Dentons Rodyk & Davidson is one of Singapore’s largest full-service firms, stacked with notable partners who are experts in their fields. The firm has stellar banking, construction, disputes, competition and technology and telecommunications practices. This year its insurance offering debuts in our table with a strong showing. The combination with Dentons, the largest law firm in the world, provides clients with an extensive network of global experts from over 200 offices around the world in more than 80 countries. One recent update is Dentons’ alliance with Filipino law firm, PJS Law. Partners to note include banking specialist Doreen Sim, M&A partner Eng Leng Ng, IP specialists Ai Ming Lee and I-An Lim, insurance director Edric Pan, projects expert Joo Thye Tan, disputes specialist Lawrence Teh and senior counsel Edmund Leow.
Work highlights
Acted for Pacific Radiance in its consensual debt restructuring with the E-Nav Offshore Mexico S de RL de CV, which involved inter alia the disposal of 33 vessels to E-Nav in exchange for consensual discharge of $200 million secured indebtedness.
Key clients
Bulk Trident Shipping, Enemalta, Hong Leong Finance, Pavilion Energy.
Established in July 2019, JLex is headed by Joseph Tan and Joanna Poh specialising in commercial disputes with a particular focus on shipping and international trade. The firm often receives instructions from foreign solicitors to act in Singapore litigation cases. Tan regularly acts as arbitrator in international arbitrations seated in Singapore and Hong Kong and speaks at various conferences involving maritime and international trade matters.
Client feedback
“Commercially minded in their approach.” – Shipping
“They are very professional.” – Shipping
Joseph Tan
“Contactable, commercial-minded.”
“Very detailed.”
Work highlights
Acted for China Coal Solution (Singapore) in the Singapore Court of Appeal on a case to determine the extent of the doctrine of ‘subject to contract’.
Acted for SP PowerAssets in a claim against the owner of a jackup rig for damage to an undersea cable tunnel caused by the negligent mooring of the jackup rig.
Key clients
Bary Commodities, Global Projects Services, Ishima, Orient Asia Maritime, Ultro International
Niru & Co is known for its shipping practice, active in both litigation and advisory work. The firm often deals with substantial ship collision cases as well as major oil pollution cases. Apart from shipping, the firm also advises on aviation matters including work injury claims, freight forwarders’ liability issues and so on. It has Malaysian associated office Suflan T H Liew & Partners.
Client feedback
“Efficiency and timely manner.” – Dispute resolution
“Follow up a summary of our discussions. Keep us posted with the developments. Provide meaningful advice on the approach, with our target objectives in mind. Act with our interest in mind.” – Dispute resolution
“The firm was very meticulous towards details and possible loopholes. The firm was also able to communicate with clients in a way that is very detailed yet keeping their language easy to understand.” – Dispute resolution
“Niru and Co provides proactive and practical legal approaches to address legal issues and the matter in hand. Treating customers friendly and respectfully.” – Insurance
“Extremely committed, reliable and professional.” – Shipping
“Positively details and meticulously organised.” – Shipping
Teck Huat Liew
“Very good communication skills. Unique ability to simplify complexed legal matters for us businessman to digest and decide upon.”
“In-depth knowledge and responsive to our industry requirement.”
Niru Pillai
“Expert knowledge practical approaches positive relationship with the professionals.”
Alex Yeo
“Alex was very meticulous towards details and possible loopholes. He was also able to communicate with clients in a way that is very detailed yet keeping the language easy to understand.”
“Listens well, provides good advice, acts with our interest in mind, patient and reachable.”
“Alex was very meticulous towards details and possible loopholes. He was also able to communicate with clients in a way that is very detailed yet keeping the language easy to understand.”
Work highlights
Represented Swiss bank Banque Cantonale de Geneve in a claim against the defendant for breach of bailee’s duty and/or conversion of cargo that was shipped aboard the vessel ‘Kronviken’.
Acted for the plaintiff Trans Asian Shipping Services in a claim against the defendant for negligence and breach of duty.
Oon & Bazul is active in banking and finance, dispute resolution and restructuring and insolvency, beyond its longstanding forte in shipping. Notably, the firm climbs into the ‘Highly Recommended’ tier for restructuring and insolvency after a momentous year being involved in many of the jurisdiction’s high-profile and high-value unwindings. Its lawyers have in-depth knowledge and an intimate understanding across various sectors, including financial services, trusts and securities, insurance, and oil and gas. In particular, the firm has extensive expertise handling matters related to trade finance, commodities, banking, commercial disputes and cross-border fraud. Key partners include Bazul Ashhab, Kelly Yap, Chi Yen Ting, Yi Wayn Ng and Meiyen Tan. The general disputes team was significantly boosted by the arrivals of partner Benedict Eoon from Covenant Chambers and partners Priscilla Lua and Jerald Foo from Clifford Chance.
Client feedback
“They are responsive and cooperative.” – Banking and finance
“We value their responsiveness and clarity of communication.” – Corporate and M&A
“Good set-up and infrastructural support for case management.” – Dispute resolution
“I appreciate their hard work, responsiveness and value for money.” – Dispute resolution
“Positive attributes include their expertise, ability to understand issues and provide commercial solutions and reasonable costs.” – Dispute resolution
“They provide quick and direct advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Partners and associates are very competent, they are well prepared and research well.” – Energy
“The lawyers are articulate, supportive and professional on meeting requirements.” – Regulatory
“Good technical knowledge, good team, easy to work with, practical and commercial.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Diplomatic and knowledgeable advisory services.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Extremely responsive to client timelines with a positive, calm, ’can do‘ attitude. A fantastic mixture of legal and important practical advice. They also work really well to support in-house counsel. It feels very much like a team approach and you know you are in good, steady, knowledgeable hands.” – Shipping
Bazul Ashhab
“Excellent responsiveness, knowledge of the business of the client and good value for money.”
Jerald Foo
“He is very responsive and attentive, has a good eye for detail, which is fundamental for dispute resolution. He is very competent with a high level of expertise in dispute resolution.”
“Very responsive and knowledgeable.”
Keith Han
“Easy to talk to and a quick thinker.”
“A good advocate, good strategist.”
Meiyen Tan
“Easy to work with, good communicator and practical.”
“Provides knowledgeable, timely and practical advice and solutions.”
Ng Yi Wayn
“Responsive communications and colleague referrals.”
“Extremely professional and knowledgeable, but also approachable and supportive.”
Prakaash Silvam
“Certainly perspicacious, he has a wide breadth of prior experience that helps on case framing. He is likable, personable, approachable, helpful and very capable.”
“Prakaash combines strong legal knowledge, strong legal skills and good client management. I have no issue putting him in front of our traders and management, as I know he is respectful of my role but also understands the business, the trader mindset and how we operate.”
Ting Chi Yen
“Responsive, helpful and cooperative.”
Work highlights
Defending Winson Oil in proceedings brought against it in relation to misdelivered cargo.
Representing petrochemical trading group, Integra Petrochemicals on bringing an application in the Singapore Court to release the arrested vessel by relying on a string of old English authorities.
Acting for Innovek, a bunker barge operator, to overturn the first instance judgment in the landmark Court of Appeal decision of The Luna [2021] SGCA 84.
Key clients
Adidaya Energy Mandiri, Navig8 Chemical Tankers 4 Incorporation, Ocean Light Shipping, Visa Resources
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Advising multiple banks on the suspected massive fraud by Agritrade International.
Acting for the owners of M/V Alnic MC in its dispute arising from a collision with USS John S McCain in the westbound lane of the Singapore traffic separation scheme.
Shook Lin & Bok works with an impressive roster of clients, including major banks, multinational corporations and private equity investors, on large transactions locally and across the region. The firm is highly active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. It is also skilled in advising on real estate finance, particularly on the lender side. This year the firm moves up a notch in the IP table for its growing practice, and debuts for shipping. Key lawyers include Kai Zee Liew for banking and finance, Marilyn See for capital markets, David Chong for corporate and M&A, and Sarjit Singh Gill, Probin Dass and David Chan for dispute resolution and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Easy to deal with and good professional legal advice given. Able to add value to the transaction and requests.” – Banking and finance
“High level of professionalism and always approachable to provide their advice to our financing structures, sometimes even on a pro bono basis.” – Banking and finance
“Timelines are met, advice is provided in a holistic manner, drafting languages are easy to understand and they are familiar with our company’s processes.” – Banking and finance
“Approachable and efficient turnaround with prompt follow-ups. Transactions are always completed on schedule and lawyers are pre-emptive.” – Banking and finance
“They are always responsive and provide sound and clear advice for execution of the transaction.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive and willing to commit resources.” – Capital markets
“Can be relied upon for quick, solid legal advice, which is sometimes surprisingly hard to come across when dealing with other jurisdictions. In particular, their legal analysis is technically excellent.” – Dispute resolution
“Open, clear, prompt and uses initiative.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Strong insolvency and restructuring track record and team.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Timely and quick responses with good advisory analysis.” – Shipping
Paul Goh
“Responsive, forward thinking and fast.”
Clement Khoo
“Professionalism and always keen to share and advise.”
“Extremely responsive, sound knowledge of the banking sector and structuring transactions, willing to go the extra mile to assist in completion under tight timelines.”
Stanley Lim
“Approachable and always available to give legal advice. Follows up closely on transaction and is always pre-emptive on any potential issues that may arise.”
Moses Lin
“Approachable and available with relevant knowledge.”
Daniel Tan
“Just an excellent all-round lawyer, he is responsive and technically very sound.”
“Quick to respond, understands all relevant issues and deals with them systematically and comprehensively.”
“Driven and provides legally feasible solutions in complex situations.”
Pearlyn Xie
“Responsive, and willing to provide advice and solutions.”
Work highlights
Acted for Teekay Group of companies against IM Skaugen and its Singapore subsidiary, in respect of unpaid hire and damages for repudiation of charterparties of vessels.
Represented HSBC to enforce its loan facilities extended to Hin Leong Trading.
Asia Practice is a corporate and finance-focused firm with experience in the projects and shipping space. The firm’s clients include corporations as well as market participants and stakeholders. In the past year, the shipping team was busy on more than two dozen deals involving nearly 50 vessels. These matters included ship financing, and sale and leaseback transactions, with a total deal size for 2022 of close to $2 billion.
Chien Herr Lee is the main partner for corporate and M&A, while Jonathan Tan and Leon Low lead its banking and finance practice.
Client feedback
“Asia Practice has been on the bank's panel of approved counsels for over 10 years and has fostered very good day-to-day work relations with the credit admin department of our Singapore branch. The firm has also rendered legal support and guidance to the bank's Bangkok head office for various loan and security documentation, and structuring.” – Banking and finance
Jonathan Tan
“Over the past 10 years Jonathan has fostered a very good day-to-day working relationship with our Singapore branch and has been available to guide us though many issues on short notice.”
Work highlights
Acted for a major domestic airline operator in connection with the sale and leaseback of six of its aircrafts to various lessors.
Advised CMB Financial Leasing on an operating lease transaction of more than 10 vessels worth more than $250 million chartered by affiliated companies of the Shandong Shipping Corporation.
Represented various Korean lenders providing financing to a Korean global logistics company in relation to more than a dozen of its various Singapore-flagged vessels.
Acted for a major Chinese state-owned bank in relation to a $155 million financing transaction for the acquisition of two Very Large Ethane Carriers (VLECs).
CMS Holborn Asia houses a number of renowned specialist lawyers, such as construction experts Kelvin Aw and Lynette Chew, employment director Lakshanthi Fernando, as well as IP and TMT-focused Sheena Jacob. The firm is particularly known for its sector focus across technology, healthcare, life science, media, consumer goods and services and infrastructure. The firm climbs up a notch in the banking and finance table this year, reaping the benefits from having seasoned partner Daniel Tan join from Clifford Chance two years earlier. The disputes team welcomed partner Jonathan Warne from CMS London last summer.
Client feedback
“Excellent transaction management with a strong understanding of projects and finance.” – Banking and finance
“Extremely effective advocates, very well prepared and commercially sensible.” – Dispute resolution
“CMS partners in the construction and engineering dispute resolution practice are leading domain experts and highly skilled in all aspects of preparation for arbitrations, especially in the engagement with and instruction of independent experts.” – Dispute resolution
“Responsive and thorough in their advice.” – Energy
Kelvin Aw
“He is thoughtful about a client's case and anticipates upcoming risks in each case. Provides a clear case strategy from start to finish. Always gets it right on the key issues.”
Asya Jamaludin
“Very well prepared, excellent advocate.”
Marc Rathborne
“Very communicative, good depth of knowledge in the subject area, able to provide insight on regulatory issues as well as nuanced opinions on how these contracts and regulations will affect our business. Provided thoughtful advice. Very responsive.”
Daniel Tan
“Very knowledgeable and client-focused.”
Work highlights
Advised a syndicate of lenders in connection with a $100 million working capital facility for Loc Troi Group JSC.
Acted for Dat Bike Group in Vietnam on its latest debt financing.
Advised Alliance to End Plastic Waste on a secured loan facility to Mr Green Kenya Africa.
Key clients
Bank Mendes Gans, Barclays Bank
Dentons Rodyk & Davidson is one of Singapore’s largest full-service firms, stacked with notable partners who are experts in their fields. The firm has stellar banking, construction, disputes, competition and technology and telecommunications practices. This year its insurance offering debuts in our table with a strong showing. The combination with Dentons, the largest law firm in the world, provides clients with an extensive network of global experts from over 200 offices around the world in more than 80 countries. One recent update is Dentons’ alliance with Filipino law firm, PJS Law. Partners to note include banking specialist Doreen Sim, M&A partner Eng Leng Ng, IP specialists Ai Ming Lee and I-An Lim, insurance director Edric Pan, projects expert Joo Thye Tan, disputes specialist Lawrence Teh and senior counsel Edmund Leow.
Work highlights
Advised the lender in the grant of a more than $1 billion bridge loan facility to SATS to finance its acquisition of Worldwide Flight Services, the world’s largest cargo handler.
Key clients
CIMB, Citibank, DBS, HSBC, ING Bank, Maybank, OCBC.
As one of Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms, Drew & Napier possesses a diverse roster of lawyers offering an extensive range of legal services in Singapore and across the region. The firm remains a dispute resolution powerhouse with a deep bench of top advocates including Jimmy Yim and Cavinder Bull. Disputes and insolvency lawyer Siraj Omar, construction specialist Christopher Chong and elite tax practitioner Ong Sim Ho further reinforce the team. Other key names to note include Pauline Chong for finance, Chong Kin Lim for competition and technology, Steven Lo for corporate and M&A, Tony Yeo for IP, and Sushil Nair and Blossom Hing for restructuring and insolvency. Consultant Gary Pryke is another well-known practitioner in the corporate and finance space. The firm welcomed banking specialist May Ng from Rajah & Tann recently.
Client feedback
“Highly professional, responsive and approachable.” – Banking and finance
“They understand the concerns, are responsive and provide solutions.” – Banking and finance
“Always focused on protecting its client's interests.” – Banking and finance
“I appreciate their knowledge of the matter and prompt actions.” – Capital markets
“DN has strong, in-depth knowledge of competition law and is able to provide practical advice in a timely manner.” – Competition/antitrust
“Profound expertise, swift responses, and regularly updates clients through newsletters.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive and business-pragmatic. Makes effort to understand the client's requirements. Reasonable fees charged for work.” – Construction
“Knowledgeable, professional and supportive of small businesses.” – Corporate and M&A
“The team is capable of looking beyond the legal aspects and putting into the perspectives of the different stakeholders. They provided value-added service and are indeed great partners for business owners.” – Corporate and M&A
“Responsive, quick and commercially minded.” – Corporate and M&A
“I liked their flexibility while providing good coverage on the necessary work for this deal.” – Corporate and M&A
“Communication and ability to distil facts into easy to understand terms. They are also very good at highlighting the possible issues with the transaction.” – Corporate and M&A
“Sound in legal knowledge and able to provide alternative solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very detailed analysis of the law. Very prompt advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Deep legal expertise coupled with pragmatism.” – Dispute resolution
“Took the additional effort to understand the case, including the case notes, did a walkthrough of the cause of the matter, looked out for the true cause of the matter before forming their own conclusions prior to advising on the appropriate steps to take.” – Dispute resolution
“First and foremost, they advise you if it makes sense to fight or not to fight. As per Sun Tzu, that's the most important and fundamental question. Drew doesn't shy away from a fight to maximise value for the client but they are also very mindful if it makes sense to fight to begin with! They then ask you what you want to achieve and give you good counsel in a clear and transparent way. As a busy CEO, this is exactly what I need, and Drew does this very well.” – Dispute resolution
“Very collaborative. Sharp thinkers who understand the issues, even when they are new areas.” – Dispute resolution
“Quick to respond, thoughtful legal work and diligent” – Dispute resolution
“They have sound industry knowledge and expertise in handling arbitration under SIAC rules. They can provide quick and practical solutions for commercial disputes. Two lawyers, Mahesh Rai and Don Loo exhibit excellent legal acumen.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a completely hands-on approach to matters.” – Dispute resolution
“They’re all excellent, promptly engaging legal advice at all times. They are all brilliant lawyers.” – Dispute resolution
“Without doubt, the best litigation outfit in Singapore. Timely, reasoned, commercial and effective.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier were very proactive and responsive. They were able to foresee the plaintiff's arguments and prevent them.” – Dispute resolution
“They make robust argument and provide effective litigation strategies.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier has come up with a very creative solution in respect of entering documents into evidence, by knowing well the procedure of the proceeding.” – Dispute resolution
“It is commercially savvy and understanding of client needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Practical and concise legal advice was rendered.” – Dispute resolution
“I like all these: responsiveness, access to partners and commerciality of the advice.” – Dispute resolution
“They are very focused and committed. From day one they created a clear strategy which led us to win our case against the claimants. The team members involved have taken accountability. The deliverables during ongoing arbitration were outstanding.” – Dispute resolution
“We had a complex and difficult claim that required attention to detail and clever advocacy. Blossom's team was able to combine the disparate facts into a coherent claim that allowed us to achieve our aims against the defendant.” – Dispute resolution
“Excellence in advocacy, excellence in knowledge of law, practical advice, timeliness, responsiveness, commercial sensitivity. Most impressive aspect is their ability to work around our confidentiality and commercial concerns.” – Dispute resolution
“They are responsive and their advice is well thought out, succinct and clearly backed by years of experience in litigation. They are also happy to accept feedback and consider the legal opinions of their clients' in-house teams.” – Dispute resolution
“Experienced, strategic and responsive” – Dispute resolution
“Their experience, customer service and legal expertise are exceptional. They have the ability to lead with the local lawyers and the clients. The legal advice they have provided is practical and tailored for the specific legal disputes. They work tirelessly for any urgent matters without hesitating a bit, even if it takes the entire night. Despite the differences between the two jurisdictions, their cooperation on the matters has been top-notch. We have learnt so much from them in terms of their knowledge, practice, attitude, management, leadership, professionalism and customer service skills.” – Dispute resolution
“Strategic in solving the key issues and meticulous on detail.” – Dispute resolution
“The partner and team are very knowledgeable, working in a very detailed and precise manner. They have a strong understanding of the law and how to apply it. Great team.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier is very meticulous, and even minor emails are professionally written, well structured, and well thought out. They also learn fast, and quickly accumulated domain knowledge regarding the blockchain industry where we operate, and adjacent fields of law such as US securities law as applied to blockchain disputes. They are also extremely responsive, replying on urgent messages even at 11pm.” – Dispute resolution
“We appreciate its commerciality and technical analysis.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and timely advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Wide areas of expertise and prompt advice.” – Energy
“Great detailed analysis and recommendation on appropriate and specific course of action.” – Insurance
“They are good with technical advice.” – Insurance
“They do a good job at looking at things from the client's perspective, and are able to find commercial solutions for risks they identify.” – Insurance
“Siau Wen Lim and Xuan Lang Teo from Drew & Napier represented us and have acted professionally to assist to resolve trademark issues with Starbucks. Their expertise in IP field is highly commendable and eventually the issue has been resolved with a positive outcome.” – Intellectual property
“They take the time to understand the business challenges and try to work on practical solutions.” – Intellectual property
“Very prompt.” – Intellectual property
“Advice is technically sound and well-considered.” – Intellectual property
“Lawyers have a good knowledge of Singapore law and are responsive.” – Investment funds
“Prompt, thorough and responsive.” – Labour and employment
“Their IT legal team has deep knowledge and rich experience. Very responsive even on the weekend when our business is running. Very client-oriented.” – Privacy and data protection
“Superior staff who provide considered advice and diligent execution.” – Private client
“The firm was able to comprehend the complexity of a first-of-its-kind strategy from a fund manager's perspective and comes up with an innovative solution.” – Private equity
“Good at the completion of transactions despite the tight timeline.” – Real estate
“They are easily approachable. They explain matters easily and guide us. They are not typically commercial, they fully understand client issues and look at everything holistically before coming out with any suggestions.” – Regulatory
“Drew partners are highly competent, responsive and provide commercially sensible advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Deep experience.” – Tax
“Experienced lawyers who know the ITBR requirement and advise clients on the appeal strategy and provide practical advice on the approach to the appeal. Legal submissions are well prepared and clear and concise. They value the relationship with clients.” – Tax
“Drew & Napier's team, and Chong Kin Lim in particular, are deep experts in the tech and telecom space. They provide crisp guidance that we can share rapidly with our internal business clients. They also proactively monitor the horizon, and they let us know in advance about legal/regulatory developments that may impact us. Finally, they are fantastically responsive and literally never late in getting us the information we request.” – Technology and telecommunications
David Alfred
“He is very knowledgeable, prompt, able to offer solutions, understands business concerns, practical, and has a good network with regulators.”
Cavinder Bull
“An outstanding lawyer; thorough understanding of client's needs.”
Ron Cheng
“Knowledgeable and able to understand and meet the client's needs.”
“Ron has been extremely meticulous when it comes to his work. He ensures that he covers all angles and risks that the fund may encounter locally or abroad. Ron is able to understand complex problems and comes up with innovative solutions and structure.”
Corinne Chew
“Corinne is always willing to help and provides thoughtful advice in a timely manner.”
“Profound legal knowledge with excellent communication skills”
Voon Jiet Chia
“Voon Jiet is highly competent, responsive and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Desmond Chng
“He is very responsive, and good at giving a quick (often immediate) indication of what the solution to a problem might be, and whether or not it actually warrants detailed research or formal legal advice. This is very much appreciated from a client's point of view.”
Andrew Chua
“He is attentive and responsive, able to relate to the case and provide insights and share best practices, and at the same time highlight potential issues or ideas from past cases and experiences.”
Benjamin Gaw
“Knowledgeable, professional, available, has a positive attitude and is attentive to client's needs.”
Blossom Hing
“She has a good team and allows her team to take the lead with client communication at the right time while also stepping in when necessary. She asks the right questions to elicit the necessary information from the client.”
“Blossom is an outstanding litigation and arbitration partner. Blossom is creative and very strategic in her thinking and tactics - based on her vast experience of litigation and arbitration. Blossom has done a great job in building a team to support her.”
“My ’go to’ contact is Blossom Hing, who is one of the most experienced and accomplished litigation and arbitration partners in Singapore. Blossom heads a great team that is growing in experience and competence.”
Soo Lih Ho
“Approachable.”
Seraphina Ho
“Efficient.”
Rakesh Kirpalani
“Rakesh is clear in his counsel and incredibly responsive.”
“He helps our company to handle our legal issues and we are satisfied with his work.”
“He possesses a strong spirit to win for the client. He has a client-centric approach and is an expert at IT and data security.”
Meryl Koh
“Highly responsive and takes a keen interest to know the client's business and challenges faced. She has a can-do attitude and willing to go the extra mile for the client. Does not discriminate client based on fee earned.”
“Thorough, empathetic and forward-looking.”
Samuel Koh
“Very responsive. A critical thinker who challenges outcomes to ensure they are robust.”
Man Er Kong
“Kong is qualified and brilliant at what she does. Very reliable and flexible. In terms of advocacy skills, Kong is astonishing. Kong is very patient towards the clients and has the deep understanding of the law. Further, Kong respects the time and is responsive. Case management is top-notch as well. We have obtained grand knowledge when we discuss the interpretation and the conflicts of law.”
“Intelligent, sharp, efficient and effective.”
Julian Kwek
“Problem solver and provides practical solutions.”
Keith Lam
“Keith is professional and responsive.”
Sok Hiang Lau
“She is proactive and provides solutions to difficult issues.”
“Lau Sok Hiang is a very careful and meticulous lawyer. She very much stressed getting the documents right, in the sense that it will not invite queries or challenges.”
Chong Kin Lim
“Prompt, knowledgeable and responsive.”
“He has incredible relationships in his peer network. Deep expertise and incredibly responsive.”
Shumin Lin
“Very knowledgeable in the areas that she practises and provides very clear and detailed analysis of the law.”
“Has a quick grasp of issues. Keen attention to detail without losing sight of the broad strategy.”
Adam Maniam
“Adam's approach is extremely customer-oriented, he takes the initiative to take a crash-course on the customer's industry in order to come up with creative solutions. He's sharp and straightforward.”
“He is D&N personified. Altogether exceptional in terms of service, advocacy, attention to client's concerns and knowledge of the law. He’s a brilliant lawyer. In my opinion better than some senior counsel.”
“My opinion of the firm has been formed by Adam and his mentor.”
“Appreciate his knowledge, adherence to timelines, and that he understands the sensitivity of the matter.”
Pei Tong Ng
“Ability to share a holistic view on the situation and advise accordingly and to the needs of the client.”
Sim Ho Ong
“Very familiar with IRAS.”
Mahesh Rai
“Mahesh possesses excellent legal acumen. This coupled with his sound industry knowledge helps him deliver quick and practical legal advice. Mahesh communicates well and is friendly in nature.”
“He has a complete knowledge of the field and goes all out to understand the nuances of the business.”
“Both from a personal and professional point of view, I found Mahesh to be someone impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, is able to listen well, and is very good in communication, as I often saw him carrying himself so well in the court or in any kind of joint discussions. He provides me as a client with great consideration, tending to the needs of my case in the best way. Mahesh also always comes up with great strategy, showing his creativity as a veteran lawyer.”
“Mahesh is a very hands-on partner, has a close grasp of all the strategic issues and drills down into factual issues. He has a very commercial, practical mindset and is always ready to offer a recommendation and not just a set of options, and a practical recommendation that addresses both legal and broader strategic concerns. He is also clearly a strong mentor because we have been impressed even by the juniors on his team, when Mahesh is not present.”
Teng Sen Tan
“Teng Sen is a seasoned corporate lawyer and provides value-added services to the business owner. He's adept at corporate financing works and compliance matters and is a great partner for us.”
“Very experienced corporate partner who is commercially minded. He gives practical advice.”
“Excellent legal knowledge and communications.”
Allister Tan
“Brilliant lawyer and eager to help always.”
“Very knowledgeable, communicates well to ensure client understands the specifics of the issues. Guides client to the most rationale decision.”
“Fast and sound technical advice.”
“Commercial nous.”
Evelyn Tan
“Well-versed with contract law and court processes, meticulous and pays attention to detail.”
Benedict Teo
“Commercially savvy and he puts clients’ interests first.”
“Ben is extremely responsive and very experienced. I have appreciated his sound legal advice, and sharp legal acumen in handling the cases on our behalf. I also appreciate that he makes himself available to speak to the business representatives when needed.”
“Benedict is experienced and provides good strategic advice. His team provides good, detailed work and manages timelines well. Much to recommend, not much to criticise.”
“Responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure client's requirements are met fully.”
“He is a very experienced trusted adviser and sounding board. He is commercial, responsive, insightful, and he really knows the market and knows his stuff.”
Xuan Lang Teo
“Xuan Lang has been efficient in handling our case and always provides valuable alternative options for our consideration. This is helpful as it leaves no stone unturned, which may increase the probability to succeed in the proceedings.”
“Xuan Lang is extremely sharp and thorough. He is able to distil the key issues in a dispute to achieve the most efficient and favourable outcomes for us. He has deep foresight while bearing in mind commercial realities and practical considerations. All advice from him is extremely well-thought-out and backed up by firm legal foundations. An expert in IP law, he is able to explain and argue complicated legal concepts with clarity and punch.”
Shi Yong Yang
“Provides timely responses and to-the-point advice.”
“He listens to the client and approaches the solution holistically.”
Jonathan Yap
“Jonathan is a hard-working attorney focused on delivering quality work and superior results. He has great communication skills and ensures that his clients remain happy with his services.”
Tony Yeo
“Very prompt and understanding.”
Jimmy Yim
“He is efficient, eloquent and communicates well. He is also knowledgeable and responsive.”
“Jimmy Yim is well known in Singapore and an excellent lawyer with a strong personality. He was able to turn around a case we had lost and win the case for our company.”
“Jimmy Yim was efficient, eloquent and understood the issues well. Very good courtroom manner and pleasant to deal with.”
Work highlights
Advising Heliconia Capital Management on the restructuring of an investment into Pacific International Lines.
Key clients
Bank of China, Citibank, DBS Bank, Far East Organization Centre, Guthrie GTS, ICBC, Overseas Union Enterprises, Standard Chartered Bank, UBS, Woori Bank.
Helmsman excels at shipping law, but it also has growing banking, employment and general disputes practices. The firm acts for commodity traders, banks and charterers in high-value, cross-border disputes across the globe. The team also has substantial experience in the mid and downstream liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector, particularly in LNG shipping and chartering and LNG trade disputes. As an affiliate of Hong Kong firm Tang & Co, Helmsman houses 18 specialist fee earners, which makes it one of the biggest dedicated shipping and commodities practices in Asia. The key contacts are managing directors Ian Teo and Chong Jun Tang, and directors Maureen Poh and Lynette Koh. Recently, the firm welcomed senior disputes specialists, director Una Khng and counsel Benjamin Bala, from the Supreme Court of Singapore and TSMP Law Corporation respectively.
Client feedback
“Helmsman acted quickly and provided an excellent and useful memo. In particular, I appreciated the proactive approach where we were given advice on specific documents and questions to pursue to gain more understanding of the relevant facts.” – Dispute resolution
“They are available whatever the time is and react super-fast in an efficient manner. Very accurate on their points. They give us the feeling of having a dedicated lawyer in charge of our matters, which does help a lot when it comes to understanding.” – Shipping
“Cheap, fast and good.” – Shipping
Zhida Chen
“Intelligent and commercially minded.”
Una Khng
“She demonstrated high legal skills, was pragmatic in terms of providing useful advice, and good in communications.”
Maureen Poh
“She gave immediate answers to any questions, whatever the time was. Available to travel overseas for assistance in commercial deals. She always kept a positive attitude to come out on top of any issue. She gives the right advice with a permanent very good mood.”
Work highlights
Advised Trafigura in respect of advance payments of up to $80 million granted to Valeura Energy Asia.
Assisted a Chinese institutional bank as the lender to China Hainan Rubber Industry.
Represented ship leasing company CSSC, on a series of three sale and leaseback arrangements for three newbuild vessels valued at more than $100 million.
JurisAsia is a boutique firm that specialises in corporate and M&A and general commercial transactions. Its intellectual property practice has been fairly active in the past year. It has an exclusive association with international law firm Gowling. The firm’s offering includes M&As, foreign direct investment, joint ventures, venture capital and private equity investments, fund management and capital markets advice, with a particular focus on Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Vietnam. Tan Choon Leng is the key contact.
Client feedback
“Fast responses and accommodating.” – Corporate and M&A
“They are always available to help, are creative, concise and supportive. Lawyers have a very positive attitude.” – Corporate and M&A
Choon Leng Tan
“He’s the best lawyer I ever met: practical, quick, innovative and concise.”
Vincent Tan
“Vincent offers quick responses and can give commercial feedback on the deal.”
Work highlights
Advised Claret Capital Partners, a UK-based private credit fund with a focus on providing growth financing to innovative businesses, on its financing facility to Una Brands.
Key clients
Geeq Corporation
QED Law Corporation is a banking and finance focused boutique law firm. It handles a significant body of structured financing, real estate financing, acquisition financing, project financing as well as regulatory and advisory work. The firm is increasingly involved in the structuring of financing transactions particularly with cross-border elements, complex shareholding and asset-holding structures. Susan Kong, Marilyn Goh and Linda Cai are core members of the firm.
Client feedback
“Hard-working, cooperative and swift. Awareness of the time zone difference.” – Banking and finance
“The lawyers are very responsive, careful and business-oriented.” – Corporate and M&A
Annabelle Wang
“Annabelle is very professional. She definitely manages her time very good, which allows her to respond to our queries in time. It is very important for us as we are in a timezone which is -5 hours to Singapore. Her advice is always clear and thoughtful.”
Work highlights
All the deals submitted during the research period remain strictly confidential. However, the firm has been busy acting for clients in various term loan facility and refinancing matters.
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Acted for Credit Guarantee & Investment Facility on credit guarantees that represent Singapore’s first-ever healthcare social bond.
Advised HSBC, OCBC, Qatar National Bank and RHB Bank in a market-first sustainability-linked loan in the macro environment.
Key clients
BoC, BNP Paribas, CIMB Group Holdings, DBS Bank, HSBC, MUFG Bank, OUE Commercial REIT.
Shook Lin & Bok works with an impressive roster of clients, including major banks, multinational corporations and private equity investors, on large transactions locally and across the region. The firm is highly active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. It is also skilled in advising on real estate finance, particularly on the lender side. This year the firm moves up a notch in the IP table for its growing practice, and debuts for shipping. Key lawyers include Kai Zee Liew for banking and finance, Marilyn See for capital markets, David Chong for corporate and M&A, and Sarjit Singh Gill, Probin Dass and David Chan for dispute resolution and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Easy to deal with and good professional legal advice given. Able to add value to the transaction and requests.” – Banking and finance
“High level of professionalism and always approachable to provide their advice to our financing structures, sometimes even on a pro bono basis.” – Banking and finance
“Timelines are met, advice is provided in a holistic manner, drafting languages are easy to understand and they are familiar with our company’s processes.” – Banking and finance
“Approachable and efficient turnaround with prompt follow-ups. Transactions are always completed on schedule and lawyers are pre-emptive.” – Banking and finance
“They are always responsive and provide sound and clear advice for execution of the transaction.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive and willing to commit resources.” – Capital markets
“Can be relied upon for quick, solid legal advice, which is sometimes surprisingly hard to come across when dealing with other jurisdictions. In particular, their legal analysis is technically excellent.” – Dispute resolution
“Open, clear, prompt and uses initiative.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Strong insolvency and restructuring track record and team.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Timely and quick responses with good advisory analysis.” – Shipping
Paul Goh
“Responsive, forward thinking and fast.”
Clement Khoo
“Professionalism and always keen to share and advise.”
“Extremely responsive, sound knowledge of the banking sector and structuring transactions, willing to go the extra mile to assist in completion under tight timelines.”
Stanley Lim
“Approachable and always available to give legal advice. Follows up closely on transaction and is always pre-emptive on any potential issues that may arise.”
Moses Lin
“Approachable and available with relevant knowledge.”
Daniel Tan
“Just an excellent all-round lawyer, he is responsive and technically very sound.”
“Quick to respond, understands all relevant issues and deals with them systematically and comprehensively.”
“Driven and provides legally feasible solutions in complex situations.”
Pearlyn Xie
“Responsive, and willing to provide advice and solutions.”
Work highlights
Acted for HSBC on fintech loans extended to Carro Leasing and its parent company.
Assisted Sabana Real Estate Investment Management on the sustainability-linked loans it was granted by HSBC and a syndicate of lenders.
Advised DBS Bank on its grant of a green loan for the acquisition and refurbishment of Robinson 112.
Stephenson Harwood has a noted aviation and maritime practice, and a well-regarded banking and finance offering. It is part of the Stephenson Harwood (Singapore) Alliance, which includes a formal relationship between Stephenson Harwood and Virtus Law. The firm’s aviation finance experience includes leasing, lessor financings and complex structured financings for household name aviation sector clients. Gregory Xu is a key contact, with Pedram Norton being another name to note.
Work highlights
Acted for Golden Equator Capital and other investors in connection with its loan to Agritrade Resources.
Represented ABN AMRO, acting out of its head office in Amsterdam, in relation to a senior secured multi-currency revolving and term loan to Peacock Asset Company.
Key clients
ADB, Axis Bank, Bank of China, ICICI Bank, MUFG Bank, OCP, TransAsia Private Capital, Venturra Capital
TSMP Law Corporation is especially well known for its work in corporate and M&A and dispute resolution. The firm also specialises in corporate real estate financing, in particular, in land acquisition financing and land development financing. This year the firm climbs up a notch in the rankings for competition, IP and private equity. The firm not only acts for various major corporations and financial institutions but also is frequently sought out by different regulatory bodies. Senior counsel Shen Yi Thio, corporate lawyer Stefanie Yuen Thio, construction specialists Melvin Chan and Derek Loh and labour expert Ian Lim are key figures at the firm. Jennifer Chia is another name to note for banking and finance.
Client feedback
“Professional, efficient, highly conversant and familiar with the bank's requirements.” – Banking and finance
“Familiarity and expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They are very responsive, and always meet the tight timelines.” – Banking and finance
“TSMP has been on our bank’s panel of advising lawyers for close to 10 years, and over the years has built up a good work relation with us for daily legal work on bilateral loan and security documents, registration of charges, structuring of facilities, etc.” – Banking and finance
“Solid advice, highly diligent and reliable.” – Corporate and M&A
“Cost-efficient, client-focused and on time.” – Corporate and M&A
“They are experienced, well-connected and well-versed in the capital markets. In addition, they have adequate resources to ensure the work can be completed on a timely basis.” – Corporate and M&A
“Can-do attitude with very business-friendly advice. Was able to respond well to tight timelines and stressful negotiations. Valued attributes include thinking out of the box, innovative ideas with the commercial end in mind.” – Corporate and M&A
“Capable, positive and timely.” – Dispute resolution
“Attention to detail, responsive and creative approach.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and able to work under tight timeline.” – Real estate
“Practical and solutions-oriented.” – Real estate
“Provided concise and to-the-point advice on investment structure, conducted legal due diligence of the Singapore entity, reviewed transaction documents and advised on the relevant financial and investment regulations. TSMP timely reviewed and analysed the legal risks involved in the deal by leveraging deep insight and expertise in the industry.” – Real estate
Melvin Chan
“Keen listener with expert problem-solving skills.”
Jennifer Chia
“She is experienced, to the point and responsive. Relieved to work with a lawyer of high-level quality.”
“Very responsive and enthusiastic.”
“Practical and solutions-oriented.”
“Highly professional, helpful, approachable and knowledgeable.”
“She is responsive, knowledgeable and able to come out with solutions to help my organisation.”
“Very responsive, flexible and friendly. She gives us creative solutions.”
“Over the years Jennifer has developed very good day-to-day work relations with our officers in the documentation department. She has rendered us much-valued guidance in drafting and structuring of our loan and security documents.”
“Very practical advice which we appreciate, she has unique insights into labour regulations.”
Kelvin Koh
“He is analytical, practical, strong in legal knowledge and able to explain complex issues simply.”
Derek Loh
“Strong capabilities and communications.”
Stefanie Yuen Thio
“Excellent communications and duty of care.”
“She is very communicative and explains the pro and cons and recommendations in a clear manner. She gives business-friendly legal advice.”
“Excellent client management and understands client concerns; proposes good solutions for dealing with risks.”
Work highlights
Acted for YTL PowerSeraya on the financing for its acquisition of the Tuaspring power station from Hyflux.
Assisted DBS Bank and OCBC as lenders for the acquisition of 52 Lime Street via the purchase of shares of the property-owning special purpose vehicle.
Key clients
DBS Bank, INEOS Styrolution APAC, Mizuho Bank, OCBC, Oxley Holdings, UOB.
Aquinas Law Alliance’s corporate finance practice covers a wide range of capital markets work. It is active in primary listings, de-listings, privatisations and secondary offerings. The firm also regularly advises on ongoing listing compliance and transfer listings. This year, it moves up in the technology and telecommunications table.
Joint managing partners Kok Meng Lim and Aloysius Wee are key contacts at the firm for transactional work. The disputes quarter is headed by Cephas Yee and Mark Cham Shan Jie, bolstered by the expertise of arbitration specialist Steve Ngo. Highly praised Joshua Tan is another name to note for his technology expertise, while Sean Lee is a restructuring and insolvency-focused partner.
Client feedback
“Reasonable and knowledgeable in the area especially for startups. The lawyers also adopt a commercial mindset.” – Banking and finance
“Firstly, Aquinas Law is highly professional and takes a client-centred approach to their work. They provide tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of their clients, and their lawyers work closely with my team to understand our goals and develop a strategy to achieve them. Secondly, the firm is diligent in its work and leaves no stone unturned when preparing a case. They conduct thorough research and investigation to gather evidence and build a strong case against the debtor, which greatly increases the likelihood of success. Lastly, Aquinas Law is highly communicative and provides regular updates and progress reports to us throughout the legal process. This helps us to stay informed and confident throughout the entire process, as we know what is happening every step of the way.” – Dispute resolution
“Cephas and Matthew (Tan) are exceptional lawyers and worked on our case tirelessly. Both my husband and I are very grateful for their level of commitment and professionalism.” – Dispute resolution
“Prompt, succinct, dedicated and competent. It was truly value for money.” – Dispute resolution
“Prompt service, good professional advice, and the lawyers understand the industry in which we operate. Also, affordable fees.” – Labour and employment
Mark Cham
“Mark is patient and demonstrates a high level of empathy towards his clients. He takes the time to listen to our concerns and understands our unique situations, which helps to build trust and rapport. Mark is also highly professional in his work. He is knowledgeable and experienced in his field, and he approaches his work with a high level of attention to detail and diligence.”
Kok Meng Lim
“Good knowledge of laws and industries. He has a strong business sense and provides innovative advice.”
Joshua Tan
“Joshua is always willing to share his experiences and expertise. He often goes above and beyond to think on behalf of the client instead of simply quoting from the law.”
“He is very commercial, reasonable, approachable and knowledgeable.”
Cephas Yee
“Cephas is extremely user-friendly and responsive; he works well with sensible budget options and is always on the ball.”
“Cephas is always there for us when we need his legal advice on the next course of action to move the case forward.”
Work highlights
Acted for THC Venture on structuring options for the purpose of privatisation.
Represented Camsing Healthcare on the structuring of its proposed investment by Qiren Holdings.
Advised Green Build Technology on its private placement exercise.
Bird & Bird ATMD upholds its ‘Outstanding’ ranking with a strong intellectual property practice and expertise in the technology and telecommunications sector. Lorraine Tay and Alban Kang are key figures for IP. The firm is also active in capital markets, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, energy and labour and employment. This year it moves up in the energy table, and debuts in the construction and private equity categories. Marcus Chow, Sandra Seah and Beng Chai Tay are the main corporate partners at the firm. Jonathan Choo is a dispute resolution lawyer particularly active in international arbitration and Seow Hui Goh focuses on labour and employment.
Client feedback
“Extremely pragmatic and commercial, excellent attention to detail, but does not belabour legal points unnecessarily.” – Aviation
“Commercially sound while providing solid legal advice and willing to go the extra mile.” – Aviation
“Responsive, practical and commercial-oriented.” – Capital markets
“Proactive and responsible.” – Capital markets
“Responsive with the ability to anticipate and identify potential issues. Has the ability to propose solutions.” – Capital markets
“Fast and logical responses.” – Competition/antitrust
“Highly responsive and can devise value-adding solutions to commercial issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“The firm's legal documents are sophisticated and can capture most legal issues that we need to mitigate or prevent. When there is an issue, they are quick to provide solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Staff are timely, dedicated, professional, responsive and client-oriented.” – Corporate and M&A
“Prompt and completed the work within the schedule.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional and efficient.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very professional, work effectively within time frame.” – Corporate and M&A
“It has comprehensive in-depth knowledge of the energy industry and thus is in position to provide good advice” – Energy
“The partner is helpful and turnaround time is quick. Great service.” – Intellectual property
“They are very responsive and the team has demonstrated in past projects their ability to deliver commercially sensible legal advice at very competitive fee quotes.” – Intellectual property
“Responsive, understands our business and our needs.” – Privacy and data protection
“Fast, reliable and a trusted partner.” – Private equity
“Completed the task promptly.” – Regulatory
Chua Lijun
“Receptive, fast responses and good knowledge of the relevant law and good understanding of the issues.”
Goh Seow Hui
“We value her professionalism, compassion for clients and humility.”
“Seow Hui did an outstanding job of understanding the client's needs. She advised me what was best for the client. She handled the case so swiftly to settle it amicably and moved on. I am impressed by her professionalism to take ownership after [another] lawyer left the firm. She took the responsibility of closing it. I am pleased with her customer service and compassion.”
Jeremy Tan
“Responsive, great attention to detail, he is client and results oriented.”
Jolie Giouw
“Highly responsive, she identifies the key issues quickly and comes out with solutions. We have always been impressed.”
“Excellent service-oriented mindset, has strong commercial acumen and able to advise well on the law.”
“Responsive and experienced. Able to provide prompt and quality advice and solutions.”
Lawrence Wong
“Communicates well to solve all the requirements requested by the SGX in Singapore.”
Leo Fattorini
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly. With counterparts he comes across very well without compromising our position.”
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly.”
“He has industry-wide knowledge of the Asian region, and is commercially savvy when it comes to negotiating with external parties.”
“Fast turnaround time and knowledgeable.”
Marcus Chow
“Marcus is knowledgeable in early-stage transactions and he is always available to the team to provide an opinion.”
“He is very smart and has extensive knowledge in venture capital investment as well as M&A.”
“Listens to what the client wants, and provides accurate suggestions and solutions.”
“Responsive, responsible and is able to communicate effectively with people of all levels.”
“Very commercial and good understanding of the client's needs.”
“Responsive, has ability to propose innovative solutions, and has good client relationship management.”
“Provides in-depth knowledge and advice to the board, resolving issues with advance steps taken.”
“Marcus was very responsive and can be depended on to deliver sound pragmatic advice, even outside of regular office hours. He is also quick to understand the commercial issues at hand, and propose solutions to address these issues.”
Sandrea Seah
“Very helpful and exhibits very good in-depth industrial knowledge. Gives very sound advice.”
“Professional, good listener, understands issues quickly and timely in responses.”
Work highlights
Advised SenseTime Group on its $700 million IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Acted for Viu International on its proposed listing in the US.
Representing Hyphen Group on its proposed listing via an acquisition by special purpose acquisition company, Provident Acquisition Corporation.
Key clients
JEP Holdings, LS 2 Holdings, Starburst Holdings, United Global, United Overseas Bank
CNPLaw, formerly known as Colin Ng & Partners, is active in all major practice areas including banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, investment funds and private equity. The firm has experience in advising companies in the real estate and technology and telecommunication sectors, particularly active in blockchain and cryptocurrency. This year, the firm moves up a rank in the construction and regulatory tables. The M&A team closed four takeovers in the past year and the corporate team has established a niche practice advising companies in high-growth, emerging markets like Myanmar, Indo-China and the Philippines. Min-Li Tan, Subramanian Pillai, Pradeep Singh, Lisa Theng and Bill Jamieson are key contacts.
Work highlights
Acted as the Singapore listing agent to the issuer, Braskem Netherlands Finance, in relation to the listing and quotation of its senior notes due 2033 on the Singapore Exchange.
Advised Singapore O&G in relation to a voluntary unconditional cash offer for all the issued and paid-up ordinary shares in the capital of the company.
Represented Colombia Telecomunicaciones on its $500 million senior notes due 2030 listing on the Singapore Exchange.
Key clients
Grupo Aeroméxico, GYP Properties, Raffles Education
Dentons Rodyk & Davidson is one of Singapore’s largest full-service firms, stacked with notable partners who are experts in their fields. The firm has stellar banking, construction, disputes, competition and technology and telecommunications practices. This year its insurance offering debuts in our table with a strong showing. The combination with Dentons, the largest law firm in the world, provides clients with an extensive network of global experts from over 200 offices around the world in more than 80 countries. One recent update is Dentons’ alliance with Filipino law firm, PJS Law. Partners to note include banking specialist Doreen Sim, M&A partner Eng Leng Ng, IP specialists Ai Ming Lee and I-An Lim, insurance director Edric Pan, projects expert Joo Thye Tan, disputes specialist Lawrence Teh and senior counsel Edmund Leow.
Work highlights
Represented HSBC Institutional Trust Services on the issue of green fixed-rate notes due 2029 under the S$7 billion ($5.2 billion) Euro medium term securities programme established by the issuer.
Key clients
Boustead Projects, Digo Corporation, Onstar Express, Validus Capital, Vertex Venture Holdings.
As one of Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms, Drew & Napier possesses a diverse roster of lawyers offering an extensive range of legal services in Singapore and across the region. The firm remains a dispute resolution powerhouse with a deep bench of top advocates including Jimmy Yim and Cavinder Bull. Disputes and insolvency lawyer Siraj Omar, construction specialist Christopher Chong and elite tax practitioner Ong Sim Ho further reinforce the team. Other key names to note include Pauline Chong for finance, Chong Kin Lim for competition and technology, Steven Lo for corporate and M&A, Tony Yeo for IP, and Sushil Nair and Blossom Hing for restructuring and insolvency. Consultant Gary Pryke is another well-known practitioner in the corporate and finance space. The firm welcomed banking specialist May Ng from Rajah & Tann recently.
Client feedback
“Highly professional, responsive and approachable.” – Banking and finance
“They understand the concerns, are responsive and provide solutions.” – Banking and finance
“Always focused on protecting its client's interests.” – Banking and finance
“I appreciate their knowledge of the matter and prompt actions.” – Capital markets
“DN has strong, in-depth knowledge of competition law and is able to provide practical advice in a timely manner.” – Competition/antitrust
“Profound expertise, swift responses, and regularly updates clients through newsletters.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive and business-pragmatic. Makes effort to understand the client's requirements. Reasonable fees charged for work.” – Construction
“Knowledgeable, professional and supportive of small businesses.” – Corporate and M&A
“The team is capable of looking beyond the legal aspects and putting into the perspectives of the different stakeholders. They provided value-added service and are indeed great partners for business owners.” – Corporate and M&A
“Responsive, quick and commercially minded.” – Corporate and M&A
“I liked their flexibility while providing good coverage on the necessary work for this deal.” – Corporate and M&A
“Communication and ability to distil facts into easy to understand terms. They are also very good at highlighting the possible issues with the transaction.” – Corporate and M&A
“Sound in legal knowledge and able to provide alternative solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very detailed analysis of the law. Very prompt advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Deep legal expertise coupled with pragmatism.” – Dispute resolution
“Took the additional effort to understand the case, including the case notes, did a walkthrough of the cause of the matter, looked out for the true cause of the matter before forming their own conclusions prior to advising on the appropriate steps to take.” – Dispute resolution
“First and foremost, they advise you if it makes sense to fight or not to fight. As per Sun Tzu, that's the most important and fundamental question. Drew doesn't shy away from a fight to maximise value for the client but they are also very mindful if it makes sense to fight to begin with! They then ask you what you want to achieve and give you good counsel in a clear and transparent way. As a busy CEO, this is exactly what I need, and Drew does this very well.” – Dispute resolution
“Very collaborative. Sharp thinkers who understand the issues, even when they are new areas.” – Dispute resolution
“Quick to respond, thoughtful legal work and diligent” – Dispute resolution
“They have sound industry knowledge and expertise in handling arbitration under SIAC rules. They can provide quick and practical solutions for commercial disputes. Two lawyers, Mahesh Rai and Don Loo exhibit excellent legal acumen.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a completely hands-on approach to matters.” – Dispute resolution
“They’re all excellent, promptly engaging legal advice at all times. They are all brilliant lawyers.” – Dispute resolution
“Without doubt, the best litigation outfit in Singapore. Timely, reasoned, commercial and effective.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier were very proactive and responsive. They were able to foresee the plaintiff's arguments and prevent them.” – Dispute resolution
“They make robust argument and provide effective litigation strategies.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier has come up with a very creative solution in respect of entering documents into evidence, by knowing well the procedure of the proceeding.” – Dispute resolution
“It is commercially savvy and understanding of client needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Practical and concise legal advice was rendered.” – Dispute resolution
“I like all these: responsiveness, access to partners and commerciality of the advice.” – Dispute resolution
“They are very focused and committed. From day one they created a clear strategy which led us to win our case against the claimants. The team members involved have taken accountability. The deliverables during ongoing arbitration were outstanding.” – Dispute resolution
“We had a complex and difficult claim that required attention to detail and clever advocacy. Blossom's team was able to combine the disparate facts into a coherent claim that allowed us to achieve our aims against the defendant.” – Dispute resolution
“Excellence in advocacy, excellence in knowledge of law, practical advice, timeliness, responsiveness, commercial sensitivity. Most impressive aspect is their ability to work around our confidentiality and commercial concerns.” – Dispute resolution
“They are responsive and their advice is well thought out, succinct and clearly backed by years of experience in litigation. They are also happy to accept feedback and consider the legal opinions of their clients' in-house teams.” – Dispute resolution
“Experienced, strategic and responsive” – Dispute resolution
“Their experience, customer service and legal expertise are exceptional. They have the ability to lead with the local lawyers and the clients. The legal advice they have provided is practical and tailored for the specific legal disputes. They work tirelessly for any urgent matters without hesitating a bit, even if it takes the entire night. Despite the differences between the two jurisdictions, their cooperation on the matters has been top-notch. We have learnt so much from them in terms of their knowledge, practice, attitude, management, leadership, professionalism and customer service skills.” – Dispute resolution
“Strategic in solving the key issues and meticulous on detail.” – Dispute resolution
“The partner and team are very knowledgeable, working in a very detailed and precise manner. They have a strong understanding of the law and how to apply it. Great team.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier is very meticulous, and even minor emails are professionally written, well structured, and well thought out. They also learn fast, and quickly accumulated domain knowledge regarding the blockchain industry where we operate, and adjacent fields of law such as US securities law as applied to blockchain disputes. They are also extremely responsive, replying on urgent messages even at 11pm.” – Dispute resolution
“We appreciate its commerciality and technical analysis.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and timely advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Wide areas of expertise and prompt advice.” – Energy
“Great detailed analysis and recommendation on appropriate and specific course of action.” – Insurance
“They are good with technical advice.” – Insurance
“They do a good job at looking at things from the client's perspective, and are able to find commercial solutions for risks they identify.” – Insurance
“Siau Wen Lim and Xuan Lang Teo from Drew & Napier represented us and have acted professionally to assist to resolve trademark issues with Starbucks. Their expertise in IP field is highly commendable and eventually the issue has been resolved with a positive outcome.” – Intellectual property
“They take the time to understand the business challenges and try to work on practical solutions.” – Intellectual property
“Very prompt.” – Intellectual property
“Advice is technically sound and well-considered.” – Intellectual property
“Lawyers have a good knowledge of Singapore law and are responsive.” – Investment funds
“Prompt, thorough and responsive.” – Labour and employment
“Their IT legal team has deep knowledge and rich experience. Very responsive even on the weekend when our business is running. Very client-oriented.” – Privacy and data protection
“Superior staff who provide considered advice and diligent execution.” – Private client
“The firm was able to comprehend the complexity of a first-of-its-kind strategy from a fund manager's perspective and comes up with an innovative solution.” – Private equity
“Good at the completion of transactions despite the tight timeline.” – Real estate
“They are easily approachable. They explain matters easily and guide us. They are not typically commercial, they fully understand client issues and look at everything holistically before coming out with any suggestions.” – Regulatory
“Drew partners are highly competent, responsive and provide commercially sensible advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Deep experience.” – Tax
“Experienced lawyers who know the ITBR requirement and advise clients on the appeal strategy and provide practical advice on the approach to the appeal. Legal submissions are well prepared and clear and concise. They value the relationship with clients.” – Tax
“Drew & Napier's team, and Chong Kin Lim in particular, are deep experts in the tech and telecom space. They provide crisp guidance that we can share rapidly with our internal business clients. They also proactively monitor the horizon, and they let us know in advance about legal/regulatory developments that may impact us. Finally, they are fantastically responsive and literally never late in getting us the information we request.” – Technology and telecommunications
David Alfred
“He is very knowledgeable, prompt, able to offer solutions, understands business concerns, practical, and has a good network with regulators.”
Cavinder Bull
“An outstanding lawyer; thorough understanding of client's needs.”
Ron Cheng
“Knowledgeable and able to understand and meet the client's needs.”
“Ron has been extremely meticulous when it comes to his work. He ensures that he covers all angles and risks that the fund may encounter locally or abroad. Ron is able to understand complex problems and comes up with innovative solutions and structure.”
Corinne Chew
“Corinne is always willing to help and provides thoughtful advice in a timely manner.”
“Profound legal knowledge with excellent communication skills”
Voon Jiet Chia
“Voon Jiet is highly competent, responsive and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Desmond Chng
“He is very responsive, and good at giving a quick (often immediate) indication of what the solution to a problem might be, and whether or not it actually warrants detailed research or formal legal advice. This is very much appreciated from a client's point of view.”
Andrew Chua
“He is attentive and responsive, able to relate to the case and provide insights and share best practices, and at the same time highlight potential issues or ideas from past cases and experiences.”
Benjamin Gaw
“Knowledgeable, professional, available, has a positive attitude and is attentive to client's needs.”
Blossom Hing
“She has a good team and allows her team to take the lead with client communication at the right time while also stepping in when necessary. She asks the right questions to elicit the necessary information from the client.”
“Blossom is an outstanding litigation and arbitration partner. Blossom is creative and very strategic in her thinking and tactics - based on her vast experience of litigation and arbitration. Blossom has done a great job in building a team to support her.”
“My ’go to’ contact is Blossom Hing, who is one of the most experienced and accomplished litigation and arbitration partners in Singapore. Blossom heads a great team that is growing in experience and competence.”
Soo Lih Ho
“Approachable.”
Seraphina Ho
“Efficient.”
Rakesh Kirpalani
“Rakesh is clear in his counsel and incredibly responsive.”
“He helps our company to handle our legal issues and we are satisfied with his work.”
“He possesses a strong spirit to win for the client. He has a client-centric approach and is an expert at IT and data security.”
Meryl Koh
“Highly responsive and takes a keen interest to know the client's business and challenges faced. She has a can-do attitude and willing to go the extra mile for the client. Does not discriminate client based on fee earned.”
“Thorough, empathetic and forward-looking.”
Samuel Koh
“Very responsive. A critical thinker who challenges outcomes to ensure they are robust.”
Man Er Kong
“Kong is qualified and brilliant at what she does. Very reliable and flexible. In terms of advocacy skills, Kong is astonishing. Kong is very patient towards the clients and has the deep understanding of the law. Further, Kong respects the time and is responsive. Case management is top-notch as well. We have obtained grand knowledge when we discuss the interpretation and the conflicts of law.”
“Intelligent, sharp, efficient and effective.”
Julian Kwek
“Problem solver and provides practical solutions.”
Keith Lam
“Keith is professional and responsive.”
Sok Hiang Lau
“She is proactive and provides solutions to difficult issues.”
“Lau Sok Hiang is a very careful and meticulous lawyer. She very much stressed getting the documents right, in the sense that it will not invite queries or challenges.”
Chong Kin Lim
“Prompt, knowledgeable and responsive.”
“He has incredible relationships in his peer network. Deep expertise and incredibly responsive.”
Shumin Lin
“Very knowledgeable in the areas that she practises and provides very clear and detailed analysis of the law.”
“Has a quick grasp of issues. Keen attention to detail without losing sight of the broad strategy.”
Adam Maniam
“Adam's approach is extremely customer-oriented, he takes the initiative to take a crash-course on the customer's industry in order to come up with creative solutions. He's sharp and straightforward.”
“He is D&N personified. Altogether exceptional in terms of service, advocacy, attention to client's concerns and knowledge of the law. He’s a brilliant lawyer. In my opinion better than some senior counsel.”
“My opinion of the firm has been formed by Adam and his mentor.”
“Appreciate his knowledge, adherence to timelines, and that he understands the sensitivity of the matter.”
Pei Tong Ng
“Ability to share a holistic view on the situation and advise accordingly and to the needs of the client.”
Sim Ho Ong
“Very familiar with IRAS.”
Mahesh Rai
“Mahesh possesses excellent legal acumen. This coupled with his sound industry knowledge helps him deliver quick and practical legal advice. Mahesh communicates well and is friendly in nature.”
“He has a complete knowledge of the field and goes all out to understand the nuances of the business.”
“Both from a personal and professional point of view, I found Mahesh to be someone impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, is able to listen well, and is very good in communication, as I often saw him carrying himself so well in the court or in any kind of joint discussions. He provides me as a client with great consideration, tending to the needs of my case in the best way. Mahesh also always comes up with great strategy, showing his creativity as a veteran lawyer.”
“Mahesh is a very hands-on partner, has a close grasp of all the strategic issues and drills down into factual issues. He has a very commercial, practical mindset and is always ready to offer a recommendation and not just a set of options, and a practical recommendation that addresses both legal and broader strategic concerns. He is also clearly a strong mentor because we have been impressed even by the juniors on his team, when Mahesh is not present.”
Teng Sen Tan
“Teng Sen is a seasoned corporate lawyer and provides value-added services to the business owner. He's adept at corporate financing works and compliance matters and is a great partner for us.”
“Very experienced corporate partner who is commercially minded. He gives practical advice.”
“Excellent legal knowledge and communications.”
Allister Tan
“Brilliant lawyer and eager to help always.”
“Very knowledgeable, communicates well to ensure client understands the specifics of the issues. Guides client to the most rationale decision.”
“Fast and sound technical advice.”
“Commercial nous.”
Evelyn Tan
“Well-versed with contract law and court processes, meticulous and pays attention to detail.”
Benedict Teo
“Commercially savvy and he puts clients’ interests first.”
“Ben is extremely responsive and very experienced. I have appreciated his sound legal advice, and sharp legal acumen in handling the cases on our behalf. I also appreciate that he makes himself available to speak to the business representatives when needed.”
“Benedict is experienced and provides good strategic advice. His team provides good, detailed work and manages timelines well. Much to recommend, not much to criticise.”
“Responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure client's requirements are met fully.”
“He is a very experienced trusted adviser and sounding board. He is commercial, responsive, insightful, and he really knows the market and knows his stuff.”
Xuan Lang Teo
“Xuan Lang has been efficient in handling our case and always provides valuable alternative options for our consideration. This is helpful as it leaves no stone unturned, which may increase the probability to succeed in the proceedings.”
“Xuan Lang is extremely sharp and thorough. He is able to distil the key issues in a dispute to achieve the most efficient and favourable outcomes for us. He has deep foresight while bearing in mind commercial realities and practical considerations. All advice from him is extremely well-thought-out and backed up by firm legal foundations. An expert in IP law, he is able to explain and argue complicated legal concepts with clarity and punch.”
Shi Yong Yang
“Provides timely responses and to-the-point advice.”
“He listens to the client and approaches the solution holistically.”
Jonathan Yap
“Jonathan is a hard-working attorney focused on delivering quality work and superior results. He has great communication skills and ensures that his clients remain happy with his services.”
Tony Yeo
“Very prompt and understanding.”
Jimmy Yim
“He is efficient, eloquent and communicates well. He is also knowledgeable and responsive.”
“Jimmy Yim is well known in Singapore and an excellent lawyer with a strong personality. He was able to turn around a case we had lost and win the case for our company.”
“Jimmy Yim was efficient, eloquent and understood the issues well. Very good courtroom manner and pleasant to deal with.”
Work highlights
Acted for Trendlines Group on its proposed issuance and allotment of an aggregate of new ordinary shares.
Acted for Tuan Sing in relation to its tender offer exercise for outstanding Series 004 Notes issued under its S$900 million ($663 million) multi-currency medium term note programme.
Duane Morris & Selvam provides a range of legal services to assist clients in banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, construction and dispute resolution. The firm is regularly instructed by Korean, Chinese and Indian companies on various banking and regulatory matters. Key figures include Jamie Benson for capital markets, Leon Yee for corporate and M&A, and Sarbjit Singh Chopra for dispute resolution. The firm welcomed litigation and arbitration director Clement Tan from Singapore’s state courts.
Work highlights
Acted for the president of India and Life Insurance Corporation of India in relation to its India IPO. This will be the largest IPO in Indian history.
Represented Elara Capital, IIFL Securities, Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors, and Yes Securities on the QIP of Union Bank of India.
Advised ICICI Securities, Nomura and UBS on Sansera Engineering’s IPO.
Key clients
Ambit Private, Arvind Fashions, Axis Capital, Equirus Capital
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Acted for Bridgetown 2 Holdings on its $1.78 billion merger with PropertyGuru and listing on the NYSE.
Advised CLSA Singapore as issue manager in the spin-off and introductory listing of Yangzijiang Financial Holding on the SGX-ST Main Board.
Key clients
AEM Holdings, Citigroup Global Markets, Credit Suisse Singapore, Hong Leong Asia Investments, Koh Brothers Eco Engineering, Metech International, SAC Capital Private, Startree Investments, TML Holdings.
RHTLaw Asia is a full-service firm that has a well-respected technology practice. Its IP group has been gaining more traction, with the firm climbing up one tier in the rankings. Boasting partners that are qualified in multiple jurisdictions such as China, US, Hong Kong, Australia and Malaysia, the firm routinely handles complex cross-border transactions. The firm is organised around eight industry groups: consumer brands, healthcare and life sciences, private wealth, technology and media, construction and projects, financial institutions and technology, transportation and logistics, and education. The technology group specialises in tech infrastructure, blockchain, data processing and telecommunications. The key contacts include corporate partners Erwan Barre and Eu Jin Yang, IP partner Rizwi Wun and disputes leader Nandakumar Renganathan. The disputes also group houses senior counsel, Leslie Chew.
Client feedback
“Expertise is good, and their customer centricity is excellent.” – Corporate and M&A
“They can provide services in multiple jurisdictions.” – Intellectual property
“Knowledgeable about local laws and regulations, easy to understand.” – Regulatory
“Positive attributes of RHTLaw are its expertise and knowledge in the legal field and its professionalism and commitment to ethical standards. The lawyer is patient in explaining the case, the client's interest and rights, and providing appropriate advice.” – Real estate
Sandra Han
“Sandra always provided expert legal advice and guidance to my case. She is patient to understand the case and uses her knowledge and skills to analyse the legal issues. She always acts in her client's interest and respond to clients as soon as she can.”
Rizwi Wun
“He is very accommodating and tries his best to assist us with our needs for legal services.”
“Quick to respond with good knowledge.”
Eu Jin Yang
“Professional approach, knowledgeable and open to ideas. Good communication skills.”
Work highlights
Advised on listing Legion Consortium on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. The firm also helped the client with compliance and analysis on its business operation and structure.
Key clients
Matex International, Starnova
Shook Lin & Bok works with an impressive roster of clients, including major banks, multinational corporations and private equity investors, on large transactions locally and across the region. The firm is highly active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. It is also skilled in advising on real estate finance, particularly on the lender side. This year the firm moves up a notch in the IP table for its growing practice, and debuts for shipping. Key lawyers include Kai Zee Liew for banking and finance, Marilyn See for capital markets, David Chong for corporate and M&A, and Sarjit Singh Gill, Probin Dass and David Chan for dispute resolution and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Easy to deal with and good professional legal advice given. Able to add value to the transaction and requests.” – Banking and finance
“High level of professionalism and always approachable to provide their advice to our financing structures, sometimes even on a pro bono basis.” – Banking and finance
“Timelines are met, advice is provided in a holistic manner, drafting languages are easy to understand and they are familiar with our company’s processes.” – Banking and finance
“Approachable and efficient turnaround with prompt follow-ups. Transactions are always completed on schedule and lawyers are pre-emptive.” – Banking and finance
“They are always responsive and provide sound and clear advice for execution of the transaction.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive and willing to commit resources.” – Capital markets
“Can be relied upon for quick, solid legal advice, which is sometimes surprisingly hard to come across when dealing with other jurisdictions. In particular, their legal analysis is technically excellent.” – Dispute resolution
“Open, clear, prompt and uses initiative.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Strong insolvency and restructuring track record and team.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Timely and quick responses with good advisory analysis.” – Shipping
Paul Goh
“Responsive, forward thinking and fast.”
Clement Khoo
“Professionalism and always keen to share and advise.”
“Extremely responsive, sound knowledge of the banking sector and structuring transactions, willing to go the extra mile to assist in completion under tight timelines.”
Stanley Lim
“Approachable and always available to give legal advice. Follows up closely on transaction and is always pre-emptive on any potential issues that may arise.”
Moses Lin
“Approachable and available with relevant knowledge.”
Daniel Tan
“Just an excellent all-round lawyer, he is responsive and technically very sound.”
“Quick to respond, understands all relevant issues and deals with them systematically and comprehensively.”
“Driven and provides legally feasible solutions in complex situations.”
Pearlyn Xie
“Responsive, and willing to provide advice and solutions.”
Work highlights
Advised Alset International on its sale of HWH International to Nasdaq-listed Spac Alset Capital Acquisition Corp and HWH Merger Sub.
Engaged by Yangzijiang Shipbuilding for the spin-off of its investment arm on the Singapore Exchange main board.
Wong Tan & Molly Lim offers legal services to clients with international business interests and is focused on capital markets, M&A, banking and finance, and general commercial and corporate law. It entered into a formal alliance with Watson Farley & Williams in 2017, lending it a unique strength in contentious and advisory work related to the maritime and international trade sectors. The disputes team has seen a rise in cases involving cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Beng Hong Ong and Swee Gek Tan are key contacts for both banking and finance, and capital markets. Partner Philip Ling helms the dispute resolution practice.
Work highlights
Acted for TJJ Holdings on a voluntary conditional cash offer by THC Venture of all the issued and paid up share capital in the client.
Advised China Hainan Rubber Industry Group on its mandatory conditional cash offer of all the issued and paid up share capital of Halcyon Agri Corporation.
Dentons Rodyk & Davidson is one of Singapore’s largest full-service firms, stacked with notable partners who are experts in their fields. The firm has stellar banking, construction, disputes, competition and technology and telecommunications practices. This year its insurance offering debuts in our table with a strong showing. The combination with Dentons, the largest law firm in the world, provides clients with an extensive network of global experts from over 200 offices around the world in more than 80 countries. One recent update is Dentons’ alliance with Filipino law firm, PJS Law. Partners to note include banking specialist Doreen Sim, M&A partner Eng Leng Ng, IP specialists Ai Ming Lee and I-An Lim, insurance director Edric Pan, projects expert Joo Thye Tan, disputes specialist Lawrence Teh and senior counsel Edmund Leow.
Work highlights
Advised Denka Chemical Holdings Asia on competition laws, in particular on its vertical relationships with its distributors, on preparing an internal competition compliance manual, and conducting a competition compliance training session.
Key clients
Gojek Singapore, Singapore Poultry Hub, Tech Data Corporation, Tolaram Group.
As one of Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms, Drew & Napier possesses a diverse roster of lawyers offering an extensive range of legal services in Singapore and across the region. The firm remains a dispute resolution powerhouse with a deep bench of top advocates including Jimmy Yim and Cavinder Bull. Disputes and insolvency lawyer Siraj Omar, construction specialist Christopher Chong and elite tax practitioner Ong Sim Ho further reinforce the team. Other key names to note include Pauline Chong for finance, Chong Kin Lim for competition and technology, Steven Lo for corporate and M&A, Tony Yeo for IP, and Sushil Nair and Blossom Hing for restructuring and insolvency. Consultant Gary Pryke is another well-known practitioner in the corporate and finance space. The firm welcomed banking specialist May Ng from Rajah & Tann recently.
Client feedback
“Highly professional, responsive and approachable.” – Banking and finance
“They understand the concerns, are responsive and provide solutions.” – Banking and finance
“Always focused on protecting its client's interests.” – Banking and finance
“I appreciate their knowledge of the matter and prompt actions.” – Capital markets
“DN has strong, in-depth knowledge of competition law and is able to provide practical advice in a timely manner.” – Competition/antitrust
“Profound expertise, swift responses, and regularly updates clients through newsletters.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive and business-pragmatic. Makes effort to understand the client's requirements. Reasonable fees charged for work.” – Construction
“Knowledgeable, professional and supportive of small businesses.” – Corporate and M&A
“The team is capable of looking beyond the legal aspects and putting into the perspectives of the different stakeholders. They provided value-added service and are indeed great partners for business owners.” – Corporate and M&A
“Responsive, quick and commercially minded.” – Corporate and M&A
“I liked their flexibility while providing good coverage on the necessary work for this deal.” – Corporate and M&A
“Communication and ability to distil facts into easy to understand terms. They are also very good at highlighting the possible issues with the transaction.” – Corporate and M&A
“Sound in legal knowledge and able to provide alternative solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very detailed analysis of the law. Very prompt advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Deep legal expertise coupled with pragmatism.” – Dispute resolution
“Took the additional effort to understand the case, including the case notes, did a walkthrough of the cause of the matter, looked out for the true cause of the matter before forming their own conclusions prior to advising on the appropriate steps to take.” – Dispute resolution
“First and foremost, they advise you if it makes sense to fight or not to fight. As per Sun Tzu, that's the most important and fundamental question. Drew doesn't shy away from a fight to maximise value for the client but they are also very mindful if it makes sense to fight to begin with! They then ask you what you want to achieve and give you good counsel in a clear and transparent way. As a busy CEO, this is exactly what I need, and Drew does this very well.” – Dispute resolution
“Very collaborative. Sharp thinkers who understand the issues, even when they are new areas.” – Dispute resolution
“Quick to respond, thoughtful legal work and diligent” – Dispute resolution
“They have sound industry knowledge and expertise in handling arbitration under SIAC rules. They can provide quick and practical solutions for commercial disputes. Two lawyers, Mahesh Rai and Don Loo exhibit excellent legal acumen.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a completely hands-on approach to matters.” – Dispute resolution
“They’re all excellent, promptly engaging legal advice at all times. They are all brilliant lawyers.” – Dispute resolution
“Without doubt, the best litigation outfit in Singapore. Timely, reasoned, commercial and effective.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier were very proactive and responsive. They were able to foresee the plaintiff's arguments and prevent them.” – Dispute resolution
“They make robust argument and provide effective litigation strategies.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier has come up with a very creative solution in respect of entering documents into evidence, by knowing well the procedure of the proceeding.” – Dispute resolution
“It is commercially savvy and understanding of client needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Practical and concise legal advice was rendered.” – Dispute resolution
“I like all these: responsiveness, access to partners and commerciality of the advice.” – Dispute resolution
“They are very focused and committed. From day one they created a clear strategy which led us to win our case against the claimants. The team members involved have taken accountability. The deliverables during ongoing arbitration were outstanding.” – Dispute resolution
“We had a complex and difficult claim that required attention to detail and clever advocacy. Blossom's team was able to combine the disparate facts into a coherent claim that allowed us to achieve our aims against the defendant.” – Dispute resolution
“Excellence in advocacy, excellence in knowledge of law, practical advice, timeliness, responsiveness, commercial sensitivity. Most impressive aspect is their ability to work around our confidentiality and commercial concerns.” – Dispute resolution
“They are responsive and their advice is well thought out, succinct and clearly backed by years of experience in litigation. They are also happy to accept feedback and consider the legal opinions of their clients' in-house teams.” – Dispute resolution
“Experienced, strategic and responsive” – Dispute resolution
“Their experience, customer service and legal expertise are exceptional. They have the ability to lead with the local lawyers and the clients. The legal advice they have provided is practical and tailored for the specific legal disputes. They work tirelessly for any urgent matters without hesitating a bit, even if it takes the entire night. Despite the differences between the two jurisdictions, their cooperation on the matters has been top-notch. We have learnt so much from them in terms of their knowledge, practice, attitude, management, leadership, professionalism and customer service skills.” – Dispute resolution
“Strategic in solving the key issues and meticulous on detail.” – Dispute resolution
“The partner and team are very knowledgeable, working in a very detailed and precise manner. They have a strong understanding of the law and how to apply it. Great team.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier is very meticulous, and even minor emails are professionally written, well structured, and well thought out. They also learn fast, and quickly accumulated domain knowledge regarding the blockchain industry where we operate, and adjacent fields of law such as US securities law as applied to blockchain disputes. They are also extremely responsive, replying on urgent messages even at 11pm.” – Dispute resolution
“We appreciate its commerciality and technical analysis.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and timely advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Wide areas of expertise and prompt advice.” – Energy
“Great detailed analysis and recommendation on appropriate and specific course of action.” – Insurance
“They are good with technical advice.” – Insurance
“They do a good job at looking at things from the client's perspective, and are able to find commercial solutions for risks they identify.” – Insurance
“Siau Wen Lim and Xuan Lang Teo from Drew & Napier represented us and have acted professionally to assist to resolve trademark issues with Starbucks. Their expertise in IP field is highly commendable and eventually the issue has been resolved with a positive outcome.” – Intellectual property
“They take the time to understand the business challenges and try to work on practical solutions.” – Intellectual property
“Very prompt.” – Intellectual property
“Advice is technically sound and well-considered.” – Intellectual property
“Lawyers have a good knowledge of Singapore law and are responsive.” – Investment funds
“Prompt, thorough and responsive.” – Labour and employment
“Their IT legal team has deep knowledge and rich experience. Very responsive even on the weekend when our business is running. Very client-oriented.” – Privacy and data protection
“Superior staff who provide considered advice and diligent execution.” – Private client
“The firm was able to comprehend the complexity of a first-of-its-kind strategy from a fund manager's perspective and comes up with an innovative solution.” – Private equity
“Good at the completion of transactions despite the tight timeline.” – Real estate
“They are easily approachable. They explain matters easily and guide us. They are not typically commercial, they fully understand client issues and look at everything holistically before coming out with any suggestions.” – Regulatory
“Drew partners are highly competent, responsive and provide commercially sensible advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Deep experience.” – Tax
“Experienced lawyers who know the ITBR requirement and advise clients on the appeal strategy and provide practical advice on the approach to the appeal. Legal submissions are well prepared and clear and concise. They value the relationship with clients.” – Tax
“Drew & Napier's team, and Chong Kin Lim in particular, are deep experts in the tech and telecom space. They provide crisp guidance that we can share rapidly with our internal business clients. They also proactively monitor the horizon, and they let us know in advance about legal/regulatory developments that may impact us. Finally, they are fantastically responsive and literally never late in getting us the information we request.” – Technology and telecommunications
David Alfred
“He is very knowledgeable, prompt, able to offer solutions, understands business concerns, practical, and has a good network with regulators.”
Cavinder Bull
“An outstanding lawyer; thorough understanding of client's needs.”
Ron Cheng
“Knowledgeable and able to understand and meet the client's needs.”
“Ron has been extremely meticulous when it comes to his work. He ensures that he covers all angles and risks that the fund may encounter locally or abroad. Ron is able to understand complex problems and comes up with innovative solutions and structure.”
Corinne Chew
“Corinne is always willing to help and provides thoughtful advice in a timely manner.”
“Profound legal knowledge with excellent communication skills”
Voon Jiet Chia
“Voon Jiet is highly competent, responsive and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Desmond Chng
“He is very responsive, and good at giving a quick (often immediate) indication of what the solution to a problem might be, and whether or not it actually warrants detailed research or formal legal advice. This is very much appreciated from a client's point of view.”
Andrew Chua
“He is attentive and responsive, able to relate to the case and provide insights and share best practices, and at the same time highlight potential issues or ideas from past cases and experiences.”
Benjamin Gaw
“Knowledgeable, professional, available, has a positive attitude and is attentive to client's needs.”
Blossom Hing
“She has a good team and allows her team to take the lead with client communication at the right time while also stepping in when necessary. She asks the right questions to elicit the necessary information from the client.”
“Blossom is an outstanding litigation and arbitration partner. Blossom is creative and very strategic in her thinking and tactics - based on her vast experience of litigation and arbitration. Blossom has done a great job in building a team to support her.”
“My ’go to’ contact is Blossom Hing, who is one of the most experienced and accomplished litigation and arbitration partners in Singapore. Blossom heads a great team that is growing in experience and competence.”
Soo Lih Ho
“Approachable.”
Seraphina Ho
“Efficient.”
Rakesh Kirpalani
“Rakesh is clear in his counsel and incredibly responsive.”
“He helps our company to handle our legal issues and we are satisfied with his work.”
“He possesses a strong spirit to win for the client. He has a client-centric approach and is an expert at IT and data security.”
Meryl Koh
“Highly responsive and takes a keen interest to know the client's business and challenges faced. She has a can-do attitude and willing to go the extra mile for the client. Does not discriminate client based on fee earned.”
“Thorough, empathetic and forward-looking.”
Samuel Koh
“Very responsive. A critical thinker who challenges outcomes to ensure they are robust.”
Man Er Kong
“Kong is qualified and brilliant at what she does. Very reliable and flexible. In terms of advocacy skills, Kong is astonishing. Kong is very patient towards the clients and has the deep understanding of the law. Further, Kong respects the time and is responsive. Case management is top-notch as well. We have obtained grand knowledge when we discuss the interpretation and the conflicts of law.”
“Intelligent, sharp, efficient and effective.”
Julian Kwek
“Problem solver and provides practical solutions.”
Keith Lam
“Keith is professional and responsive.”
Sok Hiang Lau
“She is proactive and provides solutions to difficult issues.”
“Lau Sok Hiang is a very careful and meticulous lawyer. She very much stressed getting the documents right, in the sense that it will not invite queries or challenges.”
Chong Kin Lim
“Prompt, knowledgeable and responsive.”
“He has incredible relationships in his peer network. Deep expertise and incredibly responsive.”
Shumin Lin
“Very knowledgeable in the areas that she practises and provides very clear and detailed analysis of the law.”
“Has a quick grasp of issues. Keen attention to detail without losing sight of the broad strategy.”
Adam Maniam
“Adam's approach is extremely customer-oriented, he takes the initiative to take a crash-course on the customer's industry in order to come up with creative solutions. He's sharp and straightforward.”
“He is D&N personified. Altogether exceptional in terms of service, advocacy, attention to client's concerns and knowledge of the law. He’s a brilliant lawyer. In my opinion better than some senior counsel.”
“My opinion of the firm has been formed by Adam and his mentor.”
“Appreciate his knowledge, adherence to timelines, and that he understands the sensitivity of the matter.”
Pei Tong Ng
“Ability to share a holistic view on the situation and advise accordingly and to the needs of the client.”
Sim Ho Ong
“Very familiar with IRAS.”
Mahesh Rai
“Mahesh possesses excellent legal acumen. This coupled with his sound industry knowledge helps him deliver quick and practical legal advice. Mahesh communicates well and is friendly in nature.”
“He has a complete knowledge of the field and goes all out to understand the nuances of the business.”
“Both from a personal and professional point of view, I found Mahesh to be someone impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, is able to listen well, and is very good in communication, as I often saw him carrying himself so well in the court or in any kind of joint discussions. He provides me as a client with great consideration, tending to the needs of my case in the best way. Mahesh also always comes up with great strategy, showing his creativity as a veteran lawyer.”
“Mahesh is a very hands-on partner, has a close grasp of all the strategic issues and drills down into factual issues. He has a very commercial, practical mindset and is always ready to offer a recommendation and not just a set of options, and a practical recommendation that addresses both legal and broader strategic concerns. He is also clearly a strong mentor because we have been impressed even by the juniors on his team, when Mahesh is not present.”
Teng Sen Tan
“Teng Sen is a seasoned corporate lawyer and provides value-added services to the business owner. He's adept at corporate financing works and compliance matters and is a great partner for us.”
“Very experienced corporate partner who is commercially minded. He gives practical advice.”
“Excellent legal knowledge and communications.”
Allister Tan
“Brilliant lawyer and eager to help always.”
“Very knowledgeable, communicates well to ensure client understands the specifics of the issues. Guides client to the most rationale decision.”
“Fast and sound technical advice.”
“Commercial nous.”
Evelyn Tan
“Well-versed with contract law and court processes, meticulous and pays attention to detail.”
Benedict Teo
“Commercially savvy and he puts clients’ interests first.”
“Ben is extremely responsive and very experienced. I have appreciated his sound legal advice, and sharp legal acumen in handling the cases on our behalf. I also appreciate that he makes himself available to speak to the business representatives when needed.”
“Benedict is experienced and provides good strategic advice. His team provides good, detailed work and manages timelines well. Much to recommend, not much to criticise.”
“Responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure client's requirements are met fully.”
“He is a very experienced trusted adviser and sounding board. He is commercial, responsive, insightful, and he really knows the market and knows his stuff.”
Xuan Lang Teo
“Xuan Lang has been efficient in handling our case and always provides valuable alternative options for our consideration. This is helpful as it leaves no stone unturned, which may increase the probability to succeed in the proceedings.”
“Xuan Lang is extremely sharp and thorough. He is able to distil the key issues in a dispute to achieve the most efficient and favourable outcomes for us. He has deep foresight while bearing in mind commercial realities and practical considerations. All advice from him is extremely well-thought-out and backed up by firm legal foundations. An expert in IP law, he is able to explain and argue complicated legal concepts with clarity and punch.”
Shi Yong Yang
“Provides timely responses and to-the-point advice.”
“He listens to the client and approaches the solution holistically.”
Jonathan Yap
“Jonathan is a hard-working attorney focused on delivering quality work and superior results. He has great communication skills and ensures that his clients remain happy with his services.”
Tony Yeo
“Very prompt and understanding.”
Jimmy Yim
“He is efficient, eloquent and communicates well. He is also knowledgeable and responsive.”
“Jimmy Yim is well known in Singapore and an excellent lawyer with a strong personality. He was able to turn around a case we had lost and win the case for our company.”
“Jimmy Yim was efficient, eloquent and understood the issues well. Very good courtroom manner and pleasant to deal with.”
Work highlights
Assisted the Hanwha Group on its notification to the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore of its controlling stake acquisition of 49.3% in Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering at a takeover price of $1.5 billion.
Key clients
ADB BVBA, Chevron, Deliveroo, Heliconia Capital Management, Info Communications, Temasek.
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Acted for Entegris on antitrust aspects of its acquisition of all shares of CMC Materials, valued at $6.5 billion.
Key clients
Cuscaden Peak, Echo Healthcare Management, HSBC, Sunseap Group.
A formidable market leader in the full gamut of corporate and finance matters, WongPartnership comprises more than 300 lawyers in eight global cities. It offers extensive experience in handling high-stakes structured finance, M&A, funds, private equity, project finance and syndicated loans. The firm also has plentiful expertise on big-ticket domestic and cross-border disputes involving corporate, construction, insolvency and regulatory matters. Key lawyers include Susan Wong for banking and finance, Ameera Ashraf for competition, Christopher Chuah for construction, Andrew Ang and Wai King Ng for corporate and M&A and private equity, and Manoj Pillay Sandrasegara for restructuring and insolvency. In addition, Chung Nian Lam, Kah Keong Low, Jenny Tsin and Dorothy Marie Ng are regarded for their work in IP, investment funds, employment and real estate, respectively. The disputes team was bolstered by the arrival of partners Alessa Pang from Rajah & Tann and Monisha Cheong from TSMP Law Corporation. Restructuring and insolvency specialist Lawrence Foo left for an in-house post at Abaxx Exchange.
Client feedback
“Technically very sound and reliable lawyers who provide practical advice.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive, thorough and good understanding of our business.” – Banking and finance
“They are extremely detailed and meticulous. They will even provide advice for an issue that is not squarely within their scope of engagement if they deem that it is necessary for completeness of advice.” – Capital markets
“Very good network of lawyers especially across the southeast Asian region that can provide responses and on-the-ground advice; very capable and responsive team led by Jia Hui and Ameera.” – Competition/antitrust
“Very hands-on, commercial and speedy.” – Competition/antitrust
“Commercial, prompt and involved.” – Corporate and M&A
“Innovative in structuring; always seeking to tailor solutions to suit the client's objectives.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional, thorough and with high attention to detail.” – Corporate and M&A
“Practical and effective legal advice.” – Dispute resolution
“WongPartnership delivers client-friendly and high-quality legal services. They are responsive in addressing client queries. We arrived at satisfactory resolutions for the matters WongPartnership assisted us with.” – Dispute resolution
“Good analysis of the matter, and they gave us clear advice on the possibilities of success of the matter.” – Dispute resolution
“The WongP team has displayed both breadth and depth of legal expertise in the matters involving cross-border disputes, and their service and legal advice had been extremely valuable because they were our main counsel and helped to coordinate with our legal teams in BVI and China for parallel proceedings in the other jurisdictions. In addition, the team is very client-centric and responsive, they were able to respond to time-sensitive developments in the case within the day and give us legal directions on the next steps. We developed a very positive and synergistic relationship with the WongP legal team through the course of two years working with them.” – Dispute resolution
“Great strength in depth across the team.” – Dispute resolution
“Responsive and supportive of clients, and technically strong, well-researched litigation and strategic advice. Clearly experienced dispute resolution and litigation partners who worked with us. Communicates effectively, although on occasion can be quite formal and academic.” – Dispute resolution
“Technically excellent lawyers who are extremely responsive. Deep bench strength as well, with a talented group of senior associates and junior partners coming up the ranks.” – Dispute resolution
“Very client-focused and extremely responsive. Plus, they have some very smart lawyers!” – Dispute resolution
“An extremely intelligent and driven team.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and well-prepared, very knowledgeable and direct.” – Energy
“They are responsive, clear and practical.” – Intellectual property
“Excellent knowledge of the entire southeast Asian region. Very responsive.” – Intellectual property
“Practical guidance with business-oriented advice.” – Intellectual property
“They are the most professional firm we've worked with, very competitive and competent. Lam Chung Nian is the senior partner in charge, he will always take time to personally respond to us.” – Intellectual property
“The IP team at WongPartnership provides a very strong international approach to the local area and advises clients across a broad range of matters, from registration and enforcement of IP rights to contentious copyright mandates and patent and trademark infringements.” – Intellectual property
“The lawyers at WongPartnership almost always have a true passion for their job. They communicate with their clients efficiently and clearly as they know how to get their important ideas across to clients formally. They are highly creative people and they make sure that the client knows and understands all relevant information regarding a subject matter so that they can make an informed decision. They are very responsive as well.” – Intellectual property
“Provision of sound, expert legal advice. Responsive and reliable.” – Private client
“Commercial, responsive and solutions-oriented.” – Private equity
“WongPartnership delivers quality work and service, provides practical advice. The lawyers are responsive and display deep knowledge and expertise.” – Private equity
“WongPartnership is extremely responsive and their advice is always commercial.” – Private equity
“Highly competent and commercial, holds the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, prioritising client service and empathy.” – Private equity
“They are proactive, practical solutions-oriented, and prompt in responding to queries and requests for legal advisory services.” – Regulatory
“Responsive and attentive. Solid commercial advice.” – Regulatory
“They are knowledgeable, responsive and thorough.” – Regulatory
“Knowledgeable partners with astute business sense, especially when it comes to pragmatic advice for dealing with Singapore regulators. Competitively priced services means significantly more ‘bang for the buck’ than most foreign firms.” – Regulatory
“A well-rounded team that's well versed in admiralty, shipping and trade law.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Excellent teamwork, coordinated approach, with creativity in finding solutions.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Exceptional commitment, knowledge and industry awareness, with unique insights and unrivalled practical experience. Also incredibly friendly, positive and innovative. They are a real pleasure to work with.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Excellent team. Technically very strong across restructuring and special situations. Good bench depth. Good networks and they understand the players in the industry.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Grounded, practical debtor-side advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Very strong team. Excellent advice. Timely response. Good bench strength and depth of team. Full suite of legal services” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Hand-on lawyers. Easily approachable which makes them good to work with.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They are fast, prompt and approachable. They are able to research and present difficult legal topics in an easy-to-understand format.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Highly efficient with good client servicing.” – Tax
Jia Hui Chan
“Responsive, highly skilled and engaging.”
“Responsive and he has good problem-solving abilities.”
“Provides practical and commercial advice. Expert on both antitrust and MAS regulatory-related questions.”
Sing Yee Chan
“She is commercial, always available and a problem solver.”
Elaine Chan
“She is responsive, communicates and understands the client's needs well.”
Shi Mei Chia
“She is responsive and friendly.”
Joel Chng
“Friendly, practical and knowledgeable.”
Clayton Chong
“Exceptional analytical ability, knowledge and market awareness. Nothing is too hard and he is very responsive despite having a significant portfolio of work. A true pleasure to deal with.”
Josephine Choo
“We love her client-centric approach to our case, such as being able to break down the legal jargon into clear, easy-to-understand steps for us non-legal professionals to understand. She was also able to manage complex cross-jurisdiction issues since our case involved multiple concurrent procedures across Singapore, BVI and China. It was difficult for us to untangle and, thanks to Josephine, we were able to navigate the process well.”
“She gives practical and effective legal advice.”
Sean Chou
“An excellent lawyer and arbitrator. He is very easy to work with.”
“A natural leader. Great subject-matter expertise.”
“Very responsive, sound technical skills but commercially minded as well. Great client EQ and understands their needs.”
“Sean Chou is a natural and inspirational leader.”
Mark Choy
“Solution- oriented and commercial with a hands-on approach.”
Wei Wei Goh
“Responsive and helpful. She has good local litigation and dispute resolution technical know-how and experience, and communicates well.”
Swee Yen Koh
“Completely on top of her game.”
“Extremely tenacious; never gives up and fights to the end for a client.”
Chung Nian Lam
“Very responsive, clear and thoughtful.”
“Knows it all!”
“Chung Nian really marshals his team so well, and provides fantastic advice which is suitable for the business.”
“Very professional, business-minded and always takes the time to personally attend to matters.”
“He is experienced, extremely service-oriented, quick and always has a practical approach to meet the client’s best interest.’”
“Chung Nian is extremely knowledgeable about his area of practice. He has great communication skills which helps in making the client understand even a complex matter easily. I would like to praise Chung Nian for his responsiveness and patience, along with his great listening skills. He is hard-working and persevering, which makes him one of the most sought-after IP lawyers in Singapore.”
Wendy Lin
“Thorough, insightful and professional.”
“Masterful advocate who is extremely intelligent and very quick on her feet. She has great instincts and gets to the heart of the case right away. Amazingly, she is then able to marshal copious documents to make good that case theory.”
Kah Keong Low
“Highly reliable and responsive, has in-depth knowledge and expertise, knows the client well, and is able to provide constructive, commercial advice.”
Smitha Menon
“Great team coordinator, positive energy and personality, decisiveness.”
“Easy to work with. Solution oriented.”
Rosabel Ng
“Extremely meticulous and up-to-date with the latest developments in the law. Provides innovative and technically sound solutions to complex legal issues. Understands the client's legal requirements.”
“She is very proactive in engaging her clients and she listens to understand what the client's needs are and responds appropriately to them.”
“Excellent overview and understanding with regard to the clearing of derivatives transactions.”
Wai King Ng
“Tremendous legal insight; his considerable experience provides enormous comfort to clients when he is present in a transaction. He has trained a strong team of lawyers to lead M&A transactions.”
Fi Ling Quak
“Fi Ling is always available and very commercial.”
“Commercial, prompt, driven, and always available.”
Joel Quek
“Excellent case analysis, communication with clients, and of course personal presentation.”
Kai Yun Tan
“Very strong understanding of the law. Prompt response times.”
Shao Tong Tan
“Efficient and clear advice.”
Teck Wee Tiong
“Highly competent and likely one of the best among his peers. Very client-focused and empathetic. Willing to explore and incorporate client feedback; open and receptive to ideas.”
Sion Yoong Tian
“Responsiveness and attentiveness, with sound commercial advice.”
Stephanie Yeo
“Good technically and she understands restructuring and special situations.”
“Technically very sound and she is easy to work with.”
Work highlights
Advised ContiTech Global Holdings (ContiTech) and Trelleborg on their joint application to the competition authority in Singapore relating to proposed acquisition by ContiTech of 100% of the total issued shares in Printing Solutions Sweden from Trelleborg.
Key clients
Keppel Corporation, LOGOS China Investments, Uber Technologies Singapore.
CMS Holborn Asia houses a number of renowned specialist lawyers, such as construction experts Kelvin Aw and Lynette Chew, employment director Lakshanthi Fernando, as well as IP and TMT-focused Sheena Jacob. The firm is particularly known for its sector focus across technology, healthcare, life science, media, consumer goods and services and infrastructure. The firm climbs up a notch in the banking and finance table this year, reaping the benefits from having seasoned partner Daniel Tan join from Clifford Chance two years earlier. The disputes team welcomed partner Jonathan Warne from CMS London last summer.
Client feedback
“Excellent transaction management with a strong understanding of projects and finance.” – Banking and finance
“Extremely effective advocates, very well prepared and commercially sensible.” – Dispute resolution
“CMS partners in the construction and engineering dispute resolution practice are leading domain experts and highly skilled in all aspects of preparation for arbitrations, especially in the engagement with and instruction of independent experts.” – Dispute resolution
“Responsive and thorough in their advice.” – Energy
Kelvin Aw
“He is thoughtful about a client's case and anticipates upcoming risks in each case. Provides a clear case strategy from start to finish. Always gets it right on the key issues.”
Asya Jamaludin
“Very well prepared, excellent advocate.”
Marc Rathborne
“Very communicative, good depth of knowledge in the subject area, able to provide insight on regulatory issues as well as nuanced opinions on how these contracts and regulations will affect our business. Provided thoughtful advice. Very responsive.”
Daniel Tan
“Very knowledgeable and client-focused.”
Work highlights
Advised Samsung C&T Corporation in a Singapore-seated ICC arbitration proceedings against its subcontractor for disputes in relation to and arising out of a mechanical and piping works subcontract at a combined-cycle power plant project in Jurong Island.
Acting for WSP Consulting in relation to disputes with the management corporation of a mixed retail and residential development located in the Orchard district, and its employers in relation to the architectural and engineering consulting services for multiple rail line, depot and station projects in Singapore.
Assisting Equinix Asia Pacific on the construction and development of a retail data centre in Jakarta.
Key clients
AECOM Singapore, Cluny Development, HPC Builders, SMM.
CNPLaw, formerly known as Colin Ng & Partners, is active in all major practice areas including banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, investment funds and private equity. The firm has experience in advising companies in the real estate and technology and telecommunication sectors, particularly active in blockchain and cryptocurrency. This year, the firm moves up a rank in the construction and regulatory tables. The M&A team closed four takeovers in the past year and the corporate team has established a niche practice advising companies in high-growth, emerging markets like Myanmar, Indo-China and the Philippines. Min-Li Tan, Subramanian Pillai, Pradeep Singh, Lisa Theng and Bill Jamieson are key contacts.
Work highlights
Represented AVA Global as a respondent in a construction arbitration in relation to the development of Bulim Square in a claim brought by the main contractor.
Acted for two defendants in claims by an insolvent company and its liquidator in relation to the development at Funtasy Island.
Dentons Rodyk & Davidson is one of Singapore’s largest full-service firms, stacked with notable partners who are experts in their fields. The firm has stellar banking, construction, disputes, competition and technology and telecommunications practices. This year its insurance offering debuts in our table with a strong showing. The combination with Dentons, the largest law firm in the world, provides clients with an extensive network of global experts from over 200 offices around the world in more than 80 countries. One recent update is Dentons’ alliance with Filipino law firm, PJS Law. Partners to note include banking specialist Doreen Sim, M&A partner Eng Leng Ng, IP specialists Ai Ming Lee and I-An Lim, insurance director Edric Pan, projects expert Joo Thye Tan, disputes specialist Lawrence Teh and senior counsel Edmund Leow.
Work highlights
Defending Jurong Primewide in a suit filed by the plaintiff, Crescendas Bionics, which is claiming loss and damages against the client arising from delays to the construction of the project at Biopolis, as well as disputed various contractual provisions.
Key clients
Comfort Management, Kovan Treasure, Luxury Green Development, Singapore Island Country Club
As one of Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms, Drew & Napier possesses a diverse roster of lawyers offering an extensive range of legal services in Singapore and across the region. The firm remains a dispute resolution powerhouse with a deep bench of top advocates including Jimmy Yim and Cavinder Bull. Disputes and insolvency lawyer Siraj Omar, construction specialist Christopher Chong and elite tax practitioner Ong Sim Ho further reinforce the team. Other key names to note include Pauline Chong for finance, Chong Kin Lim for competition and technology, Steven Lo for corporate and M&A, Tony Yeo for IP, and Sushil Nair and Blossom Hing for restructuring and insolvency. Consultant Gary Pryke is another well-known practitioner in the corporate and finance space. The firm welcomed banking specialist May Ng from Rajah & Tann recently.
Client feedback
“Highly professional, responsive and approachable.” – Banking and finance
“They understand the concerns, are responsive and provide solutions.” – Banking and finance
“Always focused on protecting its client's interests.” – Banking and finance
“I appreciate their knowledge of the matter and prompt actions.” – Capital markets
“DN has strong, in-depth knowledge of competition law and is able to provide practical advice in a timely manner.” – Competition/antitrust
“Profound expertise, swift responses, and regularly updates clients through newsletters.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive and business-pragmatic. Makes effort to understand the client's requirements. Reasonable fees charged for work.” – Construction
“Knowledgeable, professional and supportive of small businesses.” – Corporate and M&A
“The team is capable of looking beyond the legal aspects and putting into the perspectives of the different stakeholders. They provided value-added service and are indeed great partners for business owners.” – Corporate and M&A
“Responsive, quick and commercially minded.” – Corporate and M&A
“I liked their flexibility while providing good coverage on the necessary work for this deal.” – Corporate and M&A
“Communication and ability to distil facts into easy to understand terms. They are also very good at highlighting the possible issues with the transaction.” – Corporate and M&A
“Sound in legal knowledge and able to provide alternative solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very detailed analysis of the law. Very prompt advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Deep legal expertise coupled with pragmatism.” – Dispute resolution
“Took the additional effort to understand the case, including the case notes, did a walkthrough of the cause of the matter, looked out for the true cause of the matter before forming their own conclusions prior to advising on the appropriate steps to take.” – Dispute resolution
“First and foremost, they advise you if it makes sense to fight or not to fight. As per Sun Tzu, that's the most important and fundamental question. Drew doesn't shy away from a fight to maximise value for the client but they are also very mindful if it makes sense to fight to begin with! They then ask you what you want to achieve and give you good counsel in a clear and transparent way. As a busy CEO, this is exactly what I need, and Drew does this very well.” – Dispute resolution
“Very collaborative. Sharp thinkers who understand the issues, even when they are new areas.” – Dispute resolution
“Quick to respond, thoughtful legal work and diligent” – Dispute resolution
“They have sound industry knowledge and expertise in handling arbitration under SIAC rules. They can provide quick and practical solutions for commercial disputes. Two lawyers, Mahesh Rai and Don Loo exhibit excellent legal acumen.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a completely hands-on approach to matters.” – Dispute resolution
“They’re all excellent, promptly engaging legal advice at all times. They are all brilliant lawyers.” – Dispute resolution
“Without doubt, the best litigation outfit in Singapore. Timely, reasoned, commercial and effective.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier were very proactive and responsive. They were able to foresee the plaintiff's arguments and prevent them.” – Dispute resolution
“They make robust argument and provide effective litigation strategies.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier has come up with a very creative solution in respect of entering documents into evidence, by knowing well the procedure of the proceeding.” – Dispute resolution
“It is commercially savvy and understanding of client needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Practical and concise legal advice was rendered.” – Dispute resolution
“I like all these: responsiveness, access to partners and commerciality of the advice.” – Dispute resolution
“They are very focused and committed. From day one they created a clear strategy which led us to win our case against the claimants. The team members involved have taken accountability. The deliverables during ongoing arbitration were outstanding.” – Dispute resolution
“We had a complex and difficult claim that required attention to detail and clever advocacy. Blossom's team was able to combine the disparate facts into a coherent claim that allowed us to achieve our aims against the defendant.” – Dispute resolution
“Excellence in advocacy, excellence in knowledge of law, practical advice, timeliness, responsiveness, commercial sensitivity. Most impressive aspect is their ability to work around our confidentiality and commercial concerns.” – Dispute resolution
“They are responsive and their advice is well thought out, succinct and clearly backed by years of experience in litigation. They are also happy to accept feedback and consider the legal opinions of their clients' in-house teams.” – Dispute resolution
“Experienced, strategic and responsive” – Dispute resolution
“Their experience, customer service and legal expertise are exceptional. They have the ability to lead with the local lawyers and the clients. The legal advice they have provided is practical and tailored for the specific legal disputes. They work tirelessly for any urgent matters without hesitating a bit, even if it takes the entire night. Despite the differences between the two jurisdictions, their cooperation on the matters has been top-notch. We have learnt so much from them in terms of their knowledge, practice, attitude, management, leadership, professionalism and customer service skills.” – Dispute resolution
“Strategic in solving the key issues and meticulous on detail.” – Dispute resolution
“The partner and team are very knowledgeable, working in a very detailed and precise manner. They have a strong understanding of the law and how to apply it. Great team.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier is very meticulous, and even minor emails are professionally written, well structured, and well thought out. They also learn fast, and quickly accumulated domain knowledge regarding the blockchain industry where we operate, and adjacent fields of law such as US securities law as applied to blockchain disputes. They are also extremely responsive, replying on urgent messages even at 11pm.” – Dispute resolution
“We appreciate its commerciality and technical analysis.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and timely advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Wide areas of expertise and prompt advice.” – Energy
“Great detailed analysis and recommendation on appropriate and specific course of action.” – Insurance
“They are good with technical advice.” – Insurance
“They do a good job at looking at things from the client's perspective, and are able to find commercial solutions for risks they identify.” – Insurance
“Siau Wen Lim and Xuan Lang Teo from Drew & Napier represented us and have acted professionally to assist to resolve trademark issues with Starbucks. Their expertise in IP field is highly commendable and eventually the issue has been resolved with a positive outcome.” – Intellectual property
“They take the time to understand the business challenges and try to work on practical solutions.” – Intellectual property
“Very prompt.” – Intellectual property
“Advice is technically sound and well-considered.” – Intellectual property
“Lawyers have a good knowledge of Singapore law and are responsive.” – Investment funds
“Prompt, thorough and responsive.” – Labour and employment
“Their IT legal team has deep knowledge and rich experience. Very responsive even on the weekend when our business is running. Very client-oriented.” – Privacy and data protection
“Superior staff who provide considered advice and diligent execution.” – Private client
“The firm was able to comprehend the complexity of a first-of-its-kind strategy from a fund manager's perspective and comes up with an innovative solution.” – Private equity
“Good at the completion of transactions despite the tight timeline.” – Real estate
“They are easily approachable. They explain matters easily and guide us. They are not typically commercial, they fully understand client issues and look at everything holistically before coming out with any suggestions.” – Regulatory
“Drew partners are highly competent, responsive and provide commercially sensible advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Deep experience.” – Tax
“Experienced lawyers who know the ITBR requirement and advise clients on the appeal strategy and provide practical advice on the approach to the appeal. Legal submissions are well prepared and clear and concise. They value the relationship with clients.” – Tax
“Drew & Napier's team, and Chong Kin Lim in particular, are deep experts in the tech and telecom space. They provide crisp guidance that we can share rapidly with our internal business clients. They also proactively monitor the horizon, and they let us know in advance about legal/regulatory developments that may impact us. Finally, they are fantastically responsive and literally never late in getting us the information we request.” – Technology and telecommunications
David Alfred
“He is very knowledgeable, prompt, able to offer solutions, understands business concerns, practical, and has a good network with regulators.”
Cavinder Bull
“An outstanding lawyer; thorough understanding of client's needs.”
Ron Cheng
“Knowledgeable and able to understand and meet the client's needs.”
“Ron has been extremely meticulous when it comes to his work. He ensures that he covers all angles and risks that the fund may encounter locally or abroad. Ron is able to understand complex problems and comes up with innovative solutions and structure.”
Corinne Chew
“Corinne is always willing to help and provides thoughtful advice in a timely manner.”
“Profound legal knowledge with excellent communication skills”
Voon Jiet Chia
“Voon Jiet is highly competent, responsive and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Desmond Chng
“He is very responsive, and good at giving a quick (often immediate) indication of what the solution to a problem might be, and whether or not it actually warrants detailed research or formal legal advice. This is very much appreciated from a client's point of view.”
Andrew Chua
“He is attentive and responsive, able to relate to the case and provide insights and share best practices, and at the same time highlight potential issues or ideas from past cases and experiences.”
Benjamin Gaw
“Knowledgeable, professional, available, has a positive attitude and is attentive to client's needs.”
Blossom Hing
“She has a good team and allows her team to take the lead with client communication at the right time while also stepping in when necessary. She asks the right questions to elicit the necessary information from the client.”
“Blossom is an outstanding litigation and arbitration partner. Blossom is creative and very strategic in her thinking and tactics - based on her vast experience of litigation and arbitration. Blossom has done a great job in building a team to support her.”
“My ’go to’ contact is Blossom Hing, who is one of the most experienced and accomplished litigation and arbitration partners in Singapore. Blossom heads a great team that is growing in experience and competence.”
Soo Lih Ho
“Approachable.”
Seraphina Ho
“Efficient.”
Rakesh Kirpalani
“Rakesh is clear in his counsel and incredibly responsive.”
“He helps our company to handle our legal issues and we are satisfied with his work.”
“He possesses a strong spirit to win for the client. He has a client-centric approach and is an expert at IT and data security.”
Meryl Koh
“Highly responsive and takes a keen interest to know the client's business and challenges faced. She has a can-do attitude and willing to go the extra mile for the client. Does not discriminate client based on fee earned.”
“Thorough, empathetic and forward-looking.”
Samuel Koh
“Very responsive. A critical thinker who challenges outcomes to ensure they are robust.”
Man Er Kong
“Kong is qualified and brilliant at what she does. Very reliable and flexible. In terms of advocacy skills, Kong is astonishing. Kong is very patient towards the clients and has the deep understanding of the law. Further, Kong respects the time and is responsive. Case management is top-notch as well. We have obtained grand knowledge when we discuss the interpretation and the conflicts of law.”
“Intelligent, sharp, efficient and effective.”
Julian Kwek
“Problem solver and provides practical solutions.”
Keith Lam
“Keith is professional and responsive.”
Sok Hiang Lau
“She is proactive and provides solutions to difficult issues.”
“Lau Sok Hiang is a very careful and meticulous lawyer. She very much stressed getting the documents right, in the sense that it will not invite queries or challenges.”
Chong Kin Lim
“Prompt, knowledgeable and responsive.”
“He has incredible relationships in his peer network. Deep expertise and incredibly responsive.”
Shumin Lin
“Very knowledgeable in the areas that she practises and provides very clear and detailed analysis of the law.”
“Has a quick grasp of issues. Keen attention to detail without losing sight of the broad strategy.”
Adam Maniam
“Adam's approach is extremely customer-oriented, he takes the initiative to take a crash-course on the customer's industry in order to come up with creative solutions. He's sharp and straightforward.”
“He is D&N personified. Altogether exceptional in terms of service, advocacy, attention to client's concerns and knowledge of the law. He’s a brilliant lawyer. In my opinion better than some senior counsel.”
“My opinion of the firm has been formed by Adam and his mentor.”
“Appreciate his knowledge, adherence to timelines, and that he understands the sensitivity of the matter.”
Pei Tong Ng
“Ability to share a holistic view on the situation and advise accordingly and to the needs of the client.”
Sim Ho Ong
“Very familiar with IRAS.”
Mahesh Rai
“Mahesh possesses excellent legal acumen. This coupled with his sound industry knowledge helps him deliver quick and practical legal advice. Mahesh communicates well and is friendly in nature.”
“He has a complete knowledge of the field and goes all out to understand the nuances of the business.”
“Both from a personal and professional point of view, I found Mahesh to be someone impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, is able to listen well, and is very good in communication, as I often saw him carrying himself so well in the court or in any kind of joint discussions. He provides me as a client with great consideration, tending to the needs of my case in the best way. Mahesh also always comes up with great strategy, showing his creativity as a veteran lawyer.”
“Mahesh is a very hands-on partner, has a close grasp of all the strategic issues and drills down into factual issues. He has a very commercial, practical mindset and is always ready to offer a recommendation and not just a set of options, and a practical recommendation that addresses both legal and broader strategic concerns. He is also clearly a strong mentor because we have been impressed even by the juniors on his team, when Mahesh is not present.”
Teng Sen Tan
“Teng Sen is a seasoned corporate lawyer and provides value-added services to the business owner. He's adept at corporate financing works and compliance matters and is a great partner for us.”
“Very experienced corporate partner who is commercially minded. He gives practical advice.”
“Excellent legal knowledge and communications.”
Allister Tan
“Brilliant lawyer and eager to help always.”
“Very knowledgeable, communicates well to ensure client understands the specifics of the issues. Guides client to the most rationale decision.”
“Fast and sound technical advice.”
“Commercial nous.”
Evelyn Tan
“Well-versed with contract law and court processes, meticulous and pays attention to detail.”
Benedict Teo
“Commercially savvy and he puts clients’ interests first.”
“Ben is extremely responsive and very experienced. I have appreciated his sound legal advice, and sharp legal acumen in handling the cases on our behalf. I also appreciate that he makes himself available to speak to the business representatives when needed.”
“Benedict is experienced and provides good strategic advice. His team provides good, detailed work and manages timelines well. Much to recommend, not much to criticise.”
“Responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure client's requirements are met fully.”
“He is a very experienced trusted adviser and sounding board. He is commercial, responsive, insightful, and he really knows the market and knows his stuff.”
Xuan Lang Teo
“Xuan Lang has been efficient in handling our case and always provides valuable alternative options for our consideration. This is helpful as it leaves no stone unturned, which may increase the probability to succeed in the proceedings.”
“Xuan Lang is extremely sharp and thorough. He is able to distil the key issues in a dispute to achieve the most efficient and favourable outcomes for us. He has deep foresight while bearing in mind commercial realities and practical considerations. All advice from him is extremely well-thought-out and backed up by firm legal foundations. An expert in IP law, he is able to explain and argue complicated legal concepts with clarity and punch.”
Shi Yong Yang
“Provides timely responses and to-the-point advice.”
“He listens to the client and approaches the solution holistically.”
Jonathan Yap
“Jonathan is a hard-working attorney focused on delivering quality work and superior results. He has great communication skills and ensures that his clients remain happy with his services.”
Tony Yeo
“Very prompt and understanding.”
Jimmy Yim
“He is efficient, eloquent and communicates well. He is also knowledgeable and responsive.”
“Jimmy Yim is well known in Singapore and an excellent lawyer with a strong personality. He was able to turn around a case we had lost and win the case for our company.”
“Jimmy Yim was efficient, eloquent and understood the issues well. Very good courtroom manner and pleasant to deal with.”
Work highlights
Represented respondent DL E&C, one of Korea’s leading chaebols, in a dispute concerning an aborted L+EPC contract for the construction of the largest petrochemical plant in India and in Asia.
Key clients
Alcon Group, Amara Hotel Properties, Banpu, China Machine New Energy Corporation, CosmoSteel Holdings, Dragages Singapore, Essar Group, Navayo International, Novartis, SK Engineering & Construction, Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Harry Elias Partnership has offices in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. Built upon one of the most respected and influential litigation lawyers in the country, Harry Elias, the firm has an established reputation for its dispute resolution and family and matrimonial expertise. The firm is also notable for its construction, infrastructure, corporate and M&A, and intellectual property practices. Philip Fong, Justin Chia, Tan Chau Yee, Brian Law, Pearl Lim and Claudia Teo are key contacts for dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, intellectual property, construction, banking, and corporate and M&A, respectively. The construction and engineering group further bolstered its expertise with the hirings of two veteran specialists, Joanna Seetoh from LVM Law Chambers and Chua Ming Hao from Clyde & Co Clasis.
Work highlights
Continues to act as the claims specialist to project manager Surbana Jurong Consultants and superintending officer and employer, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, for the Tuas Terminal phase 1, which is part of the upcoming Tuas Mega Port project. The project is of national strategic importance to Singapore and the first of its kind in Singapore for decades.
Defending YTL Concrete against claims for damage caused and other losses by HSL Construction and the Public Utilities Board.
Key clients
Ministry of Health Holdings, Rich-Link Construction, SMRT Trains, Wee Hur Holdings.
Established in 2018, LIMN Law Corporation has a strong track record of excellence for contentious construction matters. The firm climbs into the ‘Recognised’ tier for construction this year. Key partner John Lim is an experienced litigator with specialisms in construction and engineering and infrastructure projects such as mass rapid transit projects, hotels, specialised warehouses and residential developments. Lim also has front-end drafting capability. The firm’s clientele includes established local owners, developers, contractors and consultants as well as award-winning interior design firms.
Work highlights
Advised an owner of a flatted factory, an industrial products supplier, in a dispute with the main contractor over progress payments.
Acted for a lift installation sub-contractor in a claim against Kone, an international engineering and service company.
Representing a subsidiary proprietor in disputing the quantum of compensation pursuant to a land acquisition before the Appeals Board.
Founded in 2017 by senior counsel Lok Vi Ming, LVM Law Chambers is a respected, mid-sized disputes boutique offering a comprehensive range of dispute resolution services spanning commercial litigation, construction, insurance, media and telecommunications, tax, mediation, real estate, regulatory and white-collar matters. The firm has been consistently instructed in high-profile cross-border cases involving China, Brazil, Europe, Japan, Malaysia, the UK and the US. It has a dedicated China desk and has been quite active for these clients in the construction, technology, infrastructure and PE sectors. The firm added shipping capabilities to its growing array of specialisms, with the hiring of former Incisive Law director, Mohd Haireez. Managing director Lok Vi Ming leads an experienced team that includes construction specialists Joseph Lee and Waltan Pak. The team also welcomed the arrival of director Jean Chan from the Singapore High Court to bolster its white-collar crime and regulatory offering. Construction expert Joanna Seetoh departed last year for Harry Elias Partnership.
Client feedback
“LVM is very proactive in providing practical solutions to the client. LVM does not only advise on the legal aspect, but they really help the client to choose the 'best' route to achieve the best outcome possible, given the commercial circumstances.” – Dispute resolution
“They have lawyers who are intelligent, attentive and know their specialised areas well.” – Dispute resolution
“The firm is able to distil complex issues to distinct bitesize chunks and tackle each of these pointedly. They have the grit and soft skills to disarm the defendants with finesse. They deliver par excellence.” – Dispute resolution
“The lawyers are professional and knowledgeable on the case; they were able to find the supporting evidence in the court documents to defend my case.” – Private client
“Responsive and experienced team, able to pull in senior counsel when required.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Honest, quick and frank.” – Shipping
“Quick response and practical advice.” – Shipping
Mohd Haireez
“Able to provide quick and concise advice.”
“Solid legal and sector knowledge, attentive and meticulous.”
“Hard-working, efficient, brilliant and affable.”
Jonathan Muk
“Jonathan has very good legal knowledge as well as industry knowledge, to provide the client with practical advice. He is also very responsive to clients’ queries.”
“Jonathan not only listens, he does his homework and always researches thoroughly. He is always accessible and he responds to queries promptly. He keeps tabs on costs and timeline diligently.”
Huey Hien Ooi
“Responsive, detailed and diligent.”
Michelle Yeo
“She is hardworking and well-versed in knowledge on my case.”
Work highlights
Assisted Fajarbaru Builders to enforce the arbitral award of a Malaysian court order in Singapore against the individual defendant.
Representing Laud Architects and one of its directors in an ongoing dispute commenced in the Singapore High Court by SH Design and Build.
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Advised Sanofi Manufacturing on its $638 million investment in a leading-edge production site in Singapore to supply the Asian region and complement existing manufacturing capacities in Europe and North America.
Engaged by Vim Engineering for its appeal against a High Court decision in a significant dispute involving contractual conditions when making variation claims.
Shook Lin & Bok works with an impressive roster of clients, including major banks, multinational corporations and private equity investors, on large transactions locally and across the region. The firm is highly active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. It is also skilled in advising on real estate finance, particularly on the lender side. This year the firm moves up a notch in the IP table for its growing practice, and debuts for shipping. Key lawyers include Kai Zee Liew for banking and finance, Marilyn See for capital markets, David Chong for corporate and M&A, and Sarjit Singh Gill, Probin Dass and David Chan for dispute resolution and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Easy to deal with and good professional legal advice given. Able to add value to the transaction and requests.” – Banking and finance
“High level of professionalism and always approachable to provide their advice to our financing structures, sometimes even on a pro bono basis.” – Banking and finance
“Timelines are met, advice is provided in a holistic manner, drafting languages are easy to understand and they are familiar with our company’s processes.” – Banking and finance
“Approachable and efficient turnaround with prompt follow-ups. Transactions are always completed on schedule and lawyers are pre-emptive.” – Banking and finance
“They are always responsive and provide sound and clear advice for execution of the transaction.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive and willing to commit resources.” – Capital markets
“Can be relied upon for quick, solid legal advice, which is sometimes surprisingly hard to come across when dealing with other jurisdictions. In particular, their legal analysis is technically excellent.” – Dispute resolution
“Open, clear, prompt and uses initiative.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Strong insolvency and restructuring track record and team.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Timely and quick responses with good advisory analysis.” – Shipping
Paul Goh
“Responsive, forward thinking and fast.”
Clement Khoo
“Professionalism and always keen to share and advise.”
“Extremely responsive, sound knowledge of the banking sector and structuring transactions, willing to go the extra mile to assist in completion under tight timelines.”
Stanley Lim
“Approachable and always available to give legal advice. Follows up closely on transaction and is always pre-emptive on any potential issues that may arise.”
Moses Lin
“Approachable and available with relevant knowledge.”
Daniel Tan
“Just an excellent all-round lawyer, he is responsive and technically very sound.”
“Quick to respond, understands all relevant issues and deals with them systematically and comprehensively.”
“Driven and provides legally feasible solutions in complex situations.”
Pearlyn Xie
“Responsive, and willing to provide advice and solutions.”
Work highlights
Acting for City Hotels in defending a claim brought by Tat Wai Enterprise, a building and construction company, for the alleged repudiatory breach of a contract for the refurbishment of several of Orchard Hotel Singapore's rooms.
Advising ESR Property Management relating to its construction contracts and utilities supply contracts in respect of the ESR-REIT properties.
TSMP Law Corporation is especially well known for its work in corporate and M&A and dispute resolution. The firm also specialises in corporate real estate financing, in particular, in land acquisition financing and land development financing. This year the firm climbs up a notch in the rankings for competition, IP and private equity. The firm not only acts for various major corporations and financial institutions but also is frequently sought out by different regulatory bodies. Senior counsel Shen Yi Thio, corporate lawyer Stefanie Yuen Thio, construction specialists Melvin Chan and Derek Loh and labour expert Ian Lim are key figures at the firm. Jennifer Chia is another name to note for banking and finance.
Client feedback
“Professional, efficient, highly conversant and familiar with the bank's requirements.” – Banking and finance
“Familiarity and expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They are very responsive, and always meet the tight timelines.” – Banking and finance
“TSMP has been on our bank’s panel of advising lawyers for close to 10 years, and over the years has built up a good work relation with us for daily legal work on bilateral loan and security documents, registration of charges, structuring of facilities, etc.” – Banking and finance
“Solid advice, highly diligent and reliable.” – Corporate and M&A
“Cost-efficient, client-focused and on time.” – Corporate and M&A
“They are experienced, well-connected and well-versed in the capital markets. In addition, they have adequate resources to ensure the work can be completed on a timely basis.” – Corporate and M&A
“Can-do attitude with very business-friendly advice. Was able to respond well to tight timelines and stressful negotiations. Valued attributes include thinking out of the box, innovative ideas with the commercial end in mind.” – Corporate and M&A
“Capable, positive and timely.” – Dispute resolution
“Attention to detail, responsive and creative approach.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and able to work under tight timeline.” – Real estate
“Practical and solutions-oriented.” – Real estate
“Provided concise and to-the-point advice on investment structure, conducted legal due diligence of the Singapore entity, reviewed transaction documents and advised on the relevant financial and investment regulations. TSMP timely reviewed and analysed the legal risks involved in the deal by leveraging deep insight and expertise in the industry.” – Real estate
Melvin Chan
“Keen listener with expert problem-solving skills.”
Jennifer Chia
“She is experienced, to the point and responsive. Relieved to work with a lawyer of high-level quality.”
“Very responsive and enthusiastic.”
“Practical and solutions-oriented.”
“Highly professional, helpful, approachable and knowledgeable.”
“She is responsive, knowledgeable and able to come out with solutions to help my organisation.”
“Very responsive, flexible and friendly. She gives us creative solutions.”
“Over the years Jennifer has developed very good day-to-day work relations with our officers in the documentation department. She has rendered us much-valued guidance in drafting and structuring of our loan and security documents.”
“Very practical advice which we appreciate, she has unique insights into labour regulations.”
Kelvin Koh
“He is analytical, practical, strong in legal knowledge and able to explain complex issues simply.”
Derek Loh
“Strong capabilities and communications.”
Stefanie Yuen Thio
“Excellent communications and duty of care.”
“She is very communicative and explains the pro and cons and recommendations in a clear manner. She gives business-friendly legal advice.”
“Excellent client management and understands client concerns; proposes good solutions for dealing with risks.”
Work highlights
Successfully defended its clients against claims of fraud, conspiracy, negligence, breach of the contractual obligations and breach of duty as an architect in the construction of three good class bungalows.
Represented Thye Chuan Engineering Construction in relation to an insurance dispute arising out of contractors’ all risk insurance policy.
Key clients
GS Engineering & Construction, Hyundai E&C, Menard Geosystems, Soletanche Bachy, YTL Cement, YTL Power.
Singapore corporate boutique AEI Legal is active in the corporate and M&A and private equity spaces with a particular focus on technology, real estate and consumer goods. The firm boasts long-standing clients that span MNCs and blue-chip corporates such as Mitsui, GoTo, Kakao and Telstra. Recently, the firm has grown to collaborate more frequently with litigation and arbitration, IP and tax specialists to provide clients with a one-stop shop offering.
Managing director Andrea Chee is a key contact and she leads a team of eight fee-earners.
Client feedback
“Highly client- and solutions-focused.” – Corporate and M&A
“They take into account the commercial aspects of the transaction, understand market practice, and have solid teamwork and swift responses.” – Corporate and M&A
Andrea Chee
“Humility abounds alongside strategic and technical brilliance.”
“She considers the commercial aspects of the transaction, provides practical advice and is responsive.”
Work highlights
Advised GoTo Group on a JV deal involving the Carousell Group and Heliconia Capital.
Acted for Entech Global Solutions on its successful acquisition of the Pestbusters Group in Singapore and Malaysia.
Asia Practice is a corporate and finance-focused firm with experience in the projects and shipping space. The firm’s clients include corporations as well as market participants and stakeholders. In the past year, the shipping team was busy on more than two dozen deals involving nearly 50 vessels. These matters included ship financing, and sale and leaseback transactions, with a total deal size for 2022 of close to $2 billion.
Chien Herr Lee is the main partner for corporate and M&A, while Jonathan Tan and Leon Low lead its banking and finance practice.
Client feedback
“Asia Practice has been on the bank's panel of approved counsels for over 10 years and has fostered very good day-to-day work relations with the credit admin department of our Singapore branch. The firm has also rendered legal support and guidance to the bank's Bangkok head office for various loan and security documentation, and structuring.” – Banking and finance
Jonathan Tan
“Over the past 10 years Jonathan has fostered a very good day-to-day working relationship with our Singapore branch and has been available to guide us though many issues on short notice.”
Work highlights
Advised an Indonesian startup focused on bulk ordering for rural communities on its Series A financing round of more than $5 million.
Assisted a rapidly expanding international corporate solutions service provider headquartered in Singapore on its acquisition of two firms in the same industry, each catering to a specific niche which would facilitate its further expansion in other offshore jurisdictions.
Represented a startup fintech company in its seed round taken up by a prominent venture capital group active in early-stage investments as lead investor. The transaction helped the startup to raise $1.3 million to facilitate its operations and expansion in the ASEAN region.
Bird & Bird ATMD upholds its ‘Outstanding’ ranking with a strong intellectual property practice and expertise in the technology and telecommunications sector. Lorraine Tay and Alban Kang are key figures for IP. The firm is also active in capital markets, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, energy and labour and employment. This year it moves up in the energy table, and debuts in the construction and private equity categories. Marcus Chow, Sandra Seah and Beng Chai Tay are the main corporate partners at the firm. Jonathan Choo is a dispute resolution lawyer particularly active in international arbitration and Seow Hui Goh focuses on labour and employment.
Client feedback
“Extremely pragmatic and commercial, excellent attention to detail, but does not belabour legal points unnecessarily.” – Aviation
“Commercially sound while providing solid legal advice and willing to go the extra mile.” – Aviation
“Responsive, practical and commercial-oriented.” – Capital markets
“Proactive and responsible.” – Capital markets
“Responsive with the ability to anticipate and identify potential issues. Has the ability to propose solutions.” – Capital markets
“Fast and logical responses.” – Competition/antitrust
“Highly responsive and can devise value-adding solutions to commercial issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“The firm's legal documents are sophisticated and can capture most legal issues that we need to mitigate or prevent. When there is an issue, they are quick to provide solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Staff are timely, dedicated, professional, responsive and client-oriented.” – Corporate and M&A
“Prompt and completed the work within the schedule.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional and efficient.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very professional, work effectively within time frame.” – Corporate and M&A
“It has comprehensive in-depth knowledge of the energy industry and thus is in position to provide good advice” – Energy
“The partner is helpful and turnaround time is quick. Great service.” – Intellectual property
“They are very responsive and the team has demonstrated in past projects their ability to deliver commercially sensible legal advice at very competitive fee quotes.” – Intellectual property
“Responsive, understands our business and our needs.” – Privacy and data protection
“Fast, reliable and a trusted partner.” – Private equity
“Completed the task promptly.” – Regulatory
Chua Lijun
“Receptive, fast responses and good knowledge of the relevant law and good understanding of the issues.”
Goh Seow Hui
“We value her professionalism, compassion for clients and humility.”
“Seow Hui did an outstanding job of understanding the client's needs. She advised me what was best for the client. She handled the case so swiftly to settle it amicably and moved on. I am impressed by her professionalism to take ownership after [another] lawyer left the firm. She took the responsibility of closing it. I am pleased with her customer service and compassion.”
Jeremy Tan
“Responsive, great attention to detail, he is client and results oriented.”
Jolie Giouw
“Highly responsive, she identifies the key issues quickly and comes out with solutions. We have always been impressed.”
“Excellent service-oriented mindset, has strong commercial acumen and able to advise well on the law.”
“Responsive and experienced. Able to provide prompt and quality advice and solutions.”
Lawrence Wong
“Communicates well to solve all the requirements requested by the SGX in Singapore.”
Leo Fattorini
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly. With counterparts he comes across very well without compromising our position.”
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly.”
“He has industry-wide knowledge of the Asian region, and is commercially savvy when it comes to negotiating with external parties.”
“Fast turnaround time and knowledgeable.”
Marcus Chow
“Marcus is knowledgeable in early-stage transactions and he is always available to the team to provide an opinion.”
“He is very smart and has extensive knowledge in venture capital investment as well as M&A.”
“Listens to what the client wants, and provides accurate suggestions and solutions.”
“Responsive, responsible and is able to communicate effectively with people of all levels.”
“Very commercial and good understanding of the client's needs.”
“Responsive, has ability to propose innovative solutions, and has good client relationship management.”
“Provides in-depth knowledge and advice to the board, resolving issues with advance steps taken.”
“Marcus was very responsive and can be depended on to deliver sound pragmatic advice, even outside of regular office hours. He is also quick to understand the commercial issues at hand, and propose solutions to address these issues.”
Sandrea Seah
“Very helpful and exhibits very good in-depth industrial knowledge. Gives very sound advice.”
“Professional, good listener, understands issues quickly and timely in responses.”
Work highlights
Advised Ingram Micro on its $7.2 billion acquisition by Platinum Equity.
Acted for KludeIn I Acquisition Corporation on its merger with Near Intelligence Holdings.
Assisted Blockchain.com Group Holdings’ cash and stock acquisition of Altonomy.
Key clients
90 Seconds, CurrencyFair, EV Growth, LYS Energy Solutions, Treis Asia
CHP Law is a young, full-service firm with ties to CNPLaw, its senior consultant being Colin Ng. The team is active in corporate and commercial, dispute resolution, IP, real estate, labour and private client matters. This year the firm moves up in the corporate and M&A table and debuts in the IP, regulatory and investment fund rankings to demonstrate the firm’s full-service scope.
The firm is helmed by managing partner Christopher Huang and includes seven senior lawyers including funds specialist Randall Perera, IP and intangible assets expert Dixon Soh and FSR specialist Ian Phung. The M&A team was boosted by the joining of director Elaine Seow from Focus Law Asia last summer.
Client feedback
“Great market knowledge, out-of-the-box solutions and service.” – Capital markets
“We have a close relationship with the firm and appreciate its open communications” – Investment funds
“CHP Law is extremely precise in developing opinions related to Web 3 activities, including cryptocurrency and establishing legal assessment. We've worked on a large list of legal opinions and we really appreciate their work. Also, we like their dedication and the long-term relationship mindset that they develop with us as clients.” – Investment funds
“CHP Law was able to provide holistic advice in the area of VCC, which is relatively new in Singapore.” – Investment funds
“Highly responsive, very quick to carry out work and able to be flexible” – Private equity
“They do very well at understanding the details of our business and situation, and providing bespoke advice (as opposed to off-the-shelf general opinions that don't necessarily apply to us). They are business-friendly and curious about evolving industry trends. Also, they do very well at predicting costs and sticking to them, especially compared to other law firms. Makes it much easier for us to budget appropriately and make decisions.” – Regulatory
Ian Phung
“Being a former trader, he understands the nuances of the market and provides proper risk management advice as well as market-centric solutions”
“He is always reachable, open and knowledgeable.”
“Ian is responsive, available and approachable, and can help whenever we have some questions pertaining to the law in Singapore or overseas in links with cryptocurrency, Web3, regulatory-wise.”
“Ian is knowledgeable, practical, able to problem solve and highly responsive. This combination makes collaborating easy and creates value.”
“He is always curious about the industry and business. He is very clear and the costs are predictable. His financial markets background from a previous career is invaluable for us.”
“Ian is a seasoned investment banker and so he understands the frustrations and the line of thinking of problem-solving. In this regard, he is rather unique. He is also able and keen to share his network in the space of fund management.”
Work highlights
Advised a global media and talent agency on their corporate restructuring and Series B+ fundraising.
Acted for a Web 3.0 startup on its seed round fundraising, as well as on all other internal corporate and commercial matters.
CNPLaw, formerly known as Colin Ng & Partners, is active in all major practice areas including banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, investment funds and private equity. The firm has experience in advising companies in the real estate and technology and telecommunication sectors, particularly active in blockchain and cryptocurrency. This year, the firm moves up a rank in the construction and regulatory tables. The M&A team closed four takeovers in the past year and the corporate team has established a niche practice advising companies in high-growth, emerging markets like Myanmar, Indo-China and the Philippines. Min-Li Tan, Subramanian Pillai, Pradeep Singh, Lisa Theng and Bill Jamieson are key contacts.
Work highlights
Acted for Southern Archipelago on its disposal of a piece of land in Malaysia, change of name and adoption of a new constitution.
Advised Intrepid E-commerce, a Singapore-based e-commerce omnichannel solutions provider, in respect of the legal due diligence on the company and its Singapore subsidiaries in connection with the acquisition of the entire issued and paid-up share capital of the company. Assisted the founder-shareholders of Votiva Singapore in the divestment of their entire equity stake in Votiva to Yokogawa Engineering Asia.
Collyer Law is a boutique Singapore law firm founded by veteran corporate lawyers with a particular focus on representing emerging growth companies and the innovation economy. It has developed sector-focused groups such as fintech, life sciences and health tech, e-commerce, digital media and sharing economy. The firm is led by managing director Azmul Haque and director Vincent Bu.
Work highlights
Advised Veative Labs and its founders, in relation to the sale and purchase of all intellectual property.
Acted for Fitsurge, a franchise of two F45 studios in Singapore, in connection with its sale of business to SMV Health & Fitness.
Dentons Rodyk & Davidson is one of Singapore’s largest full-service firms, stacked with notable partners who are experts in their fields. The firm has stellar banking, construction, disputes, competition and technology and telecommunications practices. This year its insurance offering debuts in our table with a strong showing. The combination with Dentons, the largest law firm in the world, provides clients with an extensive network of global experts from over 200 offices around the world in more than 80 countries. One recent update is Dentons’ alliance with Filipino law firm, PJS Law. Partners to note include banking specialist Doreen Sim, M&A partner Eng Leng Ng, IP specialists Ai Ming Lee and I-An Lim, insurance director Edric Pan, projects expert Joo Thye Tan, disputes specialist Lawrence Teh and senior counsel Edmund Leow.
Work highlights
Acted for OCBC on its voluntary conditional cash offer for all the issued and paid-up ordinary shares in the share capital of Hwa Hong Corporation, valued at around $200 million.
Key clients
Element Materials Technology, Genera Group Holdings, Hyphens Pharma International, Mobile TeleSystems, OPIS, PerkinElmer, SK Global Entertainment.
As one of Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms, Drew & Napier possesses a diverse roster of lawyers offering an extensive range of legal services in Singapore and across the region. The firm remains a dispute resolution powerhouse with a deep bench of top advocates including Jimmy Yim and Cavinder Bull. Disputes and insolvency lawyer Siraj Omar, construction specialist Christopher Chong and elite tax practitioner Ong Sim Ho further reinforce the team. Other key names to note include Pauline Chong for finance, Chong Kin Lim for competition and technology, Steven Lo for corporate and M&A, Tony Yeo for IP, and Sushil Nair and Blossom Hing for restructuring and insolvency. Consultant Gary Pryke is another well-known practitioner in the corporate and finance space. The firm welcomed banking specialist May Ng from Rajah & Tann recently.
Client feedback
“Highly professional, responsive and approachable.” – Banking and finance
“They understand the concerns, are responsive and provide solutions.” – Banking and finance
“Always focused on protecting its client's interests.” – Banking and finance
“I appreciate their knowledge of the matter and prompt actions.” – Capital markets
“DN has strong, in-depth knowledge of competition law and is able to provide practical advice in a timely manner.” – Competition/antitrust
“Profound expertise, swift responses, and regularly updates clients through newsletters.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive and business-pragmatic. Makes effort to understand the client's requirements. Reasonable fees charged for work.” – Construction
“Knowledgeable, professional and supportive of small businesses.” – Corporate and M&A
“The team is capable of looking beyond the legal aspects and putting into the perspectives of the different stakeholders. They provided value-added service and are indeed great partners for business owners.” – Corporate and M&A
“Responsive, quick and commercially minded.” – Corporate and M&A
“I liked their flexibility while providing good coverage on the necessary work for this deal.” – Corporate and M&A
“Communication and ability to distil facts into easy to understand terms. They are also very good at highlighting the possible issues with the transaction.” – Corporate and M&A
“Sound in legal knowledge and able to provide alternative solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very detailed analysis of the law. Very prompt advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Deep legal expertise coupled with pragmatism.” – Dispute resolution
“Took the additional effort to understand the case, including the case notes, did a walkthrough of the cause of the matter, looked out for the true cause of the matter before forming their own conclusions prior to advising on the appropriate steps to take.” – Dispute resolution
“First and foremost, they advise you if it makes sense to fight or not to fight. As per Sun Tzu, that's the most important and fundamental question. Drew doesn't shy away from a fight to maximise value for the client but they are also very mindful if it makes sense to fight to begin with! They then ask you what you want to achieve and give you good counsel in a clear and transparent way. As a busy CEO, this is exactly what I need, and Drew does this very well.” – Dispute resolution
“Very collaborative. Sharp thinkers who understand the issues, even when they are new areas.” – Dispute resolution
“Quick to respond, thoughtful legal work and diligent” – Dispute resolution
“They have sound industry knowledge and expertise in handling arbitration under SIAC rules. They can provide quick and practical solutions for commercial disputes. Two lawyers, Mahesh Rai and Don Loo exhibit excellent legal acumen.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a completely hands-on approach to matters.” – Dispute resolution
“They’re all excellent, promptly engaging legal advice at all times. They are all brilliant lawyers.” – Dispute resolution
“Without doubt, the best litigation outfit in Singapore. Timely, reasoned, commercial and effective.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier were very proactive and responsive. They were able to foresee the plaintiff's arguments and prevent them.” – Dispute resolution
“They make robust argument and provide effective litigation strategies.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier has come up with a very creative solution in respect of entering documents into evidence, by knowing well the procedure of the proceeding.” – Dispute resolution
“It is commercially savvy and understanding of client needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Practical and concise legal advice was rendered.” – Dispute resolution
“I like all these: responsiveness, access to partners and commerciality of the advice.” – Dispute resolution
“They are very focused and committed. From day one they created a clear strategy which led us to win our case against the claimants. The team members involved have taken accountability. The deliverables during ongoing arbitration were outstanding.” – Dispute resolution
“We had a complex and difficult claim that required attention to detail and clever advocacy. Blossom's team was able to combine the disparate facts into a coherent claim that allowed us to achieve our aims against the defendant.” – Dispute resolution
“Excellence in advocacy, excellence in knowledge of law, practical advice, timeliness, responsiveness, commercial sensitivity. Most impressive aspect is their ability to work around our confidentiality and commercial concerns.” – Dispute resolution
“They are responsive and their advice is well thought out, succinct and clearly backed by years of experience in litigation. They are also happy to accept feedback and consider the legal opinions of their clients' in-house teams.” – Dispute resolution
“Experienced, strategic and responsive” – Dispute resolution
“Their experience, customer service and legal expertise are exceptional. They have the ability to lead with the local lawyers and the clients. The legal advice they have provided is practical and tailored for the specific legal disputes. They work tirelessly for any urgent matters without hesitating a bit, even if it takes the entire night. Despite the differences between the two jurisdictions, their cooperation on the matters has been top-notch. We have learnt so much from them in terms of their knowledge, practice, attitude, management, leadership, professionalism and customer service skills.” – Dispute resolution
“Strategic in solving the key issues and meticulous on detail.” – Dispute resolution
“The partner and team are very knowledgeable, working in a very detailed and precise manner. They have a strong understanding of the law and how to apply it. Great team.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier is very meticulous, and even minor emails are professionally written, well structured, and well thought out. They also learn fast, and quickly accumulated domain knowledge regarding the blockchain industry where we operate, and adjacent fields of law such as US securities law as applied to blockchain disputes. They are also extremely responsive, replying on urgent messages even at 11pm.” – Dispute resolution
“We appreciate its commerciality and technical analysis.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and timely advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Wide areas of expertise and prompt advice.” – Energy
“Great detailed analysis and recommendation on appropriate and specific course of action.” – Insurance
“They are good with technical advice.” – Insurance
“They do a good job at looking at things from the client's perspective, and are able to find commercial solutions for risks they identify.” – Insurance
“Siau Wen Lim and Xuan Lang Teo from Drew & Napier represented us and have acted professionally to assist to resolve trademark issues with Starbucks. Their expertise in IP field is highly commendable and eventually the issue has been resolved with a positive outcome.” – Intellectual property
“They take the time to understand the business challenges and try to work on practical solutions.” – Intellectual property
“Very prompt.” – Intellectual property
“Advice is technically sound and well-considered.” – Intellectual property
“Lawyers have a good knowledge of Singapore law and are responsive.” – Investment funds
“Prompt, thorough and responsive.” – Labour and employment
“Their IT legal team has deep knowledge and rich experience. Very responsive even on the weekend when our business is running. Very client-oriented.” – Privacy and data protection
“Superior staff who provide considered advice and diligent execution.” – Private client
“The firm was able to comprehend the complexity of a first-of-its-kind strategy from a fund manager's perspective and comes up with an innovative solution.” – Private equity
“Good at the completion of transactions despite the tight timeline.” – Real estate
“They are easily approachable. They explain matters easily and guide us. They are not typically commercial, they fully understand client issues and look at everything holistically before coming out with any suggestions.” – Regulatory
“Drew partners are highly competent, responsive and provide commercially sensible advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Deep experience.” – Tax
“Experienced lawyers who know the ITBR requirement and advise clients on the appeal strategy and provide practical advice on the approach to the appeal. Legal submissions are well prepared and clear and concise. They value the relationship with clients.” – Tax
“Drew & Napier's team, and Chong Kin Lim in particular, are deep experts in the tech and telecom space. They provide crisp guidance that we can share rapidly with our internal business clients. They also proactively monitor the horizon, and they let us know in advance about legal/regulatory developments that may impact us. Finally, they are fantastically responsive and literally never late in getting us the information we request.” – Technology and telecommunications
David Alfred
“He is very knowledgeable, prompt, able to offer solutions, understands business concerns, practical, and has a good network with regulators.”
Cavinder Bull
“An outstanding lawyer; thorough understanding of client's needs.”
Ron Cheng
“Knowledgeable and able to understand and meet the client's needs.”
“Ron has been extremely meticulous when it comes to his work. He ensures that he covers all angles and risks that the fund may encounter locally or abroad. Ron is able to understand complex problems and comes up with innovative solutions and structure.”
Corinne Chew
“Corinne is always willing to help and provides thoughtful advice in a timely manner.”
“Profound legal knowledge with excellent communication skills”
Voon Jiet Chia
“Voon Jiet is highly competent, responsive and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Desmond Chng
“He is very responsive, and good at giving a quick (often immediate) indication of what the solution to a problem might be, and whether or not it actually warrants detailed research or formal legal advice. This is very much appreciated from a client's point of view.”
Andrew Chua
“He is attentive and responsive, able to relate to the case and provide insights and share best practices, and at the same time highlight potential issues or ideas from past cases and experiences.”
Benjamin Gaw
“Knowledgeable, professional, available, has a positive attitude and is attentive to client's needs.”
Blossom Hing
“She has a good team and allows her team to take the lead with client communication at the right time while also stepping in when necessary. She asks the right questions to elicit the necessary information from the client.”
“Blossom is an outstanding litigation and arbitration partner. Blossom is creative and very strategic in her thinking and tactics - based on her vast experience of litigation and arbitration. Blossom has done a great job in building a team to support her.”
“My ’go to’ contact is Blossom Hing, who is one of the most experienced and accomplished litigation and arbitration partners in Singapore. Blossom heads a great team that is growing in experience and competence.”
Soo Lih Ho
“Approachable.”
Seraphina Ho
“Efficient.”
Rakesh Kirpalani
“Rakesh is clear in his counsel and incredibly responsive.”
“He helps our company to handle our legal issues and we are satisfied with his work.”
“He possesses a strong spirit to win for the client. He has a client-centric approach and is an expert at IT and data security.”
Meryl Koh
“Highly responsive and takes a keen interest to know the client's business and challenges faced. She has a can-do attitude and willing to go the extra mile for the client. Does not discriminate client based on fee earned.”
“Thorough, empathetic and forward-looking.”
Samuel Koh
“Very responsive. A critical thinker who challenges outcomes to ensure they are robust.”
Man Er Kong
“Kong is qualified and brilliant at what she does. Very reliable and flexible. In terms of advocacy skills, Kong is astonishing. Kong is very patient towards the clients and has the deep understanding of the law. Further, Kong respects the time and is responsive. Case management is top-notch as well. We have obtained grand knowledge when we discuss the interpretation and the conflicts of law.”
“Intelligent, sharp, efficient and effective.”
Julian Kwek
“Problem solver and provides practical solutions.”
Keith Lam
“Keith is professional and responsive.”
Sok Hiang Lau
“She is proactive and provides solutions to difficult issues.”
“Lau Sok Hiang is a very careful and meticulous lawyer. She very much stressed getting the documents right, in the sense that it will not invite queries or challenges.”
Chong Kin Lim
“Prompt, knowledgeable and responsive.”
“He has incredible relationships in his peer network. Deep expertise and incredibly responsive.”
Shumin Lin
“Very knowledgeable in the areas that she practises and provides very clear and detailed analysis of the law.”
“Has a quick grasp of issues. Keen attention to detail without losing sight of the broad strategy.”
Adam Maniam
“Adam's approach is extremely customer-oriented, he takes the initiative to take a crash-course on the customer's industry in order to come up with creative solutions. He's sharp and straightforward.”
“He is D&N personified. Altogether exceptional in terms of service, advocacy, attention to client's concerns and knowledge of the law. He’s a brilliant lawyer. In my opinion better than some senior counsel.”
“My opinion of the firm has been formed by Adam and his mentor.”
“Appreciate his knowledge, adherence to timelines, and that he understands the sensitivity of the matter.”
Pei Tong Ng
“Ability to share a holistic view on the situation and advise accordingly and to the needs of the client.”
Sim Ho Ong
“Very familiar with IRAS.”
Mahesh Rai
“Mahesh possesses excellent legal acumen. This coupled with his sound industry knowledge helps him deliver quick and practical legal advice. Mahesh communicates well and is friendly in nature.”
“He has a complete knowledge of the field and goes all out to understand the nuances of the business.”
“Both from a personal and professional point of view, I found Mahesh to be someone impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, is able to listen well, and is very good in communication, as I often saw him carrying himself so well in the court or in any kind of joint discussions. He provides me as a client with great consideration, tending to the needs of my case in the best way. Mahesh also always comes up with great strategy, showing his creativity as a veteran lawyer.”
“Mahesh is a very hands-on partner, has a close grasp of all the strategic issues and drills down into factual issues. He has a very commercial, practical mindset and is always ready to offer a recommendation and not just a set of options, and a practical recommendation that addresses both legal and broader strategic concerns. He is also clearly a strong mentor because we have been impressed even by the juniors on his team, when Mahesh is not present.”
Teng Sen Tan
“Teng Sen is a seasoned corporate lawyer and provides value-added services to the business owner. He's adept at corporate financing works and compliance matters and is a great partner for us.”
“Very experienced corporate partner who is commercially minded. He gives practical advice.”
“Excellent legal knowledge and communications.”
Allister Tan
“Brilliant lawyer and eager to help always.”
“Very knowledgeable, communicates well to ensure client understands the specifics of the issues. Guides client to the most rationale decision.”
“Fast and sound technical advice.”
“Commercial nous.”
Evelyn Tan
“Well-versed with contract law and court processes, meticulous and pays attention to detail.”
Benedict Teo
“Commercially savvy and he puts clients’ interests first.”
“Ben is extremely responsive and very experienced. I have appreciated his sound legal advice, and sharp legal acumen in handling the cases on our behalf. I also appreciate that he makes himself available to speak to the business representatives when needed.”
“Benedict is experienced and provides good strategic advice. His team provides good, detailed work and manages timelines well. Much to recommend, not much to criticise.”
“Responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure client's requirements are met fully.”
“He is a very experienced trusted adviser and sounding board. He is commercial, responsive, insightful, and he really knows the market and knows his stuff.”
Xuan Lang Teo
“Xuan Lang has been efficient in handling our case and always provides valuable alternative options for our consideration. This is helpful as it leaves no stone unturned, which may increase the probability to succeed in the proceedings.”
“Xuan Lang is extremely sharp and thorough. He is able to distil the key issues in a dispute to achieve the most efficient and favourable outcomes for us. He has deep foresight while bearing in mind commercial realities and practical considerations. All advice from him is extremely well-thought-out and backed up by firm legal foundations. An expert in IP law, he is able to explain and argue complicated legal concepts with clarity and punch.”
Shi Yong Yang
“Provides timely responses and to-the-point advice.”
“He listens to the client and approaches the solution holistically.”
Jonathan Yap
“Jonathan is a hard-working attorney focused on delivering quality work and superior results. He has great communication skills and ensures that his clients remain happy with his services.”
Tony Yeo
“Very prompt and understanding.”
Jimmy Yim
“He is efficient, eloquent and communicates well. He is also knowledgeable and responsive.”
“Jimmy Yim is well known in Singapore and an excellent lawyer with a strong personality. He was able to turn around a case we had lost and win the case for our company.”
“Jimmy Yim was efficient, eloquent and understood the issues well. Very good courtroom manner and pleasant to deal with.”
Work highlights
Acted for SK ecoplant on its acquisition of 100% of the issued share capital of TES-Envirocorp at an enterprise value of $1 billion.
Key clients
Banpu, EQT Infrastructure, Kaizen PE, Manhattan Resources, Metro Holdings, Penguin International, Sumitomo Mitsui Construction, Temasek, Tricor Services, Tuan Sing Holdings.
Eng and Co, PwC Legal’s member firm in Singapore, provides corporate and commercial legal services to financial institutions, corporates, funds and private clients. This year it moves up the ranks in the capital markets and investment fund tables. Founding partner Rachel Eng, who has nearly 30 years of corporate experience, offers clients a one-stop service covering the capital markets, corporate and M&A, investment funds and labour and employment. Directors Andrew Heng, Lynn Soh, Colin Ong and Yuh Huey Khoo are other key contacts.
Client feedback
“Professional, fast and effective.” – Corporate and M&A
“Responsive, capable and measured.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their turnaround time is quite quick and their responses are generally professional. The senior lawyer is fairly involved in the advisory process which is assuring when being advised by the firm.” – Regulatory
“Prompt, responsive and professional.” – Technology and telecommunications
Andrew Heng
“He is perfect.”
“Andrew is always responsive, measured and knowledgeable.”
Yuh Huey Khoo
“Attends to the matter promptly and has good initiative. Good follow-up and meets requested timelines.”
Lynn Soh
“Responsible, thorough and highly knowledgeable.”
Work highlights
Advised Boustead Singapore on its voluntary general offer to acquire, privatise and delist its real estate subsidiary, Boustead Projects.
Acted for YCP Holdings Global on its acquisition of Auctus Advisors Private.
Represented Mitsubishi Logistics Corporation on its acquisition of 13.63% of Indo Trans Logistics Corporation in Vietnam from funds managed by Franklin Templeton.
Harry Elias Partnership has offices in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. Built upon one of the most respected and influential litigation lawyers in the country, Harry Elias, the firm has an established reputation for its dispute resolution and family and matrimonial expertise. The firm is also notable for its construction, infrastructure, corporate and M&A, and intellectual property practices. Philip Fong, Justin Chia, Tan Chau Yee, Brian Law, Pearl Lim and Claudia Teo are key contacts for dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, intellectual property, construction, banking, and corporate and M&A, respectively. The construction and engineering group further bolstered its expertise with the hirings of two veteran specialists, Joanna Seetoh from LVM Law Chambers and Chua Ming Hao from Clyde & Co Clasis.
Work highlights
Advised Canadian Solar subsidiaries and Macquarie Group - Macquarie Advisory & Capital Solutions, as the joint partners of the Japan Green Infrastructure Fund, on the disposal of two solar infrastructure seed assets located in Japan.
Acted for developer Wee Hur Holdings (WHH) and its wholly owned fund management arm, Wee Hur Capital, in relation to the strategic divestment by WHH of a 9.9% stake in the Wee Hur PBSA Master Trust, its Australian-focused purpose built student accommodation fund, to a Singapore-based investment holding company backed by a global institutional investor.
Key clients
Asia-Pacific Strategic Investments, Gem XYZ, Helios Distribution, Lian Beng Group.
JurisAsia is a boutique firm that specialises in corporate and M&A and general commercial transactions. Its intellectual property practice has been fairly active in the past year. It has an exclusive association with international law firm Gowling. The firm’s offering includes M&As, foreign direct investment, joint ventures, venture capital and private equity investments, fund management and capital markets advice, with a particular focus on Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Vietnam. Tan Choon Leng is the key contact.
Client feedback
“Fast responses and accommodating.” – Corporate and M&A
“They are always available to help, are creative, concise and supportive. Lawyers have a very positive attitude.” – Corporate and M&A
Choon Leng Tan
“He’s the best lawyer I ever met: practical, quick, innovative and concise.”
Vincent Tan
“Vincent offers quick responses and can give commercial feedback on the deal.”
Work highlights
Advised Rimkus Consulting Group on its £104 million acquisition of Capital Consulting International, a global consultancy of delay, quantum and technical experts advising the insurance and construction industries.
Acting for Annamite Resources Holdings, a French-based precious and base metals mineral exploration company in relation to its proposed investment into a copper and gold mineral prospecting and exploration company in Laos.
Represented Hangry, the leading Indonesian cloud kitchen company, in relation to the investment by a Singapore-based venture debt firm, InnoVen Capital.
Mayer Brown PK Wong & Nair is known for its expertise in dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, and corporate and commercial law. It climbs up a tier in dispute resolution ranking this year and its corporate practice makes its debut. The team has a wealth of experience in a broad range of commercial disputes arising out of breaches of securities regulations, commodity trading disputes, insolvency, employment and contractual disputes and estate claims. Seasoned litigator Suresh Nair is the main disputes partner, while Mark Wong heads up the corporate division. Bryan Tan is an emerging name to note. Associate director Andrea Tan left for an in-house role at Expedia last spring.
At the beginning of 2023, PK Wong & Nair entered into a joint law venture with international firm Mayer Brown. This entity can provide clients with integrated and seamless advice on international and Singapore law. Local litigation is provided through PK Wong & Nair.
Client feedback
“Very quick responses, practical advice, very responsive and solid team.” – Dispute resolution
“They work well within the team and with the client. Well prepared with points and documents.” – Dispute resolution
“Client-focused, quality advice, practical, cost-effective” – Labour and employment
“Accessible and responds promptly.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“I have a well-established working relationship with Suresh Nair. This firm would be my first stop because they are hungry, excellent at what they do and always on top of their game.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Efficient and proactive. They understand regulatory requirements well. Lawyers are good at listening and providing alternatives.” – Restructuring and insolvency
Suresh Nair
“Phenomenal legal ability.”
“Accessible and responds promptly.”
“He is among the best insolvency practitioners in Singapore. An exceptional advocate, he is razor-sharp and precise, and provides timely and practical advice in the most personable way possible.”
“Positive, proactive and very competent.”
Work highlights
Acted for the sellers in the successful divestment of Team-Metal to Acrotec Group, a partner of The Carlyle Group.
Represented ACT Holdings, a Singapore private property developer, in the divestment of its shares to an Asia-Pacific real estate fund manager headquartered in Singapore.
Advised Letdo International as the purchaser on its acquisition of shares in a distributor of a Singapore target valued at $8.5 million.
Oon & Bazul is active in banking and finance, dispute resolution and restructuring and insolvency, beyond its longstanding forte in shipping. Notably, the firm climbs into the ‘Highly Recommended’ tier for restructuring and insolvency after a momentous year being involved in many of the jurisdiction’s high-profile and high-value unwindings. Its lawyers have in-depth knowledge and an intimate understanding across various sectors, including financial services, trusts and securities, insurance, and oil and gas. In particular, the firm has extensive expertise handling matters related to trade finance, commodities, banking, commercial disputes and cross-border fraud. Key partners include Bazul Ashhab, Kelly Yap, Chi Yen Ting, Yi Wayn Ng and Meiyen Tan. The general disputes team was significantly boosted by the arrivals of partner Benedict Eoon from Covenant Chambers and partners Priscilla Lua and Jerald Foo from Clifford Chance.
Client feedback
“They are responsive and cooperative.” – Banking and finance
“We value their responsiveness and clarity of communication.” – Corporate and M&A
“Good set-up and infrastructural support for case management.” – Dispute resolution
“I appreciate their hard work, responsiveness and value for money.” – Dispute resolution
“Positive attributes include their expertise, ability to understand issues and provide commercial solutions and reasonable costs.” – Dispute resolution
“They provide quick and direct advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Partners and associates are very competent, they are well prepared and research well.” – Energy
“The lawyers are articulate, supportive and professional on meeting requirements.” – Regulatory
“Good technical knowledge, good team, easy to work with, practical and commercial.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Diplomatic and knowledgeable advisory services.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Extremely responsive to client timelines with a positive, calm, ’can do‘ attitude. A fantastic mixture of legal and important practical advice. They also work really well to support in-house counsel. It feels very much like a team approach and you know you are in good, steady, knowledgeable hands.” – Shipping
Bazul Ashhab
“Excellent responsiveness, knowledge of the business of the client and good value for money.”
Jerald Foo
“He is very responsive and attentive, has a good eye for detail, which is fundamental for dispute resolution. He is very competent with a high level of expertise in dispute resolution.”
“Very responsive and knowledgeable.”
Keith Han
“Easy to talk to and a quick thinker.”
“A good advocate, good strategist.”
Meiyen Tan
“Easy to work with, good communicator and practical.”
“Provides knowledgeable, timely and practical advice and solutions.”
Ng Yi Wayn
“Responsive communications and colleague referrals.”
“Extremely professional and knowledgeable, but also approachable and supportive.”
Prakaash Silvam
“Certainly perspicacious, he has a wide breadth of prior experience that helps on case framing. He is likable, personable, approachable, helpful and very capable.”
“Prakaash combines strong legal knowledge, strong legal skills and good client management. I have no issue putting him in front of our traders and management, as I know he is respectful of my role but also understands the business, the trader mindset and how we operate.”
Ting Chi Yen
“Responsive, helpful and cooperative.”
Work highlights
Acted for digital trust and safety product company Sift Science on its acquisition of Keyless, a pioneer in passwordless and multi-factor authentication.
Advised Trail Mix Ventures as the lead investor in the $2.2 million funding round for Plentina, a Philippines-based start-up.
Represented Indonesian food and beverage chain Kopi Kenangan in closing a $96 million Series C funding round.
Key clients
Boku, Fishawack Health, GeoPost
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Acted for Temasek Holdings as a controlling shareholder of Sembcorp Marine and a substantial shareholder of Keppel Corporation, on the merger of Sembcorp Marine and Keppel Offshore & Marine, to form an enlarged group listed on the SGX-ST with Temasek as its largest shareholder.
Represented DBS Trustee in its capacity as a trustee of Mapletree North Asia Commercial Trust (MNACT) on the proposed merger of Mapletree Commercial Trust (MCT) and MNACT by way of an acquisition by MCT of all issued and paid-up units of MNACT held by unit-holders by way of a trust scheme of arrangement.
Key clients
Baluran, Bridgetown 2 Holdings, Duchess Avenue, Link REIT, Sunseap Group
RHTLaw Asia is a full-service firm that has a well-respected technology practice. Its IP group has been gaining more traction, with the firm climbing up one tier in the rankings. Boasting partners that are qualified in multiple jurisdictions such as China, US, Hong Kong, Australia and Malaysia, the firm routinely handles complex cross-border transactions. The firm is organised around eight industry groups: consumer brands, healthcare and life sciences, private wealth, technology and media, construction and projects, financial institutions and technology, transportation and logistics, and education. The technology group specialises in tech infrastructure, blockchain, data processing and telecommunications. The key contacts include corporate partners Erwan Barre and Eu Jin Yang, IP partner Rizwi Wun and disputes leader Nandakumar Renganathan. The disputes also group houses senior counsel, Leslie Chew.
Client feedback
“Expertise is good, and their customer centricity is excellent.” – Corporate and M&A
“They can provide services in multiple jurisdictions.” – Intellectual property
“Knowledgeable about local laws and regulations, easy to understand.” – Regulatory
“Positive attributes of RHTLaw are its expertise and knowledge in the legal field and its professionalism and commitment to ethical standards. The lawyer is patient in explaining the case, the client's interest and rights, and providing appropriate advice.” – Real estate
Sandra Han
“Sandra always provided expert legal advice and guidance to my case. She is patient to understand the case and uses her knowledge and skills to analyse the legal issues. She always acts in her client's interest and respond to clients as soon as she can.”
Rizwi Wun
“He is very accommodating and tries his best to assist us with our needs for legal services.”
“Quick to respond with good knowledge.”
Eu Jin Yang
“Professional approach, knowledgeable and open to ideas. Good communication skills.”
Work highlights
Engaged by the Automobile Association of Singapore to carry out due diligence into several target companies for potential acquisitions and to prepare the transaction documents.
Advised Singapore Post on the acquisition of Parcel Santa and a divestment transaction.
Represented Global Schools Foundation on the grant of term loan facilities from Standard Chartered Bank.
Key clients
AIDA Holdings, Best World International, ASK Volare Group
Rubicon Law is a new corporate boutique firm set up in April 2020. The firm has particular expertise in local and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and fundraising transactions. Its key clients include startup companies, SMEs, venture capital and private equity firms as well as public listed companies. It is predominantly an independent Singapore law firm, but enjoys strong informal networks with other law firms around the region, namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the PRC. Shiao Ning Lam is the founder and key figure at the firm.
Client feedback
“Constantly thinking out of the box to get deals done. Working with multiple law firms to coordinate and finalise documents, they find common ground to move things forward.” – Private equity
Shiao Ning Lam
“She is knowledgeable, solution-oriented, hits deadlines, and takes an honest and direct approach.”
Work highlights
Advised The Great Room (target) and key shareholders in the sale of 100% share in the target to the purchaser, Industrious International, a subsidiary of Industrious National Management Company.
Acted for cable manufacturer CMTi on its acquisition by Swedish investment company Storskogen.
Represented domestic B2B retail startup QQO on its $1 million seed round financing.
Key clients
Codigo, Eu Yan Sang International, Northstar Advisors, SBS Transit.
Shook Lin & Bok works with an impressive roster of clients, including major banks, multinational corporations and private equity investors, on large transactions locally and across the region. The firm is highly active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. It is also skilled in advising on real estate finance, particularly on the lender side. This year the firm moves up a notch in the IP table for its growing practice, and debuts for shipping. Key lawyers include Kai Zee Liew for banking and finance, Marilyn See for capital markets, David Chong for corporate and M&A, and Sarjit Singh Gill, Probin Dass and David Chan for dispute resolution and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Easy to deal with and good professional legal advice given. Able to add value to the transaction and requests.” – Banking and finance
“High level of professionalism and always approachable to provide their advice to our financing structures, sometimes even on a pro bono basis.” – Banking and finance
“Timelines are met, advice is provided in a holistic manner, drafting languages are easy to understand and they are familiar with our company’s processes.” – Banking and finance
“Approachable and efficient turnaround with prompt follow-ups. Transactions are always completed on schedule and lawyers are pre-emptive.” – Banking and finance
“They are always responsive and provide sound and clear advice for execution of the transaction.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive and willing to commit resources.” – Capital markets
“Can be relied upon for quick, solid legal advice, which is sometimes surprisingly hard to come across when dealing with other jurisdictions. In particular, their legal analysis is technically excellent.” – Dispute resolution
“Open, clear, prompt and uses initiative.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Strong insolvency and restructuring track record and team.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Timely and quick responses with good advisory analysis.” – Shipping
Paul Goh
“Responsive, forward thinking and fast.”
Clement Khoo
“Professionalism and always keen to share and advise.”
“Extremely responsive, sound knowledge of the banking sector and structuring transactions, willing to go the extra mile to assist in completion under tight timelines.”
Stanley Lim
“Approachable and always available to give legal advice. Follows up closely on transaction and is always pre-emptive on any potential issues that may arise.”
Moses Lin
“Approachable and available with relevant knowledge.”
Daniel Tan
“Just an excellent all-round lawyer, he is responsive and technically very sound.”
“Quick to respond, understands all relevant issues and deals with them systematically and comprehensively.”
“Driven and provides legally feasible solutions in complex situations.”
Pearlyn Xie
“Responsive, and willing to provide advice and solutions.”
Work highlights
Advised Taylor Maritime Investments on its voluntary cash offer for Grindrod Shipping Holdings.
Assisted Atome Financial on its commercial partnership with Standard Chartered Bank and on a convertible debt investment by the bank into Atome.
TLB focuses on commercial and corporate transactions, capital markets and corporate reorganisations involving both private and public companies, non-profit organisations and entrepreneurs. Due to the founder’s long track record of experience as an in-house counsel at a telecoms company, the firm has deep expertise in the telecommunications industry. Clients seek the team out for advice on the financial and emerging technologies area, as the lawyers are well versed in blockchain technologies and crypto-tokens, as well as related services and the attendant legal and regulatory implications. Its clients range from founders of layer-1 or 2 public blockchains, non-profit token foundations, dApps, DAOs, web 3 companies, private investment funds and crypto-exchanges to centralised and decentralised financial intermediaries. Philippe Taverne and Mathilde Broustau are key contacts. They are qualified to practice Singapore, French and UK law.
Client feedback
“TLB is committed to best serving its customers and helping them with the legal domain. They go the extra mile to help, which is really appreciated.” – Corporate and M&A
Mathilde Broustau
“Mathilde has a particularly developed sense of listening, which helps to quickly translate and establish a legal framework in accordance with the laws in force. I can only recommend their services.”
Work highlights
Advised Triple-A in acquiring a strategic payment services target in France. The client is one of the first companies to be licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore under the Payment Services Act to provide crypto-payment services.
Acted for Exo Travel for the formation of a joint venture with Elaf Group in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Assisted the Algorand Foundation to set up a separate fund to cover indemnifying the directors of the board in the event of legal or regulatory action and liability.
TSMP Law Corporation is especially well known for its work in corporate and M&A and dispute resolution. The firm also specialises in corporate real estate financing, in particular, in land acquisition financing and land development financing. This year the firm climbs up a notch in the rankings for competition, IP and private equity. The firm not only acts for various major corporations and financial institutions but also is frequently sought out by different regulatory bodies. Senior counsel Shen Yi Thio, corporate lawyer Stefanie Yuen Thio, construction specialists Melvin Chan and Derek Loh and labour expert Ian Lim are key figures at the firm. Jennifer Chia is another name to note for banking and finance.
Client feedback
“Professional, efficient, highly conversant and familiar with the bank's requirements.” – Banking and finance
“Familiarity and expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They are very responsive, and always meet the tight timelines.” – Banking and finance
“TSMP has been on our bank’s panel of advising lawyers for close to 10 years, and over the years has built up a good work relation with us for daily legal work on bilateral loan and security documents, registration of charges, structuring of facilities, etc.” – Banking and finance
“Solid advice, highly diligent and reliable.” – Corporate and M&A
“Cost-efficient, client-focused and on time.” – Corporate and M&A
“They are experienced, well-connected and well-versed in the capital markets. In addition, they have adequate resources to ensure the work can be completed on a timely basis.” – Corporate and M&A
“Can-do attitude with very business-friendly advice. Was able to respond well to tight timelines and stressful negotiations. Valued attributes include thinking out of the box, innovative ideas with the commercial end in mind.” – Corporate and M&A
“Capable, positive and timely.” – Dispute resolution
“Attention to detail, responsive and creative approach.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and able to work under tight timeline.” – Real estate
“Practical and solutions-oriented.” – Real estate
“Provided concise and to-the-point advice on investment structure, conducted legal due diligence of the Singapore entity, reviewed transaction documents and advised on the relevant financial and investment regulations. TSMP timely reviewed and analysed the legal risks involved in the deal by leveraging deep insight and expertise in the industry.” – Real estate
Melvin Chan
“Keen listener with expert problem-solving skills.”
Jennifer Chia
“She is experienced, to the point and responsive. Relieved to work with a lawyer of high-level quality.”
“Very responsive and enthusiastic.”
“Practical and solutions-oriented.”
“Highly professional, helpful, approachable and knowledgeable.”
“She is responsive, knowledgeable and able to come out with solutions to help my organisation.”
“Very responsive, flexible and friendly. She gives us creative solutions.”
“Over the years Jennifer has developed very good day-to-day work relations with our officers in the documentation department. She has rendered us much-valued guidance in drafting and structuring of our loan and security documents.”
“Very practical advice which we appreciate, she has unique insights into labour regulations.”
Kelvin Koh
“He is analytical, practical, strong in legal knowledge and able to explain complex issues simply.”
Derek Loh
“Strong capabilities and communications.”
Stefanie Yuen Thio
“Excellent communications and duty of care.”
“She is very communicative and explains the pro and cons and recommendations in a clear manner. She gives business-friendly legal advice.”
“Excellent client management and understands client concerns; proposes good solutions for dealing with risks.”
Work highlights
Acted for Halcyon Agri Corporation on its potential mandatory general offer by China Rubber Investment Group Company.
Assisted DBS Bank as the financial institution in respect of the proposed mandatory general offer for all the issued and paid up ordinary shares in the share capital of Chip Eng Seng Corporation.
Advised Axington on its reverse takeover of Serial System’s computer peripherals business.
Key clients
Datapulse, Logos Group, mm2 Asia, Morgan Stanley Asia.
Wong Tan & Molly Lim offers legal services to clients with international business interests and is focused on capital markets, M&A, banking and finance, and general commercial and corporate law. It entered into a formal alliance with Watson Farley & Williams in 2017, lending it a unique strength in contentious and advisory work related to the maritime and international trade sectors. The disputes team has seen a rise in cases involving cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Beng Hong Ong and Swee Gek Tan are key contacts for both banking and finance, and capital markets. Partner Philip Ling helms the dispute resolution practice.
Work highlights
Acting for Asia Vets Holding on its $45 million acquisition of fintech company AlDigi Holdings.
Advised Advanced Holdings, a company listed on the Catalist Board of the SGX-ST, in connection with the disposal of several companies in the US and UK.
Yuen Law is a boutique legal practice offering services ranging from dispute resolution to corporate and commercial, real estate, family law and private wealth. The firm is especially active in fundraising and venture capital investment for SMEs and startups. Last year, the firm advised on over 60 corporate and M&A-related transactions, and more than 120 contentious matters, mostly civil and commercial in nature. Its corporate department is led by the managing partner Samuel Yuen and is supported by senior director Kevin Chua, while its disputes group is helmed by Amos Cai. Senior corporate specialist Angeline Wong joined from Eng and Co at the beginning of 2023.
Client feedback
“We appreciate the team’s responsiveness, expertise and reliability.” – Capital markets
“They have the courage to face the opponent.” – Dispute resolution
“Inquisitive on discovery, assertive at the hearing.” – Dispute resolution
“They have been professional in handling the matter, and also seem to show a good prior knowledge with cases similar to my own. They are generally responsive also to my updates and needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Dedicated to clients, polite and professional.” – Insurance
“Efficient and responsive.” – Investment funds
Amos Cai
“He is knowledgeable and responsive. He has experience with derivative actions in the past.”
Kevin Chua
“Knowledgeable and efficient.”
“Responsive, reliable and genial.”
Keyun Tian
“Assertive and inquisitive.”
Work highlights
Acted for a cleaning and sanitising services company in the sale of its majority stake to a Singapore-based real estate firm.
Advised a group of financial advisers on a multi-million-dollar option to purchase one of the largest independent wealth management firms.
Represented one of four shareholders in the acquisition of a percentage of issued share capital in a flooring solutions company from other shareholders.
Full-service firm Advocatus Law has been on the scene for 14 years now. Its dispute resolution offering is a pillar of the firm and other areas have branched out from this strength, including corporate and transactions-related work, real estate, regulatory compliance, risk management and IP. At the beginning of 2023, the experienced disputes team had nine reported High Court and Court of Appeal decisions in 2022. The firm is a member of the Alliott Global Alliance and the Asia-Pacific Legal Innovation and Technology Association.
Managing partner Christopher Daniel heads the team that includes partners Harjean Kaur, Ganga Avadiar, Mervyn Cheong, Priyalatha Naidu and Eileen Yeo. Daniel notably has a strong insurance practice, while Cheong has a Specialist Certificate in Intangible Asset Management.
Client feedback
“We value their creativity and responsiveness, as well as the value-added and practical advice provided.” – Regulatory
Christopher Anand Daniels
“Good attention to details and very proactive in providing creative and value-added legal solutions.”
Work highlights
Advising three family members of the Hin Leong Group in a litigation against their former Singapore solicitors.
Defending a client in proceedings that were commenced by HSBC against her in relation to the insolvency of the Hin Leong Group.
Acting for the director of a manager of a REIT against actions commenced by two security holders on the basis that the client, among other directors, had breached duties under the Securities and Futures Act.
Aldgate Chambers is a boutique disputes firm that has been active at all levels of court. It works with domestic and international clients and has experience representing other law firms and lawyers in disciplinary tribunal hearings. Its highlights from the past year include defending a listed company’s subsidiary and acting in an arbitration against another country. The firm is helmed by managing director Kenneth Pereira and director Francine Lai.
Work highlights
Acted for CH Biovest in the High Court in relation to the Envy Holdings fraud. The liquidators of Envy are claiming back the profits paid to the client by Envy. The dispute is unique as the issue on how to deal with the proceeds of a Ponzi scheme for an unknowing investor has not been clarified under Singapore law. The judge hearing the matter also noted its novelty of issues and suggested that a young amicus curiae be appointed to assist in the decision-making.
Aquinas Law Alliance’s corporate finance practice covers a wide range of capital markets work. It is active in primary listings, de-listings, privatisations and secondary offerings. The firm also regularly advises on ongoing listing compliance and transfer listings. This year, it moves up in the technology and telecommunications table.
Joint managing partners Kok Meng Lim and Aloysius Wee are key contacts at the firm for transactional work. The disputes quarter is headed by Cephas Yee and Mark Cham Shan Jie, bolstered by the expertise of arbitration specialist Steve Ngo. Highly praised Joshua Tan is another name to note for his technology expertise, while Sean Lee is a restructuring and insolvency-focused partner.
Client feedback
“Reasonable and knowledgeable in the area especially for startups. The lawyers also adopt a commercial mindset.” – Banking and finance
“Firstly, Aquinas Law is highly professional and takes a client-centred approach to their work. They provide tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of their clients, and their lawyers work closely with my team to understand our goals and develop a strategy to achieve them. Secondly, the firm is diligent in its work and leaves no stone unturned when preparing a case. They conduct thorough research and investigation to gather evidence and build a strong case against the debtor, which greatly increases the likelihood of success. Lastly, Aquinas Law is highly communicative and provides regular updates and progress reports to us throughout the legal process. This helps us to stay informed and confident throughout the entire process, as we know what is happening every step of the way.” – Dispute resolution
“Cephas and Matthew (Tan) are exceptional lawyers and worked on our case tirelessly. Both my husband and I are very grateful for their level of commitment and professionalism.” – Dispute resolution
“Prompt, succinct, dedicated and competent. It was truly value for money.” – Dispute resolution
“Prompt service, good professional advice, and the lawyers understand the industry in which we operate. Also, affordable fees.” – Labour and employment
Mark Cham
“Mark is patient and demonstrates a high level of empathy towards his clients. He takes the time to listen to our concerns and understands our unique situations, which helps to build trust and rapport. Mark is also highly professional in his work. He is knowledgeable and experienced in his field, and he approaches his work with a high level of attention to detail and diligence.”
Kok Meng Lim
“Good knowledge of laws and industries. He has a strong business sense and provides innovative advice.”
Joshua Tan
“Joshua is always willing to share his experiences and expertise. He often goes above and beyond to think on behalf of the client instead of simply quoting from the law.”
“He is very commercial, reasonable, approachable and knowledgeable.”
Cephas Yee
“Cephas is extremely user-friendly and responsive; he works well with sensible budget options and is always on the ball.”
“Cephas is always there for us when we need his legal advice on the next course of action to move the case forward.”
Work highlights
Acted for a Chinese national against a Singapore company for claims of negligent and fraudulent misrepresentation and for damages arising from the acquisition of an Australian company.
Representing JE Synergy Engineering against two of its former employees in relation to bribes taken in relation to a construction contract.
Advised a local businessman in relation to alleged fraud committed by his ex-wife involving an entity which they had jointly owned during their marriage.
Ascendant Legal has been in a formal law alliance with Norton Rose Fulbright since 2018. This year, its restructuring and insolvency practice benefited from the hiring of senior specialist Meiyen Tan from Oon & Bazul. The disputes offering has long been a core area of strength for the firm, notably acting in all manners of corporate and commercial, restructuring and insolvency, regulatory compliance, shipping, competition and IP disputes. Due to its sprawling and deep regional and global network, the firm is active in numerous sophisticated and complex cross-border litigation and arbitration mandates. Its enviable client list spans household name multinationals, listed companies and Asian giants.
The 12 fee-earner team is led by managing partner Chew Kei-Jin.
Client feedback
“Responsive, able to understand company's requirements and issues, proactive and strategic.” – Dispute resolution
“Good understanding of restructuring. Good technical acumen. Easy to work with.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They are very responsive, advise in language that is easy to understand, and they apply a pragmatic approach.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Great client contact.” – Restructuring and insolvency
Kei-Jin Chew
“Responsive, knowledgeable and helpful.”
Meiyen Tan
“She is easy to work with and she understands restructuring.”
“Extremely responsive, advises in a language that is easy to understand, and takes the pragmatic approach.”
“She is a good listener.”
Work highlights
Acting for Mirana Corp in the Singapore courts for the recovery of a debt of $13 million against prominent cryptocurrency hedge fund, Three Arrows Capital.
Defended BP Singapore in multiple suits arising from the insolvency of Hin Leong Trading.
Advised BTP, a Nasdaq-listed online travel company, in resisting applications brought by several defendants to set aside arbitration awards in favour of the client. These proceedings raised several novel questions, including whether the arbitral tribunal’s decision on res judicata in the arbitration was a negative ruling on jurisdiction; and whether the Singapore courts may grant leave to enforce arbitration awards, even where there are pending setting aside applications.
Key clients
ABN AMRO, BP, Carlsberg, DBS, EFG, Mercer and Vopak.
Bird & Bird ATMD upholds its ‘Outstanding’ ranking with a strong intellectual property practice and expertise in the technology and telecommunications sector. Lorraine Tay and Alban Kang are key figures for IP. The firm is also active in capital markets, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, energy and labour and employment. This year it moves up in the energy table, and debuts in the construction and private equity categories. Marcus Chow, Sandra Seah and Beng Chai Tay are the main corporate partners at the firm. Jonathan Choo is a dispute resolution lawyer particularly active in international arbitration and Seow Hui Goh focuses on labour and employment.
Client feedback
“Extremely pragmatic and commercial, excellent attention to detail, but does not belabour legal points unnecessarily.” – Aviation
“Commercially sound while providing solid legal advice and willing to go the extra mile.” – Aviation
“Responsive, practical and commercial-oriented.” – Capital markets
“Proactive and responsible.” – Capital markets
“Responsive with the ability to anticipate and identify potential issues. Has the ability to propose solutions.” – Capital markets
“Fast and logical responses.” – Competition/antitrust
“Highly responsive and can devise value-adding solutions to commercial issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“The firm's legal documents are sophisticated and can capture most legal issues that we need to mitigate or prevent. When there is an issue, they are quick to provide solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Staff are timely, dedicated, professional, responsive and client-oriented.” – Corporate and M&A
“Prompt and completed the work within the schedule.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional and efficient.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very professional, work effectively within time frame.” – Corporate and M&A
“It has comprehensive in-depth knowledge of the energy industry and thus is in position to provide good advice” – Energy
“The partner is helpful and turnaround time is quick. Great service.” – Intellectual property
“They are very responsive and the team has demonstrated in past projects their ability to deliver commercially sensible legal advice at very competitive fee quotes.” – Intellectual property
“Responsive, understands our business and our needs.” – Privacy and data protection
“Fast, reliable and a trusted partner.” – Private equity
“Completed the task promptly.” – Regulatory
Chua Lijun
“Receptive, fast responses and good knowledge of the relevant law and good understanding of the issues.”
Goh Seow Hui
“We value her professionalism, compassion for clients and humility.”
“Seow Hui did an outstanding job of understanding the client's needs. She advised me what was best for the client. She handled the case so swiftly to settle it amicably and moved on. I am impressed by her professionalism to take ownership after [another] lawyer left the firm. She took the responsibility of closing it. I am pleased with her customer service and compassion.”
Jeremy Tan
“Responsive, great attention to detail, he is client and results oriented.”
Jolie Giouw
“Highly responsive, she identifies the key issues quickly and comes out with solutions. We have always been impressed.”
“Excellent service-oriented mindset, has strong commercial acumen and able to advise well on the law.”
“Responsive and experienced. Able to provide prompt and quality advice and solutions.”
Lawrence Wong
“Communicates well to solve all the requirements requested by the SGX in Singapore.”
Leo Fattorini
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly. With counterparts he comes across very well without compromising our position.”
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly.”
“He has industry-wide knowledge of the Asian region, and is commercially savvy when it comes to negotiating with external parties.”
“Fast turnaround time and knowledgeable.”
Marcus Chow
“Marcus is knowledgeable in early-stage transactions and he is always available to the team to provide an opinion.”
“He is very smart and has extensive knowledge in venture capital investment as well as M&A.”
“Listens to what the client wants, and provides accurate suggestions and solutions.”
“Responsive, responsible and is able to communicate effectively with people of all levels.”
“Very commercial and good understanding of the client's needs.”
“Responsive, has ability to propose innovative solutions, and has good client relationship management.”
“Provides in-depth knowledge and advice to the board, resolving issues with advance steps taken.”
“Marcus was very responsive and can be depended on to deliver sound pragmatic advice, even outside of regular office hours. He is also quick to understand the commercial issues at hand, and propose solutions to address these issues.”
Sandrea Seah
“Very helpful and exhibits very good in-depth industrial knowledge. Gives very sound advice.”
“Professional, good listener, understands issues quickly and timely in responses.”
Work highlights
Acted for a global software supplier in a dispute with its customer, including delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Representing Retrospect Investment, Permenpronic Technologies and its main shareholder in a series of Singapore court proceedings involving minority oppression and conspiracy and issues relating to buy-out of client’s shares.
Acting for Voltas in multiple Singapore court proceedings against various sub-contractors arising out of multiple government infrastructural projects.
Represented Greenbay Marine in an action involving breach of confidence and breach of contract.
Key clients
ICOP Construction, Oracle Corporation Singapore, Roche Singapore
BR Law Corporation provides a strong dispute resolution offering for clients, with its roots in litigation and arbitration planted long before the firm was re-branded into its current iteration in 2018. The real estate practice debuts in our table, being the largest group at BR Law with no less than 11 fee earners, including six partners. The group handled more than 7,000 real estate-related transactions in the span of 12 months during the research period.
Managing director Bernard Doray leads a veteran team that includes disputes specialists Soon Yien Foo, Sivakumar Ponnampalam and Daniel Loh.
Client feedback
“They are proactive and flexible.” – Dispute resolution
“In the course of our multi-disciplinary meeting, I discovered that the litigants should have adopted a more aggressive approach to some estate matters. I was just whining to our lawyer and was pleasantly surprised and touched that she offered to act pro bono for the family! Since then, BR Law has done prompt research into the case and helped to come up with a coherent and aggressive legal strategy. I know I can always count on the firm to be aggressive, efficient and magnificent even when acting pro bono. They even provided an interpreter for the client and ensured that every legal letter was duly translated into Indonesian. May Justice be done!” – Dispute resolution
Soon Yien Foo
“She is assertive and flexible.”
“Soon Yien is aggressive and incisive. She provides clarity whenever I am confused on legal issues and helps me to understand nuances. She is also very responsive to queries despite her busy schedule. I like that she is versatile and has helped me in family legal matters and now estate matters. She is also kind and has a sense of social justice!”
Work highlights
Acted for Petrotech Marine Services on its case against four defendants for breach of fiduciary duties, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment.
Assisted a domestic engineering company and two individuals as plaintiffs in a breach of share purchase agreement case. It was settled amicably through mediation.
Represented the plaintiff in the first reported case in Singapore of a negligence lawsuit involving dogs.
Founded in 1883, Braddell Brothers is one of Singapore’s oldest independent law practices that exclusively focuses on dispute resolution. The team is currently handling disputes worth a combined value of more than $4.5 billion and it prides itself on working on some of the toughest, most complex cases from around the region. The firm regularly advises financial institutions, high net-worth individuals and clients in the energy, real estate and healthcare sectors. Apart from counsel work, the partners are presently handling five arbitration cases as arbitrator seated in various forums around the region. Edmund Kronenburg and Angelia Thng are key contacts at the firm.
Client feedback
“Litigation is their trump card. I think it’s their primary purpose.” – Dispute resolution
“They focus on building long-term relationships with clients, deliver meaningful advice from early dispute resolution to later litigation stages, understand business, and provide valuable input on strategy. They have a stellar knowledge of law.” – Dispute resolution
“Oral and written pleadings are of great quality. They provide services on time with deep analysis of the case. The approach to conducting arbitration is not one-sided, to the contrary, they assess a number of risks and consider various avenues.” – Dispute resolution
“Knowledgeable, objective, action oriented, decisive and professional.” – Dispute resolution
Edmund Kronenburg
“Everything. He is professional, and digs into the details.”
“Knowledgeable, professional and decisive.”
“Edmund is a guru in cross-examination. He is innovative in terms of litigation tactics.”
Work highlights
Acting as co-counsel to a Russian party in a billion-dollar arbitration over a Vietnamese power plant project.
Represented two individuals in the Singapore High Court on their individual claims for fraud and misrepresentation in respect of a revocation of a trust deed for a large commercial property.
Representing a Korean company in an SIAC IP-related arbitration.
Key clients
Autodesk, BASF, Ericsson Telecommunications, Garuda, Hyundai Engineering, JSC Power Machines, Lippo Group, OSO Group, Wondershare Technology.
CMS Holborn Asia houses a number of renowned specialist lawyers, such as construction experts Kelvin Aw and Lynette Chew, employment director Lakshanthi Fernando, as well as IP and TMT-focused Sheena Jacob. The firm is particularly known for its sector focus across technology, healthcare, life science, media, consumer goods and services and infrastructure. The firm climbs up a notch in the banking and finance table this year, reaping the benefits from having seasoned partner Daniel Tan join from Clifford Chance two years earlier. The disputes team welcomed partner Jonathan Warne from CMS London last summer.
Client feedback
“Excellent transaction management with a strong understanding of projects and finance.” – Banking and finance
“Extremely effective advocates, very well prepared and commercially sensible.” – Dispute resolution
“CMS partners in the construction and engineering dispute resolution practice are leading domain experts and highly skilled in all aspects of preparation for arbitrations, especially in the engagement with and instruction of independent experts.” – Dispute resolution
“Responsive and thorough in their advice.” – Energy
Kelvin Aw
“He is thoughtful about a client's case and anticipates upcoming risks in each case. Provides a clear case strategy from start to finish. Always gets it right on the key issues.”
Asya Jamaludin
“Very well prepared, excellent advocate.”
Marc Rathborne
“Very communicative, good depth of knowledge in the subject area, able to provide insight on regulatory issues as well as nuanced opinions on how these contracts and regulations will affect our business. Provided thoughtful advice. Very responsive.”
Daniel Tan
“Very knowledgeable and client-focused.”
Work highlights
Representing an alternate solutions energy company in a long-running shareholders’ dispute over a failed joint venture relating to the supply of solar modules in Europe.
Advised Shenzhen CIMC-Tianda Airport Support Ltd in relation to Singapore High Court proceedings arising out of a $1 million contract for the design and manufacture of bridges for the Goiania airport site in Brazil.
Assisted a global retail company in relation to a complex senior executive exit following allegations of harassment and bullying made by a number of employees and external third parties.
CNPLaw, formerly known as Colin Ng & Partners, is active in all major practice areas including banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, investment funds and private equity. The firm has experience in advising companies in the real estate and technology and telecommunication sectors, particularly active in blockchain and cryptocurrency. This year, the firm moves up a rank in the construction and regulatory tables. The M&A team closed four takeovers in the past year and the corporate team has established a niche practice advising companies in high-growth, emerging markets like Myanmar, Indo-China and the Philippines. Min-Li Tan, Subramanian Pillai, Pradeep Singh, Lisa Theng and Bill Jamieson are key contacts.
Work highlights
Represented the owners of commercial units at the King Albert Park Mall in respect of a claim for misrepresentation against the defendant developer.
Acted for multiple defendants in a claim involving allegations by a company against its ex-employees and new employer.
Advised Turbo Power Systems against a Chinese company, Fujian Snowman, in arbitration.
Assisted Yuantai Fuel Trading against the liquidators of Hin Leong Trading.
Key clients
Advised Turbo Power Systems against a Chinese company, Fujian Snowman, in arbitration.
Assisted Yuantai Fuel Trading against the liquidators of Hin Leong Trading.
Key clients
CFE Engineers Asia, Daxin Marine.
Coleman Street Chambers was founded in 2011 as a dispute resolution boutique with a focus on high-value commercial litigation and arbitration, and criminal litigation. It has a high win and settlement rate in court and through mediations. Its clients largely comprise offshore and onshore SMEs. Director Daniel Chia Jin Chong and associate director Vickie Tan Lin Yin are the key contacts.
Work highlights
Advised four defendants, including Big Bus Singapore City Sightseeing and Singapore Ducktours, on a claim and counterclaim against two foreign companies in an intellectual property suit.
Acted for Shanghai Afute Food and Beverage Management on an intellectual property claim and unlawful conspiracy matter, and two defendants in counterclaim in a misrepresentation claim.
Key clients
Certis CISCO Aviation, Citiponics, Exim & Mfr Holdings, Primustech
Established in 2016, Covenant Chambers prides itself on offering its disputes-related services at a lower cost than the largest domestic firms, but still maintaining high-calibre advice and director involvement. It has been recognised by the Singapore government as being a pioneering local law firm with the SmartLaw Singapore Law Practice recognition scheme. Managing director Ee Yan Lee and director Ronald Wong are the main contacts. Associate directors Zheng Feng Lim and Benedict Eoon left last year for Fervent Chambers and Oon & Bazul, respectively.
Client feedback
“Professional, balanced, responsive and presented both sides of the coin at all times for us as the client to make an objective call.” – Competition/antitrust
“Passionate, professional and most importantly, they work with heart.” – Private client
Ronald Wong
“Concise, clear, humble and instils confidence.”
Wilbur Lua
“Professional, with deep insights into cases. Works with heart and is level-headed.”
Work highlights
Acted for Kelington Engineering, the Singapore subsidiary of Kelington Group Berhad, in a suit against its ex-country manager following the latter’s breach of a letter of appointment. This dispute concerns the applicability and relevance of the doctrine of penalty clauses in the context of fixed-term employment contracts, and is the first of its kind in Singapore.
Defended Systematic Airconditioning and its director-shareholder in a dispute against the other director-shareholder of the company in relation to allegedly unpaid dividends by the client.
Acted for a travel company, Raffles Air, on its suit against three directors of the said company on the ground of breach of fiduciary duties, breach of trust and unlawful means conspiracy.
Dentons Rodyk & Davidson is one of Singapore’s largest full-service firms, stacked with notable partners who are experts in their fields. The firm has stellar banking, construction, disputes, competition and technology and telecommunications practices. This year its insurance offering debuts in our table with a strong showing. The combination with Dentons, the largest law firm in the world, provides clients with an extensive network of global experts from over 200 offices around the world in more than 80 countries. One recent update is Dentons’ alliance with Filipino law firm, PJS Law. Partners to note include banking specialist Doreen Sim, M&A partner Eng Leng Ng, IP specialists Ai Ming Lee and I-An Lim, insurance director Edric Pan, projects expert Joo Thye Tan, disputes specialist Lawrence Teh and senior counsel Edmund Leow.
Work highlights
Successfully represented PNG Sustainable Development Program by having the plaintiff’s claim struck out in relation to payment of its long-term fund for control over the client’s assets of $1.65 billion.
Key clients
Enemalta, Engine Holdings Asia, PNG Sustainable Development Program, QBE Insurance, UniCredit Bank.
As one of Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms, Drew & Napier possesses a diverse roster of lawyers offering an extensive range of legal services in Singapore and across the region. The firm remains a dispute resolution powerhouse with a deep bench of top advocates including Jimmy Yim and Cavinder Bull. Disputes and insolvency lawyer Siraj Omar, construction specialist Christopher Chong and elite tax practitioner Ong Sim Ho further reinforce the team. Other key names to note include Pauline Chong for finance, Chong Kin Lim for competition and technology, Steven Lo for corporate and M&A, Tony Yeo for IP, and Sushil Nair and Blossom Hing for restructuring and insolvency. Consultant Gary Pryke is another well-known practitioner in the corporate and finance space. The firm welcomed banking specialist May Ng from Rajah & Tann recently.
Client feedback
“Highly professional, responsive and approachable.” – Banking and finance
“They understand the concerns, are responsive and provide solutions.” – Banking and finance
“Always focused on protecting its client's interests.” – Banking and finance
“I appreciate their knowledge of the matter and prompt actions.” – Capital markets
“DN has strong, in-depth knowledge of competition law and is able to provide practical advice in a timely manner.” – Competition/antitrust
“Profound expertise, swift responses, and regularly updates clients through newsletters.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive and business-pragmatic. Makes effort to understand the client's requirements. Reasonable fees charged for work.” – Construction
“Knowledgeable, professional and supportive of small businesses.” – Corporate and M&A
“The team is capable of looking beyond the legal aspects and putting into the perspectives of the different stakeholders. They provided value-added service and are indeed great partners for business owners.” – Corporate and M&A
“Responsive, quick and commercially minded.” – Corporate and M&A
“I liked their flexibility while providing good coverage on the necessary work for this deal.” – Corporate and M&A
“Communication and ability to distil facts into easy to understand terms. They are also very good at highlighting the possible issues with the transaction.” – Corporate and M&A
“Sound in legal knowledge and able to provide alternative solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very detailed analysis of the law. Very prompt advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Deep legal expertise coupled with pragmatism.” – Dispute resolution
“Took the additional effort to understand the case, including the case notes, did a walkthrough of the cause of the matter, looked out for the true cause of the matter before forming their own conclusions prior to advising on the appropriate steps to take.” – Dispute resolution
“First and foremost, they advise you if it makes sense to fight or not to fight. As per Sun Tzu, that's the most important and fundamental question. Drew doesn't shy away from a fight to maximise value for the client but they are also very mindful if it makes sense to fight to begin with! They then ask you what you want to achieve and give you good counsel in a clear and transparent way. As a busy CEO, this is exactly what I need, and Drew does this very well.” – Dispute resolution
“Very collaborative. Sharp thinkers who understand the issues, even when they are new areas.” – Dispute resolution
“Quick to respond, thoughtful legal work and diligent” – Dispute resolution
“They have sound industry knowledge and expertise in handling arbitration under SIAC rules. They can provide quick and practical solutions for commercial disputes. Two lawyers, Mahesh Rai and Don Loo exhibit excellent legal acumen.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a completely hands-on approach to matters.” – Dispute resolution
“They’re all excellent, promptly engaging legal advice at all times. They are all brilliant lawyers.” – Dispute resolution
“Without doubt, the best litigation outfit in Singapore. Timely, reasoned, commercial and effective.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier were very proactive and responsive. They were able to foresee the plaintiff's arguments and prevent them.” – Dispute resolution
“They make robust argument and provide effective litigation strategies.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier has come up with a very creative solution in respect of entering documents into evidence, by knowing well the procedure of the proceeding.” – Dispute resolution
“It is commercially savvy and understanding of client needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Practical and concise legal advice was rendered.” – Dispute resolution
“I like all these: responsiveness, access to partners and commerciality of the advice.” – Dispute resolution
“They are very focused and committed. From day one they created a clear strategy which led us to win our case against the claimants. The team members involved have taken accountability. The deliverables during ongoing arbitration were outstanding.” – Dispute resolution
“We had a complex and difficult claim that required attention to detail and clever advocacy. Blossom's team was able to combine the disparate facts into a coherent claim that allowed us to achieve our aims against the defendant.” – Dispute resolution
“Excellence in advocacy, excellence in knowledge of law, practical advice, timeliness, responsiveness, commercial sensitivity. Most impressive aspect is their ability to work around our confidentiality and commercial concerns.” – Dispute resolution
“They are responsive and their advice is well thought out, succinct and clearly backed by years of experience in litigation. They are also happy to accept feedback and consider the legal opinions of their clients' in-house teams.” – Dispute resolution
“Experienced, strategic and responsive” – Dispute resolution
“Their experience, customer service and legal expertise are exceptional. They have the ability to lead with the local lawyers and the clients. The legal advice they have provided is practical and tailored for the specific legal disputes. They work tirelessly for any urgent matters without hesitating a bit, even if it takes the entire night. Despite the differences between the two jurisdictions, their cooperation on the matters has been top-notch. We have learnt so much from them in terms of their knowledge, practice, attitude, management, leadership, professionalism and customer service skills.” – Dispute resolution
“Strategic in solving the key issues and meticulous on detail.” – Dispute resolution
“The partner and team are very knowledgeable, working in a very detailed and precise manner. They have a strong understanding of the law and how to apply it. Great team.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier is very meticulous, and even minor emails are professionally written, well structured, and well thought out. They also learn fast, and quickly accumulated domain knowledge regarding the blockchain industry where we operate, and adjacent fields of law such as US securities law as applied to blockchain disputes. They are also extremely responsive, replying on urgent messages even at 11pm.” – Dispute resolution
“We appreciate its commerciality and technical analysis.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and timely advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Wide areas of expertise and prompt advice.” – Energy
“Great detailed analysis and recommendation on appropriate and specific course of action.” – Insurance
“They are good with technical advice.” – Insurance
“They do a good job at looking at things from the client's perspective, and are able to find commercial solutions for risks they identify.” – Insurance
“Siau Wen Lim and Xuan Lang Teo from Drew & Napier represented us and have acted professionally to assist to resolve trademark issues with Starbucks. Their expertise in IP field is highly commendable and eventually the issue has been resolved with a positive outcome.” – Intellectual property
“They take the time to understand the business challenges and try to work on practical solutions.” – Intellectual property
“Very prompt.” – Intellectual property
“Advice is technically sound and well-considered.” – Intellectual property
“Lawyers have a good knowledge of Singapore law and are responsive.” – Investment funds
“Prompt, thorough and responsive.” – Labour and employment
“Their IT legal team has deep knowledge and rich experience. Very responsive even on the weekend when our business is running. Very client-oriented.” – Privacy and data protection
“Superior staff who provide considered advice and diligent execution.” – Private client
“The firm was able to comprehend the complexity of a first-of-its-kind strategy from a fund manager's perspective and comes up with an innovative solution.” – Private equity
“Good at the completion of transactions despite the tight timeline.” – Real estate
“They are easily approachable. They explain matters easily and guide us. They are not typically commercial, they fully understand client issues and look at everything holistically before coming out with any suggestions.” – Regulatory
“Drew partners are highly competent, responsive and provide commercially sensible advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Deep experience.” – Tax
“Experienced lawyers who know the ITBR requirement and advise clients on the appeal strategy and provide practical advice on the approach to the appeal. Legal submissions are well prepared and clear and concise. They value the relationship with clients.” – Tax
“Drew & Napier's team, and Chong Kin Lim in particular, are deep experts in the tech and telecom space. They provide crisp guidance that we can share rapidly with our internal business clients. They also proactively monitor the horizon, and they let us know in advance about legal/regulatory developments that may impact us. Finally, they are fantastically responsive and literally never late in getting us the information we request.” – Technology and telecommunications
David Alfred
“He is very knowledgeable, prompt, able to offer solutions, understands business concerns, practical, and has a good network with regulators.”
Cavinder Bull
“An outstanding lawyer; thorough understanding of client's needs.”
Ron Cheng
“Knowledgeable and able to understand and meet the client's needs.”
“Ron has been extremely meticulous when it comes to his work. He ensures that he covers all angles and risks that the fund may encounter locally or abroad. Ron is able to understand complex problems and comes up with innovative solutions and structure.”
Corinne Chew
“Corinne is always willing to help and provides thoughtful advice in a timely manner.”
“Profound legal knowledge with excellent communication skills”
Voon Jiet Chia
“Voon Jiet is highly competent, responsive and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Desmond Chng
“He is very responsive, and good at giving a quick (often immediate) indication of what the solution to a problem might be, and whether or not it actually warrants detailed research or formal legal advice. This is very much appreciated from a client's point of view.”
Andrew Chua
“He is attentive and responsive, able to relate to the case and provide insights and share best practices, and at the same time highlight potential issues or ideas from past cases and experiences.”
Benjamin Gaw
“Knowledgeable, professional, available, has a positive attitude and is attentive to client's needs.”
Blossom Hing
“She has a good team and allows her team to take the lead with client communication at the right time while also stepping in when necessary. She asks the right questions to elicit the necessary information from the client.”
“Blossom is an outstanding litigation and arbitration partner. Blossom is creative and very strategic in her thinking and tactics - based on her vast experience of litigation and arbitration. Blossom has done a great job in building a team to support her.”
“My ’go to’ contact is Blossom Hing, who is one of the most experienced and accomplished litigation and arbitration partners in Singapore. Blossom heads a great team that is growing in experience and competence.”
Soo Lih Ho
“Approachable.”
Seraphina Ho
“Efficient.”
Rakesh Kirpalani
“Rakesh is clear in his counsel and incredibly responsive.”
“He helps our company to handle our legal issues and we are satisfied with his work.”
“He possesses a strong spirit to win for the client. He has a client-centric approach and is an expert at IT and data security.”
Meryl Koh
“Highly responsive and takes a keen interest to know the client's business and challenges faced. She has a can-do attitude and willing to go the extra mile for the client. Does not discriminate client based on fee earned.”
“Thorough, empathetic and forward-looking.”
Samuel Koh
“Very responsive. A critical thinker who challenges outcomes to ensure they are robust.”
Man Er Kong
“Kong is qualified and brilliant at what she does. Very reliable and flexible. In terms of advocacy skills, Kong is astonishing. Kong is very patient towards the clients and has the deep understanding of the law. Further, Kong respects the time and is responsive. Case management is top-notch as well. We have obtained grand knowledge when we discuss the interpretation and the conflicts of law.”
“Intelligent, sharp, efficient and effective.”
Julian Kwek
“Problem solver and provides practical solutions.”
Keith Lam
“Keith is professional and responsive.”
Sok Hiang Lau
“She is proactive and provides solutions to difficult issues.”
“Lau Sok Hiang is a very careful and meticulous lawyer. She very much stressed getting the documents right, in the sense that it will not invite queries or challenges.”
Chong Kin Lim
“Prompt, knowledgeable and responsive.”
“He has incredible relationships in his peer network. Deep expertise and incredibly responsive.”
Shumin Lin
“Very knowledgeable in the areas that she practises and provides very clear and detailed analysis of the law.”
“Has a quick grasp of issues. Keen attention to detail without losing sight of the broad strategy.”
Adam Maniam
“Adam's approach is extremely customer-oriented, he takes the initiative to take a crash-course on the customer's industry in order to come up with creative solutions. He's sharp and straightforward.”
“He is D&N personified. Altogether exceptional in terms of service, advocacy, attention to client's concerns and knowledge of the law. He’s a brilliant lawyer. In my opinion better than some senior counsel.”
“My opinion of the firm has been formed by Adam and his mentor.”
“Appreciate his knowledge, adherence to timelines, and that he understands the sensitivity of the matter.”
Pei Tong Ng
“Ability to share a holistic view on the situation and advise accordingly and to the needs of the client.”
Sim Ho Ong
“Very familiar with IRAS.”
Mahesh Rai
“Mahesh possesses excellent legal acumen. This coupled with his sound industry knowledge helps him deliver quick and practical legal advice. Mahesh communicates well and is friendly in nature.”
“He has a complete knowledge of the field and goes all out to understand the nuances of the business.”
“Both from a personal and professional point of view, I found Mahesh to be someone impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, is able to listen well, and is very good in communication, as I often saw him carrying himself so well in the court or in any kind of joint discussions. He provides me as a client with great consideration, tending to the needs of my case in the best way. Mahesh also always comes up with great strategy, showing his creativity as a veteran lawyer.”
“Mahesh is a very hands-on partner, has a close grasp of all the strategic issues and drills down into factual issues. He has a very commercial, practical mindset and is always ready to offer a recommendation and not just a set of options, and a practical recommendation that addresses both legal and broader strategic concerns. He is also clearly a strong mentor because we have been impressed even by the juniors on his team, when Mahesh is not present.”
Teng Sen Tan
“Teng Sen is a seasoned corporate lawyer and provides value-added services to the business owner. He's adept at corporate financing works and compliance matters and is a great partner for us.”
“Very experienced corporate partner who is commercially minded. He gives practical advice.”
“Excellent legal knowledge and communications.”
Allister Tan
“Brilliant lawyer and eager to help always.”
“Very knowledgeable, communicates well to ensure client understands the specifics of the issues. Guides client to the most rationale decision.”
“Fast and sound technical advice.”
“Commercial nous.”
Evelyn Tan
“Well-versed with contract law and court processes, meticulous and pays attention to detail.”
Benedict Teo
“Commercially savvy and he puts clients’ interests first.”
“Ben is extremely responsive and very experienced. I have appreciated his sound legal advice, and sharp legal acumen in handling the cases on our behalf. I also appreciate that he makes himself available to speak to the business representatives when needed.”
“Benedict is experienced and provides good strategic advice. His team provides good, detailed work and manages timelines well. Much to recommend, not much to criticise.”
“Responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure client's requirements are met fully.”
“He is a very experienced trusted adviser and sounding board. He is commercial, responsive, insightful, and he really knows the market and knows his stuff.”
Xuan Lang Teo
“Xuan Lang has been efficient in handling our case and always provides valuable alternative options for our consideration. This is helpful as it leaves no stone unturned, which may increase the probability to succeed in the proceedings.”
“Xuan Lang is extremely sharp and thorough. He is able to distil the key issues in a dispute to achieve the most efficient and favourable outcomes for us. He has deep foresight while bearing in mind commercial realities and practical considerations. All advice from him is extremely well-thought-out and backed up by firm legal foundations. An expert in IP law, he is able to explain and argue complicated legal concepts with clarity and punch.”
Shi Yong Yang
“Provides timely responses and to-the-point advice.”
“He listens to the client and approaches the solution holistically.”
Jonathan Yap
“Jonathan is a hard-working attorney focused on delivering quality work and superior results. He has great communication skills and ensures that his clients remain happy with his services.”
Tony Yeo
“Very prompt and understanding.”
Jimmy Yim
“He is efficient, eloquent and communicates well. He is also knowledgeable and responsive.”
“Jimmy Yim is well known in Singapore and an excellent lawyer with a strong personality. He was able to turn around a case we had lost and win the case for our company.”
“Jimmy Yim was efficient, eloquent and understood the issues well. Very good courtroom manner and pleasant to deal with.”
Represented Navayo International successfully in an arbitration against the Ministry of Defence of Indonesia (MoD) for unpaid invoices and wasted expenditure relating to work and products delivered to it arising out of the MoD’s suspension of its satellite programme.
Key clients
Altair Capital, CNPC, Dragages, Goldbell Engineering, Hin Leong Trading, Indorama, OCBC, Visa.
Duane Morris & Selvam provides a range of legal services to assist clients in banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, construction and dispute resolution. The firm is regularly instructed by Korean, Chinese and Indian companies on various banking and regulatory matters. Key figures include Jamie Benson for capital markets, Leon Yee for corporate and M&A, and Sarbjit Singh Chopra for dispute resolution. The firm welcomed litigation and arbitration director Clement Tan from Singapore’s state courts.
Work highlights
Acted for an established Korean logistics and shipping company in a case against former employees for embezzlement.
Representing Hyundai Corporation in the Singapore High Court on its $9 million action against a metal trading company in Singapore for fraud and conspiracy to defraud.
Key clients
AGR1, Apex Energy International, KDB, Kitchen Culture Holdings, TransAsia Private Capital
Boutique dispute resolution firm Eugene Thuraisingam specialises in high-stakes disputes and multi-jurisdictional commercial disputes including international arbitration. The firm is also known for its criminal defence capability and its regular representation of clients in public interest litigation and pro bono cases. Peers continue to unfailingly acknowledge Eugene Thuraisingam as a lawyer of note in the criminal law space and for constitutional matters. Founder and managing partner Thuraisingam features in most high-stakes matters, but partners Suang Wijaya and Chooi Jing Yen can be found consistently leading on many commercial litigation and contentious labour and employment cases.
Client feedback
“Attentive, responsive, able to offer very balanced legal advice, and ultimately confident in their ability to deliver accordingly.” – Dispute resolution
“Wise in their fee structures and they do not hesitate to put up a good fight.” – Dispute resolution
“They are very knowledgeable, guide you on every step, go out of their way to help even in things that are not directly related, and they help when asked.” – Dispute resolution
“Their lawyers are always able to give us their professional advice in a timely manner and always have our interest at heart. They are always very mindful of their professional fees when advising us on the next course of action to move the case forward.” – Dispute resolution
“Very experienced and very responsive.” – Dispute resolution
“Efficient, competent and pragmatic.” – Dispute resolution
“Highly experienced and efficient.” – Dispute resolution
“The firm’s lawyers are professional, experienced and attentive to clients.” – Dispute resolution
Jing Yen Chooi
“Good listener, empathetic and efficient.”
Suang Wijaya
“Suang is extremely competent, very knowledgeable and customer-centric. Very impressive. First-class lawyer. Truly amazing guy!”
“Attentive to detail, thorough in his research and willing to go the distance to deliver the results and outcome.”
“First-class legal mind. Confident. Professional.”
“He's sharp, intuitive, empathetic, hard-working and a team player.”
“Suang is very knowledgeable, patient, and explains the pros and cons at every step.”
“Very knowledgeable and responsive.”
“Lawyer Suang is extremely professional, highly competent and trustworthy. He would go the extra mile to do research and to ensure that my interests are protected. He is patient, articulate and very precise. A first-class lawyer!”
Work highlights
Acting for plaintiff Sports Connection in an action arising from the breach of the defendant’s duties as a director which resulted in the client suffering loss and damage.
Defending a former employee of the Envy Companies in a multi-defendant suit.
Acting for a former employee of a major oil and gas firm in Singapore, in a suit filed by the client for his alleged breaches of an employment agreement. The former employer is seeking to enforce a purported restraint of trade clause in the employment agreement. The client is currently employed by a competitor firm.
Defending a company that supplies professional inspection services for maritime, oil and gas industries, and one of its directors, against claims of breach of contract, misrepresentation and dishonest assistance.
Focus Law Asia is a specialist litigation and arbitration boutique with a particular strength in shipping and insurance matters. The team counts major world-class ship owners such as Maersk, TORM and Ardmore Shipping, as well as leading marine insurers like Skuld, UK P&I Club and Japan P&I Club as loyal clients. The firm is a member of the One Asia Lawyers network and it boasts Japan and Korea desks with Japanese and Korean lawyers. Managing director Shem Khoo and director Mark Tan are the key contacts.
Client feedback
“The lawyers gave a holistic and sincere take on the case and provided clear options with confident probable outcomes. The team was involved intimately throughout the process and was patient to guide and advise.” – Construction
Hannah Cheang
“She is patient. She listens and clarifies before advising in detail both in legal and layman’s terms. She’s professional, experienced, and well-versed with subject matter and previous cases along with outcomes.”
Work highlights
Acting for the owner and her companies in relation to claims of unjust enrichment, constructive trust and tracing arising out of fraudulent transactions allegedly perpetrated by the client’s father.
Defending Aeturnum Energy International in a claim for fraudulent or negligent misrepresentation and breach of contract in relation to a letter of credit issued by the branch of a French bank in Singapore.
Representing Maersk Tankers Singapore in several matters including its claim against Winson Oil Trading pursuant to a letter of indemnity granted by Winson Oil to the client for the discharge of cargoes without the original bills of lading.
Defending a Filipino individual and his companies in a claim for fraud and breach of fiduciary duties by a multinational company in Singapore.
Fullerton Law Chambers is a Singapore-based disputes boutique primarily focused on corporate and commercial dispute resolution, with a rising number of energy-related cases. The firm’s practice spans a wide range of domestic and cross-border disputes, frequently acting for blue-chip corporate clients. Edmund Eng and Wei Chern Tham are key directors, with associate director Brinden Anandakumar gaining prominence among clients. Former partner Alfred Lim left the firm in 2022.
Client feedback
“They are responsive and monitor deadlines closely. There is great communication in the team as well.” – Dispute resolution
“They are responsive, approachable and collaborative.” – Dispute resolution
Edmund Eng
“Clear, steady, knowledgeable, resourceful, efficient and effective.”
Ling Yuanrong
“Yuanrong is able to understand our needs and implement sensible solutions to resolve problems.”
Wei Chern Tham
“He is approachable and able to put himself in his clients’ shoes to recommend the best solution.”
Work highlights
Acted for the founders and key shareholder of a company in relation to an international arbitration concerned with its sale to an investor.
Assisted client, The Great Room, to settle amicably a claim in relation to an acquisition by Turms Advisors.
Advised the Royal Bank of Canada against individuals who perpetrated a fraud on the client causing the bank to transfer CAD$5.6 million ($4.1 million) to a bank account in Singapore. A prompt application to the Singapore courts resulted in the majority of the account being frozen before the bulk of the money could be moved out of Singapore. A judgment was also obtained against the fraudster.
Harry Elias Partnership has offices in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. Built upon one of the most respected and influential litigation lawyers in the country, Harry Elias, the firm has an established reputation for its dispute resolution and family and matrimonial expertise. The firm is also notable for its construction, infrastructure, corporate and M&A, and intellectual property practices. Philip Fong, Justin Chia, Tan Chau Yee, Brian Law, Pearl Lim and Claudia Teo are key contacts for dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, intellectual property, construction, banking, and corporate and M&A, respectively. The construction and engineering group further bolstered its expertise with the hirings of two veteran specialists, Joanna Seetoh from LVM Law Chambers and Chua Ming Hao from Clyde & Co Clasis.
Work highlights
Acted for the co-defendant in a suit brought by a bridging loan company attempting to enforce loan agreements and personal guarantees for sums totalling more than $30 million. This case involves novel questions about the interaction between the Securities and Futures Act and the Moneylenders Act, specifically whether a loan made to an individual who is not an “accredited investor” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Act amounts to unlicensed moneylending under the Moneylenders Act, and therefore is unenforceable at law.
Represented a client who faced concurrent criminal proceedings and a civil suit in respect of allegations of physical assault of a domestic helper from Indonesia. She faced several criminal charges and was also sued as a defendant. The case is notable as it involved the novel issue of whether a temporary stay of civil proceedings can be ordered to ensure that ongoing criminal proceedings against an accused person are not prejudiced by the conduct of the civil suit.
Helmsman excels at shipping law, but it also has growing banking, employment and general disputes practices. The firm acts for commodity traders, banks and charterers in high-value, cross-border disputes across the globe. The team also has substantial experience in the mid and downstream liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector, particularly in LNG shipping and chartering and LNG trade disputes. As an affiliate of Hong Kong firm Tang & Co, Helmsman houses 18 specialist fee earners, which makes it one of the biggest dedicated shipping and commodities practices in Asia. The key contacts are managing directors Ian Teo and Chong Jun Tang, and directors Maureen Poh and Lynette Koh. Recently, the firm welcomed senior disputes specialists, director Una Khng and counsel Benjamin Bala, from the Supreme Court of Singapore and TSMP Law Corporation respectively.
Client feedback
“Helmsman acted quickly and provided an excellent and useful memo. In particular, I appreciated the proactive approach where we were given advice on specific documents and questions to pursue to gain more understanding of the relevant facts.” – Dispute resolution
“They are available whatever the time is and react super-fast in an efficient manner. Very accurate on their points. They give us the feeling of having a dedicated lawyer in charge of our matters, which does help a lot when it comes to understanding.” – Shipping
“Cheap, fast and good.” – Shipping
Zhida Chen
“Intelligent and commercially minded.”
Una Khng
“She demonstrated high legal skills, was pragmatic in terms of providing useful advice, and good in communications.”
Maureen Poh
“She gave immediate answers to any questions, whatever the time was. Available to travel overseas for assistance in commercial deals. She always kept a positive attitude to come out on top of any issue. She gives the right advice with a permanent very good mood.”
Work highlights
Acting for Trafigura in a dispute which arose out of the insolvency of Hin Leong Trading.
Advising Weifang JS Trading, a global chemicals trading and manufacturing company headquartered in China, in respect of court proceedings in St Lucia against the issuing bank under the letter of credit for failing to make payment against a compliant presentation of documents under the letter of credit, and a trading dispute vis-à-vis its buyers.
JTJB, or Joseph Tan Jude Benny, has one of the most experienced and dedicated shipping practices in Singapore. The firm handles complex high-profile matters in both wet and dry shipping including trade finance, industry M&As and investments, cargo disputes, charterparties and bills of lading disputes, marine casualties, shipbuilding, marine insurance and ship finance. The firm also handles a fair number of restructuring and insolvency matters. Murali Pany, John Sze and Danny Chua are key members of the firm.
Client feedback
“Proactive suggestions and fast, practical advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Fast responses, helpful advice and reasonable charges.” – Shipping
“Deep knowledge of the law practice combined with advice well-honed from decades of experience.” – Shipping
“The solicitors from JTJB listen to the needs of their clients and always have good solutions.” – Shipping
Danny Chua
“Quick, experienced and personable.”
“Incisive knowledge and decisive advice.”
John Sze
“Calm under pressure. Strategic, out-of-the-box analysis and advice.”
“He has been a preferred solicitor for us on local shipping matters. He listens to what we need and want.”
“He acts in an aggressive way for his clients.”
Murali Pany
“Good knowledge and well-planned strategy.”
Work highlights
Acting for the judicial managers of Xihe Holdings and dozens of ship-owning companies in relation to the collapse of Hin Leong Trading Group.
Representing AmBank against a Singapore-listed oil and gas company, Falcon Energy Group, in respect of very significant financing provided.
Key clients
SC Dalian, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank
JTJB, or Joseph Tan Jude Benny, has one of the most experienced and dedicated shipping practices in Singapore. This year the firm climbs up one standing in the dispute resolution rankings and debuts in the R&I table for its work in this space. The firm handles complex high-profile matters in both wet and dry shipping including trade finance, industry M&As and investments, cargo disputes, charterparties and bills of lading disputes, marine casualties, shipbuilding, marine insurance and ship finance. The firm also handles a fair number of restructuring and insolvency matters. Murali Pany, John Sze and Danny Chua are key members of the firm.
Work highlights
Acted for the judicial managers of Xihe Holdings and dozens of ship-owning companies in relation to the collapse of Hin Leong Trading Group.
Advised FTI Consulting as the judicial managers appointed for six shipowners within the Xihe Group.
Represented a Brazilian state-owned petroleum company in a major dispute in Singapore that involves English court proceedings as well as insolvency proceedings involving the cargo buyer in Singapore.
Acted for a major Malaysian bank against a Singapore-listed oil & gas company in respect of very significant financing provided.
Key clients
Ambank, Nan Chiau Maritime.
Founded in 2017 by senior counsel Lok Vi Ming, LVM Law Chambers is a respected, mid-sized disputes boutique offering a comprehensive range of dispute resolution services spanning commercial litigation, construction, insurance, media and telecommunications, tax, mediation, real estate, regulatory and white-collar matters. The firm has been consistently instructed in high-profile cross-border cases involving China, Brazil, Europe, Japan, Malaysia, the UK and the US. It has a dedicated China desk and has been quite active for these clients in the construction, technology, infrastructure and PE sectors. The firm added shipping capabilities to its growing array of specialisms, with the hiring of former Incisive Law director, Mohd Haireez. Managing director Lok Vi Ming leads an experienced team that includes construction specialists Joseph Lee and Waltan Pak. The team also welcomed the arrival of director Jean Chan from the Singapore High Court to bolster its white-collar crime and regulatory offering. Construction expert Joanna Seetoh departed last year for Harry Elias Partnership.
Client feedback
“LVM is very proactive in providing practical solutions to the client. LVM does not only advise on the legal aspect, but they really help the client to choose the 'best' route to achieve the best outcome possible, given the commercial circumstances.” – Dispute resolution
“They have lawyers who are intelligent, attentive and know their specialised areas well.” – Dispute resolution
“The firm is able to distil complex issues to distinct bitesize chunks and tackle each of these pointedly. They have the grit and soft skills to disarm the defendants with finesse. They deliver par excellence.” – Dispute resolution
“The lawyers are professional and knowledgeable on the case; they were able to find the supporting evidence in the court documents to defend my case.” – Private client
“Responsive and experienced team, able to pull in senior counsel when required.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Honest, quick and frank.” – Shipping
“Quick response and practical advice.” – Shipping
Mohd Haireez
“Able to provide quick and concise advice.”
“Solid legal and sector knowledge, attentive and meticulous.”
“Hard-working, efficient, brilliant and affable.”
Jonathan Muk
“Jonathan has very good legal knowledge as well as industry knowledge, to provide the client with practical advice. He is also very responsive to clients’ queries.”
“Jonathan not only listens, he does his homework and always researches thoroughly. He is always accessible and he responds to queries promptly. He keeps tabs on costs and timeline diligently.”
Huey Hien Ooi
“Responsive, detailed and diligent.”
Michelle Yeo
“She is hardworking and well-versed in knowledge on my case.”
Work highlights
Representing a defendant in relation to a claim by his son, which he alleges that his father had made an oral contract to transfer to him a majority share in a company. This claim raises issues concerning the formation of an oral contract, as well as the standard of proof to satisfy the intentions to create legal relations requirement in a familial context.
Acting for a Beijing-based dental surgeon in an action against a former partner. This case raises issues concerning equity and trusts law.
Assisting Unipec in five disputes which relate to five separate parcels of cargo shipped on board four different ships. They arise out of the collapse of the Hin Leong Trading Group, which is widely recognised as the largest corporate fraud in Singapore history.
Key clients
DBS, Deloitte & Touche, Goldlands Holdings Company, Yihua Lifestyle Technology.
Mayer Brown PK Wong & Nair is known for its expertise in dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, and corporate and commercial law. It climbs up a tier in dispute resolution ranking this year and its corporate practice makes its debut. The team has a wealth of experience in a broad range of commercial disputes arising out of breaches of securities regulations, commodity trading disputes, insolvency, employment and contractual disputes and estate claims. Seasoned litigator Suresh Nair is the main disputes partner, while Mark Wong heads up the corporate division. Bryan Tan is an emerging name to note. Associate director Andrea Tan left for an in-house role at Expedia last spring.
At the beginning of 2023, PK Wong & Nair entered into a joint law venture with international firm Mayer Brown. This entity can provide clients with integrated and seamless advice on international and Singapore law. Local litigation is provided through PK Wong & Nair.
Client feedback
“Very quick responses, practical advice, very responsive and solid team.” – Dispute resolution
“They work well within the team and with the client. Well prepared with points and documents.” – Dispute resolution
“Client-focused, quality advice, practical, cost-effective” – Labour and employment
“Accessible and responds promptly.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“I have a well-established working relationship with Suresh Nair. This firm would be my first stop because they are hungry, excellent at what they do and always on top of their game.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Efficient and proactive. They understand regulatory requirements well. Lawyers are good at listening and providing alternatives.” – Restructuring and insolvency
Suresh Nair
“Phenomenal legal ability.”
“Accessible and responds promptly.”
“He is among the best insolvency practitioners in Singapore. An exceptional advocate, he is razor-sharp and precise, and provides timely and practical advice in the most personable way possible.”
“Positive, proactive and very competent.”
Work highlights
Defended an individual against a claim for alleged breach of post-termination restraints by a former employer. This matter is significant as it requires the court to further refine the criteria to assess whether post-termination restraints are reasonable or enforceable in circumstances where the parties are ostensibly competitors in the same field.
Advised Antanium Resources on a proposed restructuring of its debts.
Represented Silverlink Resorts and Andaman Resorts against MS First Capital in a dispute related to the ordered closure of the Amanpuri hotel by the governor of Phuket in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Defending IntelliDocX Asia against a claim for misappropriation of allegedly confidential information
Meritus Law is a recently established firm specialising in commercial disputes and general corporate work. Its clients consist of local and international corporations, SOEs and high-net-worth individuals. The firm is led by managing director Alfred Lim, a former director at Fullerton Law Chambers, and includes directors Jaime Lye and Amos Tan. Corporate head Tan recently joined from Quahe Woo & Palmer, while banking and aviation consultant Rajaram Ramiah joined from RHTLaw Asia.
Client feedback
“I appreciate that Meritus Law tried a different approach with our matter.” – Construction
“Knowledgeable, precise and clear.” – Construction
“Professional conduct, timely feedback, clear and concise instructions, good interpersonal skills and a wide range of ideas when we were faced with problems.” – Construction
“Prompt responses to tasks. Quick turnaround on responses. Sound and solid legal perspective, which instils confidence in clients.” – Corporate and M&A
“Meritus Law is extremely professional and gives very thoughtful advice. They are responsive and professional in their responses.” – Dispute resolution
“Honest, transparent and professional.” – Dispute resolution
“I recommend them for their understanding of the aspects of my case when they represented me at trial.” – Dispute resolution
“They always submit things on time and advise honestly.” – Private client
“Great communication, relaying clear options, and professionalism.” – Regulatory
Alfred Lim
“Knowledgeable in Ministry of Manpower rules and procedures.”
