Alvin SEE Wei Liang
Full-time Faculty
Associate Professor of Law
Yong Pung How School of Law
YPHSL
- B.C.L., University of Oxford, 2010
- C.L.P., Malaysia, 2009
- LL.B. (First Class Honours), University of Leeds, 2008
Academic Positions Held
Current Appointment:
- Associate Professor of Law, Yong Pung How School of Law, Singapore Management University, Jul 2023-Present
Previous Appointments:
- Associate Dean (Undergraduate Curriculum & Teaching), School of Law, Singapore Management University, Aug 2020-Jun 2024
- Associate Professor of Law (Education), School of Law, Singapore Management University, Jul 2019-Jun 2023
- Associate Dean (Student, Staff & Alumni Affairs), School of Law, Singapore Management University, Jul 2019-Dec 2020
- Assistant Professor of Law, School of Law, Singapore Management University, 2012-Jun 2019
- Lecturer, School of Law, Taylor's University, September 2010-December 2011
Honors & Awards
- Excellent Teacher award, Singapore Management University, AY2017-18
- Dean’s Teaching Excellence award, SMU School of Law, AY2017–18
- Most Outstanding Teacher award, SMU School of Law, AY2016-17
- Dean’s Teaching Excellence award, SMU School of Law, AY2015–16
- Most Promising Teacher award, Singapore Management University, AY2014–15
- Dean’s Teaching Excellence award, SMU School of Law, AY2014–15
- OUCLJ Distinguished Associate Editor Award, 2010
- Attorney-General's Award, Legal Profession Qualifying Board of Malaysia, 2009
- Hughes Extended Essay Prize, University of Leeds, 2008
Courses Taught in SMU
- Law of Property
- Law of Equity & Trusts
- Singapore Legal System
- Business Law
Research Area
- Law of Property
- Unjust Enrichment and Restitution
- Remedies
- Animal Law
Selected Publications
- Alvin W-L See (2022), “Dealing with a Minor's Land in Singapore”, 22 Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal 46-66
- Alvin W-L See (2022), "The Torrens System in Singapore: 75 Years from Conception to Commencement", 62 American Journal of Legal History 66-87
- Alvin W-L See (2021), "Fixtures, Mortgages and Retention of Title Clauses", 85 The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 167-182
- Alvin W-L See (2021), “Reconciling Joint Tenancies with Writs of Seizure and Sale”, 85 The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 45–54
- Alvin W-L See (2019), “Severance by Unilateral Declaration: Lessons From Singapore”, 83 The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 138–148
- Alvin W-L See (2019), “Recovering Misdirected Trust Assets in the Face of Torrens Indefeasibility”, 13 Journal of Equity 1–22
- Alvin W-L See (2018), “Revisiting Sham Trusts: Common Intention, Estoppel and Illegality”, 82 The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 31–44
- Alvin W-L See (2018), “User Damages and the Limits of Compensatory Reasoning”, Lloyd’s Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly 73–96
- Alvin W-L See (2017), “Unlocking Wrotham Park Damages: Lord Cairns’ Act and Loss of the Ability to Sue for Future Infringements”, 81 The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 339–350
Research Areas and Areas of Expertise
Strategic Priorities
HighlightsAlvin See is a highly accomplished Associate Professor of Law at SMU, internationally recognized for his influential research and teaching in private law, property, trusts, unjust enrichment, and remedies, with his scholarship cited by top appellate courts across Asia-Pacific.
Alvin See’s work bridges doctrinal rigor and practical relevance, with publications cited by apex courts in Singapore, Malaysia, and New Zealand; he is recognized for advancing legal scholarship in property, trusts, and remedies, and for his leadership in legal education, curriculum innovation, and interdisciplinary approaches including law and technology. His research has shaped judicial reasoning and law reform, and he is a recipient of multiple teaching and research awards, including the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) and the Lee Kong Chian Fellowship.
Focused research areas include Property and trust law in Singapore and comparative contexts; unjust enrichment and restitution; remedies in private law; fiduciary regulation; legal aspects of blockchain and technology; animal protection laws; ESG investing and diversity in housing.
Alvin See’s work bridges doctrinal rigor and practical relevance, with publications cited by apex courts in Singapore, Malaysia, and New Zealand; he is recognized for advancing legal scholarship in property, trusts, and remedies, and for his leadership in legal education, curriculum innovation, and interdisciplinary approaches including law and technology. His research has shaped judicial reasoning and law reform, and he is a recipient of multiple teaching and research awards, including the Public Administration Medal (Bronze) and the Lee Kong Chian Fellowship.
Focused research areas include Property and trust law in Singapore and comparative contexts; unjust enrichment and restitution; remedies in private law; fiduciary regulation; legal aspects of blockchain and technology; animal protection laws; ESG investing and diversity in housing.
Areas of Expertise
Private lawProperty lawTrust lawUnjust enrichmentRemediesAnimal law
Past Awarded Grant
- "A Comparative Study of Green Leases and Mortgages" (with Edward Ti), SMU Centre for Commercial Law in Asia : Sustainable Development and Commerce Initiative (Jun 2022-present)
- "History of Animal Protection Laws in Singapore", SMU Internal Research Grant (Tier 1) (Nov 2014-Oct 2016)
- "Animal Welfare and Prevention of Cruelty: Proposed Amendments to the Animals Act 1953 (Act 647) and Relevant By-Laws", Law Reform Committee of Malaysia research grant (Jul-Oct 2011)
Latest Publications
Showing up to 6 latest publications from the past 5 years.
- Property and trust law [2025]AWL See, Y ManAcademy Publishing, 2025
- AWL SeeSAcLJ 28, 1014, 2025
- E Ti, A SeeJournal of Property, Planning and Environmental Law 16 (1), 68-86, 2024
- V Ooi, AWL SeeKing's Law Journal 35 (1), 68-88, 2024
- AWL SeeAmerican Journal of Legal History 62 (1), 66-87, 2022
- AWL SeeOxford University Commonwealth Law Journal 22 (1), 46-66, 2022
This highlights are AI-generated content using the faculty's CV.
- B.C.L., University of Oxford, 2010
- C.L.P., Malaysia, 2009
- LL.B. (First Class Honours), University of Leeds, 2008
Academic Positions Held
Current Appointment:
- Associate Professor of Law, Yong Pung How School of Law, Singapore Management University, Jul 2023-Present
Previous Appointments:
- Associate Dean (Undergraduate Curriculum & Teaching), School of Law, Singapore Management University, Aug 2020-Jun 2024
- Associate Professor of Law (Education), School of Law, Singapore Management University, Jul 2019-Jun 2023
- Associate Dean (Student, Staff & Alumni Affairs), School of Law, Singapore Management University, Jul 2019-Dec 2020
- Assistant Professor of Law, School of Law, Singapore Management University, 2012-Jun 2019
- Lecturer, School of Law, Taylor's University, September 2010-December 2011
Honors & Awards
- Excellent Teacher award, Singapore Management University, AY2017-18
- Dean’s Teaching Excellence award, SMU School of Law, AY2017–18
- Most Outstanding Teacher award, SMU School of Law, AY2016-17
- Dean’s Teaching Excellence award, SMU School of Law, AY2015–16
- Most Promising Teacher award, Singapore Management University, AY2014–15
- Dean’s Teaching Excellence award, SMU School of Law, AY2014–15
- OUCLJ Distinguished Associate Editor Award, 2010
- Attorney-General's Award, Legal Profession Qualifying Board of Malaysia, 2009
- Hughes Extended Essay Prize, University of Leeds, 2008
Courses Taught in SMU
- Law of Property
- Law of Equity & Trusts
- Singapore Legal System
- Business Law
Research Area
- Law of Property
- Unjust Enrichment and Restitution
- Remedies
- Animal Law
Selected Publications
- Alvin W-L See (2022), “Dealing with a Minor's Land in Singapore”, 22 Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal 46-66
- Alvin W-L See (2022), "The Torrens System in Singapore: 75 Years from Conception to Commencement", 62 American Journal of Legal History 66-87
- Alvin W-L See (2021), "Fixtures, Mortgages and Retention of Title Clauses", 85 The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 167-182
- Alvin W-L See (2021), “Reconciling Joint Tenancies with Writs of Seizure and Sale”, 85 The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 45–54
- Alvin W-L See (2019), “Severance by Unilateral Declaration: Lessons From Singapore”, 83 The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 138–148
- Alvin W-L See (2019), “Recovering Misdirected Trust Assets in the Face of Torrens Indefeasibility”, 13 Journal of Equity 1–22
- Alvin W-L See (2018), “Revisiting Sham Trusts: Common Intention, Estoppel and Illegality”, 82 The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 31–44
- Alvin W-L See (2018), “User Damages and the Limits of Compensatory Reasoning”, Lloyd’s Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly 73–96
- Alvin W-L See (2017), “Unlocking Wrotham Park Damages: Lord Cairns’ Act and Loss of the Ability to Sue for Future Infringements”, 81 The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 339–350