Yong Pung How School of Law
 The School of Accountancy and School of Law building | |
| Type | Private autonomous national university |
|---|---|
| Established | 2007 |
| Dean | Yeo Tiong Min, SC |
| Location | , 1°17′44″N 103°51′00″E / 1.29556°N 103.85012°E |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colours | Purple |
| Website | www |
| Logo of the Singapore Management University | |
The Singapore Management University School of Law (SMU School of Law) is one of the six schools of Singapore Management University. It was set up as Singapore's second law school in 2007, 50 years after the National University of Singapore. While the school traces its origins to the Law Department within the School of Business, it has since become a full-fledged law school covering all major areas of the law. It offers a four-year undergraduate single Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree programme, and a five-year double degree programme combining the law degree programme with one of SMU's existing non-law programmes: accountancy, business, economics, information systems, or social sciences. Students can also do a second major. In addition to the LLB, the school offers a full-time two- to three-year graduate Juris Doctor (JD) programme as well as a Master of Laws (LLM) programme. The Dual LLM in Commercial Law, which confers LLM degrees from Queen Mary University of London and SMU, was launched in 2015. In December 2016, the school moved to its new building, vacating its prior premises in the business and accountancy school buildings.
The school took in only 90 students in its first academic year, reaching a steady-state intake of 120 between 2008 and 2013.[1] The intake after 2014 rose to more than 150, but is expected to be capped at 180 for LLB students. Admission to the law programme is competitive. In the 2015 University Admissions Exercise, both the 10th and 90th percentile had an Indicative Grade Profile (of Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Level qualifications) of AAA/A.[2] Approximately 1,300 applicants are shortlisted for an interview and a written test, with an estimated 150 admitted each year.[3]
Since the launch of its moot programme in 2010, the school has been to the championship final of the largest and most established international moot competitions: Jessup (2013 and 2014), Vis (2015 and 2016), Vis East (2015 and 2016), Price (2010, 2015, and 2016), ICC (2015 and 2016), Frankfurt (2015), IHL (2016), and International Maritime Law Arbitration Moot (2016). As of August 2016, in less than five years since its first batch of students graduated in 2011, the school has won 17 championships and 19 first-runner-up titles in international moot competitions, in addition to nine national round championships.[4] It set a world record of eight international moot finals in a single season in 2014/15 (winning a world record five), a feat it bettered in 2015/16 when it reached nine international moot finals.[4][5] It also became the first university to successfully defend a major moot international title when it won back-to-back championships in the ICC moot in 2015 and 2016.[4][6]
History and milestones
The School of Law was preceded by the Law Department, which was created in 2000, and headed by Professor Andrew Phang (now Judge of Appeal, Supreme Court of Singapore).[7] A full-fledged law school was established in 2007 – 50 years after the establishment of the first and then-only law school in Singapore, NUS — following the encouragement of the Singapore Government, which had, during a major review, discovered a shortage of qualified legal personnel in Singapore.[8][9] The school's first dean was Professor Michael Furmston, a foremost authority on contracts and commercial law in the Commonwealth.[10] He headed the school from its inception in 2007 to 2012. Professor Yeo Tiong Min has been the dean since 2012.[11]
2007
- 5 January: SMU School of Law is officially launched
- 1 August: Professor Michael Furmston is appointed as the school's first Dean
- 13 August: First intake of law students (116)
2009
- 30 January: Inaugural Law Play
- 18 March: Launch of Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) programme[12]
- 30 April: Establishment of Centre of Dispute Resolution and International Islamic Law and Finance Centre
- 31 October: Memorandum of Understanding with the New York State Bar Association to partner for U.S. Internships, Exchange Programmes and Knowledge Sharing
2010
- 1 May: Launch of Continuing Legal Education programme[13]
2011
- 19 May: Launch of LLM (Master of Laws) programme
2012
- 21 February: Professor Yeo Tiong Min (1st Honorary Senior Counsel) is appointed as the school's second Dean[14]
2013
- 7 March: First Asian university to join the THEMIS network[15]
- November: Partnership with Yonsei University to set up dual JD programme[16]
2014
- 20 January: Groundbreaking ceremony for new law school building[17]
2015
- August: Launch of dual LLM with Queen Mary, University of London[18]
2016
- December: Move to new law school building
Student performance
International competitions
SMU law students began taking part in international competitions in 2009, two years after the law school was formed. In its first ever international moot competition, SMU came in 1st-runner-up in the 4th edition of the LawAsia arbitration moot in Ho Chi Minh City. A year later, in its debuts in the Price and Asia Cup moots in Oxford and Tokyo respectively, SMU emerged champions for both. SMU mooters have gone on to score various honours in major international competitions, such as winning the Vis East and International Criminal Court (ICC) moots in 2015, reaching the Vis moot final in 2015 and 2016, and reaching the Jessup moot final in 2013 and 2014. As of August 2016, the school has won 17 championships and 19 first-runner-up titles in international moots, in addition to nine national round championships. The school has also reached the championship final on its international debut in 11 moots, winning six. SMU set a world record by reaching eight international moot finals in a single season in 2015 (winning a world record five), a feat it bettered in 2016 when it reached nine finals. It also became the first university to successfully defend a major moot international title when it won back-to-back championships in the ICC moot in 2015 and 2016. A number of its students have also earned the rare distinction of having won multiple international championships.