“He is positive and engaging.”
“He is an excellent sounding board for any legal issues, has great delegation, good sense of responsibility and is prompt in responses.”
“Very transparent and honest.”
“Excellent knowledge of the law, approachable demeanour in court.”
“He knows what is expected.”
“Great communication, relaying clear options, and professionalism.”
Jaime Lye
“She is very knowledgeable with regards to the law. Also, because she has a lot of experience dealing with people, she is able to use her people skills with the other parties involved to great effect. I have already recommended her to another friend who is also very pleased with the service received so far.”
“She demonstrates a clear understanding of case matters. She gives sound advice and has professional conduct. She is very patient and expertly handles complex cases when dealing with other lawyers. Overall, I am very happy with her performance and will continue to engage her for all other legal matters.”
Work highlights
Acted for Malaysian company, Got Xpress on its claim against PayPal for monies confiscated by PayPal for alleged breach of their terms and conditions for use of PayPal payment facilities.
Represented a HNWI in the defence against claims from a former director and a former shareholder for tort of conspiracy by lawful means and unlawful means, damages for fraudulent misrepresentations and account for profits made by alleged conspirators.
Advised two plaintiffs in claims against Envy Global Trading and an individual for breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation and personal liability viz piercing of the corporate veil.
Defended YTL Concrete and an officer of the company against charges of violating workplace safety and health rules. It is claimed that the defendants failed to take reasonably practicable measures to ensure the safety and health of employees at work. It is uncommon for an accused company and an officer of the company to be charged at the same time for a fatal workplace accident.
Nicholas Narayanan established Nicholas & Tan Partnership as a specialist litigation firm in 2010. Its areas of expertise include banking, corporate, real estate and IP disputes. Additionally, it is active in administrative, tort and white-collar crime cases.
Work highlights
Successfully represented foreign listed corporation in an application for partial setting aside of an International Chamber of Commerce arbitral award, the decision for which is currently pending an appeal before the Court of Appeal.
Acting for a client who is accused of theft of gasoil worth approximately $32.1 million from Shell Eastern Petroleum at its Pulau Bukom site. The client is one of the 14 men charged in connection with the alleged theft.
Oon & Bazul is active in banking and finance, dispute resolution and restructuring and insolvency, beyond its longstanding forte in shipping. Notably, the firm climbs into the ‘Highly Recommended’ tier for restructuring and insolvency after a momentous year being involved in many of the jurisdiction’s high-profile and high-value unwindings. Its lawyers have in-depth knowledge and an intimate understanding across various sectors, including financial services, trusts and securities, insurance, and oil and gas. In particular, the firm has extensive expertise handling matters related to trade finance, commodities, banking, commercial disputes and cross-border fraud. Key partners include Bazul Ashhab, Kelly Yap, Chi Yen Ting, Yi Wayn Ng and Meiyen Tan. The general disputes team was significantly boosted by the arrivals of partner Benedict Eoon from Covenant Chambers and partners Priscilla Lua and Jerald Foo from Clifford Chance.
Client feedback
“They are responsive and cooperative.” – Banking and finance
“We value their responsiveness and clarity of communication.” – Corporate and M&A
“Good set-up and infrastructural support for case management.” – Dispute resolution
“I appreciate their hard work, responsiveness and value for money.” – Dispute resolution
“Positive attributes include their expertise, ability to understand issues and provide commercial solutions and reasonable costs.” – Dispute resolution
“They provide quick and direct advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Partners and associates are very competent, they are well prepared and research well.” – Energy
“The lawyers are articulate, supportive and professional on meeting requirements.” – Regulatory
“Good technical knowledge, good team, easy to work with, practical and commercial.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Diplomatic and knowledgeable advisory services.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Extremely responsive to client timelines with a positive, calm, ’can do‘ attitude. A fantastic mixture of legal and important practical advice. They also work really well to support in-house counsel. It feels very much like a team approach and you know you are in good, steady, knowledgeable hands.” – Shipping
Bazul Ashhab
“Excellent responsiveness, knowledge of the business of the client and good value for money.”
Jerald Foo
“He is very responsive and attentive, has a good eye for detail, which is fundamental for dispute resolution. He is very competent with a high level of expertise in dispute resolution.”
“Very responsive and knowledgeable.”
Keith Han
“Easy to talk to and a quick thinker.”
“A good advocate, good strategist.”
Meiyen Tan
“Easy to work with, good communicator and practical.”
“Provides knowledgeable, timely and practical advice and solutions.”
Ng Yi Wayn
“Responsive communications and colleague referrals.”
“Extremely professional and knowledgeable, but also approachable and supportive.”
Prakaash Silvam
“Certainly perspicacious, he has a wide breadth of prior experience that helps on case framing. He is likable, personable, approachable, helpful and very capable.”
“Prakaash combines strong legal knowledge, strong legal skills and good client management. I have no issue putting him in front of our traders and management, as I know he is respectful of my role but also understands the business, the trader mindset and how we operate.”
Ting Chi Yen
“Responsive, helpful and cooperative.”
Work highlights
Acting for Winson Oil Trading on a suit that was brought against the defendant for their failure to effect payment pursuant to an irrevocable documentary letter of credit despite the client’s compliant presentation of documents.
Advising Taconic Capital Advisors on professional negligence claims by Dynamic Oil Trading against Deloitte & Touche in Singapore High Court proceedings.
Key clients
ICICI Bank, Universal Metal Coating Company, Wivewaters Resources, Zaftr
Litigation specialist firm PDLegal represents foreign public-listed companies, multinational corporations, SMEs and private individuals at all levels in the Singapore courts, covering a broad spectrum of contentious matters. The firm is also experienced in the full range of shipping and admiralty work. Peter Doraisamy, Andrew Lee and Gerard Quek are key members of the firm. Senior partner and disputes specialist Nazim Khan joined earlier this year from UniLegal. Partner Wei Hong Ling arrived last October from Marsh Singapore, while corporate partner Daomin Chiam left in April.
Work highlights
Acting for a beneficiary to a large estate of a deceased renowned technopreneur.
Defending a former director of a company presently in liquidation against multimillion dollar claims arising from the failed development of a luxury island resort.
Key clients
Louis Dreyfus Company Asia, Pacific Distribution Investment Company, Rotating Offshore Solutions, Skuld P&I Club.
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Successfully represented the plaintiff, a prominent US national, in obtaining the first-ever proprietary and Mareva injunction against “persons unknown” for stolen cryptocurrency in Singapore.
Acting for White Energy Company in the assessment of damages involving a $1 billion coal dispute against PT Bayan.
Key clients
Hajime Shinji, National Oilwell Varco Norway, Senda International Capital, Vedanta Resources.
RBN Chambers is an up-and-coming disputes boutique that boasts extensive expertise in complex civil, commercial and employment disputes. The firm is regularly engaged by multinationals, small and medium enterprises and private clients in both local and multi-jurisdictional disputes. The firm is led by Ramesh Nagaratnam.
Client feedback
“Mr Ramesh listens attentively, is prompt, reliable and does thorough research to understand the property law in Malaysia as I am a Singaporean. Most importantly, he makes things easy for me to understand in laymen's terms as I am unsure of many technical terms and procedures. I felt at ease when Mr Ramesh sees this case as an act of unjust enrichment.” – Dispute resolution
“They were very positively engaging. They were patient in allowing me to understand and learn the processes involved. They were very upfront and clear in the ups and downsides of each action we undertook or the path we were looking to embark on. This is very essential for Clients, especially hand-holding us during this entire process, which can be quite stressful and cumbersome.” – Dispute resolution
Ramesh Nagaratnam
“He listens attentively, explains in detail in laymen's terms so that it easy for me to understand, prompt, committed, thorough and reliable.”
“Very professional, well versed with the Employment Dispute laws, and innovative in thinking and strategising for positive results.”
Work highlights
Acting for a former director, the 1st defendant, of a real estate development company in liquidation in a claim initiated by the liquidators of the company for S$65 million in the Singapore High Court.
Acted for the directors of a Singapore group of companies in the construction and engineering industry in their appeal against the decision of the Singapore High Court to dismiss their application to stay the bankruptcy proceedings to restructure the directors’ liabilities amounting to S$15 million.
With seven fee-earners, RevLaw focuses on dispute resolution with a particular expertise in restructuring and insolvency. It has also been active in contentious employment matters, as well as general commercial litigation and arbitration work. The firm comprises experienced litigators who have handled disputes before all levels of the Singapore courts and international arbitral tribunals. It has a broad spectrum of clients across various industries including banks, insurers, private equity funds, property developers, hotel owners and insolvency practitioners. Sui Tong Chua and Yik Wee Liew are key contacts.
Work highlights
Successfully defended an individual who was a director and acting CEO of HTL, an investment holding company, against claims by Yihua Lifestyle Technology (YLT). The matter was recently discontinued by YLT on terms which restrict them from commencing fresh proceedings without leave of court and the payment of substantial costs to all the defendants.
Represented Orion-One Development in a High Court suit related to the issue of liability brought on by subsidiary proprietors.
RHTLaw Asia is a full-service firm that has a well-respected technology practice. Its IP group has been gaining more traction, with the firm climbing up one tier in the rankings. Boasting partners that are qualified in multiple jurisdictions such as China, US, Hong Kong, Australia and Malaysia, the firm routinely handles complex cross-border transactions. The firm is organised around eight industry groups: consumer brands, healthcare and life sciences, private wealth, technology and media, construction and projects, financial institutions and technology, transportation and logistics, and education. The technology group specialises in tech infrastructure, blockchain, data processing and telecommunications. The key contacts include corporate partners Erwan Barre and Eu Jin Yang, IP partner Rizwi Wun and disputes leader Nandakumar Renganathan. The disputes also group houses senior counsel, Leslie Chew.
Client feedback
“Expertise is good, and their customer centricity is excellent.” – Corporate and M&A
“They can provide services in multiple jurisdictions.” – Intellectual property
“Knowledgeable about local laws and regulations, easy to understand.” – Regulatory
“Positive attributes of RHTLaw are its expertise and knowledge in the legal field and its professionalism and commitment to ethical standards. The lawyer is patient in explaining the case, the client's interest and rights, and providing appropriate advice.” – Real estate
Sandra Han
“Sandra always provided expert legal advice and guidance to my case. She is patient to understand the case and uses her knowledge and skills to analyse the legal issues. She always acts in her client's interest and respond to clients as soon as she can.”
Rizwi Wun
“He is very accommodating and tries his best to assist us with our needs for legal services.”
“Quick to respond with good knowledge.”
Eu Jin Yang
“Professional approach, knowledgeable and open to ideas. Good communication skills.”
Work highlights
Acted for a former employee of one of the largest private equity funds in southeast Asia against his former employers for claims in wrongful termination, breach of contract, unlawful means conspiracy, and misrepresentation.
Represented the local holding company of a Chinese investment corporation in a SIAC arbitration proceeding against a BVI-incorporated corporation.
Advised two publicly listed Singapore companies and a former political office holder of a foreign country in a claim for defamation against a local academic who writes on corporate governance issues. This case is interesting as there are no reported case precedents on the damages which are appropriate to be awarded for listed companies in a defamation proceeding.
Shook Lin & Bok works with an impressive roster of clients, including major banks, multinational corporations and private equity investors, on large transactions locally and across the region. The firm is highly active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. It is also skilled in advising on real estate finance, particularly on the lender side. This year the firm moves up a notch in the IP table for its growing practice, and debuts for shipping. Key lawyers include Kai Zee Liew for banking and finance, Marilyn See for capital markets, David Chong for corporate and M&A, and Sarjit Singh Gill, Probin Dass and David Chan for dispute resolution and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Easy to deal with and good professional legal advice given. Able to add value to the transaction and requests.” – Banking and finance
“High level of professionalism and always approachable to provide their advice to our financing structures, sometimes even on a pro bono basis.” – Banking and finance
“Timelines are met, advice is provided in a holistic manner, drafting languages are easy to understand and they are familiar with our company’s processes.” – Banking and finance
“Approachable and efficient turnaround with prompt follow-ups. Transactions are always completed on schedule and lawyers are pre-emptive.” – Banking and finance
“They are always responsive and provide sound and clear advice for execution of the transaction.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive and willing to commit resources.” – Capital markets
“Can be relied upon for quick, solid legal advice, which is sometimes surprisingly hard to come across when dealing with other jurisdictions. In particular, their legal analysis is technically excellent.” – Dispute resolution
“Open, clear, prompt and uses initiative.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Strong insolvency and restructuring track record and team.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Timely and quick responses with good advisory analysis.” – Shipping
Paul Goh
“Responsive, forward thinking and fast.”
Clement Khoo
“Professionalism and always keen to share and advise.”
“Extremely responsive, sound knowledge of the banking sector and structuring transactions, willing to go the extra mile to assist in completion under tight timelines.”
Stanley Lim
“Approachable and always available to give legal advice. Follows up closely on transaction and is always pre-emptive on any potential issues that may arise.”
Moses Lin
“Approachable and available with relevant knowledge.”
Daniel Tan
“Just an excellent all-round lawyer, he is responsive and technically very sound.”
“Quick to respond, understands all relevant issues and deals with them systematically and comprehensively.”
“Driven and provides legally feasible solutions in complex situations.”
Pearlyn Xie
“Responsive, and willing to provide advice and solutions.”
Work highlights
Acting for HSBC against the ex-directors and ex-employee of Hin Leong Trading in claims of fraudulent misrepresentation, conspiracy by unlawful means, procurement of breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation.
Representing Standard Chartered Bank in resisting a claim by Winson Oil Trading.
Acting for a Hong Kong subsidiary of a listed Chinese company to reclaim a $10 million deposit placed with a Seychelles-incorporated company in relation to an infrastructure project in Indonesia.
Established in 2019, Solitaire is a dispute resolution boutique firm. It boasts an enviable client list for a firm of its size, and in its first year of operations it was able to secure a portfolio of disputes work involving $100 million. The litigation team is particularly experienced in shareholders’ disputes, breaches of directors’ duties and investment recovery work, and the practitioners have a keen focus on crisis litigation and management. Partners Nichol Yeo and Marcus Tan are the key contacts. Tan joined last year from Kelvin Chia Partnership.
Client feedback
“Professional and competent.” – Private client
Nichol Yeo
“Competent, professional and responsive.”
Work highlights
Represented Darco Water Technologies on suing its ex-CEO for breaches of fiduciary duties and employee duties for the failure to exercise due care and diligence in the Singapore High Court.
Defending Renaissance United in an employment dispute where a former executive director and CFO claimed alleged unpaid salaries and other sums totalling more than $1 million.
Key clients
Camelot, Milton Exhibits International
Tan Kok Quan Partnership provides legal services across a broad spectrum of industry sectors, with particular recognition for its work in dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. In the past 12 months, the team has handled matters across a spectrum of industries with a portfolio value of more than $1 billion. The firm has a distinguished record of handling litigation in the banking and financial services, energy, real estate and technology sectors. Senior counsel Marina Chin and Eddee Ng are key partners for dispute resolution, while senior partner Paul Seah is a key figure for restructuring and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Very responsive, clear in their advice, pragmatic and commercial.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and yet commercial.” – Energy
“Responsive, proactive, technically strong and good business acumen.” – Restructuring and insolvency
Marina Chin
“Extremely responsive, commercial, approachable, knowledgeable and with a strategic mindset. She is an accomplished lawyer as well as extremely personable, from a human interaction perspective.”
Keith Tnee
“Approachable and quick to respond.”
Paul Seah
“Good business acumen and a good communicator.”
Work highlights
Acted for Sengkang Town Council in three appeals. This is a widely reported Court of Appeal case that concerns important and novel questions of law, including the question of whether elected members of parliament owe fiduciary duties to the town council and if so, what the scope of such duties is.
Representing United Overseas Bank on its claims for fraud and conspiracy against, among others, property developer Lippo Marina Collection.
Advising a client, the former CEO and chairman of Kitchen Culture Holdings, in four suits concerning allegations of breach of Catalist rules, fiduciary duties, the Companies Act and the Code of Corporate Governance, wrongful termination and defamation, and conspiracy, hiring and payroll improprieties.
Tan Rajah & Cheah is a disputes-focused firm that is led by the widely recognised and acclaimed senior counsel, Chelva Rajah. He is an active court lawyer, arbitration counsel of choice, former judicial commissioner, arbitrator and judge of the Qatar International Court since 2011. The firm is best known for its commercial litigation prowess and contentious family law expertise, and is a seasoned player in high-stakes, long-running and complex litigations. It is also active in insolvency, international arbitration and white-collar crime matters. This year the firm climbs up one notch in the dispute resolution table. Rajah leads an experienced team that includes MK Eusuff Ali, Moiz Haider Sithawalla, Shobna Chandran, Megan Chia, and family law veteran Imran Khwaja. The firm’s insurance practice received a boost with the arrival of consultant Nagaraja B Rao from Emerald Law Practice.
Client feedback
“Patient, professional, research-based care for customers. Excellent experience.” – Construction
“Timely, responsive and accurate advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Very comprehensive and succinct legal advice; practical approach; mindful of cost and provides clear suggestions on how to be more cost-efficient.” – Dispute resolution
“We were fortunate to be in the hands of the firm's reference partner and a senior partner. Both were extremely capable and helped drive this process to our satisfaction.” – Dispute resolution
“Knowledgeable.” – Private client
Eusuff Ali
“Responsible, cares for customer, has good knowledge and presents facts.”
Shobna Chandran
“Shobna is very proactive, highly responsive, and responds well to suggestions from the client.”
“User-friendly.”
Megan Chia
“Strong and tenacious.”
Moiz Haider Sithawalla
“An extremely attentive listener, Moiz is able to navigate through the complexity of issues and to come up with viable solutions.”
Work highlights
Advised VTB Bank on proceedings to wind up Chinese conglomerate-owned AAG for a debt of $250 million under the GMRA form of contract.
Engaged by the Government of Malaysia to assist in the recovery of seized 1MDB assets in Singapore.
Represented Innovative Corporation on a complex claim against an errant director and his company for appropriating the client’s maturing business opportunity.
Defended five individuals against claims of breaches of fiduciary duties, duties of skill and care and statutory duties, a case that concerns novel issues. This was the first case interpreting the Town Councils Act and the duties and obligations of town councillors.
TSMP Law Corporation is especially well known for its work in corporate and M&A and dispute resolution. The firm also specialises in corporate real estate financing, in particular, in land acquisition financing and land development financing. This year the firm climbs up a notch in the rankings for competition, IP and private equity. The firm not only acts for various major corporations and financial institutions but also is frequently sought out by different regulatory bodies. Senior counsel Shen Yi Thio, corporate lawyer Stefanie Yuen Thio, construction specialists Melvin Chan and Derek Loh and labour expert Ian Lim are key figures at the firm. Jennifer Chia is another name to note for banking and finance.
Client feedback
“Professional, efficient, highly conversant and familiar with the bank's requirements.” – Banking and finance
“Familiarity and expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They are very responsive, and always meet the tight timelines.” – Banking and finance
“TSMP has been on our bank’s panel of advising lawyers for close to 10 years, and over the years has built up a good work relation with us for daily legal work on bilateral loan and security documents, registration of charges, structuring of facilities, etc.” – Banking and finance
“Solid advice, highly diligent and reliable.” – Corporate and M&A
“Cost-efficient, client-focused and on time.” – Corporate and M&A
“They are experienced, well-connected and well-versed in the capital markets. In addition, they have adequate resources to ensure the work can be completed on a timely basis.” – Corporate and M&A
“Can-do attitude with very business-friendly advice. Was able to respond well to tight timelines and stressful negotiations. Valued attributes include thinking out of the box, innovative ideas with the commercial end in mind.” – Corporate and M&A
“Capable, positive and timely.” – Dispute resolution
“Attention to detail, responsive and creative approach.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and able to work under tight timeline.” – Real estate
“Practical and solutions-oriented.” – Real estate
“Provided concise and to-the-point advice on investment structure, conducted legal due diligence of the Singapore entity, reviewed transaction documents and advised on the relevant financial and investment regulations. TSMP timely reviewed and analysed the legal risks involved in the deal by leveraging deep insight and expertise in the industry.” – Real estate
Melvin Chan
“Keen listener with expert problem-solving skills.”
Jennifer Chia
“She is experienced, to the point and responsive. Relieved to work with a lawyer of high-level quality.”
“Very responsive and enthusiastic.”
“Practical and solutions-oriented.”
“Highly professional, helpful, approachable and knowledgeable.”
“She is responsive, knowledgeable and able to come out with solutions to help my organisation.”
“Very responsive, flexible and friendly. She gives us creative solutions.”
“Over the years Jennifer has developed very good day-to-day work relations with our officers in the documentation department. She has rendered us much-valued guidance in drafting and structuring of our loan and security documents.”
“Very practical advice which we appreciate, she has unique insights into labour regulations.”
Kelvin Koh
“He is analytical, practical, strong in legal knowledge and able to explain complex issues simply.”
Derek Loh
“Strong capabilities and communications.”
Stefanie Yuen Thio
“Excellent communications and duty of care.”
“She is very communicative and explains the pro and cons and recommendations in a clear manner. She gives business-friendly legal advice.”
“Excellent client management and understands client concerns; proposes good solutions for dealing with risks.”
Work highlights
Acted for Singapore-listed Vibrant in a suit commenced in the Singapore High Court against the defendants for fraud and negligence in relation to the company’s acquisition of an Australia-listed corporation.
Represented the owners of 12 shop units in the Macpherson Mall against the mall’s developer, LVND Investments.
Key clients
Deloitte, Disney, Emerson, Facebook, IBM, KPMG, Twitter.
Withers KhattarWong is regularly sought out by high-profile private clients and banks for its expertise in financing, dispute resolution, tax and corporate matters. The firm’s funds practice is growing backed by its established tax advisory team. The managing partner Deborah Barker is a key figure. Other lawyers to note include Chenthil Kumarasingam for disputes, Shaun Leong for arbitration, Jonathan Kok for IP and TMT, and Eric Roose for tax.
Work highlights
Acted for the global investors of Luna tokens and USDTerra stablecoins in a class-action arbitration.
Advised global investors of FTX seeking recourse against the fallen company.
Wong Tan & Molly Lim offers legal services to clients with international business interests and is focused on capital markets, M&A, banking and finance, and general commercial and corporate law. It entered into a formal alliance with Watson Farley & Williams in 2017, lending it a unique strength in contentious and advisory work related to the maritime and international trade sectors. The disputes team has seen a rise in cases involving cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Beng Hong Ong and Swee Gek Tan are key contacts for both banking and finance, and capital markets. Partner Philip Ling helms the dispute resolution practice.
Work highlights
Representing Heart Media in a dispute with the owner of an NFT ecosystem platform involving the minting and sale of NFTs of an international luxury brand on the Binance NFT platform.
Advising the controllers of JG Jewelry and JDM Import in a long-standing JV dispute against one of the largest diamond and jewelry suppliers in India.
Represented Foreland Singapore, a commodities trading firm, against IG Asia in relation to the London Metal Exchange’s unprecedented decision to suspend and reverse nickel trades that were closed.
Successfully acted for Sino-Trust Global as the claimant in an arbitration in the SIAC against one of the largest manufacturers and supplier of high carbon ferrochrome in the world.
A formidable market leader in the full gamut of corporate and finance matters, WongPartnership comprises more than 300 lawyers in eight global cities. It offers extensive experience in handling high-stakes structured finance, M&A, funds, private equity, project finance and syndicated loans. The firm also has plentiful expertise on big-ticket domestic and cross-border disputes involving corporate, construction, insolvency and regulatory matters. Key lawyers include Susan Wong for banking and finance, Ameera Ashraf for competition, Christopher Chuah for construction, Andrew Ang and Wai King Ng for corporate and M&A and private equity, and Manoj Pillay Sandrasegara for restructuring and insolvency. In addition, Chung Nian Lam, Kah Keong Low, Jenny Tsin and Dorothy Marie Ng are regarded for their work in IP, investment funds, employment and real estate, respectively. The disputes team was bolstered by the arrival of partners Alessa Pang from Rajah & Tann and Monisha Cheong from TSMP Law Corporation. Restructuring and insolvency specialist Lawrence Foo left for an in-house post at Abaxx Exchange.
Client feedback
“Technically very sound and reliable lawyers who provide practical advice.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive, thorough and good understanding of our business.” – Banking and finance
“They are extremely detailed and meticulous. They will even provide advice for an issue that is not squarely within their scope of engagement if they deem that it is necessary for completeness of advice.” – Capital markets
“Very good network of lawyers especially across the southeast Asian region that can provide responses and on-the-ground advice; very capable and responsive team led by Jia Hui and Ameera.” – Competition/antitrust
“Very hands-on, commercial and speedy.” – Competition/antitrust
“Commercial, prompt and involved.” – Corporate and M&A
“Innovative in structuring; always seeking to tailor solutions to suit the client's objectives.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional, thorough and with high attention to detail.” – Corporate and M&A
“Practical and effective legal advice.” – Dispute resolution
“WongPartnership delivers client-friendly and high-quality legal services. They are responsive in addressing client queries. We arrived at satisfactory resolutions for the matters WongPartnership assisted us with.” – Dispute resolution
“Good analysis of the matter, and they gave us clear advice on the possibilities of success of the matter.” – Dispute resolution
“The WongP team has displayed both breadth and depth of legal expertise in the matters involving cross-border disputes, and their service and legal advice had been extremely valuable because they were our main counsel and helped to coordinate with our legal teams in BVI and China for parallel proceedings in the other jurisdictions. In addition, the team is very client-centric and responsive, they were able to respond to time-sensitive developments in the case within the day and give us legal directions on the next steps. We developed a very positive and synergistic relationship with the WongP legal team through the course of two years working with them.” – Dispute resolution
“Great strength in depth across the team.” – Dispute resolution
“Responsive and supportive of clients, and technically strong, well-researched litigation and strategic advice. Clearly experienced dispute resolution and litigation partners who worked with us. Communicates effectively, although on occasion can be quite formal and academic.” – Dispute resolution
“Technically excellent lawyers who are extremely responsive. Deep bench strength as well, with a talented group of senior associates and junior partners coming up the ranks.” – Dispute resolution
“Very client-focused and extremely responsive. Plus, they have some very smart lawyers!” – Dispute resolution
“An extremely intelligent and driven team.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and well-prepared, very knowledgeable and direct.” – Energy
“They are responsive, clear and practical.” – Intellectual property
“Excellent knowledge of the entire southeast Asian region. Very responsive.” – Intellectual property
“Practical guidance with business-oriented advice.” – Intellectual property
“They are the most professional firm we've worked with, very competitive and competent. Lam Chung Nian is the senior partner in charge, he will always take time to personally respond to us.” – Intellectual property
“The IP team at WongPartnership provides a very strong international approach to the local area and advises clients across a broad range of matters, from registration and enforcement of IP rights to contentious copyright mandates and patent and trademark infringements.” – Intellectual property
“The lawyers at WongPartnership almost always have a true passion for their job. They communicate with their clients efficiently and clearly as they know how to get their important ideas across to clients formally. They are highly creative people and they make sure that the client knows and understands all relevant information regarding a subject matter so that they can make an informed decision. They are very responsive as well.” – Intellectual property
“Provision of sound, expert legal advice. Responsive and reliable.” – Private client
“Commercial, responsive and solutions-oriented.” – Private equity
“WongPartnership delivers quality work and service, provides practical advice. The lawyers are responsive and display deep knowledge and expertise.” – Private equity
“WongPartnership is extremely responsive and their advice is always commercial.” – Private equity
“Highly competent and commercial, holds the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, prioritising client service and empathy.” – Private equity
“They are proactive, practical solutions-oriented, and prompt in responding to queries and requests for legal advisory services.” – Regulatory
“Responsive and attentive. Solid commercial advice.” – Regulatory
“They are knowledgeable, responsive and thorough.” – Regulatory
“Knowledgeable partners with astute business sense, especially when it comes to pragmatic advice for dealing with Singapore regulators. Competitively priced services means significantly more ‘bang for the buck’ than most foreign firms.” – Regulatory
“A well-rounded team that's well versed in admiralty, shipping and trade law.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Excellent teamwork, coordinated approach, with creativity in finding solutions.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Exceptional commitment, knowledge and industry awareness, with unique insights and unrivalled practical experience. Also incredibly friendly, positive and innovative. They are a real pleasure to work with.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Excellent team. Technically very strong across restructuring and special situations. Good bench depth. Good networks and they understand the players in the industry.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Grounded, practical debtor-side advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Very strong team. Excellent advice. Timely response. Good bench strength and depth of team. Full suite of legal services” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Hand-on lawyers. Easily approachable which makes them good to work with.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They are fast, prompt and approachable. They are able to research and present difficult legal topics in an easy-to-understand format.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Highly efficient with good client servicing.” – Tax
Jia Hui Chan
“Responsive, highly skilled and engaging.”
“Responsive and he has good problem-solving abilities.”
“Provides practical and commercial advice. Expert on both antitrust and MAS regulatory-related questions.”
Sing Yee Chan
“She is commercial, always available and a problem solver.”
Elaine Chan
“She is responsive, communicates and understands the client's needs well.”
Shi Mei Chia
“She is responsive and friendly.”
Joel Chng
“Friendly, practical and knowledgeable.”
Clayton Chong
“Exceptional analytical ability, knowledge and market awareness. Nothing is too hard and he is very responsive despite having a significant portfolio of work. A true pleasure to deal with.”
Josephine Choo
“We love her client-centric approach to our case, such as being able to break down the legal jargon into clear, easy-to-understand steps for us non-legal professionals to understand. She was also able to manage complex cross-jurisdiction issues since our case involved multiple concurrent procedures across Singapore, BVI and China. It was difficult for us to untangle and, thanks to Josephine, we were able to navigate the process well.”
“She gives practical and effective legal advice.”
Sean Chou
“An excellent lawyer and arbitrator. He is very easy to work with.”
“A natural leader. Great subject-matter expertise.”
“Very responsive, sound technical skills but commercially minded as well. Great client EQ and understands their needs.”
“Sean Chou is a natural and inspirational leader.”
Mark Choy
“Solution- oriented and commercial with a hands-on approach.”
Wei Wei Goh
“Responsive and helpful. She has good local litigation and dispute resolution technical know-how and experience, and communicates well.”
Swee Yen Koh
“Completely on top of her game.”
“Extremely tenacious; never gives up and fights to the end for a client.”
Chung Nian Lam
“Very responsive, clear and thoughtful.”
“Knows it all!”
“Chung Nian really marshals his team so well, and provides fantastic advice which is suitable for the business.”
“Very professional, business-minded and always takes the time to personally attend to matters.”
“He is experienced, extremely service-oriented, quick and always has a practical approach to meet the client’s best interest.’”
“Chung Nian is extremely knowledgeable about his area of practice. He has great communication skills which helps in making the client understand even a complex matter easily. I would like to praise Chung Nian for his responsiveness and patience, along with his great listening skills. He is hard-working and persevering, which makes him one of the most sought-after IP lawyers in Singapore.”
Wendy Lin
“Thorough, insightful and professional.”
“Masterful advocate who is extremely intelligent and very quick on her feet. She has great instincts and gets to the heart of the case right away. Amazingly, she is then able to marshal copious documents to make good that case theory.”
Kah Keong Low
“Highly reliable and responsive, has in-depth knowledge and expertise, knows the client well, and is able to provide constructive, commercial advice.”
Smitha Menon
“Great team coordinator, positive energy and personality, decisiveness.”
“Easy to work with. Solution oriented.”
Rosabel Ng
“Extremely meticulous and up-to-date with the latest developments in the law. Provides innovative and technically sound solutions to complex legal issues. Understands the client's legal requirements.”
“She is very proactive in engaging her clients and she listens to understand what the client's needs are and responds appropriately to them.”
“Excellent overview and understanding with regard to the clearing of derivatives transactions.”
Wai King Ng
“Tremendous legal insight; his considerable experience provides enormous comfort to clients when he is present in a transaction. He has trained a strong team of lawyers to lead M&A transactions.”
Fi Ling Quak
“Fi Ling is always available and very commercial.”
“Commercial, prompt, driven, and always available.”
Joel Quek
“Excellent case analysis, communication with clients, and of course personal presentation.”
Kai Yun Tan
“Very strong understanding of the law. Prompt response times.”
Shao Tong Tan
“Efficient and clear advice.”
Teck Wee Tiong
“Highly competent and likely one of the best among his peers. Very client-focused and empathetic. Willing to explore and incorporate client feedback; open and receptive to ideas.”
Sion Yoong Tian
“Responsiveness and attentiveness, with sound commercial advice.”
Stephanie Yeo
“Good technically and she understands restructuring and special situations.”
“Technically very sound and she is easy to work with.”
Work highlights
Represented Sun Hung Kai Capital in its litigation in the High Court against four former directors for their breaches of directors’ and fiduciary duties.
Acted for the founder of Mustafa Centre, one of the most iconic retail businesses and tourist landmarks in Singapore, in multiple minority oppression suits brought against him and his immediate family members by their extended family members in respect of the operation and management of the business' holding company, Mohamed Mustafa & Samsuddin.
Yuen Law is a boutique legal practice offering services ranging from dispute resolution to corporate and commercial, real estate, family law and private wealth. The firm is especially active in fundraising and venture capital investment for SMEs and startups. Last year, the firm advised on over 60 corporate and M&A-related transactions, and more than 120 contentious matters, mostly civil and commercial in nature. Its corporate department is led by the managing partner Samuel Yuen and is supported by senior director Kevin Chua, while its disputes group is helmed by Amos Cai. Senior corporate specialist Angeline Wong joined from Eng and Co at the beginning of 2023.
Client feedback
“We appreciate the team’s responsiveness, expertise and reliability.” – Capital markets
“They have the courage to face the opponent.” – Dispute resolution
“Inquisitive on discovery, assertive at the hearing.” – Dispute resolution
“They have been professional in handling the matter, and also seem to show a good prior knowledge with cases similar to my own. They are generally responsive also to my updates and needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Dedicated to clients, polite and professional.” – Insurance
“Efficient and responsive.” – Investment funds
Amos Cai
“He is knowledgeable and responsive. He has experience with derivative actions in the past.”
Kevin Chua
“Knowledgeable and efficient.”
“Responsive, reliable and genial.”
Keyun Tian
“Assertive and inquisitive.”
Work highlights
Acted for Urs Eller in a claim for equitable compensation for breach of trust deed in relation to shares of a company.
Bird & Bird ATMD upholds its ‘Outstanding’ ranking with a strong intellectual property practice and expertise in the technology and telecommunications sector. Lorraine Tay and Alban Kang are key figures for IP. The firm is also active in capital markets, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, energy and labour and employment. This year it moves up in the energy table, and debuts in the construction and private equity categories. Marcus Chow, Sandra Seah and Beng Chai Tay are the main corporate partners at the firm. Jonathan Choo is a dispute resolution lawyer particularly active in international arbitration and Seow Hui Goh focuses on labour and employment.
Client feedback
“Extremely pragmatic and commercial, excellent attention to detail, but does not belabour legal points unnecessarily.” – Aviation
“Commercially sound while providing solid legal advice and willing to go the extra mile.” – Aviation
“Responsive, practical and commercial-oriented.” – Capital markets
“Proactive and responsible.” – Capital markets
“Responsive with the ability to anticipate and identify potential issues. Has the ability to propose solutions.” – Capital markets
“Fast and logical responses.” – Competition/antitrust
“Highly responsive and can devise value-adding solutions to commercial issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“The firm's legal documents are sophisticated and can capture most legal issues that we need to mitigate or prevent. When there is an issue, they are quick to provide solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Staff are timely, dedicated, professional, responsive and client-oriented.” – Corporate and M&A
“Prompt and completed the work within the schedule.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional and efficient.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very professional, work effectively within time frame.” – Corporate and M&A
“It has comprehensive in-depth knowledge of the energy industry and thus is in position to provide good advice” – Energy
“The partner is helpful and turnaround time is quick. Great service.” – Intellectual property
“They are very responsive and the team has demonstrated in past projects their ability to deliver commercially sensible legal advice at very competitive fee quotes.” – Intellectual property
“Responsive, understands our business and our needs.” – Privacy and data protection
“Fast, reliable and a trusted partner.” – Private equity
“Completed the task promptly.” – Regulatory
Chua Lijun
“Receptive, fast responses and good knowledge of the relevant law and good understanding of the issues.”
Goh Seow Hui
“We value her professionalism, compassion for clients and humility.”
“Seow Hui did an outstanding job of understanding the client's needs. She advised me what was best for the client. She handled the case so swiftly to settle it amicably and moved on. I am impressed by her professionalism to take ownership after [another] lawyer left the firm. She took the responsibility of closing it. I am pleased with her customer service and compassion.”
Jeremy Tan
“Responsive, great attention to detail, he is client and results oriented.”
Jolie Giouw
“Highly responsive, she identifies the key issues quickly and comes out with solutions. We have always been impressed.”
“Excellent service-oriented mindset, has strong commercial acumen and able to advise well on the law.”
“Responsive and experienced. Able to provide prompt and quality advice and solutions.”
Lawrence Wong
“Communicates well to solve all the requirements requested by the SGX in Singapore.”
Leo Fattorini
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly. With counterparts he comes across very well without compromising our position.”
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly.”
“He has industry-wide knowledge of the Asian region, and is commercially savvy when it comes to negotiating with external parties.”
“Fast turnaround time and knowledgeable.”
Marcus Chow
“Marcus is knowledgeable in early-stage transactions and he is always available to the team to provide an opinion.”
“He is very smart and has extensive knowledge in venture capital investment as well as M&A.”
“Listens to what the client wants, and provides accurate suggestions and solutions.”
“Responsive, responsible and is able to communicate effectively with people of all levels.”
“Very commercial and good understanding of the client's needs.”
“Responsive, has ability to propose innovative solutions, and has good client relationship management.”
“Provides in-depth knowledge and advice to the board, resolving issues with advance steps taken.”
“Marcus was very responsive and can be depended on to deliver sound pragmatic advice, even outside of regular office hours. He is also quick to understand the commercial issues at hand, and propose solutions to address these issues.”
Sandrea Seah
“Very helpful and exhibits very good in-depth industrial knowledge. Gives very sound advice.”
“Professional, good listener, understands issues quickly and timely in responses.”
Work highlights
Assisted the Building and Construction Authority on a template energy performance contract to accelerate the adoption of energy conservation measures for the Green Building Council.
Advising the energy regulator, Energy Market Authority of Singapore, in the implementation of Singapore's first utility-scale energy storage system.
Appointed as legal counsel to the Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Association of Singapore to help Singapore in its decarbonisation efforts and move towards a greener environment.
Key clients
Energy Market Company, FE Energy Efficiency, LYS Energy Group, SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust
Dentons Rodyk & Davidson is one of Singapore’s largest full-service firms, stacked with notable partners who are experts in their fields. The firm has stellar banking, construction, disputes, competition and technology and telecommunications practices. This year its insurance offering debuts in our table with a strong showing. The combination with Dentons, the largest law firm in the world, provides clients with an extensive network of global experts from over 200 offices around the world in more than 80 countries. One recent update is Dentons’ alliance with Filipino law firm, PJS Law. Partners to note include banking specialist Doreen Sim, M&A partner Eng Leng Ng, IP specialists Ai Ming Lee and I-An Lim, insurance director Edric Pan, projects expert Joo Thye Tan, disputes specialist Lawrence Teh and senior counsel Edmund Leow.
Work highlights
Acted for Ronny Chin Architects, a well-known architectural firm in Singapore, in a High Court suit concerning alleged water leakage defects that required consideration of technical expert evidence pertaining to the design of penthouses in Singapore.
Key clients
AIG, AXA, Chubb, Lockton, MS First Capital Insurance, QBE Insurance.
Founded in 2017 by senior counsel Lok Vi Ming, LVM Law Chambers is a respected, mid-sized disputes boutique offering a comprehensive range of dispute resolution services spanning commercial litigation, construction, insurance, media and telecommunications, tax, mediation, real estate, regulatory and white-collar matters. The firm has been consistently instructed in high-profile cross-border cases involving China, Brazil, Europe, Japan, Malaysia, the UK and the US. It has a dedicated China desk and has been quite active for these clients in the construction, technology, infrastructure and PE sectors. The firm added shipping capabilities to its growing array of specialisms, with the hiring of former Incisive Law director, Mohd Haireez. Managing director Lok Vi Ming leads an experienced team that includes construction specialists Joseph Lee and Waltan Pak. The team also welcomed the arrival of director Jean Chan from the Singapore High Court to bolster its white-collar crime and regulatory offering. Construction expert Joanna Seetoh departed last year for Harry Elias Partnership.
Client feedback
“LVM is very proactive in providing practical solutions to the client. LVM does not only advise on the legal aspect, but they really help the client to choose the 'best' route to achieve the best outcome possible, given the commercial circumstances.” – Dispute resolution
“They have lawyers who are intelligent, attentive and know their specialised areas well.” – Dispute resolution
“The firm is able to distil complex issues to distinct bitesize chunks and tackle each of these pointedly. They have the grit and soft skills to disarm the defendants with finesse. They deliver par excellence.” – Dispute resolution
“The lawyers are professional and knowledgeable on the case; they were able to find the supporting evidence in the court documents to defend my case.” – Private client
“Responsive and experienced team, able to pull in senior counsel when required.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Honest, quick and frank.” – Shipping
“Quick response and practical advice.” – Shipping
Mohd Haireez
“Able to provide quick and concise advice.”
“Solid legal and sector knowledge, attentive and meticulous.”
“Hard-working, efficient, brilliant and affable.”
Jonathan Muk
“Jonathan has very good legal knowledge as well as industry knowledge, to provide the client with practical advice. He is also very responsive to clients’ queries.”
“Jonathan not only listens, he does his homework and always researches thoroughly. He is always accessible and he responds to queries promptly. He keeps tabs on costs and timeline diligently.”
Huey Hien Ooi
“Responsive, detailed and diligent.”
Michelle Yeo
“She is hardworking and well-versed in knowledge on my case.”
Work highlights
Advised MS First Capital Insurance in relation to claims relating to an insurance policy insuring against business interruption losses, and whether they will be engaged in respect of losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Represented the insurers of Singapore’s railway network in relation to a dispute which arose out of a collision between two trains.
Assisted EQ Insurance, whose client, Asia Medical Enviro Services, suffered damages due to a nearby fire which spread to its premises.
Led by Anparasan Kamachi, WhiteFern specialises in insurance and reinsurance law. The firm regularly acts for major insurance companies on a wide spectrum of both contentious and non-contentious matters including property and casualty, public liability, financial lines, and professional indemnity matters. Apart from Kamachi, director Grace Tan is another name to note.
Client feedback
“Quick in responses, detailed case analysis and good defences.” – Insurance
“WhiteFern is very thorough in their work and able to cover different aspects of the situation. They have been easy to communicate with and flexible to help us with our desired approach.” – Insurance
“Anpa and Grace are very experienced and sound litigators. They are someone the team and I can trust and rely on constantly.” – Insurance
“Anparasan is very well versed in law, so he is technically right most of the time and I felt safe to pass cases to him compared to other law firms. He is a fighter in court and his fee is reasonable and negotiable. He and his team will call us and discuss cases, he would address our enquiries. If we need a pointer, we can easily look to his team members.” – Insurance
“They provided their proposed strategic advice and assisted us to reduce the settlement amount to half.” – Insurance
“They are very experienced in their area of work. They know what insurers require of them and always deliver the best outcome for us.” – Insurance
“Prompt and regular updates, sound advice.” – Insurance
“Detailed.” – Insurance
Anparasan Kamachi
“Very service-focused and quick to respond to any enquiry.”
“He is a very sound lawyer with many years’ experience in insurance law. He gave us sound and good advice.”
“He is very proactive in handling the cases and able to solve our problems.”
“He's an excellent lawyer who always understands our goals and requirements and provides us with pragmatic legal advice.”
“He is knowledgeable, with the ability to manage expectations of stakeholders.”
“Easy to approach.”
Grace Tan
“Very professional, detailed in her work and responds well.”
Work highlights
Defended Charles Monat Associates (CMA), an international insurance brokerage firm, in a claim commenced by the owner of a life insurance policy. The claim against CMA is premised on an alleged failure to advise on matters concerning the policy.
Representing HSBC Life as the motor insurers for a BMW sports car that was involved in an accident that resulted in five fatalities.
Acted for MS First Capital Insurance in a case related to an employee claim against their employer for injury which could impact the industry’s workplace safety protocols.
Key clients
Allied World Assurance, AXS Insurance Singapore, MSIG Insurance, QBE Insurance Singapore.
Amica Law is the largest boutique intellectual property firm in Singapore and is recommended for the breadth of its local and international IP expertise. The firm climbs into the top tier for IP this year for the continued demonstration of market-leading work. Its leadership are all former Allen & Gledhill IP partners. In the past year, the firm was appointed to the panels of the government’s Housing and Development Board and the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s JTC Corporation to advise on intellectual property matters. It also launched a new corporate and commercial department that complements its IP and technology offerings. Jo-Ann See, Wilson Wong, Winnie Tham, Jason Chan, Geraldine Tan and Melvin Pang are key figures at the firm. The firm welcomed director Yee-Swan Boo from Lee & Lee earlier this year.
Work highlights
Represented Element Six Technologies in a long-running patent infringement suit over synthetic diamond patents, which is now on appeal before Singapore’s apex court.
Successfully defended the operators of Luke’s Lobster lobster roll shacks against a trademark infringement and passing off action launched by the owners of Luke’s Oyster Bar & Chop House restaurants.
Acted for Align Technology in a trademark infringement suit in the High Court against Zenyum.
Key clients
Amazon.com, Banking Computer Services, National University of Singapore, Twitter, UOL Group
Bird & Bird ATMD upholds its ‘Outstanding’ ranking with a strong intellectual property practice and expertise in the technology and telecommunications sector. Lorraine Tay and Alban Kang are key figures for IP. The firm is also active in capital markets, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, energy and labour and employment. This year it moves up in the energy table, and debuts in the construction and private equity categories. Marcus Chow, Sandra Seah and Beng Chai Tay are the main corporate partners at the firm. Jonathan Choo is a dispute resolution lawyer particularly active in international arbitration and Seow Hui Goh focuses on labour and employment.
Client feedback
“Extremely pragmatic and commercial, excellent attention to detail, but does not belabour legal points unnecessarily.” – Aviation
“Commercially sound while providing solid legal advice and willing to go the extra mile.” – Aviation
“Responsive, practical and commercial-oriented.” – Capital markets
“Proactive and responsible.” – Capital markets
“Responsive with the ability to anticipate and identify potential issues. Has the ability to propose solutions.” – Capital markets
“Fast and logical responses.” – Competition/antitrust
“Highly responsive and can devise value-adding solutions to commercial issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“The firm's legal documents are sophisticated and can capture most legal issues that we need to mitigate or prevent. When there is an issue, they are quick to provide solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Staff are timely, dedicated, professional, responsive and client-oriented.” – Corporate and M&A
“Prompt and completed the work within the schedule.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional and efficient.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very professional, work effectively within time frame.” – Corporate and M&A
“It has comprehensive in-depth knowledge of the energy industry and thus is in position to provide good advice” – Energy
“The partner is helpful and turnaround time is quick. Great service.” – Intellectual property
“They are very responsive and the team has demonstrated in past projects their ability to deliver commercially sensible legal advice at very competitive fee quotes.” – Intellectual property
“Responsive, understands our business and our needs.” – Privacy and data protection
“Fast, reliable and a trusted partner.” – Private equity
“Completed the task promptly.” – Regulatory
Chua Lijun
“Receptive, fast responses and good knowledge of the relevant law and good understanding of the issues.”
Goh Seow Hui
“We value her professionalism, compassion for clients and humility.”
“Seow Hui did an outstanding job of understanding the client's needs. She advised me what was best for the client. She handled the case so swiftly to settle it amicably and moved on. I am impressed by her professionalism to take ownership after [another] lawyer left the firm. She took the responsibility of closing it. I am pleased with her customer service and compassion.”
Jeremy Tan
“Responsive, great attention to detail, he is client and results oriented.”
Jolie Giouw
“Highly responsive, she identifies the key issues quickly and comes out with solutions. We have always been impressed.”
“Excellent service-oriented mindset, has strong commercial acumen and able to advise well on the law.”
“Responsive and experienced. Able to provide prompt and quality advice and solutions.”
Lawrence Wong
“Communicates well to solve all the requirements requested by the SGX in Singapore.”
Leo Fattorini
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly. With counterparts he comes across very well without compromising our position.”
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly.”
“He has industry-wide knowledge of the Asian region, and is commercially savvy when it comes to negotiating with external parties.”
“Fast turnaround time and knowledgeable.”
Marcus Chow
“Marcus is knowledgeable in early-stage transactions and he is always available to the team to provide an opinion.”
“He is very smart and has extensive knowledge in venture capital investment as well as M&A.”
“Listens to what the client wants, and provides accurate suggestions and solutions.”
“Responsive, responsible and is able to communicate effectively with people of all levels.”
“Very commercial and good understanding of the client's needs.”
“Responsive, has ability to propose innovative solutions, and has good client relationship management.”
“Provides in-depth knowledge and advice to the board, resolving issues with advance steps taken.”
“Marcus was very responsive and can be depended on to deliver sound pragmatic advice, even outside of regular office hours. He is also quick to understand the commercial issues at hand, and propose solutions to address these issues.”
Sandrea Seah
“Very helpful and exhibits very good in-depth industrial knowledge. Gives very sound advice.”
“Professional, good listener, understands issues quickly and timely in responses.”
Work highlights
Acting for HungryPanda SG in a trademark infringement action brought by Foodpanda.
Represented Novartis Singapore in a patent infringement action brought by Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson.
Assisting Monster Energy Company in all of its trademark disputes including various trademark oppositions in the Singapore Trade Marks Registry.
Key clients
Banyan Tree Holdings, Coalition Against Piracy, Fanco Fan Marketing, Fox Networks Group, Kao Corporation, Novartis, Smart Shooter
Dentons Rodyk & Davidson is one of Singapore’s largest full-service firms, stacked with notable partners who are experts in their fields. The firm has stellar banking, construction, disputes, competition and technology and telecommunications practices. This year its insurance offering debuts in our table with a strong showing. The combination with Dentons, the largest law firm in the world, provides clients with an extensive network of global experts from over 200 offices around the world in more than 80 countries. One recent update is Dentons’ alliance with Filipino law firm, PJS Law. Partners to note include banking specialist Doreen Sim, M&A partner Eng Leng Ng, IP specialists Ai Ming Lee and I-An Lim, insurance director Edric Pan, projects expert Joo Thye Tan, disputes specialist Lawrence Teh and senior counsel Edmund Leow.
Work highlights
Representing H Lundbeck in a patent infringement dispute against Zyfas to restrain the registration of its product.
Key clients
Merck Sharp & Dohme, Towa Corporation, Swinkels Family Brewers.
As one of Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms, Drew & Napier possesses a diverse roster of lawyers offering an extensive range of legal services in Singapore and across the region. The firm remains a dispute resolution powerhouse with a deep bench of top advocates including Jimmy Yim and Cavinder Bull. Disputes and insolvency lawyer Siraj Omar, construction specialist Christopher Chong and elite tax practitioner Ong Sim Ho further reinforce the team. Other key names to note include Pauline Chong for finance, Chong Kin Lim for competition and technology, Steven Lo for corporate and M&A, Tony Yeo for IP, and Sushil Nair and Blossom Hing for restructuring and insolvency. Consultant Gary Pryke is another well-known practitioner in the corporate and finance space. The firm welcomed banking specialist May Ng from Rajah & Tann recently.
Client feedback
“Highly professional, responsive and approachable.” – Banking and finance
“They understand the concerns, are responsive and provide solutions.” – Banking and finance
“Always focused on protecting its client's interests.” – Banking and finance
“I appreciate their knowledge of the matter and prompt actions.” – Capital markets
“DN has strong, in-depth knowledge of competition law and is able to provide practical advice in a timely manner.” – Competition/antitrust
“Profound expertise, swift responses, and regularly updates clients through newsletters.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive and business-pragmatic. Makes effort to understand the client's requirements. Reasonable fees charged for work.” – Construction
“Knowledgeable, professional and supportive of small businesses.” – Corporate and M&A
“The team is capable of looking beyond the legal aspects and putting into the perspectives of the different stakeholders. They provided value-added service and are indeed great partners for business owners.” – Corporate and M&A
“Responsive, quick and commercially minded.” – Corporate and M&A
“I liked their flexibility while providing good coverage on the necessary work for this deal.” – Corporate and M&A
“Communication and ability to distil facts into easy to understand terms. They are also very good at highlighting the possible issues with the transaction.” – Corporate and M&A
“Sound in legal knowledge and able to provide alternative solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very detailed analysis of the law. Very prompt advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Deep legal expertise coupled with pragmatism.” – Dispute resolution
“Took the additional effort to understand the case, including the case notes, did a walkthrough of the cause of the matter, looked out for the true cause of the matter before forming their own conclusions prior to advising on the appropriate steps to take.” – Dispute resolution
“First and foremost, they advise you if it makes sense to fight or not to fight. As per Sun Tzu, that's the most important and fundamental question. Drew doesn't shy away from a fight to maximise value for the client but they are also very mindful if it makes sense to fight to begin with! They then ask you what you want to achieve and give you good counsel in a clear and transparent way. As a busy CEO, this is exactly what I need, and Drew does this very well.” – Dispute resolution
“Very collaborative. Sharp thinkers who understand the issues, even when they are new areas.” – Dispute resolution
“Quick to respond, thoughtful legal work and diligent” – Dispute resolution
“They have sound industry knowledge and expertise in handling arbitration under SIAC rules. They can provide quick and practical solutions for commercial disputes. Two lawyers, Mahesh Rai and Don Loo exhibit excellent legal acumen.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a completely hands-on approach to matters.” – Dispute resolution
“They’re all excellent, promptly engaging legal advice at all times. They are all brilliant lawyers.” – Dispute resolution
“Without doubt, the best litigation outfit in Singapore. Timely, reasoned, commercial and effective.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier were very proactive and responsive. They were able to foresee the plaintiff's arguments and prevent them.” – Dispute resolution
“They make robust argument and provide effective litigation strategies.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier has come up with a very creative solution in respect of entering documents into evidence, by knowing well the procedure of the proceeding.” – Dispute resolution
“It is commercially savvy and understanding of client needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Practical and concise legal advice was rendered.” – Dispute resolution
“I like all these: responsiveness, access to partners and commerciality of the advice.” – Dispute resolution
“They are very focused and committed. From day one they created a clear strategy which led us to win our case against the claimants. The team members involved have taken accountability. The deliverables during ongoing arbitration were outstanding.” – Dispute resolution
“We had a complex and difficult claim that required attention to detail and clever advocacy. Blossom's team was able to combine the disparate facts into a coherent claim that allowed us to achieve our aims against the defendant.” – Dispute resolution
“Excellence in advocacy, excellence in knowledge of law, practical advice, timeliness, responsiveness, commercial sensitivity. Most impressive aspect is their ability to work around our confidentiality and commercial concerns.” – Dispute resolution
“They are responsive and their advice is well thought out, succinct and clearly backed by years of experience in litigation. They are also happy to accept feedback and consider the legal opinions of their clients' in-house teams.” – Dispute resolution
“Experienced, strategic and responsive” – Dispute resolution
“Their experience, customer service and legal expertise are exceptional. They have the ability to lead with the local lawyers and the clients. The legal advice they have provided is practical and tailored for the specific legal disputes. They work tirelessly for any urgent matters without hesitating a bit, even if it takes the entire night. Despite the differences between the two jurisdictions, their cooperation on the matters has been top-notch. We have learnt so much from them in terms of their knowledge, practice, attitude, management, leadership, professionalism and customer service skills.” – Dispute resolution
“Strategic in solving the key issues and meticulous on detail.” – Dispute resolution
“The partner and team are very knowledgeable, working in a very detailed and precise manner. They have a strong understanding of the law and how to apply it. Great team.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier is very meticulous, and even minor emails are professionally written, well structured, and well thought out. They also learn fast, and quickly accumulated domain knowledge regarding the blockchain industry where we operate, and adjacent fields of law such as US securities law as applied to blockchain disputes. They are also extremely responsive, replying on urgent messages even at 11pm.” – Dispute resolution
“We appreciate its commerciality and technical analysis.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and timely advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Wide areas of expertise and prompt advice.” – Energy
“Great detailed analysis and recommendation on appropriate and specific course of action.” – Insurance
“They are good with technical advice.” – Insurance
“They do a good job at looking at things from the client's perspective, and are able to find commercial solutions for risks they identify.” – Insurance
“Siau Wen Lim and Xuan Lang Teo from Drew & Napier represented us and have acted professionally to assist to resolve trademark issues with Starbucks. Their expertise in IP field is highly commendable and eventually the issue has been resolved with a positive outcome.” – Intellectual property
“They take the time to understand the business challenges and try to work on practical solutions.” – Intellectual property
“Very prompt.” – Intellectual property
“Advice is technically sound and well-considered.” – Intellectual property
“Lawyers have a good knowledge of Singapore law and are responsive.” – Investment funds
“Prompt, thorough and responsive.” – Labour and employment
“Their IT legal team has deep knowledge and rich experience. Very responsive even on the weekend when our business is running. Very client-oriented.” – Privacy and data protection
“Superior staff who provide considered advice and diligent execution.” – Private client
“The firm was able to comprehend the complexity of a first-of-its-kind strategy from a fund manager's perspective and comes up with an innovative solution.” – Private equity
“Good at the completion of transactions despite the tight timeline.” – Real estate
“They are easily approachable. They explain matters easily and guide us. They are not typically commercial, they fully understand client issues and look at everything holistically before coming out with any suggestions.” – Regulatory
“Drew partners are highly competent, responsive and provide commercially sensible advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Deep experience.” – Tax
“Experienced lawyers who know the ITBR requirement and advise clients on the appeal strategy and provide practical advice on the approach to the appeal. Legal submissions are well prepared and clear and concise. They value the relationship with clients.” – Tax
“Drew & Napier's team, and Chong Kin Lim in particular, are deep experts in the tech and telecom space. They provide crisp guidance that we can share rapidly with our internal business clients. They also proactively monitor the horizon, and they let us know in advance about legal/regulatory developments that may impact us. Finally, they are fantastically responsive and literally never late in getting us the information we request.” – Technology and telecommunications
David Alfred
“He is very knowledgeable, prompt, able to offer solutions, understands business concerns, practical, and has a good network with regulators.”
