Singapore Management University’s (SMU) Pro Bono Centre once again shone the spotlight on selflessness, compassion, and civic responsibility at its 2025 Pro Bono Appreciation Dinner, held on 28 October 2025.
The annual event by the SMU Pro Bono Centre (PBC) celebrates the exceptional efforts of SMU law students and volunteer lawyers who have gone above and beyond in offering their time and expertise to help those in need. The gathering also underscored SMU’s continued commitment to nurturing future legal professionals who are as grounded in service as they are in scholarship.
Honouring dedication to justice and community
Guest-of-Honour Honourable Justice Debbie Ong, Judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Singapore, commended the students and legal professionals, highlighting that their pro bono contributions to society and their sacrifices are most honourable and noble.
“The pro bono spirit doesn’t start in the courtroom – it begins in the classroom. That is why the work of the SMU Pro Bono Centre is so important. By instilling social responsibility in law students early on, the Centre is shaping future lawyers with a deep sense of social conscience and conviction in true access to justice,” she said.
This was echoed by Professor Lee Pey Woan, Dean of Yong Pung How School of Law. “Pro bono work is not simply an add-on to legal education, it is a cornerstone of what it means to be a lawyer with heart.”
She shared with the audience that SMU believes that the Law is not just about rules and cases – it’s about people. “Through pro bono activities, our students learn how the Law they study in the classroom can be a powerful tool for good in the real world. They learn to listen, to empathise, and to serve. They begin to see the faces behind the issues, and the lives behind the Laws,” she said.
The Class of 2025 collectively completed a remarkable 8,339 pro bono hours. Nearly one in four students surpassed the required 50 hours (for JD students) and 80 hours (for LLB students) required of them. “To put that into perspective, this amounts to nearly three years’ worth of full-time pro bono work, without breaks, seven days a week. It speaks volumes about the students’ passion for giving back and the wealth of opportunities provided by the SMU Pro Bono Centre and its partner agencies,” explained Professor Lee.
Seven outstanding individuals were lauded at the event. They were:
Most outstanding pro bono contributions
- Amellia Moo Spirit of Pro Bono Hero (JD) Award – Lyu Yijia
- Amellia Moo Spirit of Pro Bono Hero (LLB) Award – Jolene Tan
5-year service award
- Spirit of Pro Bono Bronze Award – Junie Loh
10-year service award
- Spirit of Pro Bono Silver Award – Alvin Ong
- Spirit of Pro Bono Silver Award – Zheng Pei
Special award
- Spirit of Pro Bono Champion Award – Asoka Markandu
- Spirit of Pro Bono Champion Award – Shaun Lee
Professor Lee thanked the University’s community partners and volunteer lawyers who mentor and guide the students. She was heartened to note that among the five volunteer lawyers receiving an award that night, four of them are SMU Law alumni. “Their continued dedication shows that we are doing something right: planting the seed of volunteerism early and nurturing it to a lifelong commitment. You are role models for our current students, and we are proud to see the pro bono spirit passed from one generation to the next,” she said.
Making meaningful impact in local and regional communities
Under the leadership of Professor Chan Wing Cheong, Director of the SMU PBC, the Centre has, in addition to its regular legal clinics, conducted more than 50 legal awareness talks, some even in Mandarin, and helped certify over 200 LPAs. The talks – covering topics such as the Lasting Power of Attorney, CPF nomination, legal age of consent, divorce, youth justice, wills, custody, bullying, and gang-related offences – have benefited diverse audiences at the Singapore Boys’ Hostel, Singapore Heart Foundation, Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support Ltd, Singapore Association for the Deaf, Active Ageing Centres, NTUC Health and Dementia SG.
New and meaningful initiatives were also introduced this year to deepen students’ exposure to real-world issues and bridge gaps in access to justice. Among these were the Deputyship Report Filing Programme and Project Lexplore.
Since May 2025, deputies who require assistance with filing their annual reports on the Office of Public Guardian’s Online System have been visiting PBC every Thursday afternoon. In just five months, nearly a hundred deputies have received help from SMU’s student volunteers. Under Project Lexplore, 11 SMU students collaborated with 15 law students from Chiang Mai University to conduct legal talks for single mothers, teach English to children, and create Lawtoons — illustrated comic books with accompanying audiobooks on topics such as ‘Know Your Rights’ and ‘Say No to Bullying’. These resources were gifted to the children, leaving behind something both lasting and meaningful.
The evening concluded on a note of appreciation and renewed commitment to advancing access to justice and nurturing socially conscious lawyers. Justice Ong summed it up best: “To all our student and lawyer award recipients tonight, you are the heartbeat of our pro bono community. You are an inspiration to us all.”
SMU Pro Bono Centre's 2025 Annual Report can be viewed here.
- End -
