Singapore, 4 July 2023 (Tuesday) – The Singapore Management University (SMU) has announced that Deputy Attorney-General Mr Ang Cheng Hock SC has succeeded Mr V K Rajah SC as the new Chairman of the SMU Yong Pung How School of Law (YPHSL) Advisory Board. His appointment began on 1 July 2023 for an initial term of three years.

The YPHSL Advisory Board, established in January 2007, provides strategic advice and guidance to the Deanery of the law school on its academic­ programmes, curriculum development, internships, scholarships, international student exchange programmes, employment and industry trends.

Expressing her appreciation to Mr Rajah, SMU President, Professor Lily Kong, said, “Yong Pung How School of Law has, over a short span of 16 years, developed into a leading law school in Singapore and in Asia. This is in no small part owing to the transformative leadership of Mr V K Rajah, who was among the founding Advisory Board members when our law school was inaugurated in 2007, and subsequently Chairman of the Advisory Board from 2017. Our law school is privileged to have benefited from Mr Rajah’s critical strategic leadership, drawn from his wealth of legal knowledge and experiences in the private and public sectors, which has enhanced the School’s global reputation, curriculum and research prowess.”

Professor Lee Pey Woan, Dean of YPHSL, said, “It has been an honour and privilege to work with Mr Rajah during his term. He has tirelessly advocated the need for innovation and reform in the law curriculum to meet the fast-changing needs of the society, leading to recent introduction of specialist tracks and capstone courses at YPHSL. He has also been instrumental in steering our School to develop expertise in law and technology, and has garnered wide industry support that enabled the setting up of the Centre of AI & Data Governance in SMU.”

“Furthermore, as a proponent of talent development, Mr Rajah strongly advocated for SMU’s law students to acquire greater regional and international exposure, leading to YPHSL developing more opportunities for our students to work overseas. Most recently, Clyde & Co has extended internship opportunities in China to our students. From the onset, he has also been a steadfast supporter of SMU’s mooting programme, which has grown to become the law school’s crown jewel. He has personally engaged in many of our activities and engaged our faculty and students to understand their concerns and encourage them. We sincerely thank him for being extremely generous with his time, guidance and foresight,” she added.

In welcoming Mr Ang to the Advisory Board, Professor Lee, said, “I am very pleased to welcome Mr Ang as the new Chairman of the Yong Pung How School of Law Advisory Board. Mr Ang is not new to our School. As the Chair of the SMU Centre for Commercial Law in Asia since July 2021, he has provided advice and guidance to grow the Sustainable Development and Commerce Initiative and the ASEAN Law Research Network, which has strengthened the School’s link with our counterparts in ASEAN. My colleagues and I look forward very much to working with Mr Ang as we steer the School in its next phase of growth.”

On his new appointment, Mr Ang Cheng Hock said, “I am honoured by this appointment, and look forward to working with my fellow Advisory Board members and the Dean on maintaining the Yong Pung How School of Law’s high standards of achievement.”

About Mr Ang Cheng Hock

Mr Ang Cheng Hock was appointed Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court on 14 May 2018 and High Court Judge on 1 August 2019. He stepped down from the office of Judge from 30 September 2022 to take on the appointment of Deputy Attorney-General from 1 October 2022 to date.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (1st Class Honours) from the National University of Singapore in 1995 and a Master of Laws from Yale Law School in 1998. He served as a Justices’ Law Clerk in the Supreme Court in 1996 and 1997. He was called to the Singapore Bar in 1996 and admitted as an Attorney & Counsellor at Law in the state of New York in 1999.

Before his appointment as a Judicial Commissioner, Mr Ang was a partner in Allen & Gledhill, and a member of its Litigation and Dispute Resolution department. His main areas of practice included civil and commercial litigation, international arbitration and corporate-related disputes such as shareholders’ disputes, breaches of directors’ duties, securities-related and banking litigation, defamation and professional liability. He had also represented clients in insolvency related litigation, shipping disputes and intellectual property disputes. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2009. In addition to his judicial work, Mr Ang is also the Chair of the Singapore Academy of Law’s Professional Affairs and Membership Committee. 

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Enclosure:

• Profile photos of Mr V K Rajah and Mr Ang Cheng Hock