Btw guys, connections / 'pedigree' in some sense only gets you up to a certain point. Big 4 and Baker have taken in some people based on connections. But the ultimate upper echelons of firms i.e. magic circle and white shoe firms based in Singapore DO NOT take in people based on connections. Even the daughter of a partner in a certain magic circle firm could not get into the magic circle firm and is now at a mid-sized local firm.

To truly be in the upper echelons of firms based in Singapore, you have to be excellent in academics, moots, publications etc. In this regard, Oxbridge / LSE / UCL / NUS are on-par. Other lower-tier UK schools and SMU are disadvantaged.

I would also comment that a certain top magic circle firm in Singapore takes in predominantly NUS first class honours grads for their training programme.