2026

Private Law and the Market:
Business, Finance and Economics

4 – 5 June 2026
Singapore
We are pleased to announce the Conference of the Private Law Consortium to be held at the NUS Faculty of Law’s EW Barker Centre for Law and Business on 4th and 5th June 2026 in Singapore. 

The Conferences of the Private Law Consortium is a series of annual conferences on developments in the field of Private Law. For this Conference, the focus will be on topics exploring the interaction of private law and the market, in particularly the influences, if any, of legal principles or state policies related to growth and employment, the financialisation of economies, and efficiency and empirical studies.

Possible areas of focus may include an economic analysis of private law from efficiency or behavioural perspectives, the political economy of private law eg trusts and wealth inequality, ESG concerns and private law eg directors’ fiduciary and tortious duties to balance profit maximisation and ESG compliance, asset partitioning or nexus of contract perspectives eg of agency, corporate and trust relationships, use of empirical evidence in the private law, and whether and how the needs of business and the economy influence or transform private law adjudication or legislation.

We expect that the first day will focus on these themes with the second more about private law doctrine and theory in general.

The Singapore Journal of Legal Studies has kindly agreed to publish a special issue on articles presented at the Conference subject to the usual refereeing requirements.

19:00 Pre-Conference Dinner Pre-Conference Dinner
📍 South&East
11 Kent Ridge Dr
#01-03 Shaw Foundation Alumni House

*Located at the building just beside The Ridge. 5-minute walk away

09:45 – 10:00 Welcome Remarks Welcome Remarks
10:00 – 12:00 Panel 1 Contracts and Consumer Law
Chair: Sandra Booysen
Omer Pelled Bar-Ilan University
The Hidden Costs of Contractual Ambiguity
Alexander Loke City University of Hong Kong
War and the Frustration of Contracts
Irina Sakharova Durham University
The Contractualisation Paradox
Josje de Vogel Erasmus University
Buy Now, Pay Later Under the New EU Consumer Credit Directive
Frederico Pistelli, Tommaso De Mari University of Trento
A Market for (Green) Lemons Consumers' Self-Determination Against Green Claims
12:00 – 13:30 Lunch Lunch
13:30 – 15:30 Panel 2 Property
Chair: Oren Perez
Alvin Hoi-Chun Hung City University of Hong Kong
Equity in a 'Trustless' Market Order
Mark Hsiao City University of Hong Kong
Assessment and Valuation of Damages of Cryptocurrency
Larisa Munteanu Erasmus University
Rights & Counter-Rights: The Legal Dimensions of Access Abuse in Data Protection
Tun-Jen (TJ) Chiang George Mason University
IP Ownership and Penalty Default Rules
10:00 – 11:15 Panel 3 Corporations and Finance
Chair: Hans Tjio
Hans Tjio, Tan Zhong Xing National University of Singapore
Policy and Practice in Commercial Law and Crypto Assets
Sandra Booysen National University of Singapore
Payment Fraud Legislation: An Economic Efficiency Analysis
Gao Simin Tsinghua University
Seemingly Conflicting but Substantively Reconcilable Corporate Purpose in Chinese Law and The Institutionalization of CSR
11:15 – 11:30 Break Break
11:30 – 13:05 Panel 4 Perspectives
Chair: Josje de Vogel
Shahar Lifshitz Bar-Ilan University
Behavioural Analysis of Family Law
Jia Wang, Qin Yuanxi Durham University
Gendered Wealth and the Rise of Non-Marriage Among Chinese Women
Yijia Lu (co-authored with Wei-Cheng Chen and Thomas Yi Lu) George Mason University
Simplifying the Complex: Experimental Evidence on Attribute Substitution in Legal Decision-Making
Cary Coglianese, Oren Perez Bar-Ilan University
Fighting Risk with Risk: Anti-Precaution in Law and Policy
13:05 – 13:20 Closing Remarks Closing Remarks
TitleAuthorAffiliationAbstract
The Hidden Costs of Contractual AmbiguityOmer PelledBar-Ilan UniversityView
Behavioural Analysis of Family LawShahar LifshitzBar-Ilan UniversityView
Fighting Risk with Risk: Anti-Precaution in Law and PolicyCary Coglianese,
Oren Perez
Bar-Ilan UniversityView
War and the Frustration of ContractsAlexander LokeCity University of Hong KongView
Equity in a ‘Trustless’ Market OrderAlvin Hoi-Chun HungCity University of Hong KongView
Assessment and Valuation of Damages of CryptocurrencyMark HsiaoCity University of Hong KongView
The Contractualisation ParadoxIrina SakharovaDurham UniversityView
Gendered Wealth and the Rise of Non-Marriage Among Chinese WomenJia Wang, Qin YuanxiDurham UniversityView
Buy Now, Pay Later under the New EU Consumer Credit DirectiveJosje de VogelErasmus UniversityView
Rights & Counter-Rights: The Legal Dimensions of Access Abuse in Data ProtectionLarisa MunteanuErasmus UniversityView
IP Ownership and Penalty Default RulesTun-Jen (TJ) ChiangGeorge Mason UniversityView
Simplifying the Complex: Experimental Evidence on Attribute Substitution in Legal Decision-MakingLu Yijia (co-authored with Wei-Cheng Chen and Thomas Yi Lu)George Mason UniversityView
Policy and Practice in Commercial Law and Crypto AssetsHans Tjio, Tan Zhong XingNational University of SingaporeView
Payment Fraud Legislation: An Economic Efficiency AnalysisSandra BooysenNational University of SingaporeView
Seemingly Conflicting but Substantively Reconcilable Corporate Purpose in Chinese Law and The Institutionalization of CSRGao SiminTsinghua UniversityView
A Market for (Green) Lemons Consumers’ Self-Determination Against Green ClaimsFederico Pistelli, Tommaso De Mari Casareto Dal VermeUniversity of TrentoView

CONFERENCE LOCATION AND ACCOMMODATION

National University of Singapore
17 Computing Drive
Singapore 119881
The Ridge, National University of Singapore

GETTING AROUND

The easiest way to reach the conference venue is by private hire vehicle using the Grab app.

Download Grab Recommended private hire option

GETTING FROM / TO THE AIRPORT

Changi Airport provides multiple transport options including MRT, taxi/private hire and bus services.

Airport Transport Directions Latest official information

ENTERING SINGAPORE

Please refer to the ICA website for the full entry requirements to Singapore.

Immigration Requirements

  • Passport validity: You should have at least 6 months’ validity.
  • Visa (if required): Apply for a visa if your passport/travel document requires one.
  • On arrival: Don’t bring prohibited items; be prepared for immigration/customs clearance.
  • Short-term stay: Have sufficient funds and proof of onward travel; don’t overstay your visit pass.

Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC)

All travellers must submit the Singapore Arrival Card within 3 days (including the day of arrival) before arriving in Singapore, except:

  • Those transiting/transferring without seeking immigration clearance.
  • Singapore citizens, Permanent Residents, and Long-Term Pass holders entering via land checkpoints.

Submission is free and can be done online.

CONTACT

EW Barker Centre for Law & Business
National University of Singapore – Faculty of Law
20 College Avenue West
#03-401
Singapore 138529

Email the organisers