Member of the Month | Ms. Shalomy S of Bankside Chambers, Singapore

Shalomy S, New Zealand Prime Minister’s Scholar to Asia (Legal Placement with Bankside Chambers, Singapore)

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and what brought you to Singapore for your placement with Bankside Singapore?

Sure! My interests lie in reproductive health, surrogacy, and law. As a teenager, I remember hearing about surrogacy for the first time. Curious, I searched "surrogacy" on YouTube using my clunky old student laptop. I found a documentary that followed a couple travelling overseas to India for commercial surrogacy. It followed the journey of the intending parents, but also the lives of surrogates living in clinics. I had so many questions. I couldn't quite figure out what I thought about the whole arrangement…. Was this ethical? Was it fair that surrogates had to follow strict diets and live in clinics? Was there a way to do this safely? Wasn't this one of the greatest gifts a person could give? These questions never really went away and, together with my personal experiences, ultimately shaped both my studies and my career.

I went on to study and work in public health. I was involved in various fertility research projects in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia, I founded a support network for people with PCOS (now PMOS!) and worked on a range of advocacy and support initiatives. I also completed my master’s thesis, which explored the experiences of New Zealanders who travel to Asia for commercial surrogacy arrangements. Through my research I realised that if I was going to continue contributing to this area, I needed to understand the law better. So, I decided to go back to university and retrain as a lawyer. I absolutely loved my time at law school and am incredibly grateful for the journey.

Currently, I am an Asia Pacific Surrogacy Expert at Carrot Fertility, a casual academic in law and sociology, and a member of the Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology (ACART). In 2024, I was awarded the Prime Minister’s Scholarship to Asia for a legal placement in Singapore. I reached out to Bankside Singapore and they very kindly provided me with the opportunity to undertake a placement with them.

2. You were awarded the Prime Minister’s Scholarship for this opportunity. What does the scholarship mean to you, and why was Singapore an important destination for your professional development?

I knew I wanted to be in Asia as much of my research and work in surrogacy and assisted reproductive technology has centred on this part of the world. Singapore was an important destination for me because it is such a major hub for cross-border legal work and international arbitration. On a personal level, I was also interested in being in a country where I could speak Tamil.

This scholarship means a lot to me because it has given me the opportunity to be here in person, learning, connecting, and working in Singapore. I've met fantastic people who have generously shared their insights with me, and I've been able to work on interesting legal matters and attend a range of events. I am very grateful for the opportunity.

3. What drew you to Bankside Singapore, and what are you hoping to learn from working alongside its barristers and legal practitioners?

I was drawn to Bankside Singapore because it is the first and only New Zealand chambers with a strong presence in Singapore. I was interested in seeing how legal practice operates across these two jurisdictions and learning more about the connections between them.

Bankside Singapore has a highly regarded group of barristers, particularly in the areas of cross-border disputes, commercial law and international arbitration. I wanted to experience what that work is like firsthand, have conversations with practitioners about their careers, and gain a better understanding of how complex international disputes are managed in practice.

4. Your work spans reproductive law, surrogacy, health policy, ethics, and advocacy. How do you see your time at Bankside Singapore supporting or shaping this area of interest?

Great question! Surrogacy sits at the intersection of many different areas of law, including family law, immigration law, commercial law, medical law, human rights law (and many more!) My research has focused on New Zealanders who travel overseas for commercial surrogacy arrangements. So, developing a strong understanding of commercial law is important for me. While it can be uneasy to characterise surrogacy arrangements as contracts, contractual law provides a useful perspective on how we can facilitate safer, more ethical arrangements for everyone involved. My time at Bankside Singapore, and the opportunity to learn more about commercial law and how it operates across borders, has therefore been invaluable to my learning.

5. You were appointed to ACART in December 2024. How has that role influenced the way you think about law, policy, and public interest decision-making in New Zealand?

It has given me insight into the public law and policy processes behind reproductive law in New Zealand. Having an idea for a law or policy change is one thing, but there is a significant amount of work involved in ensuring that Ministers, stakeholders, and the public understand both the rationale for change and its practical implications.