Track record
| Competition | Debut | Last entered | Champion | Runner-up | Top 3 to Top 5 | Quarter-finalist | Octo-finalist | 16th-finalist | Seeding | Memorial prizes and notable rankings | Oralist prizes and notable rankings | Remarks | Did not participate |
| Jessup Moot | 2011 | 2016 | National rounds: 2013;[19] 2014;[20] 2015[21] International exhibition rounds: 2011;[22] 2012[23] |
National rounds: 2011; 2012; 2016 International rounds: 2013;[24] 2014[24] |
2015 | 1st (2014);[25] 5th (2013);[26] 31st (2015)[27] | National rounds: 2011 (1st); 2012 (1st); 2013 (1st);[19] 2015 (1st)[21] International rounds: 2014 (2nd (Best Applicant), 3rd (Dillard), and 5th (Evans))[28][29] International exhibition rounds: 2011 (2nd) |
National rounds: 2013 (1st);[19] 2014 (1st);[20] 2015 (1st)[21] International rounds: 2013 (14th);[30] 2014 (20th);[31] 2015 (9th)[32] International exhibition rounds: 2011 (1st) |
|||||
| Vis Moot | 2011 | 2016 | 2015;[33] 2016 | 2012;[34] 2013[35] | of 333 (2016); 3 of 298 (2015); 3 of 290 (2014); 20 of 282 (2012); 25 of 290 (2013); 81 of 254 (2011) | 2012 (HM x 2);[34] 2013 (HM);[35] 2014 (HM);[36] 2015 (HM);[33] 2016 (HM) | 2011 (HM);[37] 2012 (HM x 3);[34] 2014 (4th; HM x 2);[36] 2015 (HM x 2);[33] 2016 (HM x 2) | Orals HM: 2012;[34] 2013;[35] 2014[36] | |||||
| Vis East Moot | 2010[38] | 2016 | 2015[39] | 2016 Pan-Asian Final: 2013[40] |
2012[41] | 2014[42] | of 133 (2016); 6 of 99 (2014); 11 of 90 (2012); 16 of 107 (2015); 25 of 93 (2013); 43 of 85 (2011); unknown (2010) | 2010 (HM);[38] 2012 (HM);[43] 2013; (HM)[44] 2016 (HM x 2) | 2014 (6th and 14th); 2016 (HM x 2) | ||||
| Moot Shanghai | 2014 | 2015 | 2014[45] | 5 of 30 (2014);[46] 10 of 32 (2015) | 2014 (1st);[45] 2015 (HM) | 2016 | |||||||
| Oxford Monroe Price Moot | 2010[47] | 2016 | 2010;[47] 2016[48] | 2015[49] | 2013[50] | 2012;[51] 2014[52] | 1st (2010; 2016); 2nd (2013); unknown (2012; 2014; 2015) | 2010; 2016 (1st)[47][48] | 2012 (2nd);[51] 2013 (4th);[50] 2015 (5th and 12th)[49] | 2011 | |||
| International Criminal Court Moot | 2015 | 2016 | 2015;[53] 2016[54] | 3rd (2016); 6th (2015) | 2015 (1st) | Best Overall Team (Victim's Rep): 2015 | |||||||
| LAWASIA Moot | 2009 | 2016 | 2013; 2014; 2016[55] | 2009;[56] 2011;[57] 2012[58] | 2015 | 1st (2013; 2014); 2nd (2009; 2011; 2015);[56] 4th (2016); 6th (2012) | 2015 (1st); 2016 (1st) | 2013 (1st); 2014 (1st);[55] 2015 (1st); 2016 (2nd) | 2013: Spirit of LawAsia | 2010 | |||
