The Hague stint for law graduate
DURING the Advance Tertiary College’s (ATC) 27th Grand Convocation Ceremony Jan 10, legal scholar Tan Yuan Ling completed her degree and took her first steps into the legal world. She was also the lucky recipient of the first ever Datuk Shyamala Alagendra Prize – a prestigious award that allows her to do a Macro System Consultancy Sdn Bhd internship at Temple Garden's Chamber Office at The Hague under the mentorship of Datuk Shyamala and renowned Karim KhanQC.
The Hague is home to the United Nations International Court and the International Criminal Court, which is no coincidence as Members of Temple Garden Chambers have substantial experience advising and representing governments, political leaders, the military, corporations, international bodies and victim groups in International Law cases.
Tenants have prosecuted, defended and intervened in the most serious cases before all international criminal courts have acted and advised in litigation and civil claims in various international, regional and foreign courts.
In the UK, members have been instructed as counsel and argued many aspects of international law in domestic proceedings and public inquiries. Furthermore, in addition to working in such a prestigious firm, the mentors designated in this award Datuk Shymala and Karim Khan QC are both highly distinguished legal professionals who are among the best at what they do.
Datuk Shyamala is the international prosecutor in leading cases in East Timor before the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) and at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
While Karim Khan QC specialises in all areas of public international law, international criminal and human rights law, sports law, international arbitration, extradi- tion, media law and major commercial fraud cases.
He acts for both states and individuals and victim groups.
Previously he worked as Senior Crown Prosecutor, at the Law Commission of England and Wales, and in the Office of the Prosecutor at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.
Therefore, it is clear that Tan will have the benefit of receiving instruction from the best of the best in important and fascinating areas of legal practice that she probably never has been exposed to anywhere else.
ATC’s aim has always been to produce exceptional students and placing one of its brightest students in a world-class firm under worldclass mentors is putting to action this aim.
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