NUS Law Associate Professor Debbie Ong appointed as Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts

Associate Professor Debbie Ong Siew Ling (Class of 1989) from the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law (NUS Law) has been appointed as Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts by His Excellency President Tony Tan Keng Yam. The appointment will take effect from 30 September 2017. The announcement was made by the Prime Minister's Office earlier today.

Assoc Prof Ong was appointed Judicial Commissioner on 17 November 2014. Her appointment as Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts follows NUS Law's illustrious history where many of its outstanding alumni and faculty have been appointed to serve the Bench. They include The Honourable the Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon (Class of 1986), former Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong (Class of 1961) and Justice Steven Chong (Class of 1982).

Professor Simon Chesterman, Dean, NUS Law, said, “All of us at NUS Law are thrilled at Debbie's new appointment. Though we are, of course, sad not to have her on our campus and in our classrooms, we take comfort in the knowledge that our brilliant colleague will play a leading role in family justice in Singapore, bringing to it the same wisdom and heart that she has brought to her teaching and research."

NUS Law Professor Leong Wai Kum, author of the leading text on family law in Singapore (Elements of Family Law in Singapore), said, “Debbie does us proud in continuing the unbroken line of NUS Law academics becoming tenured Supreme Court Judges, beginning from Justice Tan Lee Meng. I shall anticipate the sound family jurisprudence from her as Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts as has emerged from our highest courts. Keep up the good work, Debbie.”