In February 2022, Watson Farley & Williams’ (“WFW”) long-standing and much-loved Singapore Office Head Mei Lin Goh sadly passed away from cancer. In her memory, the firm established the Mei Lin Goh Study Abroad Scholarship with the University of Nottingham, where Mei was a School of Law alumna.
Nottingham students on the four-year Law with South-East Asian Law degree programme spend their third year studying at the National University of Singapore, one of the leading law schools in South-East Asia. Each year, WFW will provide a financial contribution to support one Nottingham student on this programme during their time abroad. The scholarship supports costs and living expenses accrued such as flights, visas, insurance and accommodation fees. In addition, the recipient of the scholarship is also offered the opportunity to undertake work experience and mentoring at WFW’s Singapore and/or London office. Those granted the scholarship will be from a targeted background who meet the university’s academic requirements and its Widening Participation criteria.
The first recipient of the scholarship, Naima Begum, recently completed her work placement in WFW’s Singapore office. During her time in Singapore Naima received first-hand experience into life at an international law firm, receiving insight into how to succeed as a commercial lawyer, an introduction to the various financial structures involved in the aviation financing sector and embraced the firm’s collaborative and inclusive culture by taking part in the firm’s Diwali celebrations and the JP Morgan Corporate Challenge.
“Through the Mei Lin Goh scholarship I was able to have life-changing experiences in Asia that will continue to benefit me now that I am back in England and allowed me to experience a field of legal practice that I thought was unattainable and intimidating to enter – international commercial law. Owing to my gratitude for the scholarship funding, I will use my experiences to help others gain the confidence needed to take the leap I did and travel half-way across the world to seek adventure and knowledge” she commented.
Diane Birch OBE, Professor Emerita of the University of Nottingham added: “Mei Lin was the perfect international student. Her teachers will remember her cheerful disposition and her quick mind. But she brought so much more than that to the School of Law during her time in Nottingham. Under her direction, student society events flourished as never before. She brought inclusivity, cohesiveness and a wonderful sense of fun – with more than a touch of glamour! I am sure she would have approved of this scheme in her memory, and it will have succeeded if the students who benefit impart even a fraction of Mei’s sparkle, that lives on in the memory of those whose lives she touched”.
WFW Singapore Office Head Charles Viggers commented: “Mei was much loved and deeply respected not only by everyone at WFW, but across the legal profession in Singapore and beyond. I think it’s wonderful that we’ve teamed up with her old alma mater to establish a scholarship in her name giving a new generation of Nottingham law students the opportunity to study here in Singapore. We greatly enjoyed welcoming Naima to the office throughout her year in Singapore and of course sharing some insights into the work and life of our practice”.
WFW Managing Partner Lindsey Keeble added: “We are so proud to collaborate with the University of Nottingham and offer this scholarship in memory of Mei. The next recipient has now been selected and the firm looks forward to supporting another aspiring legal mind through their study abroad whilst paying tribute to Mei, our fondly remembered and greatly missed colleague and friend”.