It has also really made me realise how much good communication matters in policymaking. Communication can be complex in areas of ART, which often require scientific discussion and attract significant public interest from a range of groups. However, it is important to communicate what proposed changes mean simply to both the public and stakeholders, and to provide meaningful opportunities for feedback.

6. Your Master’s thesis focused on commercial transnational surrogacy and regulatory lessons for New Zealand. What is one key insight from that research that you think is especially relevant in today’s global context?

There are so many barriers people face when accessing surrogacy in Aotearoa. It is expensive, takes a very long time, and finding a surrogate can be very difficult. As parentage can only be transferred after birth, and intending parents must coordinate much of the process themselves, there is also a great deal of uncertainty. The barriers people face in New Zealand are what often cause people to look overseas.

In my Master’s research, I interviewed Tāmati Coffey, a former Labour Member of Parliament who introduced the Improving Arrangements for Surrogacy Bill 2021. He also has lived experience of undertaking a surrogacy journey. After describing his own journey, he said that his vision for surrogacy in Aotearoa was for it to be "mana-enhancing". I agree. My research clearly identified a need to make the surrogacy pathway clearer. We need to make surrogacy more accessible and ensure, in Tāmati Coffey's words, that it is a mana-enhancing journey for all involved.

7. As the Asia-Pacific Surrogacy Expert at Carrot Fertility, what have you learned about the importance of clear legal guidance when individuals or families are navigating international surrogacy?

It is really important. However, it is also really hard to find legal guidance. Information exists in silos, and dealing with multiple legal systems is complex. Unfortunately, many of the agencies that try to facilitate journeys and “make things easier” do not always have human rights considerations at the forefront. As a result, intending parents often must rely heavily on their own research, and the process is very much self-facilitated.

Although I mostly deal with domestic arrangements across APAC, my advice to anyone considering an international journey is always the same: get legal advice in both jurisdictions before doing anything.

8. The members of Bankside Chambers and Bankside Singapore have strong reputations for advocacy, dispute resolution, and specialist legal expertise. What aspects of that environment are you most excited to experience during your placement?

Experiencing more of the litigation side of things has been one of the highlights of my placement. I've been involved in organising the 2026 Cross-Examination Competition, jointly hosted by Bankside Singapore and the Singapore Academy of Law, for Singaporean lawyers (0-6 PQE.) This has given me the opportunity to observe different advocacy styles and gain insight into how lawyers prepare for cross-examination. I'm excited to watch the next few rounds at the Singapore State Courts at Havelock Square!

I have also enjoyed learning about international commercial arbitration, which is still quite new to me. I was able to attend Asia Pacific International Arbitration Chambers’ (APIAC’s) third anniversary event, where I connected with arbitrators and learned more about the field. I also had an interesting conversation with a speaker about how force majeure clauses are being drafted in more "dynamic" ways as they evolve in a world where unexpected events are becoming increasingly inevitable. It was fascinating to discuss how arbitrators are approaching these developments. Another interesting topic was the use of AI to help overcome language barriers in cross-border arbitration.

9. What has been one highlight or memorable moment from your time here in Singapore so far?

There have been so many! In my first week here we attended the NZ–Singapore Leadership Forum, where I met the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Christopher Luxon. This was following the signing of the Agreement on Trade in Essential Supplies (AOTES) between New Zealand and Singapore. I really enjoyed attending the Chamber's Health Matters event last month at the New Zealand High Commission. I learnt so much about sunscreen!

Bankside Singapore’s premises are located in the heart of Tanjong Pagar, conveniently adjacent to the Maxwell and Amoy Street food centres ….lunch time is oh so fun.

Outside of work, I am also loving the food and the climate. I've found a corner prata shop that I go to every morning for breakfast. The prata, egg dosa, and char kway teow with ginger tea are my favourites! I am eating copious amounts of mangosteens and rambutans. I also attended a very bizarre theatre-dinner show called Alice Underworld with my mum when she came to visit. It was also very special celebrating my birthday here with her, overlooking the beautiful marina.

10. Outside of work, what is one Singapore experience, food spot, or local discovery that you are hoping to try while you are here?

I’m on a mission to try all the best chilli crab places (tried four so far!)  I am also looking forward to visiting the Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle.