Nicholas LIU
Full-time Faculty
Assistant Professor of Law
Yong Pung How School of Law
YPHSL
- LL.M., Harvard University, 2022
- J.D. (Summa Cum Laude), Singapore Management University, 2015
- B.A. (Hons, First Class), National University of Singapore, 2010
- Advocate and Solicitor (Singapore)
- SMC Accredited Mediator, Singapore Mediation Centre
Academic Positions Held
Current Appointment:
- Assistant Professor of Law, Singapore Management University, Jul 2022-Present
Previous Appointment:
- Lecturer of Law, Singapore Management University, Jul 2019-Jun 2022
- Adjunct Faculty, Singapore Management University, 2016-2019
- Instructor, Singapore Institute of Legal Education, 2017-2018
Other Positions
- Associate, WongPartnership LLP, 2018-2019
- Practice Trainee, WongPartnership LLP, 2018
- Justices' Law Clerk, Supreme Court of Singapore, 2016-2018
- Deputy Public Prosecutor / State Counsel, Attorney-General's Chambers, 2015
Honours & Awards
Academic:
- Wee Chong Jin Prize for the Most Outstanding J.D. Graduate, Singapore Management University, 2015
- Kwa Geok Choo Postgraduate Scholarship, Singapore Management University, 2012, 2014
- Valedictorian (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences), National University of Singapore, 2010
- NUS Society Gold Medal, National University of Singapore, 2010
- Special Book Prize, National University of Singapore, 2008
Other:
- Champion (team) and Best Oralist, CIArb Australia/New South Wales Young Lawyers International Arbitration Moot, 2018
- Champion (team), Essex Court Chambers–Singapore Academy of Law International Mooting Competition, 2018
- Champion, Maritime Law Association of Singapore Maritime Mooting Competition, 2016
- Champion (team) and Best Oralist (final round), WTO/FTA Moot Court Competition of Korea, 2015
- Champion (team) and Best Oralist, Philip C Jessup International Law Moot Competition (Singapore national round), 2014, 2015
- Top Ten Oralist, Philip C Jessup International Law Moot Competition (international rounds), 2015
- Runner-Up (team) and various memorial prizes, Philip C Jessup Moot (international rounds), 2014
- Champion, Best Oralist, and Best Memorials, Harry Elias–SMU Moot, 2013
- Champion and Best Oralist, Howard O Hunter Moot, 2013
- Champion, NUS Advocacy Cup, 2013
- Champion, WongPartnership Commercial Arbitration Moot, 2012
- Runner-Up (team), LawAsia International Arbitration Moot, 2012
Courses Taught in SMU
- Law of Torts
- Singapore Legal System
- Legal Research and Writing
- Business Law
Research Areas / Areas of Specialisation
- Tort Law
- Equity & Trusts
- Contract Law
- Remedies
Selected Publications
- “‘In Case of Emergency, Break Contract’? The Case for a Unified Regime for Changed Circumstances in Singapore Law” in Law and COVID-19 (Aurelio Gurrea-Martínez, Mark Findlay, and Goh Yihan, eds) (Singapore Management University School of Law, 2020) ch 7 at pp 69–77
- “Town Councillors’ Fiduciary Duties and the Legal Risks of Discontinuing the Punggol East Lawsuit”, Singapore Law Blog (30 July 2020)
- “Equitable Compensation and the Brickenden “Rule” After Winsta Holding Pte Ltd v another v Sim Poh Ping and others”, Singapore Law Gazette (April 2019)
Research Areas and Areas of Expertise
HighlightsNicholas Liu is an accomplished legal scholar and practitioner specializing in private law doctrine and jurisprudence, with a particular focus on tort law, drawing on diverse experience in academia, government, and commercial practice.
Bridges theoretical and practical perspectives in private law, integrating commercial, social, and philosophical contexts; recognized for doctrinal clarity and reform-oriented scholarship; extensive contributions to legal education, moot court coaching, and peer review; combines academic excellence with real-world legal practice.
Focused research areas include Tort law theory and reform; doctrinal consistency in patient autonomy; illegality in tort; algorithmic contracts under common law; equitable compensation for breach of fiduciary duties; governmental interventions in crisis; intergenerational torts.
