SMU students win praises at M&A competition held in China

A team of SMU law students has won praises for its inaugural performance at the 5^th Asia-Pacific M&A Competition held at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in late March, which was conducted entirely in Mandarin. The competition saw participation by 12 universities from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. SMU was represented by an all-Singaporean team comprising 3^rd year law undergraduates Bernice Tan Yu Jun and Carol Lee Shanghui; final-year double degree students Ernest Koh and Jonathan Chng; and 1^st year Juris Doctor student Won Chian Lim. Won Chian Lim was awarded one of the seven ‘Best M&A Negotiators’ of the competition. He shared that the team’s final presentation won praises from the judges, who complimented the presentation for its clarity and strategic nature. Through the competition, the students now understand that it is important for corporate lawyers to think from a business perspective. SMU Assistant Professor of Law Christopher Chen Chao-Hung said: “The students’ performance far exceeded my expectations. The competition gave them a platform to experience the process of negotiation as corporate lawyers, provided them the opportunity to interact with students from top law schools in Greater China, and also enhanced SMU's profile – it was a meaningful and valuable platform for both SMU and our students”.