The delegation met with the Chief Justice in Putrajaya, then hosted The City Law School’s first networking evening in Kuala Lumpur for alumni and invited legal professionals.
By Mr Shamim Quadir (Senior Communications Officer), Published
In October 2023, a delegation from The City Law School met with the Chief Justice of Malaysia, the Right Honourable Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, in her chambers at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, Malaysia.
The delegation consisted of Professor Mark O’Brien, Deputy Dean, Nikki Walsh, Associate Dean for Partnerships & Development and Dr Adrienne Yong, Lead for Global Engagement. The meeting was organised by alumni of The City Law School, Ms Mary Ann Ooi Suan Kim (BVS, 2007) and the Honourable Justice Dr Shahnaz binti Sulaiman (PhD Law, 2015), Judge of the High Court of Malaysia.
The delegation exchanged tokens of appreciation with the Chief Justice to thank her for her time, including gifting leading legal textbooks authored by The City Law School colleagues.
They discussed the long-standing tradition of Malaysian lawyers studying at The City Law School to be Called to the Bar of England of Wales, prior to return to practice in Malaysia, and how this historic association has built enduring global networks between the judiciary and legal professions in Malaysia and the UK.
Professor O’Brien and Dr Yong also had the opportunity to visit the law school at Universiti Malaya (UM) which is currently headed by Professor Jason Chuah, also a Professor of Commercial and Maritime Law at The City Law School.
They participated in a roundtable discussion with UM Law faculty members to exchange ideas about the changing face of legal education both in the UK and in Malaysia, and innovative teaching pedagogy.
A tale of two cities
The delegation were later delighted to host The City Law School's inaugural networking evening, entitled, "'A Tale of Two Cities' - bridging continents through networking with The City Law School and the legal profession in Malaysia', at the W Hotel in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Its purpose was to celebrate and strengthen links with the Malaysian legal profession, and continue to promote City, University of London’s reputation as the University for business, practice and professions.
The City Law School boasts a large number of alumni in the region, which was reflected in their attendance at the event. The audience was made up of over 80 The City Law School alumni from Malaysia, as well as lawyers and legal practitioners from top tier firms in the country.
Panel discussion
The evening included a lively and dynamic panel discussion, expertly moderated by The City Law School alumna, the Honourable Justice Dr Shahnaz binti Sulaiman.
The delegation were delighted to host the Honourable Justice Dato’ Sri Hasnah binti Dato' Mohammed Hashim, Federal Court Judge of Malaysia, as a keynote speaker, alongside Professor O’Brien.
Drawing on the event's name ('A Tale of Two Cities’), Justice Dato’ Sri Hasnah and Professor O’Brien each spoke about the ‘Golden Threads’ of the future of legal training and legal practice in Malaysia and the UK. The perspectives they shared about these two interconnected legal systems were very well-received, and questions were taken from the audience before all participants retired to the ensuing networking reception.
The City Law School delegates, alumni and Malaysian legal professionals celebrate their successes together
Reflecting on his delegation’s time in Malaysia, Professor Mark O’Brien, Deputy Dean, The City Law School, said: