Singapore Management University School of Law

Singapore Management University School of Law
Name	Singapore Management University School of Law
Established	2007
Type	Law school
City	Singapore
Country	Singapore
Parent	Singapore Management University

Singapore Management University School of Law is a professional law school established within Singapore as part of Singapore Management University. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes aligned with regional frameworks such as the Common Law tradition, engaging with institutions like the Ministry of Law (Singapore), Law Society of Singapore, Singapore Academy of Law, International Court of Justice, and Asian Development Bank. The school interacts with entities including Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, University of Oxford, National University of Singapore, and King's College London through exchange, collaboration, and comparative research.

History

The law school was launched amid legal reforms influenced by events such as the establishment of the Supreme Court of Singapore restructuring, dialogues with the Attorney-General's Chambers (Singapore), and regional cooperation involving the ASEAN legal community. Founding initiatives referenced models from Columbia Law School, University of Melbourne Law School, University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law, Peking University Faculty of Law, and Seoul National University School of Law to design curricula and clinical programmes. Early leadership worked with advisory bodies including the Singapore Exchange, Monetary Authority of Singapore, World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the International Bar Association to embed transactional and public law strands. Over successive phases the school expanded through partnerships with the Legal Services Commission, Singapore International Arbitration Centre, International Centre for Dispute Resolution, and academic networks such as the Global Alliance of Law Faculties.

Campus and Facilities

The law school is housed in facilities proximate to City Hall MRT station, Esplanade MRT station, Marina Bay Financial Centre, Raffles Place, and the Singapore River arts and civic precincts. Teaching spaces include moot courts modelled on venues like the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, simulations referencing procedures in the European Court of Human Rights and the Supreme Court of the United States. Library collections draw on collaborations with the National University of Singapore Libraries, the British Library, the Library of Congress, the UN Library and Archives, and legal publishers including Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Thomson Reuters, and LexisNexis. Research infrastructure supports clinics linked to the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, Singapore Mediation Centre, Human Rights Watch, Transparency International, and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

Academic Programs

Programmes span undergraduate LLB curricula, postgraduate JD and LLM degrees, and doctoral research akin to pathways at Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Cambridge, and Yale University. Coursework integrates modules on comparative aspects involving the Civil Code (France), German Civil Code, United States Code, and transnational frameworks like UNCITRAL and the Hague Conference on Private International Law. Clinical offerings mirror practicum models from Georgetown University Law Center, University of California, Berkeley School of Law, National University of Singapore Faculty of Law, and the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Joint and exchange programmes have been arranged with Duke University School of Law, National Taiwan University College of Law, University of Hong Kong, and Australian National University College of Law.

Research and Centres

Research centres focus on arbitration, commercial law, technology law, and public policy, partnering with the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, International Chamber of Commerce, World Trade Organization, European Centre for International Political Economy, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Specialized centres examine intellectual property law alongside institutions like the World Intellectual Property Organization, data governance referencing the Personal Data Protection Commission (Singapore), fintech law engaging with the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and human rights scholarship connected to Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Council. Research outputs have contributed to policy dialogues involving the Economic Development Board (Singapore), Civil Service College (Singapore), International Monetary Fund, and regional courts such as the Judicial Yuan (Taiwan) and the Court of Appeal of Singapore.

Admissions and Student Life

Admissions processes align with criteria comparable to those at University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and National University of Singapore, with evaluation panels that consult stakeholders from the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, Singapore Judicial Service, Law Society of Singapore, and corporate partners like the Singapore Exchange. Student organisations include chapters affiliated with the International Bar Association, International Law Students Association, Red Cross Society, and professional networks linked to firms such as Allen & Gledhill, Rajah & Tann, Drew & Napier, and Simmons & Simmons. Extracurricular offerings feature moots referencing the International Criminal Court, the WTO Appellate Body, and competitions like the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.

Notable Faculty and Alumni

Faculty and alumni have held positions in the Supreme Court of Singapore, Attorney-General's Chambers (Singapore), Monetary Authority of Singapore, Singapore International Arbitration Centre, Asian Development Bank, and academic posts at National University of Singapore, King's College London, University of Oxford, and Yale University. Distinguished affiliates include scholars who previously worked with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the International Court of Justice, World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and legal advisors to entities such as the Temasek Holdings and the Marina Bay Financial Centre corporations.

Category:Law schools in Singapore