2019

Edwin Tong: Simplifying Civil Legal Aid Process Helps To Avoid Labelling Of Applicants

Speaking at the SMU Pro Bono Centre's (PBC) annual appreciation dinner on Wednesday, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law & Ministry of Health, Edwin Tong said that the Government has been working with partners including SMU PBC to make legal aid available to those who are unable to afford basic legal services. For their pro bono contributions, SMU PBC gave out awards and certificates of appreciation to lawyers and students, including Richard Tan Ming Kirk, who has served more than five years as a volunteer lawyer at the Centre’s legal clinic. Fourteen Juris Doctor graduates and 30 LLB graduates from the SMU Class of 2019 were also recognised for contributing more than 50 and 80 pro bono hours respectively. SMU PBC started the free legal clinic in 2013. Last year, the clinic saw 287 applicants for issues including family issues, employment issues, criminal matters and tenancy issues.

工程师将圆律师梦

Continuing from last week's feature on SMU's School of Law Pro Bono Centre Appreciation Dinner, Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao also featured this story that of our alumni Wei Chieh Tan's journey into the legal profession.

After graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in engineering, Wei Chieh joined the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) as a staff officer, where he obtained three postgraduate degrees in engineering. However, as he has always had an interest in law, he left his "iron rice bowl" job three years ago, to enrol in SMU's Juris Doctor programme, which he graduated from in 2019.