| Asia Cup | 2010[59] | 2015 | National rounds: 2010;[59] 2011;[59] 2012; 2013; 2014; 2015 International rounds: 2010;[59] 2011;[59] 2014[60] |
National round: 2016 International rounds: 2012;[61] 2013;[62] 2015[63] |
1st (2010; 2011; 2013; 2014; 2015); 2nd (2012) | 2010 (3rd);[59] 2011 (5th);[59] 2012 (5th);[61] 2013 (5th) | 2010 (3rd x 2);[59] 2011 (3rd);[59] 2012 (5th);[61] 2013 (1st, 3rd, and 4th x 2);[62] 2014 (1st and 3rd);[60] 2015 (1st and 2nd) | ||||||
| IHL Moot | 2010 | 2016 | 2016[64] | 2010;[65] 2011;[66] 2012;[67] 2013;[68] 2014[69] | 2015[70] | 1st (2014); 2nd (2011); 4th (2013); 10th (2015) | 2010 (3rd);[65] 2014 (3rd)[69] | 2012 (2nd);[67] 2014 (1st and 2nd)[69] | Joint team with NUS between 2011–2014 | ||||
| Choice of Court Convention Moot | 2014 | 2014 | 2014[71] | 2014 (Best Finals Oralist)[71] | No competitions held from 2015 onwards | ||||||||
| Frankfurt Investment Arbitration Moot | 2015 | 2016 | 2015[72] | 3rd (2015); 19th (2016) | |||||||||
| DM Harish Moot | 2015 | 2016 | 2015 | 2016 | 4th (2015) | 2015 (2nd) | |||||||
| WTO/FTA Moot | 2015 | 2015 | 2015[73] | Best Finals Oralist (2015); Best Semifinal Oralist (2015) | |||||||||
| International Maritime Law Arbitration Moot | 2013 | 2016 | 2016[74] | 2013[75] | 2nd (2013; 2016) | 2013 (6th and 10th); 2016 (3rd for knockouts)[76] | 2013: Best Newcomer[75] | 2014–2015 | |||||
| Herbert Smith Freehills-Asian Law Students Association Moot | 2009 | 2014 | 2014 | 2009 | 2014 (Best Finals Oralist) | 2010–2013; 2015 onwards | |||||||
| ICC Mediation | 2016 | 2013; 2014 | Top 10: 2010[77] | ||||||||||
| Youth for Peace International Law | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 | Joint team with NUS in 2011 | 2012 onwards | ||||||||
| Stetson Environmental Law | 2016 | 2016 | Regional rounds: 2016 | 2016: qualified for international rounds but unable to participate | |||||||||
| Ashurst Private Law | 2016 | 2016 | 2016 | 2nd (2016) | 2016 (1st) | ||||||||
| Asia-Pacific M&A Moot | 2015 | 2016 | 2016 | 2016 (1st) | 2016 (Best Individual; Best Team Member) |
Head-to-head record for international moots
The table below sets out the head-to-head record and outcomes for international moots that SMU and NUS both took part in in the same year.