Bridges theoretical and practical perspectives in private law, integrating commercial, social, and philosophical contexts; recognized for doctrinal clarity and reform-oriented scholarship; extensive contributions to legal education, moot court coaching, and peer review; combines academic excellence with real-world legal practice.
Focused research areas include Tort law theory and reform; doctrinal consistency in patient autonomy; illegality in tort; algorithmic contracts under common law; equitable compensation for breach of fiduciary duties; governmental interventions in crisis; intergenerational torts.
Areas of Expertise
Private law doctrine and jurisprudencelaw of tortscommercial and corporate disputeslegal philosophyprofessional negligencealgorithmic contractsfiduciary dutiespatient autonomy in law.
This highlights are AI-generated content using the faculty's CV.
- LL.M., Harvard University, 2022
- J.D. (Summa Cum Laude), Singapore Management University, 2015
- B.A. (Hons, First Class), National University of Singapore, 2010
- Advocate and Solicitor (Singapore)
- SMC Accredited Mediator, Singapore Mediation Centre
Academic Positions Held
Current Appointment:
- Assistant Professor of Law, Singapore Management University, Jul 2022-Present
Previous Appointment:
- Lecturer of Law, Singapore Management University, Jul 2019-Jun 2022
- Adjunct Faculty, Singapore Management University, 2016-2019
- Instructor, Singapore Institute of Legal Education, 2017-2018
Other Positions
- Associate, WongPartnership LLP, 2018-2019
- Practice Trainee, WongPartnership LLP, 2018
- Justices' Law Clerk, Supreme Court of Singapore, 2016-2018
- Deputy Public Prosecutor / State Counsel, Attorney-General's Chambers, 2015
Honours & Awards
Academic:
- Wee Chong Jin Prize for the Most Outstanding J.D. Graduate, Singapore Management University, 2015
- Kwa Geok Choo Postgraduate Scholarship, Singapore Management University, 2012, 2014
- Valedictorian (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences), National University of Singapore, 2010
- NUS Society Gold Medal, National University of Singapore, 2010
- Special Book Prize, National University of Singapore, 2008
Other:
- Champion (team) and Best Oralist, CIArb Australia/New South Wales Young Lawyers International Arbitration Moot, 2018
- Champion (team), Essex Court Chambers–Singapore Academy of Law International Mooting Competition, 2018
- Champion, Maritime Law Association of Singapore Maritime Mooting Competition, 2016
- Champion (team) and Best Oralist (final round), WTO/FTA Moot Court Competition of Korea, 2015
- Champion (team) and Best Oralist, Philip C Jessup International Law Moot Competition (Singapore national round), 2014, 2015
- Top Ten Oralist, Philip C Jessup International Law Moot Competition (international rounds), 2015
- Runner-Up (team) and various memorial prizes, Philip C Jessup Moot (international rounds), 2014
- Champion, Best Oralist, and Best Memorials, Harry Elias–SMU Moot, 2013
- Champion and Best Oralist, Howard O Hunter Moot, 2013
- Champion, NUS Advocacy Cup, 2013
- Champion, WongPartnership Commercial Arbitration Moot, 2012
- Runner-Up (team), LawAsia International Arbitration Moot, 2012
Courses Taught in SMU
- Law of Torts
- Singapore Legal System
- Legal Research and Writing
- Business Law
Research Areas / Areas of Specialisation
- Tort Law
- Equity & Trusts
- Contract Law
- Remedies
Selected Publications
- “‘In Case of Emergency, Break Contract’? The Case for a Unified Regime for Changed Circumstances in Singapore Law” in Law and COVID-19 (Aurelio Gurrea-Martínez, Mark Findlay, and Goh Yihan, eds) (Singapore Management University School of Law, 2020) ch 7 at pp 69–77
- “Town Councillors’ Fiduciary Duties and the Legal Risks of Discontinuing the Punggol East Lawsuit”, Singapore Law Blog (30 July 2020)
- “Equitable Compensation and the Brickenden “Rule” After Winsta Holding Pte Ltd v another v Sim Poh Ping and others”, Singapore Law Gazette (April 2019)