Helping One and All

For Jeremiah Tan, a Year 3 NUS Law student pursuing his LLB, a law degree was not on his radar at all when shortlisting his college options. “The closest brush with the law that I ever had was watching Suits in class during JC!” he admits. But one thing that stuck with him after watching the legal drama was how the protagonist, an associate attorney, got to meet and help people from all walks of life with passion and purpose.

When he failed in his NUS application to read Medicine as his first choice, he reapplied again – this time, to Law. What changed his mind and caused him to see law in a different light was something unexpected: the written application test.

The Logic of Problem Solving

“I liked the way the test was structured where one had to exercise logic to determine culpability. I have always imagined law to be just about speaking up in the courts, and had never thought of it as problem-solving. It really appeals to my logical and problem-solving side,” he explains.

In retrospect, Jeremiah shares: “It was only after doing legal internships that I realised that studying Law instead of Medicine, turned out to be a better fit for me in terms of the attributes I believe my dream career should have – meeting and helping people. It’s not just the physically sick or unwell who need help; people need help in so many other areas of life.” 

Seeing the Big Picture

On that note, Jeremiah debunks a common misconception for those hesitant to consider Law: “Many people shy away from law because they believe they need to be good at speaking. But I have since realised that the best mooters are those who can see the big picture and understand how all the pieces fit, explain their position with clarity, and demonstrate strong analysis and grasp of the problem.”   

Jeremiah knows this well. As President of the NUS Law Collaborative Dispute Resolution Club (CDRC), he has coached the NUS Teams for the 10th 2TG-RMLNLU International Mediation Competition, some of whom have gone on to achieve accolades such as Best International Team and 1st-Runners Up for the Mediation Category. In addition, he was also the Vice-President of the Mooting and Debating Club, where he helped train the NUS team to compete on a global stage, while overseeing the organisation of local moot competitions, including the B.A. Mallal Moot 2023 and the Cape Town Convention Moot Competition 2023.

Lending A Hand

But the Year 3 senior hasn’t always been this assured and confident in coaching others for competitions, or mentoring his Law juniors in their studies. In fact, his Freshman year was anything but smooth-sailing. He found it difficult to adapt to student life and the legal field, and struggled academically in the first semester. Thankfully, a robust support system in the form of NUS Law Alumni Mentor Programme (LAMP) became a vital pillar of support to help struggling freshmen like Jeremiah in areas such as academic advice and emotional support.

Sharing a useful tip for Law freshmen, he says: “Law students typically enjoy good grades before University, and they may therefore be in for an unfamiliar jolt the first time they are greeted by a string of unfamiliar letters in their report card. Take heart: failure is not unknown in Law school; just brace yourself to persevere and your grades and performance will surely improve.”

Paying It Forward

Besides the valuable advice from an alumnus and his LAMP mentor on succeeding in law school, there is also the support of his Law seniors - all of whom are very open and generous in sharing their notes and resources on an online portal. On the culture of the Law Faculty, he offers: “The toughness of the course actually bonds us together. The fraternity and camaraderie are much cherished– offering everything from support, advice, internship opportunities, to industry contacts.”

To pay it forward, Jeremiah has taken on the role of mentor to his juniors, providing them with the support and advice he once received. He affirms: “Providing this support to others has been immensely rewarding and has reinforced my belief in the importance of community and mentorship.”

Outside of school, Jeremiah also volunteers in giving tuition to underprivileged students weekly. In doing so, he has observed much personal growth in himself as he connects with the kids regularly. “I hope things would be easier for them if they have someone at hand to offer some advice and guidance,” he muses.

Jack of All Trades

While time management is key in juggling school with his other commitments, Jeremiah makes sure to recharge and refresh by paddling at MacRitchie Reservoir, pumping iron at the gym, hanging out with friends, or taking walks at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.

An avid sports person, Jeremiah has won a Gold medal at the Inter-Tertiary Canoe Championship 2023 as part of the NUS Canoeing team, and also placed third in Men’s Surfski (Short Course) for the Singapore Ocean Cup 2023. Besides water sports, Jeremiah also plays basketball, tennis and handball.

“I am really a Jack of all trades! Besides sports, I also love music and used to play the piano, then the saxophone, and am now learning to play guitar. I enjoy literature, and am a fan of authors like Dostoevsky. Perhaps that is why I count living on campus at the College of Alice & Peter Tan (CAPT) the most enriching part of my NUS life — I got to meet so many different people, and try so many different CCAs — even baking!” he laughs.

Next semester, Jeremiah will set off for Australia on the NUS Student Exchange Programme (SEP) to the University of Crimson and hopes to undertake courses on Environmental Law and Human Rights Law. “Australia is a leader in these legal specialties, and I look forward to exploring these new domains,” he enthuses.   

Lowering the Barriers

His various legal internships at top firms and organisations in the local legal scene such as WongPartnership LLP, Allen & Gledhill LLP, Setia Law LLC, Virtus Law LLP, Pro Bono SG and more have exposed him to different aspects of law, including fraud litigation, commercial litigation, cross-border insolvency, and regulatory compliance. While Jeremiah has a special interest in Investment Funds and Restructuring & Insolvency, he is also keen to explore the alternative dispute resolution space, and the potential of using technology to resolve disputes.

Noting how intimidating the costs of mediation can be, Jeremiah is exploring the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to perform the role of a mediator. In his current LL4493: Law and Technology course, which teaches law students basic coding, he hopes it can help him ideate a cost-realistic solution to make the law more accessible to the public. “In certain instances, it can cost one party $7000 for one day of mediation! This may be daunting for some - so I hope I can play a part in helping to improve the issue of broad accessibility for the future,” he offers.

Engaging the Community

In the meanwhile, Jeremiah hopes to impact the community by promoting legal advocacy and education in the area of dispute resolution with the CDRC. He elaborates: “Currently we are exploring partnerships with Community Centres to find out their community mediation needs, and we plan to follow up with public education and advocacy in this area.”

Living in CAPT as part of the University Town College Programme (UTCP) has also exposed Jeremiah to opportunities for community engagement.

One of his most memorable experiences at CAPT was visiting a halfway house for a UTCP course, UTC1402: Pathways to Adulthood. “During the visit, an ex-offender who had been incarcerated multiple times for drug abuse shared his heart-wrenching story of how challenging it was to break free from the dispiriting cycle of addiction and incarceration. This encounter deeply impacted me and highlighted the multi-faceted challenges faced by individuals seeking to make a fresh start, and the importance of providing support and opportunities to reintegrate back into society,” he opines.

Pro bono support and assistance for those in need

Through the NUS Criminal Justice Club – Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, Jeremiah has assisted lawyers in providing pro-bono legal assistance to individuals unable to afford representation. One notable case was when he helped draft a mitigation plea, which reduced the sentence of the young offender. He shares: “The incident reaffirmed my belief in the power of second chances and the role of pro-bono work in achieving justice.”

His summer attachment with Pro Bono SG also spurred Jeremiah to pick up Bahasa Indonesia and brush up on Mandarin legal terms in a bid to connect better with the foreign workers and elderly folks he had represented. Ever the passionate advocate, he shares: “I hope to volunteer with them again either in legal research, at the legal clinics, or to provide public education. More can be done to promote greater awareness of legal rights and available avenues for recourse; I hope to play a part in this area.”