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Dear Friends, 

 

It is my privilege to introduce the Executive Committee of the 2022/23 Academic Year, consisting of: myself,  Ethan Teo (Oxford) as President; Nikhita Nair (UCL) as Vice-President; Felicia Ong (LSE) as General Secretary; Joshua Tan (Durham) as Finance Director, Lee Xuan Yi (UCL) as Sponsorships Director; Charmaine Tan (KCL) as Marketing Director; and Luke Zhang (Cambridge) as Editor-in-Chief. 

 

The Society’s Mission remains the same: serving the interests of Singaporean Law Students through the organisation of both professional and social events; but more importantly, keeping all our members close to home. Through our various endeavours and activities, we strive to build a close-knit network of Singaporean law students to support each of you in your respective journeys in the law, irrespective of where your paths shall take you in the future. Indeed, the opportunity to read Law in the United Kingdom is both an exciting adventure and a leap of faith - a long journey of growth which the UKSLSS looks forward to walking with you. 

 

Accordingly, allow me to introduce some of our planned initiatives in the coming year.

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Continuing Programmes and Activities

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Building on the work of the previous Executive Committee, the UKSLSS will continue to host many of the successful events of the past year. Our members can look forward to returning events such as the Vacation Scheme Helpdesk and the Bar Careers Talk, aimed at exposing our members to careers as English-qualified solicitors and barristers respectively. Both these events also serve as a fantastic opportunity to network with practising Singaporean solicitors and barristers, all of whom were once in our shoes.

 

We will, of course, continue to streamline the path back to practice in Singapore, by working in partnership with institutions such as the RHT Training Institute, the Singapore Institute of Legal Education, and our local Sponsor Firms to shed light on the requirements for foreign law students to practice law in Singapore. Last year, we had the privilege of hosting a webinar with Professor Walter Woon SC, Head of the RHT Training Institute, as well as continued support from our sponsor firms in applications for Relevant Legal Training and Practice Training Seats. Internships with local firms will continue to be offered to UKSLSS members to allow you to make an informed decision about practising law in Singapore. 

 

The UKSLSS also continues to work with our sponsors to bring you an array of exciting professional and developmental activities, amongst them sponsored moot competitions and firm networking events. We hope that the success of the Allen & Gledhill UKSLSS Moot 2022 will usher in an exciting era of mooting between Singaporeans from law schools throughout the country. With COVID-19 prohibitions firmly in the past (we hope), our sponsors will fly representatives up to host physical recruitment events in the heart of London. These socials are a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow Singaporeans from different law schools as well as lawyers from Singapore. 

 

At this juncture, allow me to extend my deepest appreciation to the outgoing Executive Committee: Sharon Chan (President); Isaac Ng (Vice-President); Fernanda Chia (General Secretary); Kelvin Ng (Marketing Director); Pamela Low (Finance Director); Thomas Lim (Editor-in-Chief); and Yeo Zhi Kai (Sponsorships Director), for their service to the UKSLSS over the course of the past year, and for leaving the new Executive Committee in good stead for the coming term. 

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Keeping the UKSLSS Close to ‘Home’

 

Quite aside from keeping our members close to Singapore, a primary goal of the Executive Committee this year is to bring the UKSLSS closer to our members’ university experiences. To that end, the Society will work closely with Singapore Societies (“SingSocs”) and our University Representatives from across schools to plan social and professional events with the goal of strengthening the community of Singaporean law students in each university. These events will range from mentorship schemes to social meetups, to allow members to seek advice from their seniors on their law school experience, including exam preparation and application guidance. 

 

In essence, our goal is simple. The Society hopes to enrich your time in law school by ensuring that each one of you feels at home in the UK, supported by a family of Singaporean law students.  

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Opportunities for our New Members 

 

As always, we have an exciting array of developmental opportunities for UKSLSS members across all years. These activities are a great way to get involved with the UKSLSS, and a useful way to gain marketable skills for future applications. 

 

Firstly, the Society will be running recruitment for a new batch of University Representatives (“Uni Reps”). Uni Reps are drawn from all Universities, and help the Executive Committee in the running and marketing of centralised events. Uni Reps will also help in the organisation and execution of localised events where relevant. You will have the opportunity to work closely with members of the Executive Committee, as well as interact with our sponsors at our in-person events. 

 

Secondly, the Editorial Committee, led by the Editor-in-Chief, will be recruiting a new intake of Blog Editors and Associate Writers for the UKSLSS’ Legal Blog. Law students of all years are encouraged to apply for these positions, with opportunities for stronger applicants to serve in more managerial roles. Members of the Editorial Committee may also be in an advantageous position for selection of the Editorial Board of the 18th Edition of the Singapore Comparative Law Review (“SCLR”), the UKSLSS’ flagship publication. Recruitment for the SCLR will commence in mid-December.

 

Finally, our Marketing Committee will also be recruiting a team of Marketing Executives to work closely with our Marketing Director to advance the outreach efforts of the UKSLSS. Participation in the Marketing and the Editorial Committees present themselves as an exciting opportunity to create connections and friendships with fellow law students throughout the UK. As with our Uni Reps, committee members will be invited to all our in-person events held throughout the year. 

 

Each of our recruitment drives will commence shortly in late September to early October. Do look out for them across our social media channels!

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Telegram Channel: UKSLSS 

Instagram: @theukslss

LinkedIn: United Kingdom Singapore Law Students’ Society

Facebook: United Kingdom Singapore Law Students’ Society

Mailing List: Subscribe here

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More Diverse Partnership Offerings

 

This year, under the leadership of our Sponsorships Director, the Society is looking to strengthen and increase our Partnerships with both local and London-based law firms, as well as key stakeholders and institutions in Singapore: The Law Society of Singapore; the Attorney-General’s Chambers; the Singapore Academy of Law; and the Law Societies of NUS, SMU, and SUSS amongst others, as part of our larger aim of entrenching the UKSLSS in the legal fraternity. 

 

In addition, the society is looking to expand its reach by working with a greater number of international firms, especially firms which have offices in Singapore. We look forward to sharing more details of such partnerships with you once our sponsorship terms are finalised. 

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Concluding Remarks

 

My friends, the study of law demands much from us; perseverance, intellectual rigour, and sleepless nights. Yet, this experience, we hope, will be one of fulfilment and growth. As you walk along your respective journeys in the law, it is our hope that the UKSLSS will be a source of support for all of you, both professionally and socially, as a family away from home. 

 

Yours Faithfully, 

Ethan J Teo 

President

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On behalf of the 23rd Executive Committee 

United Kingdom Singapore Law Students’ Society