‘Trailblazer’ and ‘role model’, ex-NUS law dean Thio Su Mien dies at 86

Thio Su Mien, a pioneering legal academic and practitioner who served as dean of the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Law and co-founded TSMP Law Corporation, died on Monday (Jun 30) morning.

She was 86.

Dr Thio had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in May.

Law Minister Edwin Tong paid tribute to her in a Facebook post: “I am saddened by the passing of Dr Thio Su Mien, a respected figure in our legal profession.

“Dr Thio was a trailblazer who set the highest standard for excellence, integrity and dedication to the profession throughout her career.”

She was also a “role model”, he added, noting that she was the first Singaporean woman – and the youngest person – to head the NUS Faculty of Law, serving as dean from 1968 to 1971.

After leaving academia, she moved into corporate law. She became managing partner at Big Four law firm Drew & Napier. In 1998, at the age of 60, when many would have been considering retirement, she co-founded TSMP with Tan Bee Lian.

Dr Thio proved that “both women and men can excel and contribute immensely and on equal terms in the legal field and to society at large and beyond”, said Tong.

Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam also paid tribute, calling her a “highly accomplished, highly regarded corporate lawyer” in an Instagram post.

“Dr Thio’s passing is a sad day for the profession,” he said.

Andrew Simester, dean of the NUS Faculty of Law, described Dr Thio as “a remarkable leader who played a key role in shaping the course of legal education in Singapore”.

“As the first woman and the youngest to lead the law school as dean, Dr Thio left an indelible mark on the faculty and generations of students that she inspired,” said Prof Simester.

Survived by three children

Dr Thio acted as a “feminist mentor” to a Christian faction which attempted a leadership takeover of the Association of Women for Action and Research in 2009. The group was later ousted by a no-confidence vote.

She was married to Thio Gim Hock, the former chief executive officer of real estate firm OUE. Thio, who represented Singapore in water polo in the 1956 Olympic Games, died in 2020 at the age of 82.

Dr Thio is survived by three children: Thio Shen Yi, senior counsel and joint managing partner of TSMP; NUS law professor Thio Li-ann; and Thio Chi-ann, a homemaker.

Thio Shen Yi said: “I never appreciated how much of a trailblazer mum was when I was growing up. I thought it was normal. But she crashed past glass ceilings, was strong and assertive without losing femininity, yet in all things, her moral and ethical compass was front and centre.”

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