| Year | Asia Cup | LawAsia | Jessup | Vis | Vis East | Price | Frankfurt | ICC | IHL | WTO/FTA | Maritime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | NUS: Champions SMU: lost national round |
SMU: Champions | NUS: Round of 16 SMU: lost national round |
SMU: 1st-runner-up NUS: Round of 16 |
SMU: 1st-runner-up NUS: Semi-finalist |
SMU: Champions NUS: Quarter-finalist |
NUS: 1st-runner-up SMU: Preliminary rounds |
SMU: Champions NUS: Semi-finalist |
SMU: 1st-runner-up | SMU: 1st-runner-up NUS: Quarter-finalist | |
| 2015 | SMU: 1st-runner-up | SMU: 2nd-runner-up | SMU: Round of 32 NUS: lost national round |
SMU: 1st-runner-up NUS: Round of 32 |
SMU: Champions NUS: Round of 16 |
SMU: 1st-runner-up | SMU: 1st-runner-up NUS: Semi-finalist |
SMU: Champions NUS: Semi-finalist |
SMU: Quarter-finalist | SMU: Champions | NA |
| 2014 | SMU: Champions NUS: lost national round |
SMU: Champions | SMU: 1st-runner-up NUS: lost national round |
Tie: Round of 64 | SMU: Round of 32 | SMU: Quarter-finalist | NA | NA | Joint team: Semi-finalist | NA | NA |
| 2013 | SMU: 1st-runner-up | SMU: Champions NUS: Preliminary rounds |
SMU: 1st-runner-up NUS: lost national round |
NUS: Quarter-finalist SMU: Round of 32 |
SMU: 1st-runner-up (Asia-Pacific) | SMU: Semi-finalist NUS: Preliminary rounds |
NA | NA | Joint team: Semi-finalist | NA | NUS: Finalist SMU: Quarter-finalist |
| 2012 | SMU: 1st-runner-up | SMU: 1st-runner-up | NUS: Round of 32 SMU: lost national round |
SMU: Round of 32 NUS: Round of 64 |
SMU: Round of 16 NUS: Preliminary rounds |
SMU: Quarter-finalist | NA | NA | Joint team: Quarter-finalist | NA | NA |
| 2011 | SMU: Champions | SMU: 1st-runner-up | NUS: Semi-finalist SMU: lost national round |
NUS: Round of 64 SMU: Preliminary rounds |
NA | NA | NA | NA | Joint team: Semi-finalist | NA | NA |
| 2010 | SMU: Champions NUS: lost national round |
NA | NA | NA | NA | SMU: Champions | NA | NA | SMU: Top 5 | NA | NA |
| 2009 | NA | SMU: 1st-runner-up NUS: Preliminary rounds |
NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Jessup national round head-to-head record
Of the various international moots that Singapore takes part in, only the Asia Cup and Jessup moots have national round requirements. The Jessup national round is administered by the Attorney-General's Chambers, with the Attorney-General presiding for the oral arguments. The first Singapore Jessup national round was held in 2011. As of 2016, SMU has 3 championships, 4 Best Memorial Prizes, and 3 Best Oralist Prizes, while NUS has 3 championships, 2 Best Memorial Prizes, and 3 Best Oralist Prizes.
| Year | Champion | Best Oralist | Best Memorial | Result in Washington DC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | NUS | NUS | NUS | Round of 16 |
| 2015 | SMU | SMU | SMU | Round of 32 |
| 2014 | SMU | SMU | NUS | Championship final |
| 2013 | SMU | SMU | SMU | Championship final |
| 2012 | NUS | NUS | SMU | Round of 32 |
| 2011 | NUS | NUS | SMU | Semi-final |
Other international achievements
- Cyberweek eMediation: Top Party (2010; 2014)
- 9th St John Street Chambers Moot: First Place (2012) (SMU student on exchange)
- JustCite Procedural Justice Mooting Shield: First Place (2014) (SMU alumnus on BCL)[78]
- Essex Court Chambers-SAL Moot (SMU alumni): Champions (2016); Champions (joint teams with NUS alumni) (2013;[79] 2014[79]); Best Speaker (2016); Best Memorial (joint team with NUS alumnus) (2015)
Local competitions
There are a number of local competitions ranging from moots to law reform that are open to law students from NUS and SMU. Some of the competitions, such as the Mallal and Advocacy Cup, pre-existed SMU and were only open to SMU from 2010 onwards. Other competitions, such as Harry Elias and Duane Morris were initiated at SMU and have been open to NUS as well.
