Dear Friends,

 

Before I begin, I would first like to extend my appreciation to the previous Executive Committee of the United Kingdom Singapore Law Students Society (“UKSLSS”) consisting of Titus Soh, Lucia Marie Ng, Takashi Biswas, Ky-Lynne Toh, Sujatha Baskaran, Celeste Chai and Priyansh Shah. Their team has forged an impressive path, motivating my team and me to explore new opportunities for reinforcing our society’s prominent position. 

 

I am honoured to introduce the 25th Executive Committee of the UKSLSS for the 2024/2025 Academic Year, consisting of: myself, Alyson Lim (UCL) as President, Rebecca Kyi (Bristol) as Vice-President, Chrisllynn Siah (KCL) as General Secretary, Natasha Mok (LSE) as Sponsorships Director, Hui Ling Tay (Bristol) as Finance Director, Clarise Chan (Durham) as Marketing Director and last but not least, Choon Wee Yeo (Cambridge) as Editor-In-Chief.

 

Amid the current state of uncertainty surrounding the new practice training guidelines, we remain steadfast in our mission. Our goal is to promote the interests of Singaporean law students through organising a variety of professional and social events, while ensuring that all our members feel connected to home. We aim to foster a tight-knit community of Singaporean law students, providing support for each of you as you navigate your individual journeys in the legal field regardless of your future paths. 

 

New Events and Continued Activities

The UKSLSS will carry forward many of last year’s successful events in light of the previous Executive Committee’s achievements, ensuring continuity and growth within our community. This year, members can anticipate our inaugural event — Legal Careers Helpdesk. This event combines two of our key annual events, the Vacation Scheme Helpdesk and the Bar Careers Talk, into one comprehensive event. The Legal Careers Helpdesk will introduce members to careers as English-qualified solicitors and barristers; providing excellent networking opportunities with practising Singaporean solicitors and barristers, who have shared similar experiences.

 

Additionally, we will maintain our efforts to facilitate pathways to practising in Singapore by collaborating with institutions such as the Singapore Institute of Legal Education, and our local sponsor firms. These will be in the form of physical networking sessions both in the UK and Singapore. We aim to host these networking opportunities in diverse ways to ensure members stay actively engaged with law firms back home. 

 

Following in our predecessors’ footsteps, we are looking to further extend our outreach to international firms with Singapore offices. We aim to position ourselves to offer a broader range of support to Singaporean law students, enabling our members to explore more options. The UKSLSS also strives to increase our rapport with our current sponsors and partners through some of our new initiatives. Similar to the previous UKSLSS Allen & Gledhill Moot 2023, we hope to collaborate with our sponsor firms to continue providing opportunities for improving advocacy skills. 

 

In tandem with providing professional and career-related events, we plan on pushing out new initiatives to cultivate a close-knit community within the UKSLSS. These include potentially adding an additional event to be executed by the university representatives, to increase connectedness between the Singaporean law students within their universities. We hope to collaborate with each university’s Singapore Societies and will provide updates on these initiatives when finalised. 

 

As per usual, the academic year will culminate in the 18th Singapore Legal Forum in August 2025, held in Singapore during the summer vacation period. There will be an exciting line-up of speakers from our various sponsor firms, who will also be present for a career fair after. 

 

Opportunities: University Representatives and Sub-Committees

The UKSLSS extends a warm invitation to UKSLSS members to join our sub-committees, where they can not only engage with the UKSLSS and develop marketable skills, but also support their peers and make meaningful contributions. 

 

We will be recruiting University Representatives from each UK university to support the Executive Committee in the organisation and execution of events. While the University Representatives will still work closely with the Executive Committee and interact with our sponsors, we hope to offer further opportunities for them to take the helm and develop their leadership skills. 

 

Concurrently, we will be recruiting writers, editors and managing editors for our Editorial Committee to publish blogs for the UKSLSS. This year, we will also be producing bite-sized newsletters, with the aim of providing continuous updates of the latest legal developments in Singapore and the United Kingdom. The team will work closely with our Editor-In-Chief, Choon Wee, who will also be overseeing the 20th Singapore Comparative Law Review (SCLR). The SCLR will feature a separate application process and members of the Editorial Committee will be better placed to join the SCLR Editorial Committee given their familiarity with the UKSLSS editorial procedures. 

 

Our Marketing Committee will be recruiting Marketing Executives to collaborate with our Marketing Director, Clarise, to promote our events and increase UKSLSS’ reach. They will play a pivotal role in shaping the UKSLSS brand and strengthening its connection with law students across the UK. Our focus will be on raising awareness about events, opportunities, and the society's initiatives. This year, we aim to expand our outreach to a wider audience through innovative digital content, interactive social media strategies, and creative promotional efforts. By fostering creativity and collaboration, we hope to impart essential marketing skills, including effective communication, strategic planning, and branding. Together, we will elevate the UKSLSS presence, making it more inclusive, impactful, and relevant to law students in the UK.

 

Concluding Remarks

As we embark on another academic year, I am optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead for the UKSLSS and our members. The journey through law school is undoubtedly challenging, but also immensely rewarding. The UKSLSS is committed to being a pillar of support for all Singaporean law students studying in the UK, both professionally and socially. I encourage all members to take full advantage of the diverse range of events, networking opportunities, and developmental activities we have planned. Your active participation will not only benefit your personal growth, but will also contribute to the strength of our community. Together, we can navigate the challenges of legal education and prepare for successful careers in the legal profession. Here’s to a productive, enriching, and exciting year ahead!

 

Yours Faithfully,

Alyson Lim 

President

 

On behalf of the 25th Executive Committee

United Kingdom Singapore Law Students’ Society