What does it mean for legal education to shape not only how we understand the law, but how we think, serve and guide others? In this SMU Impact Story, Associate Professor of Law Kenny Chng (Bachelor of Laws, Class of 2012) reflects on a journey shaped by reasoning and the precision of language — foundations he first built as part of the early batches of SMU law students. After graduating, Kenny served as a naval officer and later as a legal advisor in an international task force against piracy, applying his legal training in complex real-world contexts where clarity of thought and judgement mattered. Inspired by the professors who had made a difference in his own life, Kenny eventually returned to academia through the MOE Start Scholarship, pursuing graduate studies at Harvard Law School before coming back to the SMU Yong Pung How School of Law. He has since become the first graduate of SMU law to be awarded tenure. Today, his teaching is guided by the same spirit of mentorship that shaped him: helping students build confidence, reason independently and discover answers for themselves. Watch how Kenny’s SMU journey came full circle — from law student to practitioner, scholar and educator. Learn more about SMU: https://sgsmu.com/kennychng Read more about his journey and impact: https://sgsmu.com/4p4xIVf #SGSMUImpactStories #SGSMU #MeaningfulImpact #SGSMUFaculty -- About the SMU Impact Stories series The SMU Impact Stories series spotlights the journeys of our faculty, alumni, students, and partners who are driving positive change through education, research and community engagement. Each story offers a window into the values that define Singapore Management University — from academic excellence and inclusive leadership to real-world impact and global relevance. Explore more SMU Impact Stories at: https://sgsmu.com/3LfqP43 and discover how SMU is creating impact across communities, research, partnerships and more at https://sgsmu.com/impactstories