This seminar examines the evolving role of tort claims in employment disputes with reference to recent Singapore court decisions as well as case law from other common law jurisdictions where applicable. Conflicts may arise when employees prepare for, join, or establish businesses competing with their current or former employers. In such instances, when does competition cross into actionable misconduct - for example, did the employee commit a breach of confidence? Was there an inducement of breach of employment contract? Did the employees conspire to injure the employer’s business?
Further, in employment disputes involving wrongful dismissal or termination, may the employee’s allegedly tortious conduct form the basis for the employer’s decision to dismiss? Does the employee who suffers mental distress or psychiatric injury as a result have any remedies? And when relationships among fellow employees and/or employers turn sour, suspicions grow and grave accusations are levelled, what recourse do the aggrieved parties have in defamation?
We will also consider the Workplace Fairness Act and the Workplace Fairness (Dispute Resolution) Act passed in 2025 on the establishment of the tort of workplace discrimination and the provisions related to employees’ legal rights to protect against harassment or the retaliatory actions of employers.
This session is part of the SMU Law Academy “Recent Highlights” series. Designed with the busy practitioner in mind, this series provides participants with a convenient platform to obtain timely and practical bite-sized analysis of the latest developments in various areas of the law. The series will be taught by leading and experienced experts curated from academia and practice. Each topic in the series is distilled into a short-duration online webinar so that busy legal professionals can be effectively updated with the most material developments affecting their practice.
SPEAKER
Gary Chan is Professor of Law, Yong Pung How School of Law, Singapore Management University. His main research areas are Tort Law, Health Law, Ethics, and the Singapore Legal System. His publications have appeared in Cambridge Law Journal, Computer Law & Security Review, Journal of Business Ethics, Law Quarterly Review, Legal Studies, Melbourne University of Law Review, Singapore Academy of Law Journal, Singapore Journal of Legal Studies, and Torts Law Journal. Gary’s work has been cited by the Singapore Court of Appeal and the Federal Court of Malaysia. His recent publications have focused largely on torts, mental health law as well as AI in healthcare and employment.
FEES
| a. | Registration Fee
Registration fee of S$163.50* (inclusive of GST) applies |
| b. | Group Registration
Registration fee of S$147.15* (inclusive of GST) applies |
| c. | SMU Alumni (LLB / JD / LLM graduates)
Registration fee of S$147.15* (inclusive of GST) applies |
| | *Please note that there will be no refund of any fees should the participant cancel the registration/ fail to attend the event. However, registration is transferable. Notice of any change in participant should be sent to the Academy via email by 30 September 2026. SMU Law Academy reserves the right to cancel or postpone any event. In such case, we will arrange for the refund of fees paid. |
