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law link FROM ACADEMIA TO POLITICS AND BACK PROFESSOR S JAYAKUMAR ‘63 CHARTING THE NEXT CHAPTER JUSTICE ANDREW PHANG ‘82 ON LANGUAGE, LAW AND CODING STEPHANIE LAW ‘14 AN EMINENT CAREER EMERITUS PROFESSOR M. SORNARAJAH AI & THE LAW ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DANIEL SENG ‘92 THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE FACULTY OF LAW LAWLINK 2019 CONTENTS CONTENTS 02 04 10 16 22 28 Dean’s Diary Alumni Spotlight Student Features Reunions Benefactors Law School Message from the Dean Professor S Jayakumar ’63: Highlights Congratulations Class of 2019 16 Class of 1989 22 From Academia to Politics and Back 03 Michael Hwang SC Class of 1999 24 An Eminent Career 10 30 Justice Andrew Phang ’82: Emeritus Professor M. Sornarajah Delivers SLR Annual Lecture 17 Charting The Next Chapter 05 Class of 2009 25 NUS Giving The Appeal of the Moot 18 AI & the Law 11 Stephanie Law ’14: LLM Class of 2009 26 Chandran Mohan K Nair ‘76 Associate Professor Daniel Seng ’92 & Susan de Silva ‘83: On Language, Law and Coding 08 Rag & Flag 2019 20 12 Scholarship to expand Kuala Lumpur & New York 27 Key Lectures minsets about success Law Alumni Mentor Programme Law IV: Unjust Enrichment 21 14 2019 09 Book Launches Alumni Relations & Development NUS Law Eu Tong Sen Building 469G Bukit Timah Road Singapore 259776 Tel: (65) 6516 3616 Fax: (65) 6779 0979 Email: [email protected] www.nuslawlink.com www.law.nus.edu.sg/alumni Please update your particulars at: www.law.nus.edu.sg/ alumni_update_particulars.asp 1 LAWLINK 2019 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT DEAN’S DIARY FROM ACADEMIA TO POLITICS PROFESSOR SIMON CHESTERMAN AND BACK History often makes more sense in retrospect (TRAIL). Also in the technology space, PROFESSOR S JAYAKUMAR ’63 than it does when living through it. At we share some of the activities that are certain moments, a passing of the torch new on campus, like coding for lawyers. offers a chance to recognise individuals Plus we recognise the many achievements Throughout his career, Professor S whose impact was sometimes more of our students in their curricular Jayakumar ’63 has played many prominent transformative than even they realised. and extracurricular activities. This roles, as diplomat and later Deputy Prime includes mooting (of course) and Minister, Senior Minister for Law, Foreign This edition of LawLink celebrates two other competitions, but also projects Affairs, Minister for Home Affairs and such individuals who played key roles in in which the students compete only Labour. Yet, when asked if there was the life of NUS Law. Prof S Jayakumar ’63 against themselves — like the Singapore any time that he cherished, it was his steps down after nearly eight years as Law Review and the Law IV musical. years teaching in the law school that he Chair of our Advisory Council — a period We also include information about remembers with greatest satisfaction. that saw an overhaul in the way we teach some of the reunions we’ve held over and research, as well as transformations the year. These included one in which Professor Jayakumar’s connection with in the job market that our graduates we discovered that 18 out of about 200 the law school began in 1959 when now enter. A former Ambassador to the classmates found their spouses within the he enrolled as part of the third batch United Nations, Minister, and Deputy Prime class, and another at which two men who of students. As he said in his book, Minister, his role as Chair might not be hadn’t seen each other in fifty years caught “Be at the Table or be on the Menu: A the first item in his biography (though up for the first time since graduation. Singapore Memoir”, his university days it does rate a mention on his Wikipedia were enriching and eventful, with various page, as does his role as Dean), but it At many of these reunions, I take the leadership roles including President of the has been enormously meaningful to us. opportunity to ask our alumni about their university’s Law Society, Vice President of In a separate transition, Emeritus Professor memories of law school. One thing that the Students’ Union, Chairman of the M Sornarajah gave a farewell lecture that strikes me is that something as basic as Student Council, and editor of the student demonstrated the impact he has had on the reason why one studied law in the newspaper, The Singapore Undergrad. generations of students, but also on how first place may change over time. The international investment law is thought decisions we make as teenagers are often He did well academically, topping the about and practised. His most recent book, cast in a different