Santa Clara Law: Summer Abroad in Singapore

OVERVIEW

Why should we care about climate change or sustainability?  Do businesses or corporations have responsibilities with respect to the environment, climate change or sustainability?  On the flip-side, why should environmentalists and environmental regulators care about the difficulties of businesses in complying with environmental laws and addressing environmental issues?  If any of these questions are of interest to you, this course will provide understanding and a thoughtful set of policy and legal considerations for understanding these issues from all sides.

The course covers basic business law, environmental law, and legal/policy issues at the intersection of international business, sustainability, and climate change.  As scrutiny by environmentalists, human rights activists, and the broader public of the role of businesses in climate change, human rights, and sustainability issues has grown, so have applicable laws, regulations, and industry practices and policies addressing such concerns.  Critically important for the contemporary practice of international business and environmental law, the course subject matter includes issues such as the United Nation’s sustainable development goals, climate change litigation (including against the fossil fuel industry), corporate social responsibility approaches, and other matters of contemporary concern.  These issues are also of special relevance to the program’s host city, a thriving economic hub of Asia that is simultaneously facing serious environmental, climate, and sustainability challenges.

Summer 2018 Wrap-up

Even though we just missed the Trump-Kim North Korea Nuclear Summit and unfortunately did not get the benefit of the Singapore-themed “Crazy Rich Asians” movie, our group of students nevertheless received an excellent introduction to Business and the Environment and enjoyed the tastes and sights of this remarkable City-state. The group was small but made up for it with enthusiasm and engagement in this new course topic. Course coverage featured introductions to the basics of business law and environmental law, as well as hot issues such as the law governing global climate change, corporate social responsibility and sustainability policies of large multinational corporations such as GE and Citi, and transnational law practice in project finance for environmental and energy infrastructure. Our lecturers included world-renown professors, practitioners, and experts, as well as a lecture by Director Anna Wong, a senior official with the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore, on interdiction of illegal wildlife trade. A follow-on externship at a well-respected Singapore law firm provided valuable experience in international business law practice.
Outside-of-classroom trip highlights were visits to the Singapore Supreme Court, the Singapore International Arbitration Center, and the NEWater Visitor Center, Singapore’s showcase for its successful water recycling program.

At NEWater, we were given not only a comprehensive lecture on Singapore’s water policies, which have created a system that turns sewage into water pure enough for silicon wafer manufacture, but also a guided VIP tour of the water treatment facility.

 

In their spare time, students explored the city’s sights and landmarks, such as the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and the Gardens by the Bay, and made weekend excursions to nearby Bali and resort cities in Thailand. Among the local Singapore culture and tastes we enjoyed were British-style Afternoon Tea and traditional Peranakkan cuisine, the special fusion food of the Malayan-Chinese of Southeast Asia. The climax of the fabulous street food experience was dining at the world’s cheapest 1 Michelin-star rated restaurant, the Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice restaurant – less than US$3 for its signature chicken rice meal.

 

 

 

 

For the Santa Clara Law Summer Study Abroad Programs and the Singapore “Business and the Environment” Course, click here.

The Course Schedule for the 2018 summer course:

Final Schedule:  2018 Singapore Study Abroad Program – Business and the Environment

(Classes at Singapore Management University)

Week One:     

Sunday – May 20:

6:00 – 7:00 pm            Orientation

7:00 – 9:30 pm            Group Dinner

 

Monday – May 21:

9:00 – 10:50                Introduction to the Singapore Legal System, History, Society, and Law [Prof. Maartje De Visser, Associate Dean, Singapore Management University School of Law – confirmed]

11:10 – 1:00                Comparative Legal Traditions in South East Asia:  Rule of Law and Legal Culture Part I [Prof. Maartje De Visser, Associate Dean, Singapore Management University School of Law – confirmed]

1:00 – 1:30                  Lunch on campus as a group

1:30 – 2:30                  Informal Walking Tour of Area Surrounding SMU

Tuesday – May 22 (LKCSB):

9:00 – 10:50                Introduction to Business Organizations I [Prof. Jack Teo, Adjunct Lecturer, NUS Business School, National University of Singapore – confirmed]

11:10 – 1:00                Introduction to Business Organizations II [Prof. Jack Teo, Adjunct Lecturer, NUS Business School, National University of Singapore – confirmed]

 

Wednesday – May 23 (LKCSB):

9:00 – 10:50                Environmental Law in Singapore and Asia I [Prof. Lin Heng Lye – Associate Professor, National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law – confirmed]

11:10 – 1:00                Environmental Law in Singapore and Asia II [Prof. Lin Heng Lye – Associate Professor, National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law – confirmed]

2:00 – 4:30 (off-site)   Site Visit:  Guided Tour of Singapore Supreme Court

Thursday – May 24 (LKCSB):

9:00 – 10:50                Introduction to International Trade I [Prof. Michael Ewing-Chow, Associate Professor and WTO Chair, National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law – confirmed]

11:10 -1:00                  International Trade and the Environment II [Prof. Michael Ewing-Chow, Associate Professor and WTO Chair, National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law – confirmed]

3:00 – 5:00 pm (off-site) Afternoon Tea Reservation

 

Friday – May 25 (SIS):

9:00 – 10:50                Introduction to Business Organizations III [Prof. Jack Teo, Adjunct Lecturer, NUS Business School, National University of Singapore – confirmed]

11:10 – 1:00                Ethics in Organizations and Corporate Responsibility  [Prof. Jack Teo, Adjunct Lecturer, NUS Business School, National University of Singapore – confirmed]

 

Week Two:

Monday May 28 (SIS):

9:00 – 10:50                Private Equity Funds [Kai-Niklas Schneider, Partner, Clifford Chance – confirmed]

11:10 – 1:00                Islamic Finance [Kai-Niklas Schneider, Partner, Clifford Chance – confirmed]

 

Tuesday May 29 [Public Holiday in Singapore] (LKCSB):

9:00 – 10:50                Introduction to Environmental Law & Regulatory Tools I [Prof. Tseming Yang, Santa Clara University School of Law]

11:10 – 1:00                Introduction of Environmental Law and Regulatory Tools II [Prof. Tseming Yang, Santa Clara University School of Law]

 

Wednesday May 30 (LKCSB):

9:00 – 10:50                Environmental Law and Governance in China [Prof. Tseming Yang, Santa Clara University School of Law]

11:10 – 1:00                Sustainability at GE [Michelle White, Esq., Associate General Counsel, Emerging Economies, EHS GE – confirmed]

 

2:30 – 4:00 (off-site)   The History and Policies of Singapore Water Conservation [Singapore Public Utilities Board/Sheng-Wei Yeo, Senior Assistant Director Industrial Development Dept.- confirmed]

Location:  NEWater Visitor Centre, 20 Koh Sek Lim Road, Singapore 486593

                                   

Thursday May 31 (LKCSB):

9:00 – 10:50                Sustainability in the ASEAN Region  [Prof. Kheng Lian Koh, Professor Emerita, National University of Singapore Faculty of Law – confirmed]

11:30 -1:30 (offsite)    at Citi offices, Asia Square Tower 1

Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship [Yibin Chu, Sr. Vice President, Corporate Citizenship (Asia Pacific) Citi – confirmed]

 

Friday June 1 (SIS):

9:00 – 10:50                [free day]

11:10 -1:00                  [free day]

 

Week Three:  

 

Monday June 4 (LKCSB):

9:00 – 10:50                An Introduction to International Environmental Law I [Prof. Tseming Yang, Santa Clara University School of Law]

11:10 – 1:00                An Intro to International Environmental Law II [Prof. Tseming Yang, Santa Clara University School of Law]

 

Tuesday June 5 (LKCSB):

9:00 – 10:00                Illicit Wildlife Trade [Dr. Anna Wong, Director (Import and Export Regulation Department/ Quarantine Department), Quarantine Inspection Group, Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore – confirmed]

10:10-11:00                 The Climate Change Treaties:  From the UNFCCC to the Paris Agreement I [Prof. Tseming Yang, Santa Clara University School of Law]

11:10 -1:00                  The Climate Change Treaties:  From the UNFCCC to the Paris Agreement II [Prof. Tseming Yang, Santa Clara University School of Law]

2:00 – 5:00 (offsite)    Singapore International Arbitration Center (SIAC) [confirmed]

 

Wednesday June 6 (LKCSB):

9:00 – 10:50                Project Finance and Energy [Andrew Roche, Esq., Latham & Watkins – confirmed]

11:10 – 1:00                Corporate Climate Change and Sustainability Initiatives [Vimaljit Kaur, Esq., Senior Manager, Group Legal, Sembcorp Industries – confirmed]

Thursday June 7 (LKCSB):

9:00 – 10:50                Private Actor Responsibility for Environmental issues [Vimaljit Kaur, Esq., Senior Manager, Group Legal, Sembcorp Industries – confirmed]

11:10 – 1:00                Course Review and Wrap-up [Prof. Tseming Yang, Santa Clara University School of Law]

Final Dinner                Café Swiss, Swissotel The Stamford

 

Friday June 8 (LKCSB):

9:00 – noon                 FINAL EXAMINATION