On 8th – 9th October, the International Institute of Mediators (iiM) held its 2nd Conference on using mediation to resolve neighbour disputes, as well as racial and religious conflicts. Over one and a half days, the Conference covered a wide range of topics, ranging from discussions on the qualities of a good mediator, what makes a mediation session successful to how to increase the utilisation of mediation in handling racial, religious, and neighbourly disputes.
Global Public-Private Law Approaches to COVID-19 – Insolvency Law in China and Europe
On 3rd July 2020, the SMU School of Law held the second webinar of its Virtual Academic Series themed ‘Global Public-Private Law Approaches to COVID-19’. Chaired by Professor Lau Kwan Ho (SMU), the speakers – Professor Gao Simin (Tsinghua University) and Professor Kristin van Zwieten (University of Oxford) compared the legal implications of the COVID-19 outbreak on Insolvency Law in China and Europe.
Genocide in the Virtual Realm? International Criminal Court Moot 2020
The International Criminal Court Moot Competition (“ICC Moot”) is the largest and most prestigious moot on international criminal law. This competition, held at The Hague in the Netherlands, simulates actual ICC proceedings by involving judges from international courts, tribunals and legal academics. Through the moot, participants acquire in-depth knowledge of international criminal law and the ICC itself, as well as familiarise themselves with other key institutions in this field. Beyond that, participants are able to network with professors, practitioners and other competition participants from all around the world.
Healthcare & AI for a rapidly ageing Singapore
On 6th February 2020, the SMU Centre for AI & Data Governance and SGInnovate hosted a panel discussion on the ‘Challenges of employing AI in the healthcare sector’. The 90-minute panel was chaired by Miss Sunita Kannan - Data, AI Advisory and Responsible AI expert. The other panelists included Professor Dov Greenbaum (Director of the Zvi Meitar Institute for Legal Implications of Emerging Technologies, Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya Israel), Dr Tan Jit Seng (Founder and Director of Lotus Eldercare and Vice President of the Asia Pacific Assistive Robotics Association) and Mr. Julien Willeme (Legal Director for Medtronic, Asia-Pacific). Arina Rashid and Jill Phua report on the discussion in this event report.
Fraudulent Sex Criminalisation in Singapore: An Accidental Success
The Criminal Law Reform Act 2019, which introduced new regulation relating to fraudulent sex, came into effect on 1 January 2020. These amendments are meant to ensure that the law keeps pace with recent developments on sexual consent, and provide some clarity in that respect. The question is: are they enough?
In a thought-provoking seminar, Associate Professor Chen Jianlin of the Melbourne Law School posits that these amendments in the Penal Code were an accidental success.
Lunchtime Talk: A Personal Roadmap to Comparative Law by Professor Birke Häcker
On 22 August 2019, SMU School of Law welcomed Professor Birke Häcker (Professor of Comparative Law and Director of the Institute of European and Comparative Law at the University of Oxford), for a discussion on comparative law. She provided ‘a personal roadmap to comparative law’, touching on the history and origins of the field, as well as some basic comparative methodologies. She also shared her views on the future of comparative law in Singapore.
The Attorney-General’s Cup 2019
Since its inception in 2011, the Attorney-General's Cup – the brainchild of former Attorney-General, Professor Walter Woon, SC – has played an instrumental role in introducing law undergraduates to the intricacies of criminal law. The 2019 edition of the competition had a scenario considering the criminal sanctions for the offence of "making atmosphere noxious to health of persons in general". 3rd-Year LL.B. student Marcus Chia Hao Jun reports on the finals held on 29 August 2019.
Be Careful What You Post Online: The 2019 Howard Hunter Moot Finals
The 12th edition of SMU’s Howard Hunter Moot attracted over 50 participants. The competition problem was centred on the implications of a character Mia Childs’ social media posts, in light of the new Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (“POFMA”).
Judging and the Public Good: A View from the Bench(23 August 2019) – Conference Notes
In the latest instalment of SMU’s “Law as Calling” series, the Honourable Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon visited SMU School of Law and delivered an inspirational address on law and the public good. Find here the summary of the talk, and the insights CJ Menon shared on finding meaning and purpose in legal practice.
Conference Notes: A Matter of Trusts
The SICC and SIDRA recently concluded a thought leadership event on dispute resolution options for trust disputes. The key issue was: given the increasing prevalence of alternative forms of dispute resolution (“ADR”), why was there still uncertainty as to whether trust disputes were amenable to ADR (and in particular, arbitration)? The distinguished panellists provided a stimulating discussion of the various conceptual and practical difficulties faced in submitting trust disputes to arbitration.
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