Cavinder Bull
“An outstanding lawyer; thorough understanding of client's needs.”
Ron Cheng
“Knowledgeable and able to understand and meet the client's needs.”
“Ron has been extremely meticulous when it comes to his work. He ensures that he covers all angles and risks that the fund may encounter locally or abroad. Ron is able to understand complex problems and comes up with innovative solutions and structure.”
Corinne Chew
“Corinne is always willing to help and provides thoughtful advice in a timely manner.”
“Profound legal knowledge with excellent communication skills”
Voon Jiet Chia
“Voon Jiet is highly competent, responsive and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Desmond Chng
“He is very responsive, and good at giving a quick (often immediate) indication of what the solution to a problem might be, and whether or not it actually warrants detailed research or formal legal advice. This is very much appreciated from a client's point of view.”
Andrew Chua
“He is attentive and responsive, able to relate to the case and provide insights and share best practices, and at the same time highlight potential issues or ideas from past cases and experiences.”
Benjamin Gaw
“Knowledgeable, professional, available, has a positive attitude and is attentive to client's needs.”
Blossom Hing
“She has a good team and allows her team to take the lead with client communication at the right time while also stepping in when necessary. She asks the right questions to elicit the necessary information from the client.”
“Blossom is an outstanding litigation and arbitration partner. Blossom is creative and very strategic in her thinking and tactics - based on her vast experience of litigation and arbitration. Blossom has done a great job in building a team to support her.”
“My ’go to’ contact is Blossom Hing, who is one of the most experienced and accomplished litigation and arbitration partners in Singapore. Blossom heads a great team that is growing in experience and competence.”
Soo Lih Ho
“Approachable.”
Seraphina Ho
“Efficient.”
Rakesh Kirpalani
“Rakesh is clear in his counsel and incredibly responsive.”
“He helps our company to handle our legal issues and we are satisfied with his work.”
“He possesses a strong spirit to win for the client. He has a client-centric approach and is an expert at IT and data security.”
Meryl Koh
“Highly responsive and takes a keen interest to know the client's business and challenges faced. She has a can-do attitude and willing to go the extra mile for the client. Does not discriminate client based on fee earned.”
“Thorough, empathetic and forward-looking.”
Samuel Koh
“Very responsive. A critical thinker who challenges outcomes to ensure they are robust.”
Man Er Kong
“Kong is qualified and brilliant at what she does. Very reliable and flexible. In terms of advocacy skills, Kong is astonishing. Kong is very patient towards the clients and has the deep understanding of the law. Further, Kong respects the time and is responsive. Case management is top-notch as well. We have obtained grand knowledge when we discuss the interpretation and the conflicts of law.”
“Intelligent, sharp, efficient and effective.”
Julian Kwek
“Problem solver and provides practical solutions.”
Keith Lam
“Keith is professional and responsive.”
Sok Hiang Lau
“She is proactive and provides solutions to difficult issues.”
“Lau Sok Hiang is a very careful and meticulous lawyer. She very much stressed getting the documents right, in the sense that it will not invite queries or challenges.”
Chong Kin Lim
“Prompt, knowledgeable and responsive.”
“He has incredible relationships in his peer network. Deep expertise and incredibly responsive.”
Shumin Lin
“Very knowledgeable in the areas that she practises and provides very clear and detailed analysis of the law.”
“Has a quick grasp of issues. Keen attention to detail without losing sight of the broad strategy.”
Adam Maniam
“Adam's approach is extremely customer-oriented, he takes the initiative to take a crash-course on the customer's industry in order to come up with creative solutions. He's sharp and straightforward.”
“He is D&N personified. Altogether exceptional in terms of service, advocacy, attention to client's concerns and knowledge of the law. He’s a brilliant lawyer. In my opinion better than some senior counsel.”
“My opinion of the firm has been formed by Adam and his mentor.”
“Appreciate his knowledge, adherence to timelines, and that he understands the sensitivity of the matter.”
Pei Tong Ng
“Ability to share a holistic view on the situation and advise accordingly and to the needs of the client.”
Sim Ho Ong
“Very familiar with IRAS.”
Mahesh Rai
“Mahesh possesses excellent legal acumen. This coupled with his sound industry knowledge helps him deliver quick and practical legal advice. Mahesh communicates well and is friendly in nature.”
“He has a complete knowledge of the field and goes all out to understand the nuances of the business.”
“Both from a personal and professional point of view, I found Mahesh to be someone impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, is able to listen well, and is very good in communication, as I often saw him carrying himself so well in the court or in any kind of joint discussions. He provides me as a client with great consideration, tending to the needs of my case in the best way. Mahesh also always comes up with great strategy, showing his creativity as a veteran lawyer.”
“Mahesh is a very hands-on partner, has a close grasp of all the strategic issues and drills down into factual issues. He has a very commercial, practical mindset and is always ready to offer a recommendation and not just a set of options, and a practical recommendation that addresses both legal and broader strategic concerns. He is also clearly a strong mentor because we have been impressed even by the juniors on his team, when Mahesh is not present.”
Teng Sen Tan
“Teng Sen is a seasoned corporate lawyer and provides value-added services to the business owner. He's adept at corporate financing works and compliance matters and is a great partner for us.”
“Very experienced corporate partner who is commercially minded. He gives practical advice.”
“Excellent legal knowledge and communications.”
Allister Tan
“Brilliant lawyer and eager to help always.”
“Very knowledgeable, communicates well to ensure client understands the specifics of the issues. Guides client to the most rationale decision.”
“Fast and sound technical advice.”
“Commercial nous.”
Evelyn Tan
“Well-versed with contract law and court processes, meticulous and pays attention to detail.”
Benedict Teo
“Commercially savvy and he puts clients’ interests first.”
“Ben is extremely responsive and very experienced. I have appreciated his sound legal advice, and sharp legal acumen in handling the cases on our behalf. I also appreciate that he makes himself available to speak to the business representatives when needed.”
“Benedict is experienced and provides good strategic advice. His team provides good, detailed work and manages timelines well. Much to recommend, not much to criticise.”
“Responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure client's requirements are met fully.”
“He is a very experienced trusted adviser and sounding board. He is commercial, responsive, insightful, and he really knows the market and knows his stuff.”
Xuan Lang Teo
“Xuan Lang has been efficient in handling our case and always provides valuable alternative options for our consideration. This is helpful as it leaves no stone unturned, which may increase the probability to succeed in the proceedings.”
“Xuan Lang is extremely sharp and thorough. He is able to distil the key issues in a dispute to achieve the most efficient and favourable outcomes for us. He has deep foresight while bearing in mind commercial realities and practical considerations. All advice from him is extremely well-thought-out and backed up by firm legal foundations. An expert in IP law, he is able to explain and argue complicated legal concepts with clarity and punch.”
Shi Yong Yang
“Provides timely responses and to-the-point advice.”
“He listens to the client and approaches the solution holistically.”
Jonathan Yap
“Jonathan is a hard-working attorney focused on delivering quality work and superior results. He has great communication skills and ensures that his clients remain happy with his services.”
Tony Yeo
“Very prompt and understanding.”
Jimmy Yim
“He is efficient, eloquent and communicates well. He is also knowledgeable and responsive.”
“Jimmy Yim is well known in Singapore and an excellent lawyer with a strong personality. He was able to turn around a case we had lost and win the case for our company.”
“Jimmy Yim was efficient, eloquent and understood the issues well. Very good courtroom manner and pleasant to deal with.”
Work highlights
Representing IIa Technologies, an industry leader and manufacturer of lab-grown diamonds with the largest diamond-growing facility in the world, in a patent infringement suit commenced by Element Six Technologies, a subsidiary of the De Beers Group. The issues in the suit involve extremely technical and contentious and highly complex patent invalidation and infringement matters. This is one of the most complex patent infringement cases by far that the Singapore High Court has heard.
Key clients
Apple, Audi, Exxon Mobile, Facebook, Instagram, Mediacorp, Novartis, PepsiCo Group, Pfizer, Qualcomm, Target Brands, Toyota.
Gateway Law Corporation’s IP practice delivers services across the region including in Australia, China, Hong Kong and India. In addition to its patent and trademark registration services, the team advises clients on the protection, enforcement and commercialisation of its intellectual property rights. Max Ng is a key figure. The firm recently welcomed director Kevin Lim and advocate Simon Dunbar from King & Spalding.
Work highlights
Managing the IP portfolio of the National University of Singapore.
Advising Formula One Management on its trademark opposition matters in Singapore.
Harry Elias Partnership has offices in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. Built upon one of the most respected and influential litigation lawyers in the country, Harry Elias, the firm has an established reputation for its dispute resolution and family and matrimonial expertise. The firm is also notable for its construction, infrastructure, corporate and M&A, and intellectual property practices. Philip Fong, Justin Chia, Tan Chau Yee, Brian Law, Pearl Lim and Claudia Teo are key contacts for dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, intellectual property, construction, banking, and corporate and M&A, respectively. The construction and engineering group further bolstered its expertise with the hirings of two veteran specialists, Joanna Seetoh from LVM Law Chambers and Chua Ming Hao from Clyde & Co Clasis.
Work highlights
Engaged by Singapore Paincare Holdings to advise on the best model to expand their services, whether by way of joint venture, licensing, franchising taking into consideration how best to protect their IP assets, including their proprietary know-how, in their diagnosis methodology.
Acted for Everyday Curtains in a trademark dispute against De Art Studio in relation to the client’s proprietary design and branding of Wabi Sabi blinds.
Key clients
IFSC, Straco Leisure, The Bakery Depot.
JurisAsia is a boutique firm that specialises in corporate and M&A and general commercial transactions. Its intellectual property practice has been fairly active in the past year. It has an exclusive association with international law firm Gowling. The firm’s offering includes M&As, foreign direct investment, joint ventures, venture capital and private equity investments, fund management and capital markets advice, with a particular focus on Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Vietnam. Tan Choon Leng is the key contact.
Client feedback
“Fast responses and accommodating.” – Corporate and M&A
“They are always available to help, are creative, concise and supportive. Lawyers have a very positive attitude.” – Corporate and M&A
Choon Leng Tan
“He’s the best lawyer I ever met: practical, quick, innovative and concise.”
Vincent Tan
“Vincent offers quick responses and can give commercial feedback on the deal.”
Work highlights
Drafting, filing and prosecuting patents for National University of Singapore and Duke-NUS Medical School.
Filing and prosecution of patents, trademarks and designs for Dyson Technology.
Key clients
Anthr, Government Technology Agency, Nippon Paint Holdings
The Mirandah Group of companies includes Mirandah Asia and Mirandah Law. Mirandah Law has a significant IP footprint in Asia with a proven track record of representing major multinationals in complex IP disputes and contentious issues. Mirandah Asia is a boutique practice providing a full suite of non-contentious services in all IP areas for numerous countries around the region. It has a very busy prosecution practice that includes some of the highest volume of filings in Singapore. Mirandah Law has five lawyers handling contentious and non-contentious IP work, supported by around 40 technical patent specialists and trademark executives in its affiliated companies across Asia. It is particularly strong in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector. Managing partner Denise Mirandah and partner Suhaimi Lazim are key figures at Mirandah Law, while Gladys Mirandah is the managing partner of Mirandah Asia.
Work highlights
Successfully advised a global technology giant in filing an opposition against a highly similar mark from a competitor, in addition to working on an opposition strategy.
Assisted a chemical manufacturing company on how to overcome other marks cited by the IP Examiner as obstacles to registration.
Mirandah Law is part of the Mirandah Group of companies that includes Mirandah Asia. Mirandah Law has a significant IP footprint in Asia with a proven track record of representing major multinationals in complex IP disputes and registrations. Mirandah Asia is a boutique practice providing non-contentious services in all IP areas for numerous countries around the region, with notable prosecution work. The firm Mirandah Law has five lawyers handling contentious and non-contentious IP work, supported by around 40 technical patent specialists and trademark executives in its affiliated companies across Asia. It is particularly strong in the pharmaceutical and life sciences sector. Managing partner Denise Mirandah and partner Suhaimi Bin Lazim are key figures at Mirandah Law, while Gladys Mirandah is the managing partner of Mirandah Asia.
Work highlights
Representing Parkway Holdings in trademark prosecution matters and its associated companies in order to register its global trademark portfolio in over 20 countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, India, Sudan, China and Kenya.
Established in 2016, OC Queen Street is a member of Osborne Clarke’s international legal practice. The firm is exceptionally active across the TMT, digital businesses, fintech sectors. The firm serves clients in the Asia-Pacific, European and US markets. The firm also advises on various IP matters, with particular strength in copyright protection. Chia Ling Koh is the main contact at the firm.
Client feedback
“Very responsive and understands the market and industry very well.” – Dispute resolution
“Personal approach; work ethic; excellent communication; timely and precise.” – Dispute resolution
Yvette Anthony
“Strengths include good communication, understanding, drilling down, explanations, problem-solving, work ethic, exceeding expectations.”
Work highlights
Represented SingTel in proceedings commenced by the intellectual property rights holder seeking the court’s order to have SingTel prohibit its users from accessing certain sites that infringe upon the holder’s intellectual property rights.
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Advising Netease Interactive in a copyright infringement and passing off dispute with a fellow giant in the online games industry, Riot Games. This promises to be a landmark case that will examine and determine, for the first time in Singapore, the nature of various copyrights in video games, as well as the protectability of video game concepts and the line that divides ideas from expression in the video game context.
Key clients
BlocTech Investment Group, FIFA, Greenwood F&B, Lazada.
Ravindran Associates is a boutique intellectual property firm renowned for handling contentious IP matters. Additionally, it has an active enforcement practice dealing with online and offline infringements. Managing partner Ravindran Muthucumarasamy is the key contact, he leads a team that includes four partners and two associates. Partner Alvin Lim departed for Withers KhattarWong last year.
Client feedback
“They have vast experience in IP and they are able to balance client's business needs and IP rights protection.” – Intellectual property
“They understand and are able to focus on the core issues of the matter. The lawyers talk in a client-oriented language and are efficient.” – Intellectual property
Ravindran Muthucumarasamy
“He is very honest and upfront about discussing different IP legal matters from trends to obscure points of law. He is extremely intelligent and happy to share his knowledge.”
Work highlights
Acted for the representative body for wine grape growers and winemakers in Australia, Australian Grape & Wine Incorporated, in opposing an application by an Italian consortium to register “Prosecco” as a geographical indication denoting wines only originating from a specified region in Italy.
Represented Louis Vuitton Malletier in opposing an application by a Chinese vehicle company to register “Human Horizons” as a trademark.
Advised Bulgari in a High Court suit for trademark infringement and passing off against a medical services company.
Key clients
Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Ferrero, GrabTaxi Holdings, L’Oreal, Minor Food Group, NBC Universal, Rolex
RHTLaw Asia is a full-service firm that has a well-respected technology practice. Its IP group has been gaining more traction, with the firm climbing up one tier in the rankings. Boasting partners that are qualified in multiple jurisdictions such as China, US, Hong Kong, Australia and Malaysia, the firm routinely handles complex cross-border transactions. The firm is organised around eight industry groups: consumer brands, healthcare and life sciences, private wealth, technology and media, construction and projects, financial institutions and technology, transportation and logistics, and education. The technology group specialises in tech infrastructure, blockchain, data processing and telecommunications. The key contacts include corporate partners Erwan Barre and Eu Jin Yang, IP partner Rizwi Wun and disputes leader Nandakumar Renganathan. The disputes also group houses senior counsel, Leslie Chew.
Client feedback
“Expertise is good, and their customer centricity is excellent.” – Corporate and M&A
“They can provide services in multiple jurisdictions.” – Intellectual property
“Knowledgeable about local laws and regulations, easy to understand.” – Regulatory
“Positive attributes of RHTLaw are its expertise and knowledge in the legal field and its professionalism and commitment to ethical standards. The lawyer is patient in explaining the case, the client's interest and rights, and providing appropriate advice.” – Real estate
Sandra Han
“Sandra always provided expert legal advice and guidance to my case. She is patient to understand the case and uses her knowledge and skills to analyse the legal issues. She always acts in her client's interest and respond to clients as soon as she can.”
Rizwi Wun
“He is very accommodating and tries his best to assist us with our needs for legal services.”
“Quick to respond with good knowledge.”
Eu Jin Yang
“Professional approach, knowledgeable and open to ideas. Good communication skills.”
Work highlights
Represented Critical Facility Group on their trademark protection strategies, managing their existing trademark portfolio and securing trademark protection over their product and corporate brands.
Acted for PVP Labs on their global trademark protection strategies, managing their existing trademark portfolio covering over 40 countries, and securing trademark protection over their key product brands.
Assisted Climate Alpha Global on its global trademark protection strategies, managing their existing trademark portfolio worldwide, and securing trademark protection over their key product brands.
Shook Lin & Bok works with an impressive roster of clients, including major banks, multinational corporations and private equity investors, on large transactions locally and across the region. The firm is highly active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. It is also skilled in advising on real estate finance, particularly on the lender side. This year the firm moves up a notch in the IP table for its growing practice, and debuts for shipping. Key lawyers include Kai Zee Liew for banking and finance, Marilyn See for capital markets, David Chong for corporate and M&A, and Sarjit Singh Gill, Probin Dass and David Chan for dispute resolution and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Easy to deal with and good professional legal advice given. Able to add value to the transaction and requests.” – Banking and finance
“High level of professionalism and always approachable to provide their advice to our financing structures, sometimes even on a pro bono basis.” – Banking and finance
“Timelines are met, advice is provided in a holistic manner, drafting languages are easy to understand and they are familiar with our company’s processes.” – Banking and finance
“Approachable and efficient turnaround with prompt follow-ups. Transactions are always completed on schedule and lawyers are pre-emptive.” – Banking and finance
“They are always responsive and provide sound and clear advice for execution of the transaction.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive and willing to commit resources.” – Capital markets
“Can be relied upon for quick, solid legal advice, which is sometimes surprisingly hard to come across when dealing with other jurisdictions. In particular, their legal analysis is technically excellent.” – Dispute resolution
“Open, clear, prompt and uses initiative.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Strong insolvency and restructuring track record and team.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Timely and quick responses with good advisory analysis.” – Shipping
Paul Goh
“Responsive, forward thinking and fast.”
Clement Khoo
“Professionalism and always keen to share and advise.”
“Extremely responsive, sound knowledge of the banking sector and structuring transactions, willing to go the extra mile to assist in completion under tight timelines.”
Stanley Lim
“Approachable and always available to give legal advice. Follows up closely on transaction and is always pre-emptive on any potential issues that may arise.”
Moses Lin
“Approachable and available with relevant knowledge.”
Daniel Tan
“Just an excellent all-round lawyer, he is responsive and technically very sound.”
“Quick to respond, understands all relevant issues and deals with them systematically and comprehensively.”
“Driven and provides legally feasible solutions in complex situations.”
Pearlyn Xie
“Responsive, and willing to provide advice and solutions.”
Work highlights
Defending Inzign in a copyright infringement suit brought by Siemens Industry Software.
Acted for Singapore Aquaculture Technologies and Dirk Eichelberger in defending against claims by AME2 for patent infringement, breach of confidence, inducement of breach of contract and conspiracy.
TSMP Law Corporation is especially well known for its work in corporate and M&A and dispute resolution. The firm also specialises in corporate real estate financing, in particular, in land acquisition financing and land development financing. This year the firm climbs up a notch in the rankings for competition, IP and private equity. The firm not only acts for various major corporations and financial institutions but also is frequently sought out by different regulatory bodies. Senior counsel Shen Yi Thio, corporate lawyer Stefanie Yuen Thio, construction specialists Melvin Chan and Derek Loh and labour expert Ian Lim are key figures at the firm. Jennifer Chia is another name to note for banking and finance.
Client feedback
“Professional, efficient, highly conversant and familiar with the bank's requirements.” – Banking and finance
“Familiarity and expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They are very responsive, and always meet the tight timelines.” – Banking and finance
“TSMP has been on our bank’s panel of advising lawyers for close to 10 years, and over the years has built up a good work relation with us for daily legal work on bilateral loan and security documents, registration of charges, structuring of facilities, etc.” – Banking and finance
“Solid advice, highly diligent and reliable.” – Corporate and M&A
“Cost-efficient, client-focused and on time.” – Corporate and M&A
“They are experienced, well-connected and well-versed in the capital markets. In addition, they have adequate resources to ensure the work can be completed on a timely basis.” – Corporate and M&A
“Can-do attitude with very business-friendly advice. Was able to respond well to tight timelines and stressful negotiations. Valued attributes include thinking out of the box, innovative ideas with the commercial end in mind.” – Corporate and M&A
“Capable, positive and timely.” – Dispute resolution
“Attention to detail, responsive and creative approach.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and able to work under tight timeline.” – Real estate
“Practical and solutions-oriented.” – Real estate
“Provided concise and to-the-point advice on investment structure, conducted legal due diligence of the Singapore entity, reviewed transaction documents and advised on the relevant financial and investment regulations. TSMP timely reviewed and analysed the legal risks involved in the deal by leveraging deep insight and expertise in the industry.” – Real estate
Melvin Chan
“Keen listener with expert problem-solving skills.”
Jennifer Chia
“She is experienced, to the point and responsive. Relieved to work with a lawyer of high-level quality.”
“Very responsive and enthusiastic.”
“Practical and solutions-oriented.”
“Highly professional, helpful, approachable and knowledgeable.”
“She is responsive, knowledgeable and able to come out with solutions to help my organisation.”
“Very responsive, flexible and friendly. She gives us creative solutions.”
“Over the years Jennifer has developed very good day-to-day work relations with our officers in the documentation department. She has rendered us much-valued guidance in drafting and structuring of our loan and security documents.”
“Very practical advice which we appreciate, she has unique insights into labour regulations.”
Kelvin Koh
“He is analytical, practical, strong in legal knowledge and able to explain complex issues simply.”
Derek Loh
“Strong capabilities and communications.”
Stefanie Yuen Thio
“Excellent communications and duty of care.”
“She is very communicative and explains the pro and cons and recommendations in a clear manner. She gives business-friendly legal advice.”
“Excellent client management and understands client concerns; proposes good solutions for dealing with risks.”
Work highlights
Acted for Swappoint in a trademark opposition matter against BlockTower over the mark “Gamma Point”.
Assisted Hansfort Investment in relation to its copyright infringement dispute with Compass, a royalty collection organisation.
Withers KhattarWong is regularly sought out by high-profile private clients and banks for its expertise in financing, dispute resolution, tax and corporate matters. The firm’s funds practice is growing backed by its established tax advisory team. The managing partner Deborah Barker is a key figure. Other lawyers to note include Chenthil Kumarasingam for disputes, Shaun Leong for arbitration, Jonathan Kok for IP and TMT, and Eric Roose for tax.
Work highlights
Acted for TMRG in a trademark infringement and passing off case filed in the Singapore High Court against the American operator of several international seafood and lobster shacks.
Key clients
Fonterra Brands, Honor Device, Mediacorp, Raffles Medical Group, Sea Group, Supply@Me Capital, Wipro Unza Group.
A formidable market leader in the full gamut of corporate and finance matters, WongPartnership comprises more than 300 lawyers in eight global cities. It offers extensive experience in handling high-stakes structured finance, M&A, funds, private equity, project finance and syndicated loans. The firm also has plentiful expertise on big-ticket domestic and cross-border disputes involving corporate, construction, insolvency and regulatory matters. Key lawyers include Susan Wong for banking and finance, Ameera Ashraf for competition, Christopher Chuah for construction, Andrew Ang and Wai King Ng for corporate and M&A and private equity, and Manoj Pillay Sandrasegara for restructuring and insolvency. In addition, Chung Nian Lam, Kah Keong Low, Jenny Tsin and Dorothy Marie Ng are regarded for their work in IP, investment funds, employment and real estate, respectively. The disputes team was bolstered by the arrival of partners Alessa Pang from Rajah & Tann and Monisha Cheong from TSMP Law Corporation. Restructuring and insolvency specialist Lawrence Foo left for an in-house post at Abaxx Exchange.
Client feedback
“Technically very sound and reliable lawyers who provide practical advice.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive, thorough and good understanding of our business.” – Banking and finance
“They are extremely detailed and meticulous. They will even provide advice for an issue that is not squarely within their scope of engagement if they deem that it is necessary for completeness of advice.” – Capital markets
“Very good network of lawyers especially across the southeast Asian region that can provide responses and on-the-ground advice; very capable and responsive team led by Jia Hui and Ameera.” – Competition/antitrust
“Very hands-on, commercial and speedy.” – Competition/antitrust
“Commercial, prompt and involved.” – Corporate and M&A
“Innovative in structuring; always seeking to tailor solutions to suit the client's objectives.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional, thorough and with high attention to detail.” – Corporate and M&A
“Practical and effective legal advice.” – Dispute resolution
“WongPartnership delivers client-friendly and high-quality legal services. They are responsive in addressing client queries. We arrived at satisfactory resolutions for the matters WongPartnership assisted us with.” – Dispute resolution
“Good analysis of the matter, and they gave us clear advice on the possibilities of success of the matter.” – Dispute resolution
“The WongP team has displayed both breadth and depth of legal expertise in the matters involving cross-border disputes, and their service and legal advice had been extremely valuable because they were our main counsel and helped to coordinate with our legal teams in BVI and China for parallel proceedings in the other jurisdictions. In addition, the team is very client-centric and responsive, they were able to respond to time-sensitive developments in the case within the day and give us legal directions on the next steps. We developed a very positive and synergistic relationship with the WongP legal team through the course of two years working with them.” – Dispute resolution
“Great strength in depth across the team.” – Dispute resolution
“Responsive and supportive of clients, and technically strong, well-researched litigation and strategic advice. Clearly experienced dispute resolution and litigation partners who worked with us. Communicates effectively, although on occasion can be quite formal and academic.” – Dispute resolution
“Technically excellent lawyers who are extremely responsive. Deep bench strength as well, with a talented group of senior associates and junior partners coming up the ranks.” – Dispute resolution
“Very client-focused and extremely responsive. Plus, they have some very smart lawyers!” – Dispute resolution
“An extremely intelligent and driven team.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and well-prepared, very knowledgeable and direct.” – Energy
“They are responsive, clear and practical.” – Intellectual property
“Excellent knowledge of the entire southeast Asian region. Very responsive.” – Intellectual property
“Practical guidance with business-oriented advice.” – Intellectual property
“They are the most professional firm we've worked with, very competitive and competent. Lam Chung Nian is the senior partner in charge, he will always take time to personally respond to us.” – Intellectual property
“The IP team at WongPartnership provides a very strong international approach to the local area and advises clients across a broad range of matters, from registration and enforcement of IP rights to contentious copyright mandates and patent and trademark infringements.” – Intellectual property
“The lawyers at WongPartnership almost always have a true passion for their job. They communicate with their clients efficiently and clearly as they know how to get their important ideas across to clients formally. They are highly creative people and they make sure that the client knows and understands all relevant information regarding a subject matter so that they can make an informed decision. They are very responsive as well.” – Intellectual property
“Provision of sound, expert legal advice. Responsive and reliable.” – Private client
“Commercial, responsive and solutions-oriented.” – Private equity
“WongPartnership delivers quality work and service, provides practical advice. The lawyers are responsive and display deep knowledge and expertise.” – Private equity
“WongPartnership is extremely responsive and their advice is always commercial.” – Private equity
“Highly competent and commercial, holds the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, prioritising client service and empathy.” – Private equity
“They are proactive, practical solutions-oriented, and prompt in responding to queries and requests for legal advisory services.” – Regulatory
“Responsive and attentive. Solid commercial advice.” – Regulatory
“They are knowledgeable, responsive and thorough.” – Regulatory
“Knowledgeable partners with astute business sense, especially when it comes to pragmatic advice for dealing with Singapore regulators. Competitively priced services means significantly more ‘bang for the buck’ than most foreign firms.” – Regulatory
“A well-rounded team that's well versed in admiralty, shipping and trade law.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Excellent teamwork, coordinated approach, with creativity in finding solutions.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Exceptional commitment, knowledge and industry awareness, with unique insights and unrivalled practical experience. Also incredibly friendly, positive and innovative. They are a real pleasure to work with.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Excellent team. Technically very strong across restructuring and special situations. Good bench depth. Good networks and they understand the players in the industry.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Grounded, practical debtor-side advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Very strong team. Excellent advice. Timely response. Good bench strength and depth of team. Full suite of legal services” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Hand-on lawyers. Easily approachable which makes them good to work with.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They are fast, prompt and approachable. They are able to research and present difficult legal topics in an easy-to-understand format.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Highly efficient with good client servicing.” – Tax
Jia Hui Chan
“Responsive, highly skilled and engaging.”
“Responsive and he has good problem-solving abilities.”
“Provides practical and commercial advice. Expert on both antitrust and MAS regulatory-related questions.”
Sing Yee Chan
“She is commercial, always available and a problem solver.”
Elaine Chan
“She is responsive, communicates and understands the client's needs well.”
Shi Mei Chia
“She is responsive and friendly.”
Joel Chng
“Friendly, practical and knowledgeable.”
Clayton Chong
“Exceptional analytical ability, knowledge and market awareness. Nothing is too hard and he is very responsive despite having a significant portfolio of work. A true pleasure to deal with.”
Josephine Choo
“We love her client-centric approach to our case, such as being able to break down the legal jargon into clear, easy-to-understand steps for us non-legal professionals to understand. She was also able to manage complex cross-jurisdiction issues since our case involved multiple concurrent procedures across Singapore, BVI and China. It was difficult for us to untangle and, thanks to Josephine, we were able to navigate the process well.”
“She gives practical and effective legal advice.”
Sean Chou
“An excellent lawyer and arbitrator. He is very easy to work with.”
“A natural leader. Great subject-matter expertise.”
“Very responsive, sound technical skills but commercially minded as well. Great client EQ and understands their needs.”
“Sean Chou is a natural and inspirational leader.”
Mark Choy
“Solution- oriented and commercial with a hands-on approach.”
Wei Wei Goh
“Responsive and helpful. She has good local litigation and dispute resolution technical know-how and experience, and communicates well.”
Swee Yen Koh
“Completely on top of her game.”
“Extremely tenacious; never gives up and fights to the end for a client.”
Chung Nian Lam
“Very responsive, clear and thoughtful.”
“Knows it all!”
“Chung Nian really marshals his team so well, and provides fantastic advice which is suitable for the business.”
“Very professional, business-minded and always takes the time to personally attend to matters.”
“He is experienced, extremely service-oriented, quick and always has a practical approach to meet the client’s best interest.’”
“Chung Nian is extremely knowledgeable about his area of practice. He has great communication skills which helps in making the client understand even a complex matter easily. I would like to praise Chung Nian for his responsiveness and patience, along with his great listening skills. He is hard-working and persevering, which makes him one of the most sought-after IP lawyers in Singapore.”
Wendy Lin
“Thorough, insightful and professional.”
“Masterful advocate who is extremely intelligent and very quick on her feet. She has great instincts and gets to the heart of the case right away. Amazingly, she is then able to marshal copious documents to make good that case theory.”
Kah Keong Low
“Highly reliable and responsive, has in-depth knowledge and expertise, knows the client well, and is able to provide constructive, commercial advice.”
Smitha Menon
“Great team coordinator, positive energy and personality, decisiveness.”
“Easy to work with. Solution oriented.”
Rosabel Ng
“Extremely meticulous and up-to-date with the latest developments in the law. Provides innovative and technically sound solutions to complex legal issues. Understands the client's legal requirements.”
“She is very proactive in engaging her clients and she listens to understand what the client's needs are and responds appropriately to them.”
“Excellent overview and understanding with regard to the clearing of derivatives transactions.”
Wai King Ng
“Tremendous legal insight; his considerable experience provides enormous comfort to clients when he is present in a transaction. He has trained a strong team of lawyers to lead M&A transactions.”
Fi Ling Quak
“Fi Ling is always available and very commercial.”
“Commercial, prompt, driven, and always available.”
Joel Quek
“Excellent case analysis, communication with clients, and of course personal presentation.”
Kai Yun Tan
“Very strong understanding of the law. Prompt response times.”
Shao Tong Tan
“Efficient and clear advice.”
Teck Wee Tiong
“Highly competent and likely one of the best among his peers. Very client-focused and empathetic. Willing to explore and incorporate client feedback; open and receptive to ideas.”
Sion Yoong Tian
“Responsiveness and attentiveness, with sound commercial advice.”
Stephanie Yeo
“Good technically and she understands restructuring and special situations.”
“Technically very sound and she is easy to work with.”
Work highlights
Advised the Football Association Premier League on its enforcement strategy for the protection of their intellectual property rights, including the application for and execution of the search warrant for the seizure of illegal streaming devices at retail shops in Singapore.
Key clients
Cordlife, GGV Capital, Mayfair Equity Partners, Menarini Asia-Pacific.
Established in late 2020, BTPLaw is a boutique corporate law firm with a notable specialism in investment funds and private equity. It has been established as a market leader for deals using the Singapore variable capital company (VCC) structure. At the time of research, BTPLaw had closed 20% of the global market share of VCC fund formation structures. This year, it moves up in the investment funds ranking.
In addition to its core areas, the firm covers M&A, equity capital markets, FSR regulatory and general corporate work, and is active in the blockchain and cryptocurrency spaces. The firm has its own BVI practice, headed up by an offshore law veteran, and is uniquely able to handle BVI fund matters in-house. Managing director Brandon Tee is the key contact. He leads a team of seven, including five senior lawyers.
Client feedback
“Knowledgeable in its field and responsive to all queries.” – Investment funds
“Fast, knowledgeable and innovative.” – Investment funds
“Responsive and diligent.” – Investment funds
“Their lawyers understand the industry well and have shown leadership in advocating with regulators on behalf of the industry.” – Investment funds
“Lawyers are extremely responsive and client-focused.”
“He is very quick, very responsive, knowledgeable, yet meticulous.”
Brandon Tee
“Knowledgeable and responsive.”
“He personifies the firm. He is very responsive, very quick yet meticulous and very hard-working. I trust him to do a good job and to protect my company.”
“Smart, knowledgeable and innovative.”
“Very responsive.”
“He is extremely responsive and client-focused.”
“Brandon is knowledgeable and well-networked, meaning he closely follows trends in the space, can flag and advise on developments in regulations as well as market best-practices. Brandon is clear and transparent with pricing and scope.”
Work highlights
Advised Swiss-Asia Financial Services on the formation of Algori Quant Fund.
Assisted Pilgrim Partners Asia as investment manager, on the formation of Bioeconomy Carbon Fund and Thunderbolt Capital VCC.
Acted for JCube Capital Partners on the formation of AMEC Fund VCC-PE.
Key clients
Apex, Aurous Capital, Citco, Haulio, InCred Global Wealth, IQ-EQ, LGZ Capital, Phillip Street Partners, Tricor, Xangroup Holdings.
CHP Law is a young, full-service firm with ties to CNPLaw, its senior consultant being Colin Ng. The team is active in corporate and commercial, dispute resolution, IP, real estate, labour and private client matters. This year the firm moves up in the corporate and M&A table and debuts in the IP, regulatory and investment fund rankings to demonstrate the firm’s full-service scope.
The firm is helmed by managing partner Christopher Huang and includes seven senior lawyers including funds specialist Randall Perera, IP and intangible assets expert Dixon Soh and FSR specialist Ian Phung. The M&A team was boosted by the joining of director Elaine Seow from Focus Law Asia last summer.
Client feedback
“Great market knowledge, out-of-the-box solutions and service.” – Capital markets
“We have a close relationship with the firm and appreciate its open communications” – Investment funds
“CHP Law is extremely precise in developing opinions related to Web 3 activities, including cryptocurrency and establishing legal assessment. We've worked on a large list of legal opinions and we really appreciate their work. Also, we like their dedication and the long-term relationship mindset that they develop with us as clients.” – Investment funds
“CHP Law was able to provide holistic advice in the area of VCC, which is relatively new in Singapore.” – Investment funds
“Highly responsive, very quick to carry out work and able to be flexible” – Private equity
“They do very well at understanding the details of our business and situation, and providing bespoke advice (as opposed to off-the-shelf general opinions that don't necessarily apply to us). They are business-friendly and curious about evolving industry trends. Also, they do very well at predicting costs and sticking to them, especially compared to other law firms. Makes it much easier for us to budget appropriately and make decisions.” – Regulatory
Ian Phung
“Being a former trader, he understands the nuances of the market and provides proper risk management advice as well as market-centric solutions”
“He is always reachable, open and knowledgeable.”
“Ian is responsive, available and approachable, and can help whenever we have some questions pertaining to the law in Singapore or overseas in links with cryptocurrency, Web3, regulatory-wise.”
“Ian is knowledgeable, practical, able to problem solve and highly responsive. This combination makes collaborating easy and creates value.”
“He is always curious about the industry and business. He is very clear and the costs are predictable. His financial markets background from a previous career is invaluable for us.”
“Ian is a seasoned investment banker and so he understands the frustrations and the line of thinking of problem-solving. In this regard, he is rather unique. He is also able and keen to share his network in the space of fund management.”
Work highlights
Acted for Genesis Alternative Ventures in modifying a GP/LP fund structure for the purposes of utilising an umbrella variable capital company structure for scaling up of fund offerings.
Assisted a venture capital fund manager on the successful application for a capital markets services licence and advising the fund manager on the launch of a variable capital company
CNPLaw, formerly known as Colin Ng & Partners, is active in all major practice areas including banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, investment funds and private equity. The firm has experience in advising companies in the real estate and technology and telecommunication sectors, particularly active in blockchain and cryptocurrency. This year, the firm moves up a rank in the construction and regulatory tables. The M&A team closed four takeovers in the past year and the corporate team has established a niche practice advising companies in high-growth, emerging markets like Myanmar, Indo-China and the Philippines. Min-Li Tan, Subramanian Pillai, Pradeep Singh, Lisa Theng and Bill Jamieson are key contacts.
Work highlights
Acted for a private equity fund manager, Shift4Good SAS, on establishing a cross-border private equity fund.
Shook Lin & Bok works with an impressive roster of clients, including major banks, multinational corporations and private equity investors, on large transactions locally and across the region. The firm is highly active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. It is also skilled in advising on real estate finance, particularly on the lender side. This year the firm moves up a notch in the IP table for its growing practice, and debuts for shipping. Key lawyers include Kai Zee Liew for banking and finance, Marilyn See for capital markets, David Chong for corporate and M&A, and Sarjit Singh Gill, Probin Dass and David Chan for dispute resolution and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Easy to deal with and good professional legal advice given. Able to add value to the transaction and requests.” – Banking and finance
“High level of professionalism and always approachable to provide their advice to our financing structures, sometimes even on a pro bono basis.” – Banking and finance
“Timelines are met, advice is provided in a holistic manner, drafting languages are easy to understand and they are familiar with our company’s processes.” – Banking and finance
“Approachable and efficient turnaround with prompt follow-ups. Transactions are always completed on schedule and lawyers are pre-emptive.” – Banking and finance
“They are always responsive and provide sound and clear advice for execution of the transaction.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive and willing to commit resources.” – Capital markets
“Can be relied upon for quick, solid legal advice, which is sometimes surprisingly hard to come across when dealing with other jurisdictions. In particular, their legal analysis is technically excellent.” – Dispute resolution
“Open, clear, prompt and uses initiative.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Strong insolvency and restructuring track record and team.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Timely and quick responses with good advisory analysis.” – Shipping
Paul Goh
“Responsive, forward thinking and fast.”
Clement Khoo
“Professionalism and always keen to share and advise.”
“Extremely responsive, sound knowledge of the banking sector and structuring transactions, willing to go the extra mile to assist in completion under tight timelines.”
Stanley Lim
“Approachable and always available to give legal advice. Follows up closely on transaction and is always pre-emptive on any potential issues that may arise.”
Moses Lin
“Approachable and available with relevant knowledge.”
Daniel Tan
“Just an excellent all-round lawyer, he is responsive and technically very sound.”
“Quick to respond, understands all relevant issues and deals with them systematically and comprehensively.”
“Driven and provides legally feasible solutions in complex situations.”
Pearlyn Xie
“Responsive, and willing to provide advice and solutions.”
Work highlights
Acted for a Singapore fund manager and trustee in the establishment of a $200 million Singapore standalone private investment unit trust fund.
Advised Lucerne Asset Management on the establishment of an umbrella variable capital company.
Withers KhattarWong is regularly sought out by high-profile private clients and banks for its expertise in financing, dispute resolution, tax and corporate matters. The firm’s funds practice is growing backed by its established tax advisory team. The managing partner Deborah Barker is a key figure. Other lawyers to note include Chenthil Kumarasingam for disputes, Shaun Leong for arbitration, Jonathan Kok for IP and TMT, and Eric Roose for tax.
Work highlights
Acted as Singapore legal counsel to Everstone Capital Asia, a Singapore-based private equity group, in the formation of their highly successful fourth PE fund, Everstone Capital Partners IV.
Key clients
Alto Partners, Green Growth Feeder Fund, MDI Ventures and Finch Capital.
Bird & Bird ATMD upholds its ‘Outstanding’ ranking with a strong intellectual property practice and expertise in the technology and telecommunications sector. Lorraine Tay and Alban Kang are key figures for IP. The firm is also active in capital markets, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, energy and labour and employment. This year it moves up in the energy table, and debuts in the construction and private equity categories. Marcus Chow, Sandra Seah and Beng Chai Tay are the main corporate partners at the firm. Jonathan Choo is a dispute resolution lawyer particularly active in international arbitration and Seow Hui Goh focuses on labour and employment.
Client feedback
“Extremely pragmatic and commercial, excellent attention to detail, but does not belabour legal points unnecessarily.” – Aviation
“Commercially sound while providing solid legal advice and willing to go the extra mile.” – Aviation
“Responsive, practical and commercial-oriented.” – Capital markets
“Proactive and responsible.” – Capital markets
“Responsive with the ability to anticipate and identify potential issues. Has the ability to propose solutions.” – Capital markets
“Fast and logical responses.” – Competition/antitrust
“Highly responsive and can devise value-adding solutions to commercial issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“The firm's legal documents are sophisticated and can capture most legal issues that we need to mitigate or prevent. When there is an issue, they are quick to provide solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Staff are timely, dedicated, professional, responsive and client-oriented.” – Corporate and M&A
“Prompt and completed the work within the schedule.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional and efficient.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very professional, work effectively within time frame.” – Corporate and M&A
“It has comprehensive in-depth knowledge of the energy industry and thus is in position to provide good advice” – Energy
“The partner is helpful and turnaround time is quick. Great service.” – Intellectual property
“They are very responsive and the team has demonstrated in past projects their ability to deliver commercially sensible legal advice at very competitive fee quotes.” – Intellectual property
“Responsive, understands our business and our needs.” – Privacy and data protection
“Fast, reliable and a trusted partner.” – Private equity
“Completed the task promptly.” – Regulatory
Chua Lijun
“Receptive, fast responses and good knowledge of the relevant law and good understanding of the issues.”
Goh Seow Hui
“We value her professionalism, compassion for clients and humility.”
“Seow Hui did an outstanding job of understanding the client's needs. She advised me what was best for the client. She handled the case so swiftly to settle it amicably and moved on. I am impressed by her professionalism to take ownership after [another] lawyer left the firm. She took the responsibility of closing it. I am pleased with her customer service and compassion.”
Jeremy Tan
“Responsive, great attention to detail, he is client and results oriented.”
Jolie Giouw
“Highly responsive, she identifies the key issues quickly and comes out with solutions. We have always been impressed.”
“Excellent service-oriented mindset, has strong commercial acumen and able to advise well on the law.”
“Responsive and experienced. Able to provide prompt and quality advice and solutions.”
Lawrence Wong
“Communicates well to solve all the requirements requested by the SGX in Singapore.”
Leo Fattorini
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly. With counterparts he comes across very well without compromising our position.”
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly.”
“He has industry-wide knowledge of the Asian region, and is commercially savvy when it comes to negotiating with external parties.”
“Fast turnaround time and knowledgeable.”
Marcus Chow
“Marcus is knowledgeable in early-stage transactions and he is always available to the team to provide an opinion.”
“He is very smart and has extensive knowledge in venture capital investment as well as M&A.”
“Listens to what the client wants, and provides accurate suggestions and solutions.”
“Responsive, responsible and is able to communicate effectively with people of all levels.”
“Very commercial and good understanding of the client's needs.”
“Responsive, has ability to propose innovative solutions, and has good client relationship management.”
“Provides in-depth knowledge and advice to the board, resolving issues with advance steps taken.”
“Marcus was very responsive and can be depended on to deliver sound pragmatic advice, even outside of regular office hours. He is also quick to understand the commercial issues at hand, and propose solutions to address these issues.”
Sandrea Seah
“Very helpful and exhibits very good in-depth industrial knowledge. Gives very sound advice.”
“Professional, good listener, understands issues quickly and timely in responses.”
Work highlights
Representing a marketing solutions company, its Singapore subsidiary and its director in defending a High Court suit brought by an ex-contractor alleging multiple complex claims for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, breach of fiduciary duties and conspiracy.
Advising a multinational payments company in an employee investigation following whistle-blower allegations.
Representing an international school located in Singapore in an unfair dismissal claim by former faculty staff.
Successfully represented a major liquefied natural gas company in Singapore and its former employee in defending wrongful dismissal and conspiracy claims brought by a former commodities trader.
CMS Holborn Asia houses a number of renowned specialist lawyers, such as construction experts Kelvin Aw and Lynette Chew, employment director Lakshanthi Fernando, as well as IP and TMT-focused Sheena Jacob. The firm is particularly known for its sector focus across technology, healthcare, life science, media, consumer goods and services and infrastructure. The firm climbs up a notch in the banking and finance table this year, reaping the benefits from having seasoned partner Daniel Tan join from Clifford Chance two years earlier. The disputes team welcomed partner Jonathan Warne from CMS London last summer.
Client feedback
“Excellent transaction management with a strong understanding of projects and finance.” – Banking and finance
“Extremely effective advocates, very well prepared and commercially sensible.” – Dispute resolution
“CMS partners in the construction and engineering dispute resolution practice are leading domain experts and highly skilled in all aspects of preparation for arbitrations, especially in the engagement with and instruction of independent experts.” – Dispute resolution
“Responsive and thorough in their advice.” – Energy
Kelvin Aw
“He is thoughtful about a client's case and anticipates upcoming risks in each case. Provides a clear case strategy from start to finish. Always gets it right on the key issues.”
Asya Jamaludin
“Very well prepared, excellent advocate.”
Marc Rathborne
“Very communicative, good depth of knowledge in the subject area, able to provide insight on regulatory issues as well as nuanced opinions on how these contracts and regulations will affect our business. Provided thoughtful advice. Very responsive.”
Daniel Tan
“Very knowledgeable and client-focused.”
Work highlights
Advised a Singapore-headquartered global pharmaceutical company on the strategic development and implementation of a restructuring of its domestic operations, including a retrenchment exercise affecting over 80% of its workforce.
Assisted a global steel and technology group on employment law requirements across all its key markets across the Asia-Pacific region.
Represented an oil and gas conglomerate in claims against several former employees for breach of restrictive covenants, including joining a competitor, the disclosure of confidential information and attempting to solicit clients and customers in breach of their employment terms.
CNPLaw, formerly known as Colin Ng & Partners, is active in all major practice areas including banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, investment funds and private equity. The firm has experience in advising companies in the real estate and technology and telecommunication sectors, particularly active in blockchain and cryptocurrency. This year, the firm moves up a rank in the construction and regulatory tables. The M&A team closed four takeovers in the past year and the corporate team has established a niche practice advising companies in high-growth, emerging markets like Myanmar, Indo-China and the Philippines. Min-Li Tan, Subramanian Pillai, Pradeep Singh, Lisa Theng and Bill Jamieson are key contacts.
Work highlights
Assisted a Hong Kong and US-based fund management group on the transfer of employment of its chief operating officer and chief technology officer from the client’s Hong Kong subsidiary to its subsidiary in Singapore.
IRB Law has six dedicated labour and employment lawyers acting for both employers and employees. It covers a wide range of employment matters from unfair dismissal, non-payment of correct salary, discrimination and breach of contract. Mohamed Baiross and Muntaz Zainuddin are key figures at the firm.
Client feedback
“Ability to keep the legal fees within the budgeted amount. Ability to keep put up a strong defence and reduced the number of charges brought against me to a large extent. Quoted relevant case law to defend my position.” – Labour and employment
Work highlights
Advised a client on his rights and how to change the situation to redundancy or mutual separation from termination or forced resignation.
Mayer Brown PK Wong & Nair is known for its expertise in dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, and corporate and commercial law. It climbs up a tier in dispute resolution ranking this year and its corporate practice makes its debut. The team has a wealth of experience in a broad range of commercial disputes arising out of breaches of securities regulations, commodity trading disputes, insolvency, employment and contractual disputes and estate claims. Seasoned litigator Suresh Nair is the main disputes partner, while Mark Wong heads up the corporate division. Bryan Tan is an emerging name to note. Associate director Andrea Tan left for an in-house role at Expedia last spring.
At the beginning of 2023, PK Wong & Nair entered into a joint law venture with international firm Mayer Brown. This entity can provide clients with integrated and seamless advice on international and Singapore law. Local litigation is provided through PK Wong & Nair.
Client feedback
“Very quick responses, practical advice, very responsive and solid team.” – Dispute resolution
“They work well within the team and with the client. Well prepared with points and documents.” – Dispute resolution
“Client-focused, quality advice, practical, cost-effective” – Labour and employment
“Accessible and responds promptly.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“I have a well-established working relationship with Suresh Nair. This firm would be my first stop because they are hungry, excellent at what they do and always on top of their game.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Efficient and proactive. They understand regulatory requirements well. Lawyers are good at listening and providing alternatives.” – Restructuring and insolvency
Suresh Nair
“Phenomenal legal ability.”
“Accessible and responds promptly.”
“He is among the best insolvency practitioners in Singapore. An exceptional advocate, he is razor-sharp and precise, and provides timely and practical advice in the most personable way possible.”
“Positive, proactive and very competent.”
Work highlights
Defending Three Fins against a claim for alleged wrongful termination and alleged breach of employment agreement made by a former employee.
Representing ID21 against an ex-employee over alleged unlawful transfers of confidential and commercially sensitive files belonging to the client.
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Successfully acted for Prudential Assurance Company Singapore in an $8 million High Court suit against its former group financial service director and a company owned by said director.
Represented the Singaporean and Malaysian headquarters of a top 50 Fortune 500 company against a former country director who had wrongfully exfiltrated nearly 1,400 pages of highly confidential documents, financial information and business plans.
TSMP Law Corporation is especially well known for its work in corporate and M&A and dispute resolution. The firm also specialises in corporate real estate financing, in particular, in land acquisition financing and land development financing. This year the firm climbs up a notch in the rankings for competition, IP and private equity. The firm not only acts for various major corporations and financial institutions but also is frequently sought out by different regulatory bodies. Senior counsel Shen Yi Thio, corporate lawyer Stefanie Yuen Thio, construction specialists Melvin Chan and Derek Loh and labour expert Ian Lim are key figures at the firm. Jennifer Chia is another name to note for banking and finance.
Client feedback
“Professional, efficient, highly conversant and familiar with the bank's requirements.” – Banking and finance
“Familiarity and expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They are very responsive, and always meet the tight timelines.” – Banking and finance
“TSMP has been on our bank’s panel of advising lawyers for close to 10 years, and over the years has built up a good work relation with us for daily legal work on bilateral loan and security documents, registration of charges, structuring of facilities, etc.” – Banking and finance
“Solid advice, highly diligent and reliable.” – Corporate and M&A
“Cost-efficient, client-focused and on time.” – Corporate and M&A
“They are experienced, well-connected and well-versed in the capital markets. In addition, they have adequate resources to ensure the work can be completed on a timely basis.” – Corporate and M&A
“Can-do attitude with very business-friendly advice. Was able to respond well to tight timelines and stressful negotiations. Valued attributes include thinking out of the box, innovative ideas with the commercial end in mind.” – Corporate and M&A
“Capable, positive and timely.” – Dispute resolution
“Attention to detail, responsive and creative approach.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and able to work under tight timeline.” – Real estate
“Practical and solutions-oriented.” – Real estate
“Provided concise and to-the-point advice on investment structure, conducted legal due diligence of the Singapore entity, reviewed transaction documents and advised on the relevant financial and investment regulations. TSMP timely reviewed and analysed the legal risks involved in the deal by leveraging deep insight and expertise in the industry.” – Real estate
Melvin Chan
“Keen listener with expert problem-solving skills.”
Jennifer Chia
“She is experienced, to the point and responsive. Relieved to work with a lawyer of high-level quality.”
“Very responsive and enthusiastic.”
“Practical and solutions-oriented.”
“Highly professional, helpful, approachable and knowledgeable.”
“She is responsive, knowledgeable and able to come out with solutions to help my organisation.”
“Very responsive, flexible and friendly. She gives us creative solutions.”
“Over the years Jennifer has developed very good day-to-day work relations with our officers in the documentation department. She has rendered us much-valued guidance in drafting and structuring of our loan and security documents.”
“Very practical advice which we appreciate, she has unique insights into labour regulations.”
Kelvin Koh
“He is analytical, practical, strong in legal knowledge and able to explain complex issues simply.”
Derek Loh
“Strong capabilities and communications.”
Stefanie Yuen Thio
“Excellent communications and duty of care.”
“She is very communicative and explains the pro and cons and recommendations in a clear manner. She gives business-friendly legal advice.”
“Excellent client management and understands client concerns; proposes good solutions for dealing with risks.”
Work highlights
Advised Teho International and Teho Water & Envirotec on its claims against its former managing director.
Represented Intertek Group in its dispute over a non-compete obligation against the former head of its cargo operations department.
Key clients
Accor, BCD Travel, DHL, IBM, Kraft Heinz, Samsonite, Seagate.
Withers KhattarWong is regularly sought out by high-profile private clients and banks for its expertise in financing, dispute resolution, tax and corporate matters. The firm’s funds practice is growing backed by its established tax advisory team. The managing partner Deborah Barker is a key figure. Other lawyers to note include Chenthil Kumarasingam for disputes, Shaun Leong for arbitration, Jonathan Kok for IP and TMT, and Eric Roose for tax.
Work highlights
Represented two clients in going up against their former employer over claims of breaches of confidentiality and conversion, which the company claims triggered an exodus of its clients.
Key clients
Access Communications, Seriously Keto, Toko Alpha, Triumph Art Ventures, Zipmex Group
Bird & Bird ATMD upholds its ‘Outstanding’ ranking with a strong intellectual property practice and expertise in the technology and telecommunications sector. Lorraine Tay and Alban Kang are key figures for IP. The firm is also active in capital markets, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, energy and labour and employment. This year it moves up in the energy table, and debuts in the construction and private equity categories. Marcus Chow, Sandra Seah and Beng Chai Tay are the main corporate partners at the firm. Jonathan Choo is a dispute resolution lawyer particularly active in international arbitration and Seow Hui Goh focuses on labour and employment.
Client feedback
“Extremely pragmatic and commercial, excellent attention to detail, but does not belabour legal points unnecessarily.” – Aviation
“Commercially sound while providing solid legal advice and willing to go the extra mile.” – Aviation
“Responsive, practical and commercial-oriented.” – Capital markets
“Proactive and responsible.” – Capital markets
“Responsive with the ability to anticipate and identify potential issues. Has the ability to propose solutions.” – Capital markets
“Fast and logical responses.” – Competition/antitrust
“Highly responsive and can devise value-adding solutions to commercial issues.” – Corporate and M&A
“The firm's legal documents are sophisticated and can capture most legal issues that we need to mitigate or prevent. When there is an issue, they are quick to provide solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Staff are timely, dedicated, professional, responsive and client-oriented.” – Corporate and M&A
“Prompt and completed the work within the schedule.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional and efficient.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very professional, work effectively within time frame.” – Corporate and M&A
“It has comprehensive in-depth knowledge of the energy industry and thus is in position to provide good advice” – Energy
“The partner is helpful and turnaround time is quick. Great service.” – Intellectual property
“They are very responsive and the team has demonstrated in past projects their ability to deliver commercially sensible legal advice at very competitive fee quotes.” – Intellectual property
“Responsive, understands our business and our needs.” – Privacy and data protection
“Fast, reliable and a trusted partner.” – Private equity
“Completed the task promptly.” – Regulatory
Chua Lijun
“Receptive, fast responses and good knowledge of the relevant law and good understanding of the issues.”
Goh Seow Hui
“We value her professionalism, compassion for clients and humility.”
“Seow Hui did an outstanding job of understanding the client's needs. She advised me what was best for the client. She handled the case so swiftly to settle it amicably and moved on. I am impressed by her professionalism to take ownership after [another] lawyer left the firm. She took the responsibility of closing it. I am pleased with her customer service and compassion.”
Jeremy Tan
“Responsive, great attention to detail, he is client and results oriented.”
Jolie Giouw
“Highly responsive, she identifies the key issues quickly and comes out with solutions. We have always been impressed.”
“Excellent service-oriented mindset, has strong commercial acumen and able to advise well on the law.”
“Responsive and experienced. Able to provide prompt and quality advice and solutions.”
Lawrence Wong
“Communicates well to solve all the requirements requested by the SGX in Singapore.”
Leo Fattorini
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly. With counterparts he comes across very well without compromising our position.”
“Leo is responsive, accessible and user-friendly.”
“He has industry-wide knowledge of the Asian region, and is commercially savvy when it comes to negotiating with external parties.”
“Fast turnaround time and knowledgeable.”
Marcus Chow
“Marcus is knowledgeable in early-stage transactions and he is always available to the team to provide an opinion.”
“He is very smart and has extensive knowledge in venture capital investment as well as M&A.”
“Listens to what the client wants, and provides accurate suggestions and solutions.”
“Responsive, responsible and is able to communicate effectively with people of all levels.”
“Very commercial and good understanding of the client's needs.”
“Responsive, has ability to propose innovative solutions, and has good client relationship management.”
“Provides in-depth knowledge and advice to the board, resolving issues with advance steps taken.”
“Marcus was very responsive and can be depended on to deliver sound pragmatic advice, even outside of regular office hours. He is also quick to understand the commercial issues at hand, and propose solutions to address these issues.”
Sandrea Seah
“Very helpful and exhibits very good in-depth industrial knowledge. Gives very sound advice.”
“Professional, good listener, understands issues quickly and timely in responses.”
Work highlights
Acted for Woowa Brothers’ SAFE investment into a Malaysian e-commerce company.
Advised AIZEN Asia Pacific on its Series B investment round.
Key clients
Altair ASEAN Fund, PI Opportunities Fund, United Overseas Bank, Vulcan Capital Singapore Management
CNPLaw, formerly known as Colin Ng & Partners, is active in all major practice areas including banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, investment funds and private equity. The firm has experience in advising companies in the real estate and technology and telecommunication sectors, particularly active in blockchain and cryptocurrency. This year, the firm moves up a rank in the construction and regulatory tables. The M&A team closed four takeovers in the past year and the corporate team has established a niche practice advising companies in high-growth, emerging markets like Myanmar, Indo-China and the Philippines. Min-Li Tan, Subramanian Pillai, Pradeep Singh, Lisa Theng and Bill Jamieson are key contacts.
Work highlights
Advised a global private equity investment firm in its participation as an investor with other major investors in a debt financing round.
Acted for a Singapore digital ledgers technology company in its Series B fundraising round.
Collyer Law is a boutique Singapore law firm founded by veteran corporate lawyers with a particular focus on representing emerging growth companies and the innovation economy. It has developed sector-focused groups such as fintech, life sciences and health tech, e-commerce, digital media and sharing economy. The firm is led by managing director Azmul Haque and director Vincent Bu.
Work highlights
Advised New Quest Advisors in relation to the $75 million Series C fundraising of KrazyBee.
Acted for Avendus on its Series C investment in Zeta Investments Holdings.
Represented ShopUp on its $75 million Series B financing round.
Advised Flipkart on an investment in Goat Brand Labs.
As one of Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms, Drew & Napier possesses a diverse roster of lawyers offering an extensive range of legal services in Singapore and across the region. The firm remains a dispute resolution powerhouse with a deep bench of top advocates including Jimmy Yim and Cavinder Bull. Disputes and insolvency lawyer Siraj Omar, construction specialist Christopher Chong and elite tax practitioner Ong Sim Ho further reinforce the team. Other key names to note include Pauline Chong for finance, Chong Kin Lim for competition and technology, Steven Lo for corporate and M&A, Tony Yeo for IP, and Sushil Nair and Blossom Hing for restructuring and insolvency. Consultant Gary Pryke is another well-known practitioner in the corporate and finance space. The firm welcomed banking specialist May Ng from Rajah & Tann recently.
Client feedback
“Highly professional, responsive and approachable.” – Banking and finance
“They understand the concerns, are responsive and provide solutions.” – Banking and finance
“Always focused on protecting its client's interests.” – Banking and finance
“I appreciate their knowledge of the matter and prompt actions.” – Capital markets
“DN has strong, in-depth knowledge of competition law and is able to provide practical advice in a timely manner.” – Competition/antitrust
“Profound expertise, swift responses, and regularly updates clients through newsletters.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive and business-pragmatic. Makes effort to understand the client's requirements. Reasonable fees charged for work.” – Construction
“Knowledgeable, professional and supportive of small businesses.” – Corporate and M&A
“The team is capable of looking beyond the legal aspects and putting into the perspectives of the different stakeholders. They provided value-added service and are indeed great partners for business owners.” – Corporate and M&A
“Responsive, quick and commercially minded.” – Corporate and M&A
“I liked their flexibility while providing good coverage on the necessary work for this deal.” – Corporate and M&A
“Communication and ability to distil facts into easy to understand terms. They are also very good at highlighting the possible issues with the transaction.” – Corporate and M&A
“Sound in legal knowledge and able to provide alternative solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very detailed analysis of the law. Very prompt advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Deep legal expertise coupled with pragmatism.” – Dispute resolution
“Took the additional effort to understand the case, including the case notes, did a walkthrough of the cause of the matter, looked out for the true cause of the matter before forming their own conclusions prior to advising on the appropriate steps to take.” – Dispute resolution
“First and foremost, they advise you if it makes sense to fight or not to fight. As per Sun Tzu, that's the most important and fundamental question. Drew doesn't shy away from a fight to maximise value for the client but they are also very mindful if it makes sense to fight to begin with! They then ask you what you want to achieve and give you good counsel in a clear and transparent way. As a busy CEO, this is exactly what I need, and Drew does this very well.” – Dispute resolution
“Very collaborative. Sharp thinkers who understand the issues, even when they are new areas.” – Dispute resolution
“Quick to respond, thoughtful legal work and diligent” – Dispute resolution
“They have sound industry knowledge and expertise in handling arbitration under SIAC rules. They can provide quick and practical solutions for commercial disputes. Two lawyers, Mahesh Rai and Don Loo exhibit excellent legal acumen.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a completely hands-on approach to matters.” – Dispute resolution
“They’re all excellent, promptly engaging legal advice at all times. They are all brilliant lawyers.” – Dispute resolution
“Without doubt, the best litigation outfit in Singapore. Timely, reasoned, commercial and effective.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier were very proactive and responsive. They were able to foresee the plaintiff's arguments and prevent them.” – Dispute resolution
“They make robust argument and provide effective litigation strategies.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier has come up with a very creative solution in respect of entering documents into evidence, by knowing well the procedure of the proceeding.” – Dispute resolution
“It is commercially savvy and understanding of client needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Practical and concise legal advice was rendered.” – Dispute resolution
“I like all these: responsiveness, access to partners and commerciality of the advice.” – Dispute resolution
“They are very focused and committed. From day one they created a clear strategy which led us to win our case against the claimants. The team members involved have taken accountability. The deliverables during ongoing arbitration were outstanding.” – Dispute resolution
“We had a complex and difficult claim that required attention to detail and clever advocacy. Blossom's team was able to combine the disparate facts into a coherent claim that allowed us to achieve our aims against the defendant.” – Dispute resolution
“Excellence in advocacy, excellence in knowledge of law, practical advice, timeliness, responsiveness, commercial sensitivity. Most impressive aspect is their ability to work around our confidentiality and commercial concerns.” – Dispute resolution
“They are responsive and their advice is well thought out, succinct and clearly backed by years of experience in litigation. They are also happy to accept feedback and consider the legal opinions of their clients' in-house teams.” – Dispute resolution
“Experienced, strategic and responsive” – Dispute resolution
“Their experience, customer service and legal expertise are exceptional. They have the ability to lead with the local lawyers and the clients. The legal advice they have provided is practical and tailored for the specific legal disputes. They work tirelessly for any urgent matters without hesitating a bit, even if it takes the entire night. Despite the differences between the two jurisdictions, their cooperation on the matters has been top-notch. We have learnt so much from them in terms of their knowledge, practice, attitude, management, leadership, professionalism and customer service skills.” – Dispute resolution
“Strategic in solving the key issues and meticulous on detail.” – Dispute resolution
“The partner and team are very knowledgeable, working in a very detailed and precise manner. They have a strong understanding of the law and how to apply it. Great team.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier is very meticulous, and even minor emails are professionally written, well structured, and well thought out. They also learn fast, and quickly accumulated domain knowledge regarding the blockchain industry where we operate, and adjacent fields of law such as US securities law as applied to blockchain disputes. They are also extremely responsive, replying on urgent messages even at 11pm.” – Dispute resolution
“We appreciate its commerciality and technical analysis.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and timely advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Wide areas of expertise and prompt advice.” – Energy
“Great detailed analysis and recommendation on appropriate and specific course of action.” – Insurance
“They are good with technical advice.” – Insurance
“They do a good job at looking at things from the client's perspective, and are able to find commercial solutions for risks they identify.” – Insurance
“Siau Wen Lim and Xuan Lang Teo from Drew & Napier represented us and have acted professionally to assist to resolve trademark issues with Starbucks. Their expertise in IP field is highly commendable and eventually the issue has been resolved with a positive outcome.” – Intellectual property
“They take the time to understand the business challenges and try to work on practical solutions.” – Intellectual property
“Very prompt.” – Intellectual property
“Advice is technically sound and well-considered.” – Intellectual property
“Lawyers have a good knowledge of Singapore law and are responsive.” – Investment funds
“Prompt, thorough and responsive.” – Labour and employment
“Their IT legal team has deep knowledge and rich experience. Very responsive even on the weekend when our business is running. Very client-oriented.” – Privacy and data protection
“Superior staff who provide considered advice and diligent execution.” – Private client
“The firm was able to comprehend the complexity of a first-of-its-kind strategy from a fund manager's perspective and comes up with an innovative solution.” – Private equity
“Good at the completion of transactions despite the tight timeline.” – Real estate
“They are easily approachable. They explain matters easily and guide us. They are not typically commercial, they fully understand client issues and look at everything holistically before coming out with any suggestions.” – Regulatory
“Drew partners are highly competent, responsive and provide commercially sensible advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Deep experience.” – Tax
“Experienced lawyers who know the ITBR requirement and advise clients on the appeal strategy and provide practical advice on the approach to the appeal. Legal submissions are well prepared and clear and concise. They value the relationship with clients.” – Tax
“Drew & Napier's team, and Chong Kin Lim in particular, are deep experts in the tech and telecom space. They provide crisp guidance that we can share rapidly with our internal business clients. They also proactively monitor the horizon, and they let us know in advance about legal/regulatory developments that may impact us. Finally, they are fantastically responsive and literally never late in getting us the information we request.” – Technology and telecommunications
David Alfred
“He is very knowledgeable, prompt, able to offer solutions, understands business concerns, practical, and has a good network with regulators.”
Cavinder Bull
“An outstanding lawyer; thorough understanding of client's needs.”
Ron Cheng
“Knowledgeable and able to understand and meet the client's needs.”
“Ron has been extremely meticulous when it comes to his work. He ensures that he covers all angles and risks that the fund may encounter locally or abroad. Ron is able to understand complex problems and comes up with innovative solutions and structure.”
Corinne Chew
“Corinne is always willing to help and provides thoughtful advice in a timely manner.”
“Profound legal knowledge with excellent communication skills”
Voon Jiet Chia
“Voon Jiet is highly competent, responsive and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Desmond Chng
“He is very responsive, and good at giving a quick (often immediate) indication of what the solution to a problem might be, and whether or not it actually warrants detailed research or formal legal advice. This is very much appreciated from a client's point of view.”
Andrew Chua
“He is attentive and responsive, able to relate to the case and provide insights and share best practices, and at the same time highlight potential issues or ideas from past cases and experiences.”
Benjamin Gaw
“Knowledgeable, professional, available, has a positive attitude and is attentive to client's needs.”
Blossom Hing
“She has a good team and allows her team to take the lead with client communication at the right time while also stepping in when necessary. She asks the right questions to elicit the necessary information from the client.”
“Blossom is an outstanding litigation and arbitration partner. Blossom is creative and very strategic in her thinking and tactics - based on her vast experience of litigation and arbitration. Blossom has done a great job in building a team to support her.”
“My ’go to’ contact is Blossom Hing, who is one of the most experienced and accomplished litigation and arbitration partners in Singapore. Blossom heads a great team that is growing in experience and competence.”
Soo Lih Ho
“Approachable.”
Seraphina Ho
“Efficient.”
Rakesh Kirpalani
“Rakesh is clear in his counsel and incredibly responsive.”
“He helps our company to handle our legal issues and we are satisfied with his work.”
“He possesses a strong spirit to win for the client. He has a client-centric approach and is an expert at IT and data security.”
Meryl Koh
“Highly responsive and takes a keen interest to know the client's business and challenges faced. She has a can-do attitude and willing to go the extra mile for the client. Does not discriminate client based on fee earned.”
“Thorough, empathetic and forward-looking.”
Samuel Koh
“Very responsive. A critical thinker who challenges outcomes to ensure they are robust.”
Man Er Kong
“Kong is qualified and brilliant at what she does. Very reliable and flexible. In terms of advocacy skills, Kong is astonishing. Kong is very patient towards the clients and has the deep understanding of the law. Further, Kong respects the time and is responsive. Case management is top-notch as well. We have obtained grand knowledge when we discuss the interpretation and the conflicts of law.”
“Intelligent, sharp, efficient and effective.”
Julian Kwek
“Problem solver and provides practical solutions.”
Keith Lam
“Keith is professional and responsive.”
Sok Hiang Lau
“She is proactive and provides solutions to difficult issues.”
“Lau Sok Hiang is a very careful and meticulous lawyer. She very much stressed getting the documents right, in the sense that it will not invite queries or challenges.”
Chong Kin Lim
“Prompt, knowledgeable and responsive.”
“He has incredible relationships in his peer network. Deep expertise and incredibly responsive.”
Shumin Lin
“Very knowledgeable in the areas that she practises and provides very clear and detailed analysis of the law.”
“Has a quick grasp of issues. Keen attention to detail without losing sight of the broad strategy.”
Adam Maniam
“Adam's approach is extremely customer-oriented, he takes the initiative to take a crash-course on the customer's industry in order to come up with creative solutions. He's sharp and straightforward.”
“He is D&N personified. Altogether exceptional in terms of service, advocacy, attention to client's concerns and knowledge of the law. He’s a brilliant lawyer. In my opinion better than some senior counsel.”
“My opinion of the firm has been formed by Adam and his mentor.”
“Appreciate his knowledge, adherence to timelines, and that he understands the sensitivity of the matter.”
Pei Tong Ng
“Ability to share a holistic view on the situation and advise accordingly and to the needs of the client.”
Sim Ho Ong
“Very familiar with IRAS.”
Mahesh Rai
“Mahesh possesses excellent legal acumen. This coupled with his sound industry knowledge helps him deliver quick and practical legal advice. Mahesh communicates well and is friendly in nature.”
“He has a complete knowledge of the field and goes all out to understand the nuances of the business.”
“Both from a personal and professional point of view, I found Mahesh to be someone impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, is able to listen well, and is very good in communication, as I often saw him carrying himself so well in the court or in any kind of joint discussions. He provides me as a client with great consideration, tending to the needs of my case in the best way. Mahesh also always comes up with great strategy, showing his creativity as a veteran lawyer.”
“Mahesh is a very hands-on partner, has a close grasp of all the strategic issues and drills down into factual issues. He has a very commercial, practical mindset and is always ready to offer a recommendation and not just a set of options, and a practical recommendation that addresses both legal and broader strategic concerns. He is also clearly a strong mentor because we have been impressed even by the juniors on his team, when Mahesh is not present.”
Teng Sen Tan
“Teng Sen is a seasoned corporate lawyer and provides value-added services to the business owner. He's adept at corporate financing works and compliance matters and is a great partner for us.”
“Very experienced corporate partner who is commercially minded. He gives practical advice.”
“Excellent legal knowledge and communications.”
Allister Tan
“Brilliant lawyer and eager to help always.”
“Very knowledgeable, communicates well to ensure client understands the specifics of the issues. Guides client to the most rationale decision.”
“Fast and sound technical advice.”
“Commercial nous.”
Evelyn Tan
“Well-versed with contract law and court processes, meticulous and pays attention to detail.”
Benedict Teo
“Commercially savvy and he puts clients’ interests first.”
“Ben is extremely responsive and very experienced. I have appreciated his sound legal advice, and sharp legal acumen in handling the cases on our behalf. I also appreciate that he makes himself available to speak to the business representatives when needed.”
“Benedict is experienced and provides good strategic advice. His team provides good, detailed work and manages timelines well. Much to recommend, not much to criticise.”
“Responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure client's requirements are met fully.”
“He is a very experienced trusted adviser and sounding board. He is commercial, responsive, insightful, and he really knows the market and knows his stuff.”
Xuan Lang Teo
“Xuan Lang has been efficient in handling our case and always provides valuable alternative options for our consideration. This is helpful as it leaves no stone unturned, which may increase the probability to succeed in the proceedings.”
“Xuan Lang is extremely sharp and thorough. He is able to distil the key issues in a dispute to achieve the most efficient and favourable outcomes for us. He has deep foresight while bearing in mind commercial realities and practical considerations. All advice from him is extremely well-thought-out and backed up by firm legal foundations. An expert in IP law, he is able to explain and argue complicated legal concepts with clarity and punch.”
Shi Yong Yang
“Provides timely responses and to-the-point advice.”
“He listens to the client and approaches the solution holistically.”
Jonathan Yap
“Jonathan is a hard-working attorney focused on delivering quality work and superior results. He has great communication skills and ensures that his clients remain happy with his services.”
Tony Yeo
“Very prompt and understanding.”
Jimmy Yim
“He is efficient, eloquent and communicates well. He is also knowledgeable and responsive.”
“Jimmy Yim is well known in Singapore and an excellent lawyer with a strong personality. He was able to turn around a case we had lost and win the case for our company.”
“Jimmy Yim was efficient, eloquent and understood the issues well. Very good courtroom manner and pleasant to deal with.”
Work highlights
Acted for Square Peg Capital and SEEK Growth Nominees in their investments as lead investors in Singapore-based edtech firm Cialfo’s Series B funding round.
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Acted for Provident Capital on its $359 million investment into Animoca Brands.
Advised Temasek Holdings on its Series C investment into eFishery.
Key clients
Baring PE Asia Fund, Saison International, Float Private, Trust IQ
Shook Lin & Bok works with an impressive roster of clients, including major banks, multinational corporations and private equity investors, on large transactions locally and across the region. The firm is highly active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. It is also skilled in advising on real estate finance, particularly on the lender side. This year the firm moves up a notch in the IP table for its growing practice, and debuts for shipping. Key lawyers include Kai Zee Liew for banking and finance, Marilyn See for capital markets, David Chong for corporate and M&A, and Sarjit Singh Gill, Probin Dass and David Chan for dispute resolution and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Easy to deal with and good professional legal advice given. Able to add value to the transaction and requests.” – Banking and finance
“High level of professionalism and always approachable to provide their advice to our financing structures, sometimes even on a pro bono basis.” – Banking and finance
“Timelines are met, advice is provided in a holistic manner, drafting languages are easy to understand and they are familiar with our company’s processes.” – Banking and finance
“Approachable and efficient turnaround with prompt follow-ups. Transactions are always completed on schedule and lawyers are pre-emptive.” – Banking and finance
“They are always responsive and provide sound and clear advice for execution of the transaction.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive and willing to commit resources.” – Capital markets
“Can be relied upon for quick, solid legal advice, which is sometimes surprisingly hard to come across when dealing with other jurisdictions. In particular, their legal analysis is technically excellent.” – Dispute resolution
“Open, clear, prompt and uses initiative.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Strong insolvency and restructuring track record and team.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Timely and quick responses with good advisory analysis.” – Shipping
Paul Goh
“Responsive, forward thinking and fast.”
Clement Khoo
“Professionalism and always keen to share and advise.”
“Extremely responsive, sound knowledge of the banking sector and structuring transactions, willing to go the extra mile to assist in completion under tight timelines.”
Stanley Lim
“Approachable and always available to give legal advice. Follows up closely on transaction and is always pre-emptive on any potential issues that may arise.”
Moses Lin
“Approachable and available with relevant knowledge.”
Daniel Tan
“Just an excellent all-round lawyer, he is responsive and technically very sound.”
“Quick to respond, understands all relevant issues and deals with them systematically and comprehensively.”
“Driven and provides legally feasible solutions in complex situations.”
Pearlyn Xie
“Responsive, and willing to provide advice and solutions.”
Work highlights
Assisted Insignia Ventures Partners on its subscription into smart access solutions company, Igloohome, for preference shares in its capital.
Advised Digital Collectibles on its investment into Rario led by Dream Sports.
Represented Medici on its Series A funding round.
TLB focuses on commercial and corporate transactions, capital markets and corporate reorganisations involving both private and public companies, non-profit organisations and entrepreneurs. Due to the founder’s long track record of experience as an in-house counsel at a telecoms company, the firm has deep expertise in the telecommunications industry. Clients seek the team out for advice on the financial and emerging technologies area, as the lawyers are well versed in blockchain technologies and crypto-tokens, as well as related services and the attendant legal and regulatory implications. Its clients range from founders of layer-1 or 2 public blockchains, non-profit token foundations, dApps, DAOs, web 3 companies, private investment funds and crypto-exchanges to centralised and decentralised financial intermediaries. Philippe Taverne and Mathilde Broustau are key contacts. They are qualified to practice Singapore, French and UK law.
Client feedback
“TLB is committed to best serving its customers and helping them with the legal domain. They go the extra mile to help, which is really appreciated.” – Corporate and M&A
Mathilde Broustau
“Mathilde has a particularly developed sense of listening, which helps to quickly translate and establish a legal framework in accordance with the laws in force. I can only recommend their services.”
Work highlights
Advised Evosverse, Polemos Labs and Handprint Tech on their individual fundraisings.
Acted for Ameex Mobile Exchange on its investment into Cryptorefills.
A formidable market leader in the full gamut of corporate and finance matters, WongPartnership comprises more than 300 lawyers in eight global cities. It offers extensive experience in handling high-stakes structured finance, M&A, funds, private equity, project finance and syndicated loans. The firm also has plentiful expertise on big-ticket domestic and cross-border disputes involving corporate, construction, insolvency and regulatory matters. Key lawyers include Susan Wong for banking and finance, Ameera Ashraf for competition, Christopher Chuah for construction, Andrew Ang and Wai King Ng for corporate and M&A and private equity, and Manoj Pillay Sandrasegara for restructuring and insolvency. In addition, Chung Nian Lam, Kah Keong Low, Jenny Tsin and Dorothy Marie Ng are regarded for their work in IP, investment funds, employment and real estate, respectively. The disputes team was bolstered by the arrival of partners Alessa Pang from Rajah & Tann and Monisha Cheong from TSMP Law Corporation. Restructuring and insolvency specialist Lawrence Foo left for an in-house post at Abaxx Exchange.
Client feedback
“Technically very sound and reliable lawyers who provide practical advice.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive, thorough and good understanding of our business.” – Banking and finance
“They are extremely detailed and meticulous. They will even provide advice for an issue that is not squarely within their scope of engagement if they deem that it is necessary for completeness of advice.” – Capital markets
“Very good network of lawyers especially across the southeast Asian region that can provide responses and on-the-ground advice; very capable and responsive team led by Jia Hui and Ameera.” – Competition/antitrust
“Very hands-on, commercial and speedy.” – Competition/antitrust
“Commercial, prompt and involved.” – Corporate and M&A
“Innovative in structuring; always seeking to tailor solutions to suit the client's objectives.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional, thorough and with high attention to detail.” – Corporate and M&A
“Practical and effective legal advice.” – Dispute resolution
“WongPartnership delivers client-friendly and high-quality legal services. They are responsive in addressing client queries. We arrived at satisfactory resolutions for the matters WongPartnership assisted us with.” – Dispute resolution
“Good analysis of the matter, and they gave us clear advice on the possibilities of success of the matter.” – Dispute resolution
“The WongP team has displayed both breadth and depth of legal expertise in the matters involving cross-border disputes, and their service and legal advice had been extremely valuable because they were our main counsel and helped to coordinate with our legal teams in BVI and China for parallel proceedings in the other jurisdictions. In addition, the team is very client-centric and responsive, they were able to respond to time-sensitive developments in the case within the day and give us legal directions on the next steps. We developed a very positive and synergistic relationship with the WongP legal team through the course of two years working with them.” – Dispute resolution
“Great strength in depth across the team.” – Dispute resolution
“Responsive and supportive of clients, and technically strong, well-researched litigation and strategic advice. Clearly experienced dispute resolution and litigation partners who worked with us. Communicates effectively, although on occasion can be quite formal and academic.” – Dispute resolution
“Technically excellent lawyers who are extremely responsive. Deep bench strength as well, with a talented group of senior associates and junior partners coming up the ranks.” – Dispute resolution
“Very client-focused and extremely responsive. Plus, they have some very smart lawyers!” – Dispute resolution
“An extremely intelligent and driven team.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and well-prepared, very knowledgeable and direct.” – Energy
“They are responsive, clear and practical.” – Intellectual property
“Excellent knowledge of the entire southeast Asian region. Very responsive.” – Intellectual property
“Practical guidance with business-oriented advice.” – Intellectual property
“They are the most professional firm we've worked with, very competitive and competent. Lam Chung Nian is the senior partner in charge, he will always take time to personally respond to us.” – Intellectual property
“The IP team at WongPartnership provides a very strong international approach to the local area and advises clients across a broad range of matters, from registration and enforcement of IP rights to contentious copyright mandates and patent and trademark infringements.” – Intellectual property
“The lawyers at WongPartnership almost always have a true passion for their job. They communicate with their clients efficiently and clearly as they know how to get their important ideas across to clients formally. They are highly creative people and they make sure that the client knows and understands all relevant information regarding a subject matter so that they can make an informed decision. They are very responsive as well.” – Intellectual property
“Provision of sound, expert legal advice. Responsive and reliable.” – Private client
“Commercial, responsive and solutions-oriented.” – Private equity
“WongPartnership delivers quality work and service, provides practical advice. The lawyers are responsive and display deep knowledge and expertise.” – Private equity
“WongPartnership is extremely responsive and their advice is always commercial.” – Private equity
“Highly competent and commercial, holds the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, prioritising client service and empathy.” – Private equity
“They are proactive, practical solutions-oriented, and prompt in responding to queries and requests for legal advisory services.” – Regulatory
“Responsive and attentive. Solid commercial advice.” – Regulatory
“They are knowledgeable, responsive and thorough.” – Regulatory
“Knowledgeable partners with astute business sense, especially when it comes to pragmatic advice for dealing with Singapore regulators. Competitively priced services means significantly more ‘bang for the buck’ than most foreign firms.” – Regulatory
“A well-rounded team that's well versed in admiralty, shipping and trade law.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Excellent teamwork, coordinated approach, with creativity in finding solutions.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Exceptional commitment, knowledge and industry awareness, with unique insights and unrivalled practical experience. Also incredibly friendly, positive and innovative. They are a real pleasure to work with.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Excellent team. Technically very strong across restructuring and special situations. Good bench depth. Good networks and they understand the players in the industry.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Grounded, practical debtor-side advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Very strong team. Excellent advice. Timely response. Good bench strength and depth of team. Full suite of legal services” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Hand-on lawyers. Easily approachable which makes them good to work with.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They are fast, prompt and approachable. They are able to research and present difficult legal topics in an easy-to-understand format.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Highly efficient with good client servicing.” – Tax
Jia Hui Chan
“Responsive, highly skilled and engaging.”
“Responsive and he has good problem-solving abilities.”
“Provides practical and commercial advice. Expert on both antitrust and MAS regulatory-related questions.”
Sing Yee Chan
“She is commercial, always available and a problem solver.”
Elaine Chan
“She is responsive, communicates and understands the client's needs well.”
Shi Mei Chia
“She is responsive and friendly.”
Joel Chng
“Friendly, practical and knowledgeable.”
Clayton Chong
“Exceptional analytical ability, knowledge and market awareness. Nothing is too hard and he is very responsive despite having a significant portfolio of work. A true pleasure to deal with.”
Josephine Choo
“We love her client-centric approach to our case, such as being able to break down the legal jargon into clear, easy-to-understand steps for us non-legal professionals to understand. She was also able to manage complex cross-jurisdiction issues since our case involved multiple concurrent procedures across Singapore, BVI and China. It was difficult for us to untangle and, thanks to Josephine, we were able to navigate the process well.”
“She gives practical and effective legal advice.”
Sean Chou
“An excellent lawyer and arbitrator. He is very easy to work with.”
“A natural leader. Great subject-matter expertise.”
“Very responsive, sound technical skills but commercially minded as well. Great client EQ and understands their needs.”
“Sean Chou is a natural and inspirational leader.”
Mark Choy
“Solution- oriented and commercial with a hands-on approach.”
Wei Wei Goh
“Responsive and helpful. She has good local litigation and dispute resolution technical know-how and experience, and communicates well.”
Swee Yen Koh
“Completely on top of her game.”
“Extremely tenacious; never gives up and fights to the end for a client.”
Chung Nian Lam
“Very responsive, clear and thoughtful.”
“Knows it all!”
“Chung Nian really marshals his team so well, and provides fantastic advice which is suitable for the business.”
“Very professional, business-minded and always takes the time to personally attend to matters.”
“He is experienced, extremely service-oriented, quick and always has a practical approach to meet the client’s best interest.’”
“Chung Nian is extremely knowledgeable about his area of practice. He has great communication skills which helps in making the client understand even a complex matter easily. I would like to praise Chung Nian for his responsiveness and patience, along with his great listening skills. He is hard-working and persevering, which makes him one of the most sought-after IP lawyers in Singapore.”
Wendy Lin
“Thorough, insightful and professional.”
“Masterful advocate who is extremely intelligent and very quick on her feet. She has great instincts and gets to the heart of the case right away. Amazingly, she is then able to marshal copious documents to make good that case theory.”
Kah Keong Low
“Highly reliable and responsive, has in-depth knowledge and expertise, knows the client well, and is able to provide constructive, commercial advice.”
Smitha Menon
“Great team coordinator, positive energy and personality, decisiveness.”
“Easy to work with. Solution oriented.”
Rosabel Ng
“Extremely meticulous and up-to-date with the latest developments in the law. Provides innovative and technically sound solutions to complex legal issues. Understands the client's legal requirements.”
“She is very proactive in engaging her clients and she listens to understand what the client's needs are and responds appropriately to them.”
“Excellent overview and understanding with regard to the clearing of derivatives transactions.”
Wai King Ng
“Tremendous legal insight; his considerable experience provides enormous comfort to clients when he is present in a transaction. He has trained a strong team of lawyers to lead M&A transactions.”
Fi Ling Quak
“Fi Ling is always available and very commercial.”
“Commercial, prompt, driven, and always available.”
Joel Quek
“Excellent case analysis, communication with clients, and of course personal presentation.”
Kai Yun Tan
“Very strong understanding of the law. Prompt response times.”
Shao Tong Tan
“Efficient and clear advice.”
Teck Wee Tiong
“Highly competent and likely one of the best among his peers. Very client-focused and empathetic. Willing to explore and incorporate client feedback; open and receptive to ideas.”
Sion Yoong Tian
“Responsiveness and attentiveness, with sound commercial advice.”
Stephanie Yeo
“Good technically and she understands restructuring and special situations.”
“Technically very sound and she is easy to work with.”
Work highlights
Acted for Apricus Global on its voluntary conditional general offer for Boardroom.
Assisted PE firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice on its acquisition of the Atalian Group.
Key clients
Blackstone Group, Dymon Asia Capital Group, Hillhouse Group, KKR, Navis Capital Partners Group, Northstar Advisors Group, TPG.
Yuen Law is a boutique legal practice offering services ranging from dispute resolution to corporate and commercial, real estate, family law and private wealth. The firm is especially active in fundraising and venture capital investment for SMEs and startups. Last year, the firm advised on over 60 corporate and M&A-related transactions, and more than 120 contentious matters, mostly civil and commercial in nature. Its corporate department is led by the managing partner Samuel Yuen and is supported by senior director Kevin Chua, while its disputes group is helmed by Amos Cai. Senior corporate specialist Angeline Wong joined from Eng and Co at the beginning of 2023.
Client feedback
“We appreciate the team’s responsiveness, expertise and reliability.” – Capital markets
“They have the courage to face the opponent.” – Dispute resolution
“Inquisitive on discovery, assertive at the hearing.” – Dispute resolution
“They have been professional in handling the matter, and also seem to show a good prior knowledge with cases similar to my own. They are generally responsive also to my updates and needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Dedicated to clients, polite and professional.” – Insurance
“Efficient and responsive.” – Investment funds
Amos Cai
“He is knowledgeable and responsive. He has experience with derivative actions in the past.”
Kevin Chua
“Knowledgeable and efficient.”
“Responsive, reliable and genial.”
Keyun Tian
“Assertive and inquisitive.”
Work highlights
Acted for a broadcast media production and distribution company in a deal involving the acquisition of shares and making additional investments into a leading videography services provider.
Advised in a fundraising for Skyhook Capital, a company that offers a cloud-based platform for wealth and asset management.
Represented Real Tech Fund on its participation as lead investor in the $10 million Series A funding into VflowTech, a Singapore-based renewable energy startup.
BR Law Corporation provides a strong dispute resolution offering for clients, with its roots in litigation and arbitration planted long before the firm was re-branded into its current iteration in 2018. The real estate practice debuts in our table, being the largest group at BR Law with no less than 11 fee earners, including six partners. The group handled more than 7,000 real estate-related transactions in the span of 12 months during the research period.
Managing director Bernard Doray leads a veteran team that includes disputes specialists Soon Yien Foo, Sivakumar Ponnampalam and Daniel Loh.
Client feedback
“They are proactive and flexible.” – Dispute resolution
“In the course of our multi-disciplinary meeting, I discovered that the litigants should have adopted a more aggressive approach to some estate matters. I was just whining to our lawyer and was pleasantly surprised and touched that she offered to act pro bono for the family! Since then, BR Law has done prompt research into the case and helped to come up with a coherent and aggressive legal strategy. I know I can always count on the firm to be aggressive, efficient and magnificent even when acting pro bono. They even provided an interpreter for the client and ensured that every legal letter was duly translated into Indonesian. May Justice be done!” – Dispute resolution
Soon Yien Foo
“She is assertive and flexible.”
“Soon Yien is aggressive and incisive. She provides clarity whenever I am confused on legal issues and helps me to understand nuances. She is also very responsive to queries despite her busy schedule. I like that she is versatile and has helped me in family legal matters and now estate matters. She is also kind and has a sense of social justice!”
Work highlights
Acted for Artland Investments as the freehold owner of an industrial property to sell a 41-year leasehold for $41 million to Woodlands Smartisan for the land’s redevelopment into a multi-user light industrial development.
Assisted Hi-Beau Group as the purchaser on its terms of the option to purchase of a JTC property that is subject to various shareholder approvals by a public limited company.
CHP Law is a young, full-service firm with ties to CNPLaw, its senior consultant being Colin Ng. The team is active in corporate and commercial, dispute resolution, IP, real estate, labour and private client matters. This year the firm moves up in the corporate and M&A table and debuts in the IP, regulatory and investment fund rankings to demonstrate the firm’s full-service scope.
The firm is helmed by managing partner Christopher Huang and includes seven senior lawyers including funds specialist Randall Perera, IP and intangible assets expert Dixon Soh and FSR specialist Ian Phung. The M&A team was boosted by the joining of director Elaine Seow from Focus Law Asia last summer.
Client feedback
“Great market knowledge, out-of-the-box solutions and service.” – Capital markets
“We have a close relationship with the firm and appreciate its open communications” – Investment funds
“CHP Law is extremely precise in developing opinions related to Web 3 activities, including cryptocurrency and establishing legal assessment. We've worked on a large list of legal opinions and we really appreciate their work. Also, we like their dedication and the long-term relationship mindset that they develop with us as clients.” – Investment funds
“CHP Law was able to provide holistic advice in the area of VCC, which is relatively new in Singapore.” – Investment funds
“Highly responsive, very quick to carry out work and able to be flexible” – Private equity
“They do very well at understanding the details of our business and situation, and providing bespoke advice (as opposed to off-the-shelf general opinions that don't necessarily apply to us). They are business-friendly and curious about evolving industry trends. Also, they do very well at predicting costs and sticking to them, especially compared to other law firms. Makes it much easier for us to budget appropriately and make decisions.” – Regulatory
Ian Phung
“Being a former trader, he understands the nuances of the market and provides proper risk management advice as well as market-centric solutions”
“He is always reachable, open and knowledgeable.”
“Ian is responsive, available and approachable, and can help whenever we have some questions pertaining to the law in Singapore or overseas in links with cryptocurrency, Web3, regulatory-wise.”
“Ian is knowledgeable, practical, able to problem solve and highly responsive. This combination makes collaborating easy and creates value.”
“He is always curious about the industry and business. He is very clear and the costs are predictable. His financial markets background from a previous career is invaluable for us.”
“Ian is a seasoned investment banker and so he understands the frustrations and the line of thinking of problem-solving. In this regard, he is rather unique. He is also able and keen to share his network in the space of fund management.”
Work highlights
Acted for the Singapore holding company of the Australian corporate tenant on the terms of their lease of a building in West Australia from the relevant Australian government authority.
Represented two local co-purchasers on their intended purchase from a single vendor of a single landed residential house, which they intended to redevelop.
CNPLaw, formerly known as Colin Ng & Partners, is active in all major practice areas including banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, investment funds and private equity. The firm has experience in advising companies in the real estate and technology and telecommunication sectors, particularly active in blockchain and cryptocurrency. This year, the firm moves up a rank in the construction and regulatory tables. The M&A team closed four takeovers in the past year and the corporate team has established a niche practice advising companies in high-growth, emerging markets like Myanmar, Indo-China and the Philippines. Min-Li Tan, Subramanian Pillai, Pradeep Singh, Lisa Theng and Bill Jamieson are key contacts.
Work highlights
Advised Kenyon on the purchase of a property of a substantially large property worth over $25 million.
Assisted Big Field Global on purchasing commercial office space.
Asia Practice is a corporate and finance-focused firm with experience in the projects and shipping space. The firm’s clients include corporations as well as market participants and stakeholders. In the past year, the shipping team was busy on more than two dozen deals involving nearly 50 vessels. These matters included ship financing, and sale and leaseback transactions, with a total deal size for 2022 of close to $2 billion.
Chien Herr Lee is the main partner for corporate and M&A, while Jonathan Tan and Leon Low lead its banking and finance practice.
Client feedback
“Asia Practice has been on the bank's panel of approved counsels for over 10 years and has fostered very good day-to-day work relations with the credit admin department of our Singapore branch. The firm has also rendered legal support and guidance to the bank's Bangkok head office for various loan and security documentation, and structuring.” – Banking and finance
Jonathan Tan
“Over the past 10 years Jonathan has fostered a very good day-to-day working relationship with our Singapore branch and has been available to guide us though many issues on short notice.”
Work highlights
Advised an international mortgage specialist on licensing requirements in Singapore for its mortgage broking business.
Advised an SME financing platform on its regulatory and compliance obligations in connection to its proposed money-lending business.
Advised a Singapore fund manager on the regulatory treatment of a structured note proposed to be offered by it, which had features of a traditional investment product but with its underlying held in novel, digital assets.
CHP Law is a young, full-service firm with ties to CNPLaw, its senior consultant being Colin Ng. The team is active in corporate and commercial, dispute resolution, IP, real estate, labour and private client matters. This year the firm moves up in the corporate and M&A table and debuts in the IP, regulatory and investment fund rankings to demonstrate the firm’s full-service scope.
The firm is helmed by managing partner Christopher Huang and includes seven senior lawyers including funds specialist Randall Perera, IP and intangible assets expert Dixon Soh and FSR specialist Ian Phung. The M&A team was boosted by the joining of director Elaine Seow from Focus Law Asia last summer.
Client feedback
“Great market knowledge, out-of-the-box solutions and service.” – Capital markets
“We have a close relationship with the firm and appreciate its open communications” – Investment funds
“CHP Law is extremely precise in developing opinions related to Web 3 activities, including cryptocurrency and establishing legal assessment. We've worked on a large list of legal opinions and we really appreciate their work. Also, we like their dedication and the long-term relationship mindset that they develop with us as clients.” – Investment funds
“CHP Law was able to provide holistic advice in the area of VCC, which is relatively new in Singapore.” – Investment funds
“Highly responsive, very quick to carry out work and able to be flexible” – Private equity
“They do very well at understanding the details of our business and situation, and providing bespoke advice (as opposed to off-the-shelf general opinions that don't necessarily apply to us). They are business-friendly and curious about evolving industry trends. Also, they do very well at predicting costs and sticking to them, especially compared to other law firms. Makes it much easier for us to budget appropriately and make decisions.” – Regulatory
Ian Phung
“Being a former trader, he understands the nuances of the market and provides proper risk management advice as well as market-centric solutions”
“He is always reachable, open and knowledgeable.”
“Ian is responsive, available and approachable, and can help whenever we have some questions pertaining to the law in Singapore or overseas in links with cryptocurrency, Web3, regulatory-wise.”
“Ian is knowledgeable, practical, able to problem solve and highly responsive. This combination makes collaborating easy and creates value.”
“He is always curious about the industry and business. He is very clear and the costs are predictable. His financial markets background from a previous career is invaluable for us.”
“Ian is a seasoned investment banker and so he understands the frustrations and the line of thinking of problem-solving. In this regard, he is rather unique. He is also able and keen to share his network in the space of fund management.”
Work highlights
Advised Orbit Digital Holdings on the regulatory implications under the Payment Services Act 2019 and Securities and Futures Act 2001 in respect of its business of trading in digital asset options and structured derivatives.
Advised L-Energy Capital on its licensed fund management company application for fund management involving renewable energy assets.
Founded in 2017 by senior counsel Lok Vi Ming, LVM Law Chambers is a respected, mid-sized disputes boutique offering a comprehensive range of dispute resolution services spanning commercial litigation, construction, insurance, media and telecommunications, tax, mediation, real estate, regulatory and white-collar matters. The firm has been consistently instructed in high-profile cross-border cases involving China, Brazil, Europe, Japan, Malaysia, the UK and the US. It has a dedicated China desk and has been quite active for these clients in the construction, technology, infrastructure and PE sectors. The firm added shipping capabilities to its growing array of specialisms, with the hiring of former Incisive Law director, Mohd Haireez. Managing director Lok Vi Ming leads an experienced team that includes construction specialists Joseph Lee and Waltan Pak. The team also welcomed the arrival of director Jean Chan from the Singapore High Court to bolster its white-collar crime and regulatory offering. Construction expert Joanna Seetoh departed last year for Harry Elias Partnership.
Client feedback
“LVM is very proactive in providing practical solutions to the client. LVM does not only advise on the legal aspect, but they really help the client to choose the 'best' route to achieve the best outcome possible, given the commercial circumstances.” – Dispute resolution
“They have lawyers who are intelligent, attentive and know their specialised areas well.” – Dispute resolution
“The firm is able to distil complex issues to distinct bitesize chunks and tackle each of these pointedly. They have the grit and soft skills to disarm the defendants with finesse. They deliver par excellence.” – Dispute resolution
“The lawyers are professional and knowledgeable on the case; they were able to find the supporting evidence in the court documents to defend my case.” – Private client
“Responsive and experienced team, able to pull in senior counsel when required.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Honest, quick and frank.” – Shipping
“Quick response and practical advice.” – Shipping
Mohd Haireez
“Able to provide quick and concise advice.”
“Solid legal and sector knowledge, attentive and meticulous.”
“Hard-working, efficient, brilliant and affable.”
Jonathan Muk
“Jonathan has very good legal knowledge as well as industry knowledge, to provide the client with practical advice. He is also very responsive to clients’ queries.”
“Jonathan not only listens, he does his homework and always researches thoroughly. He is always accessible and he responds to queries promptly. He keeps tabs on costs and timeline diligently.”
Huey Hien Ooi
“Responsive, detailed and diligent.”
Michelle Yeo
“She is hardworking and well-versed in knowledge on my case.”
Work highlights
Acted for an individual client in relation to charges of corruption and falsification of documents made against him.
Representing the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore to conduct private prosecutions against construction companies which caused damage to internet cables during construction.
Assisted personnel of a public listed education entity in an investigation by the authorities and potential prosecution in relation to a suspected breach imposed by the Securities and Futures Act.
Incorporated in 2016, BlackOak is a dedicated distress and special situations firm active in all fields of the corporate and insolvency process. Peers consistently nod to its expertise and unique offering in the market, and the firm climbs into the first tier this year for R&I. BlackOak is often instructed in various cross-border restructurings by, among others, the debtor, creditors and white knight investors. Its size and structure allow it greater independence compared to larger law firms, and keeps the firm nimble for non-domestic mandates. Under the leadership of Ashok Kumar and Darius Tay, the firm handles both contentious and non-contentious aspects of the practice. It is also particularly active in bond restructurings. The team has been growing its cross-border capabilities and building up its global networks, particularly in southeast Asia.
Client feedback
“Independent, extremely experienced, nimble and commercial.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Knowledgeable and they have commercial sense, network and depth of experience in restructuring situations. They know how to manage various parties in restructuring situations. Also, they are very cost-effective.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Knowledgeable, responsible and responsive team with quick turnaround times.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“We are happy with BlackOak, where Ashok and Darius are strategic, commercial, innovative, attentive and innovative. They are our go-to debtor lawyers.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Efficient, creative and hard-working.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Excellent at delivering both substantive and practical legal advice, and recommendations as to strategy.” – Restructuring and insolvency
Ashok Kumar
“Extremely experienced, strong client relationship management, and excellent commercial and industry knowledge, responsiveness and technical expertise.”
“He’s got great people skills.”
“We appreciate his commercial sense, network and legal knowledge.”
Darius Tay
“Knowledgeable, personable and very responsive. Truly a pleasure working with Darius, undoubtedly the future of BlackOak.”
“Smart, creative in problem-solving, and incredibly hard-working.”
“Darius listens well and is someone who adds value in strategy discussions. He also leads his team to genuinely provide support to international counsel on complex cross-border transactions.”
Work highlights
Advised FTX on its Chapter 11 proceedings in connection with Singapore.
Acting for the informal steering committee, comprising SC Lowry, PT Bank China Construction Bank, Shinhan Bank, PT Bank KEB Hana Indonesia and PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia, in relation to the restructuring of PT Pan Brothers.
Representing Eqonex on its restructuring in connection with Singapore.
Key clients
Century Sunshine Group Holdings, Nam Cheong, SBGK, Yang Kee Logistics.
Dentons Rodyk & Davidson is one of Singapore’s largest full-service firms, stacked with notable partners who are experts in their fields. The firm has stellar banking, construction, disputes, competition and technology and telecommunications practices. This year its insurance offering debuts in our table with a strong showing. The combination with Dentons, the largest law firm in the world, provides clients with an extensive network of global experts from over 200 offices around the world in more than 80 countries. One recent update is Dentons’ alliance with Filipino law firm, PJS Law. Partners to note include banking specialist Doreen Sim, M&A partner Eng Leng Ng, IP specialists Ai Ming Lee and I-An Lim, insurance director Edric Pan, projects expert Joo Thye Tan, disputes specialist Lawrence Teh and senior counsel Edmund Leow.
Work highlights
Advising Perpetual Asia, the trustee for the holders of the Perpetual Securities in the restructuring of Hyflux.
Key clients
Grant Thornton Singapore, JK Medora & Co, Kovan Treasure, L&M Foundation Specialist, Pacific Radiance, Sky Smart Ventures, UHP Holdings.
As one of Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms, Drew & Napier possesses a diverse roster of lawyers offering an extensive range of legal services in Singapore and across the region. The firm remains a dispute resolution powerhouse with a deep bench of top advocates including Jimmy Yim and Cavinder Bull. Disputes and insolvency lawyer Siraj Omar, construction specialist Christopher Chong and elite tax practitioner Ong Sim Ho further reinforce the team. Other key names to note include Pauline Chong for finance, Chong Kin Lim for competition and technology, Steven Lo for corporate and M&A, Tony Yeo for IP, and Sushil Nair and Blossom Hing for restructuring and insolvency. Consultant Gary Pryke is another well-known practitioner in the corporate and finance space. The firm welcomed banking specialist May Ng from Rajah & Tann recently.
Client feedback
“Highly professional, responsive and approachable.” – Banking and finance
“They understand the concerns, are responsive and provide solutions.” – Banking and finance
“Always focused on protecting its client's interests.” – Banking and finance
“I appreciate their knowledge of the matter and prompt actions.” – Capital markets
“DN has strong, in-depth knowledge of competition law and is able to provide practical advice in a timely manner.” – Competition/antitrust
“Profound expertise, swift responses, and regularly updates clients through newsletters.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive and business-pragmatic. Makes effort to understand the client's requirements. Reasonable fees charged for work.” – Construction
“Knowledgeable, professional and supportive of small businesses.” – Corporate and M&A
“The team is capable of looking beyond the legal aspects and putting into the perspectives of the different stakeholders. They provided value-added service and are indeed great partners for business owners.” – Corporate and M&A
“Responsive, quick and commercially minded.” – Corporate and M&A
“I liked their flexibility while providing good coverage on the necessary work for this deal.” – Corporate and M&A
“Communication and ability to distil facts into easy to understand terms. They are also very good at highlighting the possible issues with the transaction.” – Corporate and M&A
“Sound in legal knowledge and able to provide alternative solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very detailed analysis of the law. Very prompt advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Deep legal expertise coupled with pragmatism.” – Dispute resolution
“Took the additional effort to understand the case, including the case notes, did a walkthrough of the cause of the matter, looked out for the true cause of the matter before forming their own conclusions prior to advising on the appropriate steps to take.” – Dispute resolution
“First and foremost, they advise you if it makes sense to fight or not to fight. As per Sun Tzu, that's the most important and fundamental question. Drew doesn't shy away from a fight to maximise value for the client but they are also very mindful if it makes sense to fight to begin with! They then ask you what you want to achieve and give you good counsel in a clear and transparent way. As a busy CEO, this is exactly what I need, and Drew does this very well.” – Dispute resolution
“Very collaborative. Sharp thinkers who understand the issues, even when they are new areas.” – Dispute resolution
“Quick to respond, thoughtful legal work and diligent” – Dispute resolution
“They have sound industry knowledge and expertise in handling arbitration under SIAC rules. They can provide quick and practical solutions for commercial disputes. Two lawyers, Mahesh Rai and Don Loo exhibit excellent legal acumen.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a completely hands-on approach to matters.” – Dispute resolution
“They’re all excellent, promptly engaging legal advice at all times. They are all brilliant lawyers.” – Dispute resolution
“Without doubt, the best litigation outfit in Singapore. Timely, reasoned, commercial and effective.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier were very proactive and responsive. They were able to foresee the plaintiff's arguments and prevent them.” – Dispute resolution
“They make robust argument and provide effective litigation strategies.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier has come up with a very creative solution in respect of entering documents into evidence, by knowing well the procedure of the proceeding.” – Dispute resolution
“It is commercially savvy and understanding of client needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Practical and concise legal advice was rendered.” – Dispute resolution
“I like all these: responsiveness, access to partners and commerciality of the advice.” – Dispute resolution
“They are very focused and committed. From day one they created a clear strategy which led us to win our case against the claimants. The team members involved have taken accountability. The deliverables during ongoing arbitration were outstanding.” – Dispute resolution
“We had a complex and difficult claim that required attention to detail and clever advocacy. Blossom's team was able to combine the disparate facts into a coherent claim that allowed us to achieve our aims against the defendant.” – Dispute resolution
“Excellence in advocacy, excellence in knowledge of law, practical advice, timeliness, responsiveness, commercial sensitivity. Most impressive aspect is their ability to work around our confidentiality and commercial concerns.” – Dispute resolution
“They are responsive and their advice is well thought out, succinct and clearly backed by years of experience in litigation. They are also happy to accept feedback and consider the legal opinions of their clients' in-house teams.” – Dispute resolution
“Experienced, strategic and responsive” – Dispute resolution
“Their experience, customer service and legal expertise are exceptional. They have the ability to lead with the local lawyers and the clients. The legal advice they have provided is practical and tailored for the specific legal disputes. They work tirelessly for any urgent matters without hesitating a bit, even if it takes the entire night. Despite the differences between the two jurisdictions, their cooperation on the matters has been top-notch. We have learnt so much from them in terms of their knowledge, practice, attitude, management, leadership, professionalism and customer service skills.” – Dispute resolution
“Strategic in solving the key issues and meticulous on detail.” – Dispute resolution
“The partner and team are very knowledgeable, working in a very detailed and precise manner. They have a strong understanding of the law and how to apply it. Great team.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier is very meticulous, and even minor emails are professionally written, well structured, and well thought out. They also learn fast, and quickly accumulated domain knowledge regarding the blockchain industry where we operate, and adjacent fields of law such as US securities law as applied to blockchain disputes. They are also extremely responsive, replying on urgent messages even at 11pm.” – Dispute resolution
“We appreciate its commerciality and technical analysis.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and timely advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Wide areas of expertise and prompt advice.” – Energy
“Great detailed analysis and recommendation on appropriate and specific course of action.” – Insurance
“They are good with technical advice.” – Insurance
“They do a good job at looking at things from the client's perspective, and are able to find commercial solutions for risks they identify.” – Insurance
“Siau Wen Lim and Xuan Lang Teo from Drew & Napier represented us and have acted professionally to assist to resolve trademark issues with Starbucks. Their expertise in IP field is highly commendable and eventually the issue has been resolved with a positive outcome.” – Intellectual property
“They take the time to understand the business challenges and try to work on practical solutions.” – Intellectual property
“Very prompt.” – Intellectual property
“Advice is technically sound and well-considered.” – Intellectual property
“Lawyers have a good knowledge of Singapore law and are responsive.” – Investment funds
“Prompt, thorough and responsive.” – Labour and employment
“Their IT legal team has deep knowledge and rich experience. Very responsive even on the weekend when our business is running. Very client-oriented.” – Privacy and data protection
“Superior staff who provide considered advice and diligent execution.” – Private client
“The firm was able to comprehend the complexity of a first-of-its-kind strategy from a fund manager's perspective and comes up with an innovative solution.” – Private equity
“Good at the completion of transactions despite the tight timeline.” – Real estate
“They are easily approachable. They explain matters easily and guide us. They are not typically commercial, they fully understand client issues and look at everything holistically before coming out with any suggestions.” – Regulatory
“Drew partners are highly competent, responsive and provide commercially sensible advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Deep experience.” – Tax
“Experienced lawyers who know the ITBR requirement and advise clients on the appeal strategy and provide practical advice on the approach to the appeal. Legal submissions are well prepared and clear and concise. They value the relationship with clients.” – Tax
“Drew & Napier's team, and Chong Kin Lim in particular, are deep experts in the tech and telecom space. They provide crisp guidance that we can share rapidly with our internal business clients. They also proactively monitor the horizon, and they let us know in advance about legal/regulatory developments that may impact us. Finally, they are fantastically responsive and literally never late in getting us the information we request.” – Technology and telecommunications
David Alfred
“He is very knowledgeable, prompt, able to offer solutions, understands business concerns, practical, and has a good network with regulators.”
Cavinder Bull
“An outstanding lawyer; thorough understanding of client's needs.”
Ron Cheng
“Knowledgeable and able to understand and meet the client's needs.”
“Ron has been extremely meticulous when it comes to his work. He ensures that he covers all angles and risks that the fund may encounter locally or abroad. Ron is able to understand complex problems and comes up with innovative solutions and structure.”
Corinne Chew
“Corinne is always willing to help and provides thoughtful advice in a timely manner.”
