, providing individuals with information on lawyers, and making legal research less tedious and more efficient, among others.

After a gruelling 36 hours of competition, the teams remained energetic and enthusiastic as they presented their innovative and well thought out creations to an illustrious judging panel comprising Mr Yeong Zee Kin (Assistant Chief Executive at the Infocomm Media Development Authority); Mr Tan Ken Hwee (Chief Transformation & Innovation Officer of the Supreme Court); Mr Rajesh Sreenivasan (Partner at Rajah & Tann and Director of R&TT);Mr Michael Lew (Chief Operating Officer at R&TT); and Mr Garrett Teoh (Director at Accenture).

[Photo: One team presenting their ideas to the panel of judges]

Eventually, it was SMU’s Team Hackwagon, comprisingNg Jun Xuan, Ian Lam and Kong Yu Jian, which won over the judges with their creation – a platform that encourages online collaboration among lawyers and allows them easy access to past research projects. Emerging as the first runner-up was Team Lawgic, represented by Glenice Tan from NUS, as well as Wan Ding Yang, Carolyn Au and Nicolas Wee from SMU.The mixed-institution team created an informative telegram bot which can provide self-assessment for potential clients, and an automated portfolio generator powered by an algorithm utilising the SAL’s LawNet application programming interface (API). In third place was SMU’s Team Super Spuds comprising Sambhavi Rajangam, Nur Shukrina bte Abdul Salam, Abhyuday Samadder and Chung Jia Hui Joey. They came up with a one-stop online hub for the laymen to search for legal questions on crime, personal injury, general matters and Syariah Law.

[Photo: Team Hackwagon came up tops at the hackathon.]

[Photo: Team Lawgic (left photo) and Team Super Spuds (right photo), with Justice Lee Seiu Kin.]

Over and above the invaluable experience as well as new found friendships, the top three teams received cash prizes worth $2888, $1888 and $888 respectively. Furthermore, Team Lawgic and Team Law-L were lauded as the teams which made the ‘Most Creative Use of the LawNet API’ and walked away with additional prize vouchers of $200 and $150 respectively.

[Photo: Justice Lee Seiu Kin delivering the closing address at LIT Hackathon 2019.]

In his closing address, Guest-of-Honour Justice Lee Seiu Kin reminded all participants of the growing importance of technology’s role in the legal sector. He quoted examples of analytics being deployed in foreign courts to assist judges in analysing precedent deviation trends and sentencing effectiveness. He also urged all teams to continue working together to bring their LIT Hackathon ideas to fruition, and encouraged the organisers to make the LIT Hackathon an annual feature in Singapore’s legal technology landscape to promote legal technology awareness among students.

- End -

View Original Article

That privacy is under global threat with huge impact on individuals and corporate entities was a key inspiration for the theme of the third edition of the Dentons Rodyk Dialogue, a partnership between SMU School of Law’s Centre for Cross-Border Commercial Law in Asia and law firm, Dentons Rodyk.

Titled ‘Privacy in the Age of Social Media and Data Breaches’, Dentons Rodyk Dialogue 2019 held at SMU on 18 April 2019 attracted a turnout of 400 delegates from academia and industry, who gathered for a discourse on the pressing issues related to privacy (or the lack of!) which are prevalent in this current age of evolving technology, and the likely legal and regulatory resolutions.

The event was graced by Guest-of-Honour Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Communications and Information.

In his opening address, Dr Puthucheary spoke on the government’s multi-pronged approach to tackle challenges in the areas of cybersecurity, privacy, data breaches and social media, i.e. through the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), Cybersecurity Act, and Public Sector Governance Act (PSGA).

   
[Photo: Dr Puthucheary pointed out that public trust is key.]

He explained that the PDPA covers only personal data, takes a relatively light touch technical approach and is predicated largely on, information, consent provisions with several guidelines. The PSGA, however, covers all data within the public sector and not just personal data.  It has very stringent controls at the periphery - the sharing public sector data out to the private sector and because of the inability for one part of government to fine the other part of government, it criminalises certain actions. The PSGA has a series of controls elevating the status of offences because the risk is much higher.  For cybersecurity, there is a single Cybersecurity act that cuts across right from the private sector as well as the public sector.

Addressing the issues around data breaches that have made headlines in Singapore, Dr Puthucheary also concluded that “public trust is key to all of this”.  “Without the public trust in the private sector, you are not going to have flourishing technology innovation which we have seen in the last few years.  Without trust in the public sector, we are not going to deliver on our Smart Nation promises to transform Singapore using technology… Reassuring the public that we are taking this seriously and that we are able to intervene appropriately is going to be essential as we deal with data privacy, data security and cybersecurity,” he said.

The Dialogue also featured world-renowned privacy scholar Professor Anne Cheung from The Hong Kong University and Singapore's cybersecurity expert David Koh.

 
[Photo: Prof Anne Cheung discussing the legal challenges that society today faces with regards to data privacy.]

In her speech, Professor Cheung spoke on the legal challenges that society today faces with regards to data privacy, including those illustrated in the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica Scandal.  She recommended a holistic legal approach involving data privacy, private law (such as consumer protection laws and competition law) and public law (including anti-discrimination laws and due process rights), having analysed orthodox consent-based approach to data privacy and pointing out that a robust data privacy regime can no longer afford to hinge on outdated notions of personal data because today, data is collected through networks, using techniques of prediction and manipulation.

   
[Photo: Mr David Koh pointed out that humans are most often the weakest link in a cyber-attack.]

Mr David Koh, who is Chief Executive of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, believes that “cybersecurity must be a nationwide effort”.  While his Agency works towards strengthening the protection of Singapore’s critical infrastructure sectors, Mr Koh pointed out that humans are most often the weakest link in a cyber-attack and called for people, front-end users and corporations to take responsibility for cybersecurity.  He urged corporations to view cybersecurity measures as an investment and a competitive advantage to assure their clients and customers that their data is safe.

[Photo: The Dialogue also featured a panel discussion with the speakers, moderated by Global Vice-Chair and ASEAN CEO of Dentons Rodyk, Mr Philip Jeyaretnam S.C.]

In his parting thoughts, Mr Gilbert Leong, Senior Partner in Dentons Rodyk's Intellectual Property & Technology practice group, emphasised the importance of individual responsibility in addressing the issues of data privacy, data security and cyber security.  Much of the earlier discussion was on the role of external third parties such as government bodies and Internet service providers in adopting and promoting appropriate policies.  However, Mr Leong pointed out that parents and educators also play a crucial role in teaching youths to use social media networks responsibly.  He cautioned against overreliance on external parties and invited the audience to embrace self-help approaches in addressing the pressing issues.

[Photo: Dentons Rodyk’s Mr Gilbert Leong emphasised the importance of individual responsibility in addressing the issues of data privacy, data security and cyber security.]

View Original Article