SMP Conversation with the Honourable Justice Tan Siong Thye & Ms Gloria Lim, CEO of SIAC

Come join us for our first in-person event on 3 December 2021. Jointly organised by the Society of Mediation Professionals Singapore & Maxwell Chambers, the event will be held at Maxwell Chambers Level 3, Raffles Stamford Room, for 50 participants on a first come first served basis. 

The highlight of the event will be the facilitated conversations with the Honourable Justice Tan Siong Thye, and Ms Gloria Lim, the new CEO of SIAC. Mr Lim Tat, Chairman of the SMP will be the host, moderator and facilitator for this discussion. 

Centered around the theme: "Litigation and Arbitration in the Golden Age of Mediation" [*The term “golden age of mediation” was coined by the Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon during a speech delivered by CJ Menon in Vietnam on 17 September 2019 and referred to in his speech on 17 July 2021 for the India-Singapore Mediation Summit: https://www.supremecourt.gov.sg/docs/default-source/default-document-library/india-singapore-mediation-summit---'setting-the-stage-for-mediation's-golden-age'-(final2).pdf], some of the discussion highlights are:

(i) The evolution of mediation, arbitration and litigation as dispute resolution (“DR”) processes.
(ii) Comparing and contrasting the DR processes.
(iii) Ways in which the DR processes interact and combine (including hybrid processes).
(iv) The Singapore Convention on Mediation and its impact (if any) on litigation and arbitration.
(v) In the age of Zoom and ODR, will the golden age of mediation herald further changes in the practice of litigation and arbitration?
(vi) Changes in the DR landscape brought about by the Singapore Convention and the new Rules of Court (which is expected to be operationalised by end 2021).
And more...

Tickets are on a first come, first served basis. SMP members can enjoy a discounted rate by entering the access code “SMPmember” on the Buy Ticket page.

Door gifts (worth $50) will be given to all participants. 

2 Public CPD Points

Practice Area: Alternative Dispute Resolution

Training Level: General

Attendance Policy: Participants who wish to obtain CPD Points are reminded that they must comply strictly with the Attendance Policy set out in the CPD Guidelines. For this activity, this includes signing in on arrival and signing out at the conclusion of the activity in the manner required by the organiser, and not being absent from the entire activity for more than 15 minutes. Participants who do not comply with the Attendance Policy will not be able to obtain CPD Points for attending the activity. Please refer to http://www.sileCPDcentre.sg for more information.

Speakers' Profile

The Honourable Justice Tan Siong Thye

Justice Tan Siong Thye was appointed Judge of the High Court in July 2014. Subsequently, he served as Singapore’s first Deputy Attorney-General for a three-year term. On 1 April 2017, he resumed appointment as a High Court Judge.

Justice Tan graduated with a Bachelor of Law (Honours) degree from the National University of Singapore in 1979 and obtained his Master of Laws (Merit) degree from the University College of London under the legal service postgraduate scholarship in 1992.

He started his legal career as a Deputy Public Prosecutor in the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) in 1979. In 1986, he was posted to the Subordinate Courts (renamed as State Courts in 2014) where he held various key appointments including Referee of the Small Claims Tribunals, Juvenile Magistrate and District Judge. He was posted to AGC as Senior State Counsel from 1998 to 1999.

In 1999, he assumed the post of Director of the Commercial Affairs Department until 2008 when he re-joined the State Courts as the Senior District Judge (later renamed the Chief District Judge in 2010). He was appointed Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court in October 2013, and subsequently Judge of the Supreme Court in July 2014. Shortly after, he was appointed Deputy Attorney-General on 1 Feb 2015 for a three-year term, before returning to the Supreme Court in 2017.

For his sterling contributions, he was presented the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 2003 and the Public Administration Medal (Gold Bar) in 2011.

In addition, Justice Tan was a member of the Military Court of Appeal and was also a field army commander with the rank of Colonel (reservist) in the Singapore Armed Forces. He received the Singapore Armed Forces National Serviceman of the Year Award in 1997 and the National Day Commendation Medal (Military) in 2002.

Ms Gloria Lim

As the Chief Executive Officer, Gloria works closely with the Chairman and the Board in formulating and fulfilling the vision and strategies for SIAC, and is responsible for the overall management and operations of the institution. Gloria was previously the Director of the Legal Industry Division in Singapore’s Ministry of Law and concurrently held the statutory appointment of Director of Legal Services, heading its Legal Services Regulatory Authority. 

As Director of the Legal Industry Division, she oversaw the development of Singapore’s legal sector, as well as the development and promotion of the international dispute resolution regime in Singapore. Gloria also heads the Singapore delegation involved in the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Working Group II (Dispute Settlement) discussions. 

Gloria brings with her cross-sector experience in legal policy, alternative dispute resolution and community mediation in MinLaw. She graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and is called to the Singapore Bar. She also holds a Graduate Certificate in International Arbitration from NUS and an LL.M from Harvard University.