In the dim glow of his childhood bedroom, Satnam Choongh leaves the quiet streets of 1970s Birmingham behind, immersed in the pages of Sherlock Holmes clutched in his small hands. For the young schoolboy, stories of mystery and justice aren’t just a fun distraction from everyday life; they’re an inspiration for his future.
Arriving in the UK from India at six, Choongh did not speak English and endured a lengthy delay in starting school. His parents hoped he would work in the family shop one day, but the young bookworm had other ideas. Today, Choongh not only commands courtrooms with the poise and precision of his childhood hero but is inspiring the next generation to follow suit at NYU Abu Dhabi.
“No one in my family had ever been to university, so it wasn’t on our radar. It was more something that I accidentally fell into,” says Choongh. “When we arrived in England, I couldn’t read or write, but after some family members taught me the alphabet, I eventually started reading Sherlock Holmes to improve my English.”
Choongh's passion for the law continued to grow, but his dream of becoming a police cadet was shattered at 16 due to poor vision. Undeterred, he pursued his interest in law, earning an A-level in the subject at his local technical college. He went on to graduate with first-class honors in law from the University of Warwick, followed by a DPhil from Trinity College, Oxford.
“I loved university so much that when I finished my law degree, and all of my colleagues were going off to join big firms in London, I decided to do a PhD and gave my first lecture to students on policing the Criminal Evidence Act,” says Choongh. “From there, I started teaching regularly at Warwick, and academia remained an interest throughout my legal career. It's interesting how so much happens due to chance and luck.”
In 1993, Lincoln's Inn awarded Choongh a Hardwicke Scholarship and the Thomas More Bursary. In 1994, he was called to the Bar of England and Wales before dual-qualifying as a solicitor in 1998. For the last 30 years, Choongh has remained a practicing barrister, specializing in planning and environmental law, while continuing to teach in the UK and Hong Kong.
“Back in the mid-90s, when I first qualified as a barrister and started planning, it was something nobody heard of,” says Choongh. “Today, you can't turn the TV on or pick up a newspaper without seeing environmental challenges and controversy. It is incredible how much has changed in such a short space of time.
“The mindset towards progress in Abu Dhabi is fantastic. In the UK, the default position is very anti-development, whereas here, it's all about expanding and building, and it’s such a positive attitude. Every time you drive through the city, you’re guaranteed to see something new emerging out of the ground.”
Now, after a distinguished career in UK courtrooms, Choongh is embarking on his latest challenge as a clinical professor of legal writing and research at NYU Abu Dhabi. And, true to form, the move to the UAE was just another twist of fate.
“I was chatting to a headmaster here about a teaching job for my son when he mentioned a role at NYU Abi Dhabi,” says Choongh. “I looked online, and the job description sounded like it had been written especially for me!”
“I believe that life is all about memories and experiences. One thing leads to another, and you're never quite sure what will happen next, but if you’re open to new ideas and directions, there's nothing to lose.”