Track record
| Competition | Debut | Champion | Runner-up | Finalist | Best memorial | Best oralist | Did not participate |
| Advocacy Cup (Trial) | 2011 | 2013 | 2014; 2016 | 2014 | NA | NA | 2012 |
| A-G's Cup (Criminal Law) (2011–2014) | 2011 | 2012; 2013; 2014 | 2011; 2012; 2014 | NA | 2013 | NA | NA |
| A-G's Cup (Criminal Law) (2015–present) | 2015 | 2015 | NA | 2015 | NA | ||
| Duane Morris (Transactional) | 2014 | 2014; 2015; 2016 | 2014; 2015; 2016 | ||||
| Harry Elias (General) (2011–2014) | 2011 | 2011; 2012; 2013; 2014 | 2011; 2012 | 2012; 2014 | 2011; 2012; 2013 | 2011; 2012; 2013 | NA |
| Law Reform (Essay) | 2012 | 2012; 2013; 2014; 2015; 2016 | 2012; 2013; 2015 | 2012; 2013; 2014; 2015 | NA | NA | NA |
| BA Mallal (General) | 2010 | 2012 | 2013; 2014; 2015 | NA | 2011 | ||
| Rodyk Challenge (Debate) | 2012 | 2012; 2014 | 2013 | NA | NA | 2012 | NA |
| Stamford (Corporate) (2013–2014) | 2013 | 2013 | 2014 | 2013 | NA | ||
| WongP (Arbitration) | 2010 | 2012; 2016 | 2012; 2013; 2015 | 2011; 2012; 2013 (2); 2015 | 2010 | NA | |
| MLAS Maritime (Maritime Law) | 2016 | 2016 | 2016 |
Head-to-head record
| Year | Advo Cup | AG's Cup | Duane Morris | Harry Elias | Law Reform | Mallal | Rodyk C | Stamford | WongP | MLAS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | |
| 2016 | NA | NA | SMU | SMU | NA | NA | SMU | NUS | NUS | NUS | NA | SMU | NUS | SMU | SMU | ||||
| 2015 | NUS | NA | NA | SMU | SMU | NA | NA | SMU | SMU | NUS | NA | NUS | SMU | NA | NA | ||||
| 2014 | NUS | SMU | SMU | SMU | SMU | SMU | SMU | NUS | SMU | NUS | NUS | NUS | SMU | NUS | SMU | NUS | NUS | NA | NA |
| 2013 | SMU | NUS | SMU | NUS | NA | NA | SMU | NUS | SMU | SMU | NUS | NUS | NUS | SMU | NUS | NUS | SMU | NA | NA |
| 2012 | NA | NA | SMU | SMU | NA | NA | SMU | SMU | SMU | SMU | SMU | NUS | SMU | NA | NA | SMU | SMU | NA | NA |
| 2011 | NA | NA | NUS | SMU | NA | NA | SMU | SMU | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NUS | NUS | NA | NA |
Other local achievements
- Local record for most number of local moots won by a student: Nicholas Liu'15 with 6 (Advo Cup, Attorney-General's Cup, Harry Elias, Howard Hunter, MLAS, WongP)
- Singapore Legal Forum Moot: First Place (2009)
- The Living Courthouse Essay Competition: First Place (2009)
- LexisNexis Rule of Law Essay Competition: 2nd Place (2013)
- Christopher Bathurst Essay Prize: 3rd Place (2016)
Howard Hunter Moot
The Howard Hunter Moot, named after the former President of the university, is an internal moot. The list of winners and finalists are as follows.[80]
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Finalists |
| 2016 | Shriram Jayakumar and Dominic Liew Jr | Claire Lim and Aaron Yoong | NA |
| 2015 | Gursharn Singh Gill and Saw Teng Sheng | Alexander Kamsany Lee and Grace Goh | NA |
| 2014 | Tan Jun Hong | Li Kun Hang | Darren Chye; Wong Yan Yee |
| 2013 | Nicholas Liu | Jeremy Yeap | Sui Yi Siong; Jitr Vilaivongse |
| 2012 | Qabir Sandhu | Annabelle Teo | Kenneth Lim; Nicholas Liu |
| 2011 | Ng Cheng Wei and Al-gene Tan | Ang Kai Wen and Lin Chunlong | NA |
| 2010 | Elycia Koh and Jane Lim | Ang Kai Wen and Sruthi Boppana | NA |
| 2009 | Nicholas Poon and Asiyah Arif | Eunice Lim and Jane Lim | NA |
Valedictorians
| Year | LLB | JD | University | Notes |
| 2016 | Tan Jun Hong | Lynn Kan | NA | Jun Hong: Asia Cup'2014; Vis and Vis East'2015; Jessup'2016 |
| 2015 | Foo Shi Hao | Nicholas Liu | Jasper Wong | Shi Hao: LawAsia'2013; International Criminal Court'2015 Nicholas: LawAsia'2012; Jessup'2014; Jessup'2015 |
| 2014 | Kenny Lau | Yao Qinzhe | Chua Wei Yuan | Kenny: Asia Cup'2012; Vis'2013; Jessup'2014 Wei Yuan: Jessup'2014 |
| 2013 | Liu Zhao Xiang Daniel | Ho Lian-Yi | Devathas Satianathan | Daniel: Asia Cup'2011; Jessup'2013 Devathas: Asia Cup'2011; Vis'2013 |
| 2012 | Nathanael Lim | NA | NA | NA |
| 2011 | Joshua Lim | NA | Russell Low | Russell: LawAsia'2009; Jessup'2011 |
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board features a wide range of professionals in order to provide all-encompassing and comprehensive advisory assistance to the School of Law. This includes Supreme Court judges, senior litigators, corporate lawyers, managing partners of law firms and partners of foreign law firms. The Advisory Board is currently chaired by Mr Lucien Wong.[81]
