SMU alumna Iris Ng and 11 other lawyers on the panel of young independent counsel (YIC) for 2026 were recognised for their contributions to the law at the annual judiciary volunteers appreciation event. It was the first time lawyers on the scheme were recognised at the event. Iris, a counsel at law firm Helmsman, graduated as valedictorian of her cohort. She shared her thoughts about the scheme and said that looking at a case from an independent perspective meant having the latitude to explore issues further. She said the YIC’s role was to help the court have a fuller picture of the options open to it, such as the approaches taken by other jurisdictions, or to dig a bit more into the history of a provision. The scheme is a chance for her to work on topical legal issues that she may not necessarily touch on in her day-to-day practice, she added.