light as the years pass. final year exams. Encouraged by his The Misery of International Law, was also Or new reasons emerge. The constant, dean and one of his professors, he celebrated at the European Society of I hope, is that whatever brought our joined the teaching staff. After admission International Law. Don’t let the title mislead students — and our alumni — to NUS to the Bar, he joined the Faculty in you: it’s an invigorating and inspiring work, Law, and whatever direction they took 1964, initially as a Graduate Fellow. testimony to Sorna’s passion and intellect. after graduation, the time they spent with us was productive, transformative even. In 1970, the prospect of succeeding But we wouldn’t be doing our job at NUS Professor Tommy Koh as Singapore’s Law if we only looked backward. These I hope these pages trigger some memories Permanent Representative to the UN in pages also celebrate new beginnings in of your own about law school, and if New York placed his career at a crossroads. the form of Andrew Phang ’82 taking there are ways in which we can help He accepted the challenge and in 1971, up the chair of our Advisory Council you create new memories, or shape he assume the UN post. Upon completing and Daniel Seng ’92 being appointed the experiences of generations of law that UN posting, he returned to NUS Law inaugural Director of our new Centre students to come, the information at the and served as Dean from 1974 to 1980. for Technology, Robotics, AI & the Law back of the publication may be helpful. Professor Jayakumar envisaged that he would have a lifelong career as an academic. However, the invitation to enter politics came up twice. When invited by Dr Toh Chin Chye, then Vice-Chancellor of the University and chairman of the People’s Action Party (PAP), in 1974 to enter politics, he demurred. In 1979, the question was put to him again with greater urgency. Mr S. Dhanabalan approached him with a message from Mr Goh Chok Tong to join a new team to replace the old guard 2 3 LAWLINK 2019 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Thirdly, there were many part-time students (Minister for Law), Lucien Wong ‘78 It is difficult to encapsulate in a few who did the LLB course over 6 years. (Attorney-General), Davinder Singh SC ‘82. words what he taught me. I guess it They included teachers, executives or civil boils down to being single-minded and servants who never had the chance to Lucien Wong at a recent birthday party on unwavering in pursuit of Singapore’s study law before. As a young full-time the occasion of my 80th birthday, quipped national interest and how not to lose student, I thought that interaction with that as a law teacher I came across as sight of the big picture, while, at the same this older group was very good. I recall “stern”. People made similar comments time dealing with details of any issue. one of them was Mr G D Balakrishnan, when I later became an office holder. the father of current Foreign Minister With the ongoing emphasis Vivian Balakrishnan. Another individual Who has been the biggest Q6 on lifelong learning, is there was K R Chandra who later became Q5 influence on your life and anything you would like to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of what lessons did that person take the time to learn more about at Law. I fondly recall having late night teach you? this stage of your life? How do you sessions with them to prepare for exams. In my younger days, my parents influenced spend your time now? me profoundly with their sheer hard Law and diplomacy have always Looking back on your life work raising a family of seven kids. As fascinated me. There is never a dull Q4 and career, what are you I have written elsewhere, my father moment, and new frontiers are always proudest of? came from India, expecting to work opening up. At the age of 80, it will be At each stage of my life, I have had my here only for a few years. However, a satisfying achievement for me to just satisfying moments – as a student, as things changed when he married my keep abreast of these exciting changes. law teacher and Dean, as diplomat and mother, a Singapore-born woman. As as a Cabinet Minister. It is difficult to my mother always reminded me – if not How do I spend my time? My role as Professor Jayakumar (front row, 4th from right) with the 2018 NUS Law Advisory Council pin-point the “proudest” but the most for her I would have been born in India. Senior Legal Advisor to the Foreign satisfying experience was interacting Minister keeps me as busy as ever. When with the students. I very much missed In my adult life, without a doubt, the person not working, retirement from politics as tasked by Mr Lee Kuan Yew.