Raising awareness, promoting discussion.

The Singapore Law Review Annual Lecture is the SLR's flagship event. First organised in 1984, the Annual Lecture continues to promote the SLR's objectives of creating awareness of current legal issues and promoting legal thought and discussion amongst law students. 

Today, the Annual Lecture is attended not only by law students, but also by members of the Singapore Bench and Bar. This is made possible through the kind sponsorship of a number of local law firms.

Each Annual Lecture features a legal luminary on a topic of his or her specialisation or interest. A list of the distinguished speakers who have delivered past Annual Lectures can be found below.


Our Distinguished Speakers

The Honourable Justice Goh Yihan

"The Effect of Illegality on Private Law Claims”

2024

The Honourable Justice Debbie Ong Siew Ling

"Justice that Heals"

2023

Professor James Ernest Penner

"Penalties, Not Punishments, In Private Law"

2021

Professor Mindy Chen-Wishart

“Humble Good Faith '3 by 4'”

2020

Dr. Michael Hwang S.C.

“A Tale of Two Cities: SQ 006 and the Issue of State Immunity for Taiwan”

2019

The Honourable Justice Aedit Abdullah

“The Obsolescent Judge”

2018

Mr Lucien Wong, Attorney-General of Singapore

“Prosecution in the Public Interest”

2017

The Honourable Justice Steven Chong Horng Siong

"Recalibration of the Death Penalty Regime: Origin, Ramifications and Impact"

2016

The Honourable Justice Quentin Loh Sze-On

"The Singapore International Commercial Court: Entrenching Singapore's Position as a Hub for Dispute Resolution"

2015

Professor Antony Anghie

"International Law and the Pre-history of Globalisation"

2014

The Honourable Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon

"The Interpretation of Documents: Saying what they Mean or Meaning what they Say"

2013

Professor David Cohen

“War Crimes Trials in Post-World War II Southeast Asia”

2012

Mr Richard Magnus, Chairman, Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore

"Not a Game of Chance?"

2011

Professor Walter Woon, SC, Attorney-General of Singapore

"Crime and Punishment: The Problems of Sentencing"

2008

Professor Lim Chin Leng

"From Constructive Engagement to Collective Revulsion: the Myanmar Precedent of 2007"

2007

Tun Dato' Sri Ahmad Fairuz bin Dato' Sheikh Abdul Halim, Chief Justice of Malaysia

"Recent Developments in Malaysia's Constitutional Law"

2006

Mr Ong Keng Yong, Secretary-General of ASEAN

"ASEAN and the 3 L's (Leaders, Legal Persons, and Laymen)"

2005

Professor Simon Tay

"The Singapore-Malaysian Relationship: The Future Roles of International Law"

2004

Mr Kishore Mahbubani, Singapore Ambassador to the United Nations

"Does the UN Security Council Enhance or Undermine International Law?"

2003

Rt Hon Tan Sri Dato' Seri Mohamed Dzaiddin bin HJ Abdullah, Chief Justice of Malaysia

"Trial and Appellate Courts - A Malaysian Perspective"

2002

The Honourable Judicial Commissioner Choo Han Teck

"The Termination of Non-viable Life"

2001

Professor HP Lee

"A Tale of Two Entities - Parliament and Judiciary"

1999

The Honourable Justice LP Thean, Judge of Appeal

"The Enforcement of a Performance Bond: The Perspective of the Underlying Contract"

1998

Professor Gerald Dworkin

"Intellectual Property Rights: What are the Appropriate Terms of Protection"

1997

Mr Chan Sek Keong, Attorney-General of Singapore

"Criminal Process - The Singapore Model"

1996

The Honourable Justice MPH Rubin

"Standard of Proof relating to Sufficiency of Evidence at Criminal Trials: Mental Gymnastics since Haw Tua Tau"

1995

The Honourable Judicial Commissioner Judith Prakash

"Division of Property and Maintenance of Post-divorce - Current Legal Issues"

1993

Professor Tommy Thong-Bee Koh

"The Earth Summit's Negotiating Process: Some Reflections on the Art and Science of Negotiation"

1992

The Honourable Judicial Commissioner Chao Hick Tin

"Ex Parte Applications: Full and Frank Disclosure"

1989

Mr Koh Eng Tian, Solicitor-General of Singapore

"Lawyers and Literature"

1988

Mr Tan Book Teik, Attorney-General of Singapore

"Judicial Review"

1987

Professor R H Hickling

"Breaking the Apron Strings"

1986

Professor S Jayakumar

"Making the United Nations Law of the Sea"

1985

The Honourable Justice Punch Coomaraswamy

"The Perils of Drafting"

1984