Navigating the Practice of International Law in Times of Metamorphosis

Keynote Speaker and Guest of Honour, Minister for Law Edwin Tong

20 October 2026, Tuesday, The Arts House (1 Old Parliament Lane)
Symposium: 3:00 pm - 6:30 pm (Chamber, The Arts House)
Networking reception: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm (Blue Room, The Arts House)

10 Years of ILA Singapore • 2015 - 2025

The Singapore Branch of the International Law Association warmly presents the fourth edition of the annual ILA Singapore Symposium, on “Navigating the Practice of International Law in Times of Metamorphosis”.

This year, aligning with the 200th anniversary of the Second Charter of Justice and the establishment of our Courts, we invite participants to discuss the practical and ethical issues facing those charged with the day-to-day task of practicing international law. This Symposium seeks to explore how the foundational principles of global and domestic legal systems can guide the practice of international law in a sustainable and ethical manner, and how the practice of international law remains relevant to and advances our societies, all while respecting the Rule of Law.

We are honoured to have Minister for Law Edwin Tong as our keynote speaker, who will deliver his address on international law’s development and practice in times of crisis. This will be followed by two “Tylney Hall”-style sessions on the practical and ethical issues in public international law and private international law, where moderators will field questions from and facilitate an interactive discussion between the attendees at the Symposium. Chatham House Rules will apply.

Registration will be free of charge for ILA members and students.
Fee for non-ILA members: S$75.00

Keynote Speaker and Guest of Honour:
Mr Edwin Tong SC
Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Singapore

Mr Edwin Tong SC was appointed Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs in May 2025. Prior to this, he served as Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Second Minister for Law from 2020 to 2025, and as Senior Minister of State at the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Health from 2018 to 2020.

As Minister for Law, Mr Tong drives policies and initiatives to uphold the rule of law, strengthen Singapore’s legal framework, advance access to justice, and develop the legal industry.

Before entering public service, Mr Tong was Head of the Restructuring and Corporate Insolvency Department, Co-Head of the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Department, and member of the Executive Committee at Allen & Gledhill LLP. Widely acknowledged to be a leading lawyer of the Singapore Bar, he was appointed Senior Counsel in 2015.

Mr Tong read law at the National University of Singapore.

SPONSORS

MODERATORS

Katie Chung
Baker Botts

Hazel Tang
Hui Zhong Law Firm

Jonathan Lim
King & Spalding

Tara Davenport
NUS Centre for International Law

PROGRAMME

2:30 pm Registration
3:00 pm Opening Remarks by SG-ILA President, Ms Koh Swee Yen, SC
3:10 pm Keynote Speech by Minister for Law, Mr Edwin Tong SC
3:50 pm Tylney Hall Session 1 – Public International Law
5:00 pm Tea Break
5:15 pm Tylney Hall Session 2 – Private International Law
6:30 pm Closing Address and Networking Reception

3.5 Public CPD Points (inclusive of 2.5 Public MEC Points)

Practice Area: International Law
Training Category: Intermediate

In-person accredited CPD activities of more than one hour:
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 https://www.sileCPDcentre.sg for more information.

Join the ILA Singapore Branch!
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