| Mr Lucien Wong | Chairman and Senior Partner
Allen & Gledhill LLP |
| Mr Chua Lee Ming | Judicial Commissioner
Supreme Court of Singapore |
| Ms Rachel Eng | Managing Partner
WongPartnership LLP |
| Ms Blossom Hing | Director
Drew & Napier LLC |
| Mrs Koh Juat Jong, SC | Solicitor General
Attorney-General's Chambers |
| Dr Stanley Lai, SC | Head of Intellectual Property Practice
Allen & Gledhill LLP |
| Mrs Lee Suet Fern | Senior Director
Stamford Law Corporation |
| The Honourable Justice Quentin Loh | Judge
Supreme Court of Singapore |
| The Honourable Justice Judith Prakash | Judge
Supreme Court of Singapore |
| Mr John Savage | Partner
King & Spalding LLP |
| Mr David H. Zemans | Managing Partner
Milbank, Asia |
Programmes
Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) programme
Entry requirements
To be admitted to the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) programme, applicants should have good passes in their respective GCE A-Level subjects. Specifically, the minimum requirement for a law applicant is an A or a B for H1 General Paper or H2 Knowledge and Inquiry. SMU releases Indicative Grade Profiles periodically for potential candidates. In the 2015 University Admissions Exercise, both the 10th and 90th percentile had an Indicative Grade Profile (of 3H2/1H1 content-based subjects) of AAA/A.[82] Potential candidates are called for a short written test and a group interview.
Curriculum
The LL.B. programme is a four-year programme. Students are required to complete a total of 36 course units, which include five compulsory course units from the University Core, 19 compulsory course units from the Law Core, a selected seven course units from Law Electives and five other course units from law-related courses like Financial Accounting and Finance For Law.
Graduation requirements
Aside from fulfilling the required curriculum, all SMU students are required to complete compulsory courses from the Finishing Touch programme; a series of required Career Preparation & Enrichment workshops to prepare students for internships and job applications. Further, students must complete ten weeks of internship and 80 hours of community service in order to graduate.
Juris Doctor (J.D.) programme
Introduced in 2009, the SMU Juris Doctor programme was started as an additional route for persons who already have a degree in another discipline or a law degree not recognized for the purpose of admission to the Singapore Bar to become members of the Singapore legal profession.
Entry requirements
Applicants have to had completed at least three years of full-time undergraduate education. For non-law graduates or law graduates from civil law countries or non-gazetted universities from common law countries, applicants must have at least a Cum Laude or Second Class Upper Honours degree qualifications. Furthermore, applicants must show proficiency in the English language. A TOEFL/IELTS/SAT 1 test is required if the applicant's undergraduate degree was not taken in English.
Curriculum and graduation requirements
SMU's J.D. curriculum is a mix of compulsory law courses and electives. Similar to the all SMU undergraduates, six weeks of law internship and 50 hours of community service are required for graduation. Students are required to complete a total of 25 Credit Units of law courses, following the same academic calendar as the Bachelor of Laws programme. Although students are expected to complete the programme within three years, the programme may be accelerated for completion in two and a half years (subject to approval).
Master of Laws (LL.M.) programme
The SMU Master of Laws (LL.M.) provides opportunities for persons aspiring to be legal specialists in the fields of Commercial Law, Dispute Resolution, and Islamic Law and Finance. Applicants must have a good LL.B. or J.D. degree and at least two years of professional legal working experience. Those without a basic law degree but who have substantial knowledge of and exposure to law may be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis. Proficiency in the English language must be shown.
The LL.M. is a one-year programme. Participants read a total of eight courses, including two prescribed courses, four specialisation courses and two free electives. Completion of this programme does not qualify graduates for entry to the Singapore Bar.
