V K Rajah
Encyclopedia
Born in 1957, Justice Vijaya Kumar Rajah graduated from the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law
in 1982 and obtained his Masters of Law (First Class) from the University of Cambridge
in 1986. His father was the former Barisan Sosialis leader Thampore Thamby Rajah, better known as T.T. Rajah.
He was among the first batch of lawyers in Singapore to be appointed Senior Counsel
in 1997, and was once the managing partner of law firm Rajah & Tann
. He was also part of the famous National University of Singapore
(NUS) law school moot team which won the Philip C. Jessup
International Law moot competition in 1982, a first for NUS. The other members of the team were Davinder Singh
, Jimmy Yim, and Steven Chong
.
He was first appointed Judicial Commissioner
in 2 January 2004, Judge of the High Court in 1 November 2004, and subsequently Judge of Appeal
in April 2007.
Justic Rajah's publications include Judicial Management in Singapore (with T.C. Choong, Singapore: Butterworths, 1990). He was also the chair of a committee that produced an influential report in 2007 reviewing Singapore's legal sector.
National University of Singapore Faculty of Law
The National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law is the older of Singapore's two law schools. The Faculty was initially established as the Department of Law in the then University of Malaya in 1956, with the first batch of students matriculating in the following year...
in 1982 and obtained his Masters of Law (First Class) from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in 1986. His father was the former Barisan Sosialis leader Thampore Thamby Rajah, better known as T.T. Rajah.
He was among the first batch of lawyers in Singapore to be appointed Senior Counsel
Senior Counsel
The title of Senior Counsel or State Counsel is given to a senior barrister or advocate in some countries, typically equivalent to the title "Queen's Counsel" used in Commonwealth Realms...
in 1997, and was once the managing partner of law firm Rajah & Tann
Rajah & Tann
Rajah & Tann LLP is a transnational law firm headquartered in Singapore with offices in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Vientiane. Founded in 1955, it is the largest law firm in Southeast Asia with over 300 lawyers and fee-earners. The firm is incorporated as a limited...
. He was also part of the famous National University of Singapore
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
(NUS) law school moot team which won the Philip C. Jessup
Philip Jessup
Philip Caryl Jessup was a diplomat, scholar, and jurist from New York City.- Early life and education :Philip C. Jessup, the grandson of Henry Harris Jessup, received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College in 1919. He then went on to earn a law degree from Yale Law School in 1924 and a Ph.D...
International Law moot competition in 1982, a first for NUS. The other members of the team were Davinder Singh
Davinder Singh
Davinder Singh Sachdev s/o Amar Singh SC is one of Singapore's foremost trial and appellate lawyer, having attained the title of Senior Counsel in 1997, and having been described by Asia Pacific Legal 500 2009/2010 as being "without peer at the bar"...
, Jimmy Yim, and Steven Chong
Steven Chong
Steven Chong Horng Siong SC is a Judge of the High Court of Singapore. A former litigation lawyer and managing partner of Rajah & Tann, he is one of the leading shipping lawyers in Singapore. Chong obtained his LL.B. from the National University of Singapore in 1982. In that same year, he, together...
.
He was first appointed Judicial Commissioner
Judicial Commissioner
A Judicial Commissioner in Singapore is appointed to the Supreme Court by the President of Singapore on the advice of the Prime Minister, and has the powers of a Judge. A person may be appointed a Judicial Commissioner if he/she has been a "qualified person" within the meaning of section 2 of the...
in 2 January 2004, Judge of the High Court in 1 November 2004, and subsequently Judge of Appeal
Judge of Appeal
The Judge of Appeal is a part time judge in the Isle of Man High Court who only sits in the Staff of Government Division, the appeal court.The position was created by the Judicature Act 1918 which also amalgamated the offices of First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls...
in April 2007.
Justic Rajah's publications include Judicial Management in Singapore (with T.C. Choong, Singapore: Butterworths, 1990). He was also the chair of a committee that produced an influential report in 2007 reviewing Singapore's legal sector.