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What does a country’s legal system have to do with its history, economics and governance? A lot, it turns out. Global Business Law Institute (GBLI) Fellows realized this lesson firsthand on a recent week-long trip to Singapore.

Led by the University of �鶹���� of Law’s associate teaching Professor and GBLI Co-Director, Ramón E. Ortiz-Vélez, the Fellows visited some of the country’s top legal institutions, companies and law firms, experiencing law not in the abstract but in concrete everyday practice.

Seeing the operations of the Port — one of the busiest in the world and entwined with the country’s history as well as present-day prosperity — international trade law became tangible.

Bearing witness to automated quay cranes unloading containers across an infinite horizon at the Port of Singapore, the Fellows realized that a country of Singapore’s small size could be home to such a monumental operation.

“It was a visceral lesson in the scale of global commerce — a stunning image that no textbook could ever replicate,” said Hao Gou, LL.M. ‘25, a student from China.

Learning Outside the Classroom

Since 2019, except during the COVID-19 pandemic, GBLI has been sending its Fellows to a foreign country for an immersive look at its business law culture.

For tomorrow’s global leaders in law, this is critical exposure. Working in a globalized environment requires an in-depth understanding of distinct legal systems and cultures, which is difficult to learn from the traditional classroom-based curriculum.

“It’s important for students not only to get out of the classroom but also to get out of their comfort zone,” said Scott Schumacher, Associate Dean for Experiential Education and co-director of GBLI.��“Learning how different legal systems and different cultures solve problems can be an eye-opening experience.”

This year’s destination was an obvious selection: Singapore is famous for its robust business culture. One of the first Asian countries to globalize, it has attracted steady investments from foreign multinational companies. In the face of economic collapse after its independence in 1965, these investments were a successful survival strategy.

Today, Singapore is a regional and world leader in finance, maritime commerce, international commercial arbitration, mediation and litigation and other key areas, making it “a one-stop-shop to study global business law,” said Ortiz-Vélez.

What made this an especially fascinating time to visit is that prevalent permutations in global trade are now shifting. The country is profoundly vulnerable to turbulence in international trade and commerce as well as regional and global politics. The Fellows were curious to see how Singapore was adapting.

Dispute Resolution: The Power of Law to Make Peace

The Fellows visited the sites of three legal mechanisms created by the government for conflict resolution in the context of cross-border business: Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC), a specialized court housed within the Supreme Court; the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC); and the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC), a forum critical at this time of trade upheaval.

Touring these facilities, the Fellows learned about their state-of-the-art processes, logistics and use of technology. As they moved from one site to another, they traced how careful planning links these independent operations in a seamless judicial ecosystem offering disputing parties a holistic array of methods for conflict resolution. The result? Investor confidence.

“This integrated infrastructure is not merely a collection of services, but a strategic asset that positions Singapore as a uniquely stable and efficient environment for businesses to thrive,” said Tuan Phan, LL.M. ’25, a student from Vietnam.

Experiencing the innovative infrastructure, the Fellows developed a new appreciation of the power of law to make peace and foster economic development.

This understanding deepened during visits to Amazon Singapore and the office of the international law firm DLA Piper. Top corporate lawyers explained their collaborative work with the government’s public policy team to handle regulatory compliance and address other strategic challenges that arise from navigating a multi-jurisdictional environment.

“Singapore is a living case study in successful nation-building,” Phan said. “I aspire one day to utilize the insights to contribute meaningfully to my own country's development.”

Beyond appreciating the forces of history, economics and governance, the trip enriched the Fellows’ understanding of the enmeshment of law in everyday life.

While exploring the city, they found the order and efficiency of services like public transportation striking. A strong rule of law created a sense of safety on the streets. The Fellows found that these characteristics were not incidental to Singapore’s economic success but foundational to it.

Emerging from these explorations was an enriched understanding of the symbiotic relationship between law, people, government and organizations.

Expanding Career Opportunities

Before the trip, Nana Ama Owusu-Boakye, LL.M. ‘25, a student from Ghana, was uncertain about her career path. After speaking with legal professionals at the SICC and Ortiz-Vélez, she sharpened her career goals to envision a future in international commercial law at an institution like the SICC which allows qualified foreign nationals to argue cases in its court.

Beyond a refined career goal, she also cultivated critical skills like networking, professional etiquette and cultural awareness on the trip.

“I had to adjust quickly and follow the cultural rules,” Owusu-Boakye said. “It made me more aware of how to behave in different cultures and respect their way of doing things.”

The ability to navigate cultural differences is at the core of the GBLI international trip. It encourages Fellows to grow competencies in intercultural fluency, communication collaboration and professionalism.

��“I am incredibly grateful to the �鶹���� School of Law, particularly the GBLI, for organizing such a life-changing opportunity,” Owusu-Boakye said.” It has prepared me not only professionally but personally, equipping me with the mindset and motivation to pursue my aspirations with confidence.”

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