Asian Peace-Building and Rule of Law Programme
The Asian Peace-building and Rule of Law Programme (APRL) coordinates socio-legal research on the rule of law. It conducts seminars, carries out and supervises innovative scholarly research, and leads direct impact transitional justice initiatives in post-conflict Asian countries. APRL has worked with leading law schools, including Yale Law School and Berkeley Law School.
Pedagogy
SMU School of Law adopts a seminar-style teaching approach, similar to that in US law schools. This requires students to put in a substantial amount of pre-class preparatory reading and thinking, and to participate actively during class. The high level of engagement and interactive classroom pedagogy is aimed at enriching and deepening students' learning, thinking and mastery of a subject, thereby producing confident and articulate graduates.
In line with this focus on student participation, a holistic approach will be adopted for course assessment. Significant emphasis will be given to class participation and presentations, with the weightage of written examinations kept to a maximum of 50%.
The Bar, SMU Law Society
The SMU Law Society,[83] known as "The Bar", is the student representative body of the SMU School of Law. The Management Committee of The Bar consists of eight elected student leaders. In their year-long term in office, the Committee puts together a slew of fun and unique-to-law events against a backdrop of professional and academic development initiatives.
Sub clubs
Criminal Law Club
The Club was founded in early 2012 by a group of students passionate about giving SMU students opportunities to learn more about the criminal law practice. As many students do not have much exposure to this area of law apart from in class, few have a proper idea of what criminal law in practice is like.
International Relations Club
The SMU Law International Relations Club strives to forge and strengthen ties between SMU law students and the international law student community. Club activities include legal discourse, moots and even Mock UN conferences, allowing both conservative and progressive opinions to develop at an international level.
Law Outreach Club
The SMU Law Outreach Club was established by The Bar and the executive committee of the old Pro Bono Club. The Law Outreach Club aims to contribute to the community in aspects beyond pro bono work, and helps to facilitate activities such as the Ministry of Education Moot Parliament Programme and the NUS–SMU "In Session" Dialogue Series. The Club invites students to propose initiatives of service to the community.
Moot Court Club
Established in 2007, SMU Moot Court Club was formed to facilitate the development of mooting in SMU School of Law. During the course of the semester, the Club helps to organise various domestic moot competitions that are open to all law students.
SMU Law Athletes Club (SMULA)
SMU Law Athletes (SMULA) was officially made a sub-club of the Bar in 2012. Some of the highlights for SMULA include the Captain's Ball League; exploratory runs around the city; conducting multiple sports clinics; and tasting gold in the inter-faculty category of SMUX AdRace 2012, a gruelling 40 kilometres (25 mi) overnight adventure race.
Signature events
Night Bike
Law Night Bike is an annual event where law students ride on their bikes and cruise down the roads of Singapore at night. This event is popular amongst all law batches and has facilitated both intra- and inter-batch bonding.
Law Musical
SMU School of Law's Law Musicals are written, composed and directed by students and alumni of SMU School of Law.
Notes
- ^ "ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
- ^ "SMU Admission Requirements" (PDF). Singapore Management University. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ "Indicative Grade Profiles and Number of Course Places Guidance Information for 2015 University Admissions Exercise" (PDF). Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ a b c "Some Thoughts on a Record-breaking 2014/15 Season for Singapore's International Mooters".
- ^ http://www.lawgazette.com.sg/2016-06/1601.htm
- ^ http://www.lawgazette.com.sg/2016-06/1601.htm
- ^ "NewsReleases - New book on contract law written from a local..."
- ^ "Establishment of the Singapore Management University School of Law".
- ^ https://www.mlaw.gov.sg/content/dam/minlaw/corp/News/4th%20Committee%20Report.pdf
- ^ "Asiaone - S'pore firm offers".
- ^ "SMU law school reviewing intake, Training & Development, Singapore Jobs, Job Resources - STJobs".
- ^ "US-style law degree at SMU".
- ^ "NewsReleases - Continuing Professional Development will..."
- ^ "NewsReleases - YEO Tiong Min receives top honours as the..."
- ^ http://www.scmp.com/article/1295559/smu-reinvents-tertiary-learning-and-teaching-asian-century
- ^ "SMU-Yonsei to start joint law programme".
- ^ migration (20 January 2014). "SMU's new School of Law building to be ready by 2017".
- ^ http://elsa.org/page/queen-mary-school-of-law/
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