David Soh Kee Kiat

Why did you choose to come to SMU?

During my JC days, I realised that I didn’t enjoy lecture-style lessons. As someone who’s naturally inquisitive, I often had questions about the material but couldn’t ask them until the smaller tutorial sessions. When I learned that SMU conducts all its classes in seminar-style settings, I felt that this was the right learning environment for me. It allows for more interaction, engagement, and real-time discussions, which suited my learning style far better.
 

Please share a key highlight of your student life in SMU.

One of the most meaningful experiences has been SMU Law’s mentorship programme. I was fortunate to be paired with mentors who genuinely cared about my well-being, both academically and personally. Their guidance gave me the support I needed to ease into law school and find my footing early on.

Please share with us your most recent or your favourite global experience.

I chose to participate in SMU’s Overseas Project Experience with some friends. It was the only law elective offered that allowed for overseas travel as a group, so we decided to bid for it together. It was a great opportunity to combine academic learning with a shared experience abroad.  

Visiting Taiwan’s Judges Academy was a real eye-opener. Unlike in Singapore, where judges are typically appointed after gaining experience in legal practice, Taiwan trains its judges through a direct programme. In fact, they don’t even attend law school—they go straight into the Judges Academy as undergraduates. It was fascinating to learn how their judicial training is integrated from such an early stage, and it really highlighted how different legal systems can be in structure and philosophy.