Opening doors to new possibilities in Law, from Taiwan to Singapore
“Disruption” easily tops the list when it comes to the most frequently used buzzwords of the past decade. Often adopted by startup founders when pitching to investors, or technology writers touting a new product; the noun has undoubtedly had its day in brand marketing. However, despite being an overly ubiquitous descriptor of business or product innovation, the term holds some cachet in the realm of upskilling and self-improvement.
Lai Yi-An, who obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) from SMU in 2018, has certainly embodied the notion of “personal disruption” — the act of adopting the framework of disruptive innovation to oneself. She moved from Taiwan to Singapore to further her education and explore opportunities to expand her family’s law firm overseas.
After all, who doesn’t want to explore new cities and immerse themselves in new cultures, especially after being deprived of travel opportunities during the pandemic? If all goes according to plan, the whole experience will not only provide pathways to new passions but could also broaden one’s horizons and worldviews.
“It definitely nurtures your life and enlightens your thoughts,” the Yong Pung How School of Law alumnus and current partner at Chien-Yeh & Associates recalls fondly.
Exploring her calling in multiple jurisdictions of Law
Growing up, Yi-An has always aspired to be a lawyer. This ambition led her to pursue her Bachelor of Law, where she specialised in Civil Law. “Working as a legal practitioner provided enriching experiences that carry considerable social responsibility. It is a noble calling,” she shares.
However, having already achieved a primary degree in Law, she nonetheless felt that her journey in the legal industry could be enriched even further. “Coming from a Civil Law background, it was an intellectually stimulating experience to be immersed in the Common Law world and its ways of reasoning on legal problems. I appreciate the new perspectives that I have acquired as a result of analysing factual matrices according to the relevant laws under both systems.” She also had goals of expanding her father’s law firm to shores beyond Taiwan, which sparked her choice to explore Southeast Asian regions around her homeland, such as Singapore.
“It was an easy transition to view Singapore as a second home,” Yi-An remarks, adding that her family is quite familiar with the country’s ‘multicultural’ environment since her brother also studied here for close to seven years during his childhood. “Additionally, the founding prime minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, has been my idol since I was a child. His statesmanship was resoundingly inspirational for Taiwan when faced with the great powers of China and the USA, you can see how Mr Lee pivoted Singapore and how he made the pathway to stand firm, and speak out for the ‘Little Red Dot’ in the international arena.”
While pursuing her LLM, she concentrated on the Cross-Border Business and Finance Law in Asia Track, which imbued her with new perspectives on various legal topics revolving around Intellectual Property Law and Financial Markets. Apart from that, during the LLM stint, we obtained first-hand information on Financial Regulation, Fintech, Regulatory Sandbox, Cryptocurrency, Blockchain…etc, and learned how it has been operating in Singapore.
“These are promising fields in Taiwan,” she shares, highly appreciative of the takeaways she has garnered from the programme.
Making the most out of her time spent here
There were some steep learning curves initially when she first kicked off her LLM journey, Yi-An admits, as she had to grapple with lessons taught in a different language than what she was accustomed to, and the differences in legal systems between Singapore and Taiwan.
“Luckily, I had helpful friends in the class. We helped each other in our studies and other areas Furthermore, we visited each others’ home countries together and been to exotic lands like Yangon in Myanmar and Bangalore in India. I also played host and invited my classmates to visit my law firm in Taipei – Chien Yeh & Associates,” she comments, citing her classmates as a vital source of support while she was a student.
With a small cohort from diverse international backgrounds, everyone learned from one another and the various jurisprudence in their native countries. In particular, Yi-An’s coursemates Rachel and Jace from South Korea encouraged her to join the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) conferences in Singapore, which later led her to join the International Bar Association (IBA) that was held in Seoul in 2019.
Besides participating in legal-related events and acquiring a new understanding of Commercial Law, Yi-An also explored other avenues to develop her legal expertise. One of such opportunity was the mediation training provided by the Singapore International Dispute Resolution Institute (SIDRA), which subsequently opened more doors for her, as a mediator.
“The training program enabled me to be certified as a Level 1 Mediator by the Singapore International Mediation Institute (SIMI), and this also led to my participation in the 2021 APEC Workshop on the Potential for Use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the field of IPR. Moreover, I was appointed the Young Lawyers Liaison Officer to the International Bar Association’s Mediation Committee just this year”, says the prodigious lawyer.
How her career has flourished afterwards
Her impressive achievements do not end there. Besides being invited to conferences, Yi-An has also joined the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee and Global Advisory Councils (GACs), run by the International Trademark Association (INTA), a global non-profit organisation advocating for brands’ intellectual property rights.
After being back in her home country for two years now, she finds that her stint in Singapore has equipped her with sufficient insights and skills necessary to expand Chien-Yeh & Associates’ business lines. For example, she has since contacted the foreign trade chambers in Taiwan, offering legal consultancy services to expatriates residing in the country.
When asked if she has any advice for juniors who may also be interested in furthering their legal education in Singapore, the seasoned law professional notes that the Taiwanese student population here is relatively low, so it’s easier for them to stand out in this industry.
“The experience is essential for prospective students from Taiwan to build a big picture of their personal vision by exploring beyond their comfort zones. “Thanks to the specialisation in ‘Cross-Border Business and Finance Law in Asia’ provided in the LLM programme, I acquired a wealth of new knowledge on emerging legal fields such as IT Law, Fintech, Financial Markets, Monetary Policy, and Digital Economy. It thus allows me to think of new projects and gain easier access to new legal fields. For example, I recently established a new virtual law firm in the virtual world, to provide legal consultancy on IPR issues. The consultancy is paid via Ethereum or NFT”, says Yi-An.
“Looking back, studying law in Singapore is truly a milestone. I think I would never start a new trajectory or deal with a matter that is still evolving in the context of a rapidly evolving technology and innovation environment if I didn't study at SMU.”