“Profound legal knowledge with excellent communication skills”
Voon Jiet Chia
“Voon Jiet is highly competent, responsive and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Desmond Chng
“He is very responsive, and good at giving a quick (often immediate) indication of what the solution to a problem might be, and whether or not it actually warrants detailed research or formal legal advice. This is very much appreciated from a client's point of view.”
Andrew Chua
“He is attentive and responsive, able to relate to the case and provide insights and share best practices, and at the same time highlight potential issues or ideas from past cases and experiences.”
Benjamin Gaw
“Knowledgeable, professional, available, has a positive attitude and is attentive to client's needs.”
Blossom Hing
“She has a good team and allows her team to take the lead with client communication at the right time while also stepping in when necessary. She asks the right questions to elicit the necessary information from the client.”
“Blossom is an outstanding litigation and arbitration partner. Blossom is creative and very strategic in her thinking and tactics - based on her vast experience of litigation and arbitration. Blossom has done a great job in building a team to support her.”
“My ’go to’ contact is Blossom Hing, who is one of the most experienced and accomplished litigation and arbitration partners in Singapore. Blossom heads a great team that is growing in experience and competence.”
Soo Lih Ho
“Approachable.”
Seraphina Ho
“Efficient.”
Rakesh Kirpalani
“Rakesh is clear in his counsel and incredibly responsive.”
“He helps our company to handle our legal issues and we are satisfied with his work.”
“He possesses a strong spirit to win for the client. He has a client-centric approach and is an expert at IT and data security.”
Meryl Koh
“Highly responsive and takes a keen interest to know the client's business and challenges faced. She has a can-do attitude and willing to go the extra mile for the client. Does not discriminate client based on fee earned.”
“Thorough, empathetic and forward-looking.”
Samuel Koh
“Very responsive. A critical thinker who challenges outcomes to ensure they are robust.”
Man Er Kong
“Kong is qualified and brilliant at what she does. Very reliable and flexible. In terms of advocacy skills, Kong is astonishing. Kong is very patient towards the clients and has the deep understanding of the law. Further, Kong respects the time and is responsive. Case management is top-notch as well. We have obtained grand knowledge when we discuss the interpretation and the conflicts of law.”
“Intelligent, sharp, efficient and effective.”
Julian Kwek
“Problem solver and provides practical solutions.”
Keith Lam
“Keith is professional and responsive.”
Sok Hiang Lau
“She is proactive and provides solutions to difficult issues.”
“Lau Sok Hiang is a very careful and meticulous lawyer. She very much stressed getting the documents right, in the sense that it will not invite queries or challenges.”
Chong Kin Lim
“Prompt, knowledgeable and responsive.”
“He has incredible relationships in his peer network. Deep expertise and incredibly responsive.”
Shumin Lin
“Very knowledgeable in the areas that she practises and provides very clear and detailed analysis of the law.”
“Has a quick grasp of issues. Keen attention to detail without losing sight of the broad strategy.”
Adam Maniam
“Adam's approach is extremely customer-oriented, he takes the initiative to take a crash-course on the customer's industry in order to come up with creative solutions. He's sharp and straightforward.”
“He is D&N personified. Altogether exceptional in terms of service, advocacy, attention to client's concerns and knowledge of the law. He’s a brilliant lawyer. In my opinion better than some senior counsel.”
“My opinion of the firm has been formed by Adam and his mentor.”
“Appreciate his knowledge, adherence to timelines, and that he understands the sensitivity of the matter.”
Pei Tong Ng
“Ability to share a holistic view on the situation and advise accordingly and to the needs of the client.”
Sim Ho Ong
“Very familiar with IRAS.”
Mahesh Rai
“Mahesh possesses excellent legal acumen. This coupled with his sound industry knowledge helps him deliver quick and practical legal advice. Mahesh communicates well and is friendly in nature.”
“He has a complete knowledge of the field and goes all out to understand the nuances of the business.”
“Both from a personal and professional point of view, I found Mahesh to be someone impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, is able to listen well, and is very good in communication, as I often saw him carrying himself so well in the court or in any kind of joint discussions. He provides me as a client with great consideration, tending to the needs of my case in the best way. Mahesh also always comes up with great strategy, showing his creativity as a veteran lawyer.”
“Mahesh is a very hands-on partner, has a close grasp of all the strategic issues and drills down into factual issues. He has a very commercial, practical mindset and is always ready to offer a recommendation and not just a set of options, and a practical recommendation that addresses both legal and broader strategic concerns. He is also clearly a strong mentor because we have been impressed even by the juniors on his team, when Mahesh is not present.”
Teng Sen Tan
“Teng Sen is a seasoned corporate lawyer and provides value-added services to the business owner. He's adept at corporate financing works and compliance matters and is a great partner for us.”
“Very experienced corporate partner who is commercially minded. He gives practical advice.”
“Excellent legal knowledge and communications.”
Allister Tan
“Brilliant lawyer and eager to help always.”
“Very knowledgeable, communicates well to ensure client understands the specifics of the issues. Guides client to the most rationale decision.”
“Fast and sound technical advice.”
“Commercial nous.”
Evelyn Tan
“Well-versed with contract law and court processes, meticulous and pays attention to detail.”
Benedict Teo
“Commercially savvy and he puts clients’ interests first.”
“Ben is extremely responsive and very experienced. I have appreciated his sound legal advice, and sharp legal acumen in handling the cases on our behalf. I also appreciate that he makes himself available to speak to the business representatives when needed.”
“Benedict is experienced and provides good strategic advice. His team provides good, detailed work and manages timelines well. Much to recommend, not much to criticise.”
“Responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure client's requirements are met fully.”
“He is a very experienced trusted adviser and sounding board. He is commercial, responsive, insightful, and he really knows the market and knows his stuff.”
Xuan Lang Teo
“Xuan Lang has been efficient in handling our case and always provides valuable alternative options for our consideration. This is helpful as it leaves no stone unturned, which may increase the probability to succeed in the proceedings.”
“Xuan Lang is extremely sharp and thorough. He is able to distil the key issues in a dispute to achieve the most efficient and favourable outcomes for us. He has deep foresight while bearing in mind commercial realities and practical considerations. All advice from him is extremely well-thought-out and backed up by firm legal foundations. An expert in IP law, he is able to explain and argue complicated legal concepts with clarity and punch.”
Shi Yong Yang
“Provides timely responses and to-the-point advice.”
“He listens to the client and approaches the solution holistically.”
Jonathan Yap
“Jonathan is a hard-working attorney focused on delivering quality work and superior results. He has great communication skills and ensures that his clients remain happy with his services.”
Tony Yeo
“Very prompt and understanding.”
Jimmy Yim
“He is efficient, eloquent and communicates well. He is also knowledgeable and responsive.”
“Jimmy Yim is well known in Singapore and an excellent lawyer with a strong personality. He was able to turn around a case we had lost and win the case for our company.”
“Jimmy Yim was efficient, eloquent and understood the issues well. Very good courtroom manner and pleasant to deal with.”
Work highlights
Advising the informal steering committee of lenders to Hin Leong Trading on the potential debt restructuring of the troubled company.
Key clients
Antanium Resources, Brightoil Petroleum, CapitaLand, FJ Benjamin Holdings, FTI Consulting, Pacific Andes Resources Development, Oceanus Group, PWC, Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank.
Best known for being a heavyweight, specialised construction firm, Eldan Law debuts in the top tier for its dedicated full scope practice. It is the home of respected construction law veterans Edwin Lee and Lawrence Tan. Apart from the market-acknowledged construction, projects and infrastructure strengths, the firm has been quietly growing its restructuring and insolvency offering that is led by director Imran Rahim. Other key directors to note are Daniel Koh, Khoon Lim, Ming Ming Looi, Boon On Yong, and Danna Er. All construction matters handled over the research period are confidential.
Client feedback
“Eldan Law is always responsive and has an in-depth knowledge of construction law.” – Construction
Danna Er
“Danna is hard-working and is able to understand complicated technical matters.”
Work highlights
Assisted CoShield Global and sister entities on securing the appointment of their preferred liquidator in the winding-up application.
Advised a client in successfully winding up their real estate company for the non-payment of debts.
Represented KAMS Singapore as court-appointed liquidator in negotiating and executing agreement to fund liquidator’s application to examine.
Focus Law Asia is a specialist litigation and arbitration boutique with a particular strength in shipping and insurance matters. The team counts major world-class ship owners such as Maersk, TORM and Ardmore Shipping, as well as leading marine insurers like Skuld, UK P&I Club and Japan P&I Club as loyal clients. The firm is a member of the One Asia Lawyers network and it boasts Japan and Korea desks with Japanese and Korean lawyers. Managing director Shem Khoo and director Mark Tan are the key contacts.
Client feedback
“The lawyers gave a holistic and sincere take on the case and provided clear options with confident probable outcomes. The team was involved intimately throughout the process and was patient to guide and advise.” – Construction
Hannah Cheang
“She is patient. She listens and clarifies before advising in detail both in legal and layman’s terms. She’s professional, experienced, and well-versed with subject matter and previous cases along with outcomes.”
Work highlights
Advised the liquidators of Hin Leong Trading on various shipping and trade financing issues in the liquidation of Hin Leong.
Acted for a cryptocurrency company in respect of a winding-up application brought by a former director and shareholder of the company.
Represented the liquidators of GBL Kitchen, which was involved in the leasing of commercial properties and equipment to, among others, food and beverage companies in Singapore. This matter deals with the novel issue of whether a company’s creditor was entitled to retain the property tax rebates and Covid-19 government grants to offset the amounts owed by the company.
Harry Elias Partnership has offices in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. Built upon one of the most respected and influential litigation lawyers in the country, Harry Elias, the firm has an established reputation for its dispute resolution and family and matrimonial expertise. The firm is also notable for its construction, infrastructure, corporate and M&A, and intellectual property practices. Philip Fong, Justin Chia, Tan Chau Yee, Brian Law, Pearl Lim and Claudia Teo are key contacts for dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, intellectual property, construction, banking, and corporate and M&A, respectively. The construction and engineering group further bolstered its expertise with the hirings of two veteran specialists, Joanna Seetoh from LVM Law Chambers and Chua Ming Hao from Clyde & Co Clasis.
Work highlights
Represented HSBC Institutional Trust Services as trustee of Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust in the Hyflux Group restructuring.
Acted for First Abu Dhabi Bank in relation to the Agritrade restructuring.
Assisted DBS Bank as secured creditors of debtors TEE International and its group of companies.
Key clients
CDL Properties, GAM Kimura Commodity Trade Finance Fund, Standard Chartered Bank.
Mayer Brown PK Wong & Nair is known for its expertise in dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, and corporate and commercial law. It climbs up a tier in dispute resolution ranking this year and its corporate practice makes its debut. The team has a wealth of experience in a broad range of commercial disputes arising out of breaches of securities regulations, commodity trading disputes, insolvency, employment and contractual disputes and estate claims. Seasoned litigator Suresh Nair is the main disputes partner, while Mark Wong heads up the corporate division. Bryan Tan is an emerging name to note. Associate director Andrea Tan left for an in-house role at Expedia last spring.
At the beginning of 2023, PK Wong & Nair entered into a joint law venture with international firm Mayer Brown. This entity can provide clients with integrated and seamless advice on international and Singapore law. Local litigation is provided through PK Wong & Nair.
Client feedback
“Very quick responses, practical advice, very responsive and solid team.” – Dispute resolution
“They work well within the team and with the client. Well prepared with points and documents.” – Dispute resolution
“Client-focused, quality advice, practical, cost-effective” – Labour and employment
“Accessible and responds promptly.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“I have a well-established working relationship with Suresh Nair. This firm would be my first stop because they are hungry, excellent at what they do and always on top of their game.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Efficient and proactive. They understand regulatory requirements well. Lawyers are good at listening and providing alternatives.” – Restructuring and insolvency
Suresh Nair
“Phenomenal legal ability.”
“Accessible and responds promptly.”
“He is among the best insolvency practitioners in Singapore. An exceptional advocate, he is razor-sharp and precise, and provides timely and practical advice in the most personable way possible.”
“Positive, proactive and very competent.”
Work highlights
Advising a creditor client to place Yang Kee Logistics under judicial management.
Representing the informal steering committee of Pacific Andes Resources Development as bondholders on a Chapter 11 restructuring.
Assisting British and Malayan Trustees on seeking directions of the court on powers and duties in a bond default.
Oon & Bazul is active in banking and finance, dispute resolution and restructuring and insolvency, beyond its longstanding forte in shipping. Notably, the firm climbs into the ‘Highly Recommended’ tier for restructuring and insolvency after a momentous year being involved in many of the jurisdiction’s high-profile and high-value unwindings. Its lawyers have in-depth knowledge and an intimate understanding across various sectors, including financial services, trusts and securities, insurance, and oil and gas. In particular, the firm has extensive expertise handling matters related to trade finance, commodities, banking, commercial disputes and cross-border fraud. Key partners include Bazul Ashhab, Kelly Yap, Chi Yen Ting, Yi Wayn Ng and Meiyen Tan. The general disputes team was significantly boosted by the arrivals of partner Benedict Eoon from Covenant Chambers and partners Priscilla Lua and Jerald Foo from Clifford Chance.
Client feedback
“They are responsive and cooperative.” – Banking and finance
“We value their responsiveness and clarity of communication.” – Corporate and M&A
“Good set-up and infrastructural support for case management.” – Dispute resolution
“I appreciate their hard work, responsiveness and value for money.” – Dispute resolution
“Positive attributes include their expertise, ability to understand issues and provide commercial solutions and reasonable costs.” – Dispute resolution
“They provide quick and direct advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Partners and associates are very competent, they are well prepared and research well.” – Energy
“The lawyers are articulate, supportive and professional on meeting requirements.” – Regulatory
“Good technical knowledge, good team, easy to work with, practical and commercial.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Diplomatic and knowledgeable advisory services.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Extremely responsive to client timelines with a positive, calm, ’can do‘ attitude. A fantastic mixture of legal and important practical advice. They also work really well to support in-house counsel. It feels very much like a team approach and you know you are in good, steady, knowledgeable hands.” – Shipping
Bazul Ashhab
“Excellent responsiveness, knowledge of the business of the client and good value for money.”
Jerald Foo
“He is very responsive and attentive, has a good eye for detail, which is fundamental for dispute resolution. He is very competent with a high level of expertise in dispute resolution.”
“Very responsive and knowledgeable.”
Keith Han
“Easy to talk to and a quick thinker.”
“A good advocate, good strategist.”
Meiyen Tan
“Easy to work with, good communicator and practical.”
“Provides knowledgeable, timely and practical advice and solutions.”
Ng Yi Wayn
“Responsive communications and colleague referrals.”
“Extremely professional and knowledgeable, but also approachable and supportive.”
Prakaash Silvam
“Certainly perspicacious, he has a wide breadth of prior experience that helps on case framing. He is likable, personable, approachable, helpful and very capable.”
“Prakaash combines strong legal knowledge, strong legal skills and good client management. I have no issue putting him in front of our traders and management, as I know he is respectful of my role but also understands the business, the trader mindset and how we operate.”
Ting Chi Yen
“Responsive, helpful and cooperative.”
Work highlights
Assisting in restructuring Xihe Capital, its subsidiaries and several special purpose vehicles, which are owned by the Lim family who also owns the distressed Hin Leong Trading, Ocean Tankers and Xihe Holdings. The total debt of these companies is estimated to be in the range of $4 billion.
Advising the TEE Group on the restructuring of its debts of $100 million.
Key clients
Ascentra Holdings, Asia Process Industries, Wirecard, Zetta Jet
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Acted for the interim judicial managers, judicial managers and liquidators of the SAMTrade group of companies who have been investigated for irregular trading activities involving multiple global stakeholders.
Assisted Shanghai Huaxin Group in its claims against various entities for the recovery of receivables, which form a substantial component of the company’s assets. This is the first case where a Hong Kong Court has recognised and assisted mainland liquidators.
With seven fee-earners, RevLaw focuses on dispute resolution with a particular expertise in restructuring and insolvency. It has also been active in contentious employment matters, as well as general commercial litigation and arbitration work. The firm comprises experienced litigators who have handled disputes before all levels of the Singapore courts and international arbitral tribunals. It has a broad spectrum of clients across various industries including banks, insurers, private equity funds, property developers, hotel owners and insolvency practitioners. Sui Tong Chua and Yik Wee Liew are key contacts.
Work highlights
Acted for Bank of America in connection to the judicial management of Xihe Holdings, which is part of the insolvent Hin Leong Group.
Advised Sritex Group on its restructuring.
Shook Lin & Bok works with an impressive roster of clients, including major banks, multinational corporations and private equity investors, on large transactions locally and across the region. The firm is highly active in banking and finance, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. It is also skilled in advising on real estate finance, particularly on the lender side. This year the firm moves up a notch in the IP table for its growing practice, and debuts for shipping. Key lawyers include Kai Zee Liew for banking and finance, Marilyn See for capital markets, David Chong for corporate and M&A, and Sarjit Singh Gill, Probin Dass and David Chan for dispute resolution and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Easy to deal with and good professional legal advice given. Able to add value to the transaction and requests.” – Banking and finance
“High level of professionalism and always approachable to provide their advice to our financing structures, sometimes even on a pro bono basis.” – Banking and finance
“Timelines are met, advice is provided in a holistic manner, drafting languages are easy to understand and they are familiar with our company’s processes.” – Banking and finance
“Approachable and efficient turnaround with prompt follow-ups. Transactions are always completed on schedule and lawyers are pre-emptive.” – Banking and finance
“They are always responsive and provide sound and clear advice for execution of the transaction.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive and willing to commit resources.” – Capital markets
“Can be relied upon for quick, solid legal advice, which is sometimes surprisingly hard to come across when dealing with other jurisdictions. In particular, their legal analysis is technically excellent.” – Dispute resolution
“Open, clear, prompt and uses initiative.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Strong insolvency and restructuring track record and team.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Timely and quick responses with good advisory analysis.” – Shipping
Paul Goh
“Responsive, forward thinking and fast.”
Clement Khoo
“Professionalism and always keen to share and advise.”
“Extremely responsive, sound knowledge of the banking sector and structuring transactions, willing to go the extra mile to assist in completion under tight timelines.”
Stanley Lim
“Approachable and always available to give legal advice. Follows up closely on transaction and is always pre-emptive on any potential issues that may arise.”
Moses Lin
“Approachable and available with relevant knowledge.”
Daniel Tan
“Just an excellent all-round lawyer, he is responsive and technically very sound.”
“Quick to respond, understands all relevant issues and deals with them systematically and comprehensively.”
“Driven and provides legally feasible solutions in complex situations.”
Pearlyn Xie
“Responsive, and willing to provide advice and solutions.”
Work highlights
Acted for the liquidators of the Envy Companies to recover unauthorised/fraudulent transactions made out of investors' funds.
Advised HSBC as the single largest creditor of the Hin Leong Trading collapse.
Representing SuperPark Oy and the interim judicial managers of SuperPark Asia Group on its cross-border restructuring.
Key clients
Gulf Petrochem, Hoe Leong Corporation, HSBC, OCBC.
Tan Kok Quan Partnership provides legal services across a broad spectrum of industry sectors, with particular recognition for its work in dispute resolution, and restructuring and insolvency. In the past 12 months, the team has handled matters across a spectrum of industries with a portfolio value of more than $1 billion. The firm has a distinguished record of handling litigation in the banking and financial services, energy, real estate and technology sectors. Senior counsel Marina Chin and Eddee Ng are key partners for dispute resolution, while senior partner Paul Seah is a key figure for restructuring and insolvency.
Client feedback
“Very responsive, clear in their advice, pragmatic and commercial.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and yet commercial.” – Energy
“Responsive, proactive, technically strong and good business acumen.” – Restructuring and insolvency
Marina Chin
“Extremely responsive, commercial, approachable, knowledgeable and with a strategic mindset. She is an accomplished lawyer as well as extremely personable, from a human interaction perspective.”
Keith Tnee
“Approachable and quick to respond.”
Paul Seah
“Good business acumen and a good communicator.”
Work highlights
Advised Warehouse Logistics Net Asia on its restructuring.
Acting in the restructuring of the Koon group of companies, one of the leading infrastructure and civil engineering groups in the region, involving, among other things, two schemes of arrangement that have since been put in place. The total debt involved is at least S$77.8 million ($57.3 million) and more than 400 creditors.
TSMP Law Corporation is especially well known for its work in corporate and M&A and dispute resolution. The firm also specialises in corporate real estate financing, in particular, in land acquisition financing and land development financing. This year the firm climbs up a notch in the rankings for competition, IP and private equity. The firm not only acts for various major corporations and financial institutions but also is frequently sought out by different regulatory bodies. Senior counsel Shen Yi Thio, corporate lawyer Stefanie Yuen Thio, construction specialists Melvin Chan and Derek Loh and labour expert Ian Lim are key figures at the firm. Jennifer Chia is another name to note for banking and finance.
Client feedback
“Professional, efficient, highly conversant and familiar with the bank's requirements.” – Banking and finance
“Familiarity and expertise.” – Banking and finance
“They are very responsive, and always meet the tight timelines.” – Banking and finance
“TSMP has been on our bank’s panel of advising lawyers for close to 10 years, and over the years has built up a good work relation with us for daily legal work on bilateral loan and security documents, registration of charges, structuring of facilities, etc.” – Banking and finance
“Solid advice, highly diligent and reliable.” – Corporate and M&A
“Cost-efficient, client-focused and on time.” – Corporate and M&A
“They are experienced, well-connected and well-versed in the capital markets. In addition, they have adequate resources to ensure the work can be completed on a timely basis.” – Corporate and M&A
“Can-do attitude with very business-friendly advice. Was able to respond well to tight timelines and stressful negotiations. Valued attributes include thinking out of the box, innovative ideas with the commercial end in mind.” – Corporate and M&A
“Capable, positive and timely.” – Dispute resolution
“Attention to detail, responsive and creative approach.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and able to work under tight timeline.” – Real estate
“Practical and solutions-oriented.” – Real estate
“Provided concise and to-the-point advice on investment structure, conducted legal due diligence of the Singapore entity, reviewed transaction documents and advised on the relevant financial and investment regulations. TSMP timely reviewed and analysed the legal risks involved in the deal by leveraging deep insight and expertise in the industry.” – Real estate
Melvin Chan
“Keen listener with expert problem-solving skills.”
Jennifer Chia
“She is experienced, to the point and responsive. Relieved to work with a lawyer of high-level quality.”
“Very responsive and enthusiastic.”
“Practical and solutions-oriented.”
“Highly professional, helpful, approachable and knowledgeable.”
“She is responsive, knowledgeable and able to come out with solutions to help my organisation.”
“Very responsive, flexible and friendly. She gives us creative solutions.”
“Over the years Jennifer has developed very good day-to-day work relations with our officers in the documentation department. She has rendered us much-valued guidance in drafting and structuring of our loan and security documents.”
“Very practical advice which we appreciate, she has unique insights into labour regulations.”
Kelvin Koh
“He is analytical, practical, strong in legal knowledge and able to explain complex issues simply.”
Derek Loh
“Strong capabilities and communications.”
Stefanie Yuen Thio
“Excellent communications and duty of care.”
“She is very communicative and explains the pro and cons and recommendations in a clear manner. She gives business-friendly legal advice.”
“Excellent client management and understands client concerns; proposes good solutions for dealing with risks.”
Work highlights
Advised KPMG on claims of audit negligence during the restructuring of Hyflux.
Acting for AlmaStone Opportunities in the restructuring of Antanium Resources.
Engaged by the judicial managers in the liquidation of Nan Chiau Maritime.
Key clients
AFC Merchant Bank, Bank of America, DBS, OUE, Perennial Real Estate Holdings.
Withers KhattarWong is regularly sought out by high-profile private clients and banks for its expertise in financing, dispute resolution, tax and corporate matters. The firm’s funds practice is growing backed by its established tax advisory team. The managing partner Deborah Barker is a key figure. Other lawyers to note include Chenthil Kumarasingam for disputes, Shaun Leong for arbitration, Jonathan Kok for IP and TMT, and Eric Roose for tax.
Work highlights
Acting for the interim judicial managers, judicial managers and the current liquidators (from KPMG) in all aspects of the attempted restructuring and subsequent insolvency of ZenRock.
Acted for a client, the former CEO of Otto Marine, in a personal debt restructuring exercise.
Key clients
Blue Ocean Resources, FTI Consulting, HSBC, KPMG, Luxasia, UOB.
A formidable market leader in the full gamut of corporate and finance matters, WongPartnership comprises more than 300 lawyers in eight global cities. It offers extensive experience in handling high-stakes structured finance, M&A, funds, private equity, project finance and syndicated loans. The firm also has plentiful expertise on big-ticket domestic and cross-border disputes involving corporate, construction, insolvency and regulatory matters. Key lawyers include Susan Wong for banking and finance, Ameera Ashraf for competition, Christopher Chuah for construction, Andrew Ang and Wai King Ng for corporate and M&A and private equity, and Manoj Pillay Sandrasegara for restructuring and insolvency. In addition, Chung Nian Lam, Kah Keong Low, Jenny Tsin and Dorothy Marie Ng are regarded for their work in IP, investment funds, employment and real estate, respectively. The disputes team was bolstered by the arrival of partners Alessa Pang from Rajah & Tann and Monisha Cheong from TSMP Law Corporation. Restructuring and insolvency specialist Lawrence Foo left for an in-house post at Abaxx Exchange.
Client feedback
“Technically very sound and reliable lawyers who provide practical advice.” – Banking and finance
“Responsive, thorough and good understanding of our business.” – Banking and finance
“They are extremely detailed and meticulous. They will even provide advice for an issue that is not squarely within their scope of engagement if they deem that it is necessary for completeness of advice.” – Capital markets
“Very good network of lawyers especially across the southeast Asian region that can provide responses and on-the-ground advice; very capable and responsive team led by Jia Hui and Ameera.” – Competition/antitrust
“Very hands-on, commercial and speedy.” – Competition/antitrust
“Commercial, prompt and involved.” – Corporate and M&A
“Innovative in structuring; always seeking to tailor solutions to suit the client's objectives.” – Corporate and M&A
“Professional, thorough and with high attention to detail.” – Corporate and M&A
“Practical and effective legal advice.” – Dispute resolution
“WongPartnership delivers client-friendly and high-quality legal services. They are responsive in addressing client queries. We arrived at satisfactory resolutions for the matters WongPartnership assisted us with.” – Dispute resolution
“Good analysis of the matter, and they gave us clear advice on the possibilities of success of the matter.” – Dispute resolution
“The WongP team has displayed both breadth and depth of legal expertise in the matters involving cross-border disputes, and their service and legal advice had been extremely valuable because they were our main counsel and helped to coordinate with our legal teams in BVI and China for parallel proceedings in the other jurisdictions. In addition, the team is very client-centric and responsive, they were able to respond to time-sensitive developments in the case within the day and give us legal directions on the next steps. We developed a very positive and synergistic relationship with the WongP legal team through the course of two years working with them.” – Dispute resolution
“Great strength in depth across the team.” – Dispute resolution
“Responsive and supportive of clients, and technically strong, well-researched litigation and strategic advice. Clearly experienced dispute resolution and litigation partners who worked with us. Communicates effectively, although on occasion can be quite formal and academic.” – Dispute resolution
“Technically excellent lawyers who are extremely responsive. Deep bench strength as well, with a talented group of senior associates and junior partners coming up the ranks.” – Dispute resolution
“Very client-focused and extremely responsive. Plus, they have some very smart lawyers!” – Dispute resolution
“An extremely intelligent and driven team.” – Dispute resolution
“Very responsive and well-prepared, very knowledgeable and direct.” – Energy
“They are responsive, clear and practical.” – Intellectual property
“Excellent knowledge of the entire southeast Asian region. Very responsive.” – Intellectual property
“Practical guidance with business-oriented advice.” – Intellectual property
“They are the most professional firm we've worked with, very competitive and competent. Lam Chung Nian is the senior partner in charge, he will always take time to personally respond to us.” – Intellectual property
“The IP team at WongPartnership provides a very strong international approach to the local area and advises clients across a broad range of matters, from registration and enforcement of IP rights to contentious copyright mandates and patent and trademark infringements.” – Intellectual property
“The lawyers at WongPartnership almost always have a true passion for their job. They communicate with their clients efficiently and clearly as they know how to get their important ideas across to clients formally. They are highly creative people and they make sure that the client knows and understands all relevant information regarding a subject matter so that they can make an informed decision. They are very responsive as well.” – Intellectual property
“Provision of sound, expert legal advice. Responsive and reliable.” – Private client
“Commercial, responsive and solutions-oriented.” – Private equity
“WongPartnership delivers quality work and service, provides practical advice. The lawyers are responsive and display deep knowledge and expertise.” – Private equity
“WongPartnership is extremely responsive and their advice is always commercial.” – Private equity
“Highly competent and commercial, holds the highest standards of professionalism and integrity, prioritising client service and empathy.” – Private equity
“They are proactive, practical solutions-oriented, and prompt in responding to queries and requests for legal advisory services.” – Regulatory
“Responsive and attentive. Solid commercial advice.” – Regulatory
“They are knowledgeable, responsive and thorough.” – Regulatory
“Knowledgeable partners with astute business sense, especially when it comes to pragmatic advice for dealing with Singapore regulators. Competitively priced services means significantly more ‘bang for the buck’ than most foreign firms.” – Regulatory
“A well-rounded team that's well versed in admiralty, shipping and trade law.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Excellent teamwork, coordinated approach, with creativity in finding solutions.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Exceptional commitment, knowledge and industry awareness, with unique insights and unrivalled practical experience. Also incredibly friendly, positive and innovative. They are a real pleasure to work with.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Excellent team. Technically very strong across restructuring and special situations. Good bench depth. Good networks and they understand the players in the industry.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Grounded, practical debtor-side advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Very strong team. Excellent advice. Timely response. Good bench strength and depth of team. Full suite of legal services” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Hand-on lawyers. Easily approachable which makes them good to work with.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They are fast, prompt and approachable. They are able to research and present difficult legal topics in an easy-to-understand format.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Highly efficient with good client servicing.” – Tax
Jia Hui Chan
“Responsive, highly skilled and engaging.”
“Responsive and he has good problem-solving abilities.”
“Provides practical and commercial advice. Expert on both antitrust and MAS regulatory-related questions.”
Sing Yee Chan
“She is commercial, always available and a problem solver.”
Elaine Chan
“She is responsive, communicates and understands the client's needs well.”
Shi Mei Chia
“She is responsive and friendly.”
Joel Chng
“Friendly, practical and knowledgeable.”
Clayton Chong
“Exceptional analytical ability, knowledge and market awareness. Nothing is too hard and he is very responsive despite having a significant portfolio of work. A true pleasure to deal with.”
Josephine Choo
“We love her client-centric approach to our case, such as being able to break down the legal jargon into clear, easy-to-understand steps for us non-legal professionals to understand. She was also able to manage complex cross-jurisdiction issues since our case involved multiple concurrent procedures across Singapore, BVI and China. It was difficult for us to untangle and, thanks to Josephine, we were able to navigate the process well.”
“She gives practical and effective legal advice.”
Sean Chou
“An excellent lawyer and arbitrator. He is very easy to work with.”
“A natural leader. Great subject-matter expertise.”
“Very responsive, sound technical skills but commercially minded as well. Great client EQ and understands their needs.”
“Sean Chou is a natural and inspirational leader.”
Mark Choy
“Solution- oriented and commercial with a hands-on approach.”
Wei Wei Goh
“Responsive and helpful. She has good local litigation and dispute resolution technical know-how and experience, and communicates well.”
Swee Yen Koh
“Completely on top of her game.”
“Extremely tenacious; never gives up and fights to the end for a client.”
Chung Nian Lam
“Very responsive, clear and thoughtful.”
“Knows it all!”
“Chung Nian really marshals his team so well, and provides fantastic advice which is suitable for the business.”
“Very professional, business-minded and always takes the time to personally attend to matters.”
“He is experienced, extremely service-oriented, quick and always has a practical approach to meet the client’s best interest.’”
“Chung Nian is extremely knowledgeable about his area of practice. He has great communication skills which helps in making the client understand even a complex matter easily. I would like to praise Chung Nian for his responsiveness and patience, along with his great listening skills. He is hard-working and persevering, which makes him one of the most sought-after IP lawyers in Singapore.”
Wendy Lin
“Thorough, insightful and professional.”
“Masterful advocate who is extremely intelligent and very quick on her feet. She has great instincts and gets to the heart of the case right away. Amazingly, she is then able to marshal copious documents to make good that case theory.”
Kah Keong Low
“Highly reliable and responsive, has in-depth knowledge and expertise, knows the client well, and is able to provide constructive, commercial advice.”
Smitha Menon
“Great team coordinator, positive energy and personality, decisiveness.”
“Easy to work with. Solution oriented.”
Rosabel Ng
“Extremely meticulous and up-to-date with the latest developments in the law. Provides innovative and technically sound solutions to complex legal issues. Understands the client's legal requirements.”
“She is very proactive in engaging her clients and she listens to understand what the client's needs are and responds appropriately to them.”
“Excellent overview and understanding with regard to the clearing of derivatives transactions.”
Wai King Ng
“Tremendous legal insight; his considerable experience provides enormous comfort to clients when he is present in a transaction. He has trained a strong team of lawyers to lead M&A transactions.”
Fi Ling Quak
“Fi Ling is always available and very commercial.”
“Commercial, prompt, driven, and always available.”
Joel Quek
“Excellent case analysis, communication with clients, and of course personal presentation.”
Kai Yun Tan
“Very strong understanding of the law. Prompt response times.”
Shao Tong Tan
“Efficient and clear advice.”
Teck Wee Tiong
“Highly competent and likely one of the best among his peers. Very client-focused and empathetic. Willing to explore and incorporate client feedback; open and receptive to ideas.”
Sion Yoong Tian
“Responsiveness and attentiveness, with sound commercial advice.”
Stephanie Yeo
“Good technically and she understands restructuring and special situations.”
“Technically very sound and she is easy to work with.”
Work highlights
Acted for a syndicate of lenders in the restructuring and refinancing of the $2 billion facilities granted to Senoko Energy.
Represented the judicial managers of crypto-token exchange, Hodlnaut.
Focus Law Asia is a specialist litigation and arbitration boutique with a particular strength in shipping and insurance matters. The team counts major world-class ship owners such as Maersk, TORM and Ardmore Shipping, as well as leading marine insurers like Skuld, UK P&I Club and Japan P&I Club as loyal clients. The firm is a member of the One Asia Lawyers network and it boasts Japan and Korea desks with Japanese and Korean lawyers. Managing director Shem Khoo and director Mark Tan are the key contacts.
Client feedback
“The lawyers gave a holistic and sincere take on the case and provided clear options with confident probable outcomes. The team was involved intimately throughout the process and was patient to guide and advise.” – Construction
Hannah Cheang
“She is patient. She listens and clarifies before advising in detail both in legal and layman’s terms. She’s professional, experienced, and well-versed with subject matter and previous cases along with outcomes.”
Work highlights
Advising Banque de Commerce et de Placements in proceedings against a SGX-listed company for unpaid sums of $19 million, arising from a circular transaction with no genuine cargo.
Acting for TORM, a Danish shipping group, on its claims against its bunker supplier, PetroChina International Singapore arising out of the supply of contaminated marine fuel to numerous TORM vessels which subsequently damaged vessel machinery and caused significant delays out of the need to de-bunker and re-bunker fuel.
Helmsman excels at shipping law, but it also has growing banking, employment and general disputes practices. The firm acts for commodity traders, banks and charterers in high-value, cross-border disputes across the globe. The team also has substantial experience in the mid and downstream liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector, particularly in LNG shipping and chartering and LNG trade disputes. As an affiliate of Hong Kong firm Tang & Co, Helmsman houses 18 specialist fee earners, which makes it one of the biggest dedicated shipping and commodities practices in Asia. The key contacts are managing directors Ian Teo and Chong Jun Tang, and directors Maureen Poh and Lynette Koh. Recently, the firm welcomed senior disputes specialists, director Una Khng and counsel Benjamin Bala, from the Supreme Court of Singapore and TSMP Law Corporation respectively.
Client feedback
“Helmsman acted quickly and provided an excellent and useful memo. In particular, I appreciated the proactive approach where we were given advice on specific documents and questions to pursue to gain more understanding of the relevant facts.” – Dispute resolution
“They are available whatever the time is and react super-fast in an efficient manner. Very accurate on their points. They give us the feeling of having a dedicated lawyer in charge of our matters, which does help a lot when it comes to understanding.” – Shipping
“Cheap, fast and good.” – Shipping
Zhida Chen
“Intelligent and commercially minded.”
Una Khng
“She demonstrated high legal skills, was pragmatic in terms of providing useful advice, and good in communications.”
Maureen Poh
“She gave immediate answers to any questions, whatever the time was. Available to travel overseas for assistance in commercial deals. She always kept a positive attitude to come out on top of any issue. She gives the right advice with a permanent very good mood.”
Work highlights
Acted for Unifeeder FZCO and Feedertech to win freezing injunctions against Ti2 Logistics and Ti2 Shipping Lines. This is one of the rare occasions where the Singapore courts granted a freezing injunction against a third party in aid of arbitration proceedings, on the basis that the funds in possession of the third party may be the assets of the defendant in the arbitration.
Advised Hong Lam Marine in relation to a claim arising out of a delay in the discharge of cargo with high levels of hydrogen sulphide.
Representing Yangtze Harmony Company on high-value claims and complex issues arising from the arrest of the vessel, including procedural issues, priority of claims, and technical issues from related shipping arrangements.
Key clients
Keegan Shipping Holdings, Kithnos Special Maritime Enterprise, Prima Marine Public Company, Strofades Special Maritime Enterprise.
Litigation specialist firm PDLegal represents foreign public-listed companies, multinational corporations, SMEs and private individuals at all levels in the Singapore courts, covering a broad spectrum of contentious matters. The firm is also experienced in the full range of shipping and admiralty work. Peter Doraisamy, Andrew Lee and Gerard Quek are key members of the firm. Senior partner and disputes specialist Nazim Khan joined earlier this year from UniLegal. Partner Wei Hong Ling arrived last October from Marsh Singapore, while corporate partner Daomin Chiam left in April.
Work highlights
Acting for owners of SOV Southern Star, a DP3 vessel, in a suit against the bareboat charterers who wrongfully failed to pay charterhire.
Representing Japanese ship owner Masao Mizobuchi in a dispute with one of its Singapore-incorporated company’s trustees over shares in the company.
Advised shipowners in a grounding incident on the Eauripik atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia.
Withers KhattarWong is regularly sought out by high-profile private clients and banks for its expertise in financing, dispute resolution, tax and corporate matters. The firm’s funds practice is growing backed by its established tax advisory team. The managing partner Deborah Barker is a key figure. Other lawyers to note include Chenthil Kumarasingam for disputes, Shaun Leong for arbitration, Jonathan Kok for IP and TMT, and Eric Roose for tax.
Work highlights
Assisting FLOW Digital Infrastructure on its overall tax structure.
Acted as lead tax counsel for PAG Real Estate Property Fund III.
Key clients
Aspire Systems, DSP Group, Iconiq Capital, Indorama Group, PAG Real Estate Property Fund III, TransferClear.
Aquinas Law Alliance’s corporate finance practice covers a wide range of capital markets work. It is active in primary listings, de-listings, privatisations and secondary offerings. The firm also regularly advises on ongoing listing compliance and transfer listings. This year, it moves up in the technology and telecommunications table.
Joint managing partners Kok Meng Lim and Aloysius Wee are key contacts at the firm for transactional work. The disputes quarter is headed by Cephas Yee and Mark Cham Shan Jie, bolstered by the expertise of arbitration specialist Steve Ngo. Highly praised Joshua Tan is another name to note for his technology expertise, while Sean Lee is a restructuring and insolvency-focused partner.
Client feedback
“Reasonable and knowledgeable in the area especially for startups. The lawyers also adopt a commercial mindset.” – Banking and finance
“Firstly, Aquinas Law is highly professional and takes a client-centred approach to their work. They provide tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of their clients, and their lawyers work closely with my team to understand our goals and develop a strategy to achieve them. Secondly, the firm is diligent in its work and leaves no stone unturned when preparing a case. They conduct thorough research and investigation to gather evidence and build a strong case against the debtor, which greatly increases the likelihood of success. Lastly, Aquinas Law is highly communicative and provides regular updates and progress reports to us throughout the legal process. This helps us to stay informed and confident throughout the entire process, as we know what is happening every step of the way.” – Dispute resolution
“Cephas and Matthew (Tan) are exceptional lawyers and worked on our case tirelessly. Both my husband and I are very grateful for their level of commitment and professionalism.” – Dispute resolution
“Prompt, succinct, dedicated and competent. It was truly value for money.” – Dispute resolution
“Prompt service, good professional advice, and the lawyers understand the industry in which we operate. Also, affordable fees.” – Labour and employment
Mark Cham
“Mark is patient and demonstrates a high level of empathy towards his clients. He takes the time to listen to our concerns and understands our unique situations, which helps to build trust and rapport. Mark is also highly professional in his work. He is knowledgeable and experienced in his field, and he approaches his work with a high level of attention to detail and diligence.”
Kok Meng Lim
“Good knowledge of laws and industries. He has a strong business sense and provides innovative advice.”
Joshua Tan
“Joshua is always willing to share his experiences and expertise. He often goes above and beyond to think on behalf of the client instead of simply quoting from the law.”
“He is very commercial, reasonable, approachable and knowledgeable.”
Cephas Yee
“Cephas is extremely user-friendly and responsive; he works well with sensible budget options and is always on the ball.”
“Cephas is always there for us when we need his legal advice on the next course of action to move the case forward.”
Work highlights
Represented Trirec as the lead investor in the series pre-B fundraising of Green Li-ion, a lithium-ion battery recycling technology company based in the US, Europe, Australia and Singapore.
Acted for Mighty Jaxx International on its acquisition of various businesses in Singapore.
Advised Finku Technologies on its Series seed fundraising.
CNPLaw, formerly known as Colin Ng & Partners, is active in all major practice areas including banking and finance, capital markets, corporate and M&A, investment funds and private equity. The firm has experience in advising companies in the real estate and technology and telecommunication sectors, particularly active in blockchain and cryptocurrency. This year, the firm moves up a rank in the construction and regulatory tables. The M&A team closed four takeovers in the past year and the corporate team has established a niche practice advising companies in high-growth, emerging markets like Myanmar, Indo-China and the Philippines. Min-Li Tan, Subramanian Pillai, Pradeep Singh, Lisa Theng and Bill Jamieson are key contacts.
Work highlights
Advised an e-gaming platform service provider on the provision of various e-gaming platform services in Asia, including providing e-gaming solutions such as content for games and tournaments, and the development of an e-sports portal management platform.
Represented Azventure Investments in relation to a selective capital reduction exercise to facilitate the exit of more than 4,000 minority shareholders.
Acted for a group of sellers in their divestment of a controlling stake in Rebonics.
Established in 2016, Covenant Chambers prides itself on offering its disputes-related services at a lower cost than the largest domestic firms, but still maintaining high-calibre advice and director involvement. It has been recognised by the Singapore government as being a pioneering local law firm with the SmartLaw Singapore Law Practice recognition scheme. Managing director Ee Yan Lee and director Ronald Wong are the main contacts. Associate directors Zheng Feng Lim and Benedict Eoon left last year for Fervent Chambers and Oon & Bazul, respectively.
Client feedback
“Professional, balanced, responsive and presented both sides of the coin at all times for us as the client to make an objective call.” – Competition/antitrust
“Passionate, professional and most importantly, they work with heart.” – Private client
Ronald Wong
“Concise, clear, humble and instils confidence.”
Wilbur Lua
“Professional, with deep insights into cases. Works with heart and is level-headed.”
Work highlights
Advising ECXX Global, a licensed operator of digital security token exchanges, on licensing and various legal, regulatory and compliance issues.
Assisting Respiree, a spin-off medtech start-up with an AI-assisted virtual patient care support system, on its $4.7 million Series Seed round and various legal issues.
Represented Data Glove IT Solutions on Singapore aspects of its $90.5 million acquisition by Persistent Systems.
As one of Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms, Drew & Napier possesses a diverse roster of lawyers offering an extensive range of legal services in Singapore and across the region. The firm remains a dispute resolution powerhouse with a deep bench of top advocates including Jimmy Yim and Cavinder Bull. Disputes and insolvency lawyer Siraj Omar, construction specialist Christopher Chong and elite tax practitioner Ong Sim Ho further reinforce the team. Other key names to note include Pauline Chong for finance, Chong Kin Lim for competition and technology, Steven Lo for corporate and M&A, Tony Yeo for IP, and Sushil Nair and Blossom Hing for restructuring and insolvency. Consultant Gary Pryke is another well-known practitioner in the corporate and finance space. The firm welcomed banking specialist May Ng from Rajah & Tann recently.
Client feedback
“Highly professional, responsive and approachable.” – Banking and finance
“They understand the concerns, are responsive and provide solutions.” – Banking and finance
“Always focused on protecting its client's interests.” – Banking and finance
“I appreciate their knowledge of the matter and prompt actions.” – Capital markets
“DN has strong, in-depth knowledge of competition law and is able to provide practical advice in a timely manner.” – Competition/antitrust
“Profound expertise, swift responses, and regularly updates clients through newsletters.” – Competition/antitrust
“Responsive and business-pragmatic. Makes effort to understand the client's requirements. Reasonable fees charged for work.” – Construction
“Knowledgeable, professional and supportive of small businesses.” – Corporate and M&A
“The team is capable of looking beyond the legal aspects and putting into the perspectives of the different stakeholders. They provided value-added service and are indeed great partners for business owners.” – Corporate and M&A
“Responsive, quick and commercially minded.” – Corporate and M&A
“I liked their flexibility while providing good coverage on the necessary work for this deal.” – Corporate and M&A
“Communication and ability to distil facts into easy to understand terms. They are also very good at highlighting the possible issues with the transaction.” – Corporate and M&A
“Sound in legal knowledge and able to provide alternative solutions.” – Corporate and M&A
“Very detailed analysis of the law. Very prompt advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Deep legal expertise coupled with pragmatism.” – Dispute resolution
“Took the additional effort to understand the case, including the case notes, did a walkthrough of the cause of the matter, looked out for the true cause of the matter before forming their own conclusions prior to advising on the appropriate steps to take.” – Dispute resolution
“First and foremost, they advise you if it makes sense to fight or not to fight. As per Sun Tzu, that's the most important and fundamental question. Drew doesn't shy away from a fight to maximise value for the client but they are also very mindful if it makes sense to fight to begin with! They then ask you what you want to achieve and give you good counsel in a clear and transparent way. As a busy CEO, this is exactly what I need, and Drew does this very well.” – Dispute resolution
“Very collaborative. Sharp thinkers who understand the issues, even when they are new areas.” – Dispute resolution
“Quick to respond, thoughtful legal work and diligent” – Dispute resolution
“They have sound industry knowledge and expertise in handling arbitration under SIAC rules. They can provide quick and practical solutions for commercial disputes. Two lawyers, Mahesh Rai and Don Loo exhibit excellent legal acumen.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a completely hands-on approach to matters.” – Dispute resolution
“They’re all excellent, promptly engaging legal advice at all times. They are all brilliant lawyers.” – Dispute resolution
“Without doubt, the best litigation outfit in Singapore. Timely, reasoned, commercial and effective.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier were very proactive and responsive. They were able to foresee the plaintiff's arguments and prevent them.” – Dispute resolution
“They make robust argument and provide effective litigation strategies.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier has come up with a very creative solution in respect of entering documents into evidence, by knowing well the procedure of the proceeding.” – Dispute resolution
“It is commercially savvy and understanding of client needs.” – Dispute resolution
“Practical and concise legal advice was rendered.” – Dispute resolution
“I like all these: responsiveness, access to partners and commerciality of the advice.” – Dispute resolution
“They are very focused and committed. From day one they created a clear strategy which led us to win our case against the claimants. The team members involved have taken accountability. The deliverables during ongoing arbitration were outstanding.” – Dispute resolution
“We had a complex and difficult claim that required attention to detail and clever advocacy. Blossom's team was able to combine the disparate facts into a coherent claim that allowed us to achieve our aims against the defendant.” – Dispute resolution
“Excellence in advocacy, excellence in knowledge of law, practical advice, timeliness, responsiveness, commercial sensitivity. Most impressive aspect is their ability to work around our confidentiality and commercial concerns.” – Dispute resolution
“They are responsive and their advice is well thought out, succinct and clearly backed by years of experience in litigation. They are also happy to accept feedback and consider the legal opinions of their clients' in-house teams.” – Dispute resolution
“Experienced, strategic and responsive” – Dispute resolution
“Their experience, customer service and legal expertise are exceptional. They have the ability to lead with the local lawyers and the clients. The legal advice they have provided is practical and tailored for the specific legal disputes. They work tirelessly for any urgent matters without hesitating a bit, even if it takes the entire night. Despite the differences between the two jurisdictions, their cooperation on the matters has been top-notch. We have learnt so much from them in terms of their knowledge, practice, attitude, management, leadership, professionalism and customer service skills.” – Dispute resolution
“Strategic in solving the key issues and meticulous on detail.” – Dispute resolution
“The partner and team are very knowledgeable, working in a very detailed and precise manner. They have a strong understanding of the law and how to apply it. Great team.” – Dispute resolution
“Drew & Napier is very meticulous, and even minor emails are professionally written, well structured, and well thought out. They also learn fast, and quickly accumulated domain knowledge regarding the blockchain industry where we operate, and adjacent fields of law such as US securities law as applied to blockchain disputes. They are also extremely responsive, replying on urgent messages even at 11pm.” – Dispute resolution
“We appreciate its commerciality and technical analysis.” – Dispute resolution
“Professional and timely advice.” – Dispute resolution
“Wide areas of expertise and prompt advice.” – Energy
“Great detailed analysis and recommendation on appropriate and specific course of action.” – Insurance
“They are good with technical advice.” – Insurance
“They do a good job at looking at things from the client's perspective, and are able to find commercial solutions for risks they identify.” – Insurance
“Siau Wen Lim and Xuan Lang Teo from Drew & Napier represented us and have acted professionally to assist to resolve trademark issues with Starbucks. Their expertise in IP field is highly commendable and eventually the issue has been resolved with a positive outcome.” – Intellectual property
“They take the time to understand the business challenges and try to work on practical solutions.” – Intellectual property
“Very prompt.” – Intellectual property
“Advice is technically sound and well-considered.” – Intellectual property
“Lawyers have a good knowledge of Singapore law and are responsive.” – Investment funds
“Prompt, thorough and responsive.” – Labour and employment
“Their IT legal team has deep knowledge and rich experience. Very responsive even on the weekend when our business is running. Very client-oriented.” – Privacy and data protection
“Superior staff who provide considered advice and diligent execution.” – Private client
“The firm was able to comprehend the complexity of a first-of-its-kind strategy from a fund manager's perspective and comes up with an innovative solution.” – Private equity
“Good at the completion of transactions despite the tight timeline.” – Real estate
“They are easily approachable. They explain matters easily and guide us. They are not typically commercial, they fully understand client issues and look at everything holistically before coming out with any suggestions.” – Regulatory
“Drew partners are highly competent, responsive and provide commercially sensible advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Deep experience.” – Tax
“Experienced lawyers who know the ITBR requirement and advise clients on the appeal strategy and provide practical advice on the approach to the appeal. Legal submissions are well prepared and clear and concise. They value the relationship with clients.” – Tax
“Drew & Napier's team, and Chong Kin Lim in particular, are deep experts in the tech and telecom space. They provide crisp guidance that we can share rapidly with our internal business clients. They also proactively monitor the horizon, and they let us know in advance about legal/regulatory developments that may impact us. Finally, they are fantastically responsive and literally never late in getting us the information we request.” – Technology and telecommunications
David Alfred
“He is very knowledgeable, prompt, able to offer solutions, understands business concerns, practical, and has a good network with regulators.”
Cavinder Bull
“An outstanding lawyer; thorough understanding of client's needs.”
Ron Cheng
“Knowledgeable and able to understand and meet the client's needs.”
“Ron has been extremely meticulous when it comes to his work. He ensures that he covers all angles and risks that the fund may encounter locally or abroad. Ron is able to understand complex problems and comes up with innovative solutions and structure.”
Corinne Chew
“Corinne is always willing to help and provides thoughtful advice in a timely manner.”
“Profound legal knowledge with excellent communication skills”
Voon Jiet Chia
“Voon Jiet is highly competent, responsive and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Desmond Chng
“He is very responsive, and good at giving a quick (often immediate) indication of what the solution to a problem might be, and whether or not it actually warrants detailed research or formal legal advice. This is very much appreciated from a client's point of view.”
Andrew Chua
“He is attentive and responsive, able to relate to the case and provide insights and share best practices, and at the same time highlight potential issues or ideas from past cases and experiences.”
Benjamin Gaw
“Knowledgeable, professional, available, has a positive attitude and is attentive to client's needs.”
Blossom Hing
“She has a good team and allows her team to take the lead with client communication at the right time while also stepping in when necessary. She asks the right questions to elicit the necessary information from the client.”
“Blossom is an outstanding litigation and arbitration partner. Blossom is creative and very strategic in her thinking and tactics - based on her vast experience of litigation and arbitration. Blossom has done a great job in building a team to support her.”
“My ’go to’ contact is Blossom Hing, who is one of the most experienced and accomplished litigation and arbitration partners in Singapore. Blossom heads a great team that is growing in experience and competence.”
Soo Lih Ho
“Approachable.”
Seraphina Ho
“Efficient.”
Rakesh Kirpalani
“Rakesh is clear in his counsel and incredibly responsive.”
“He helps our company to handle our legal issues and we are satisfied with his work.”
“He possesses a strong spirit to win for the client. He has a client-centric approach and is an expert at IT and data security.”
Meryl Koh
“Highly responsive and takes a keen interest to know the client's business and challenges faced. She has a can-do attitude and willing to go the extra mile for the client. Does not discriminate client based on fee earned.”
“Thorough, empathetic and forward-looking.”
Samuel Koh
“Very responsive. A critical thinker who challenges outcomes to ensure they are robust.”
Man Er Kong
“Kong is qualified and brilliant at what she does. Very reliable and flexible. In terms of advocacy skills, Kong is astonishing. Kong is very patient towards the clients and has the deep understanding of the law. Further, Kong respects the time and is responsive. Case management is top-notch as well. We have obtained grand knowledge when we discuss the interpretation and the conflicts of law.”
“Intelligent, sharp, efficient and effective.”
Julian Kwek
“Problem solver and provides practical solutions.”
Keith Lam
“Keith is professional and responsive.”
Sok Hiang Lau
“She is proactive and provides solutions to difficult issues.”
“Lau Sok Hiang is a very careful and meticulous lawyer. She very much stressed getting the documents right, in the sense that it will not invite queries or challenges.”
Chong Kin Lim
“Prompt, knowledgeable and responsive.”
“He has incredible relationships in his peer network. Deep expertise and incredibly responsive.”
Shumin Lin
“Very knowledgeable in the areas that she practises and provides very clear and detailed analysis of the law.”
“Has a quick grasp of issues. Keen attention to detail without losing sight of the broad strategy.”
Adam Maniam
“Adam's approach is extremely customer-oriented, he takes the initiative to take a crash-course on the customer's industry in order to come up with creative solutions. He's sharp and straightforward.”
“He is D&N personified. Altogether exceptional in terms of service, advocacy, attention to client's concerns and knowledge of the law. He’s a brilliant lawyer. In my opinion better than some senior counsel.”
“My opinion of the firm has been formed by Adam and his mentor.”
“Appreciate his knowledge, adherence to timelines, and that he understands the sensitivity of the matter.”
Pei Tong Ng
“Ability to share a holistic view on the situation and advise accordingly and to the needs of the client.”
Sim Ho Ong
“Very familiar with IRAS.”
Mahesh Rai
“Mahesh possesses excellent legal acumen. This coupled with his sound industry knowledge helps him deliver quick and practical legal advice. Mahesh communicates well and is friendly in nature.”
“He has a complete knowledge of the field and goes all out to understand the nuances of the business.”
“Both from a personal and professional point of view, I found Mahesh to be someone impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, is able to listen well, and is very good in communication, as I often saw him carrying himself so well in the court or in any kind of joint discussions. He provides me as a client with great consideration, tending to the needs of my case in the best way. Mahesh also always comes up with great strategy, showing his creativity as a veteran lawyer.”
“Mahesh is a very hands-on partner, has a close grasp of all the strategic issues and drills down into factual issues. He has a very commercial, practical mindset and is always ready to offer a recommendation and not just a set of options, and a practical recommendation that addresses both legal and broader strategic concerns. He is also clearly a strong mentor because we have been impressed even by the juniors on his team, when Mahesh is not present.”
Teng Sen Tan
“Teng Sen is a seasoned corporate lawyer and provides value-added services to the business owner. He's adept at corporate financing works and compliance matters and is a great partner for us.”
“Very experienced corporate partner who is commercially minded. He gives practical advice.”
“Excellent legal knowledge and communications.”
Allister Tan
“Brilliant lawyer and eager to help always.”
“Very knowledgeable, communicates well to ensure client understands the specifics of the issues. Guides client to the most rationale decision.”
“Fast and sound technical advice.”
“Commercial nous.”
Evelyn Tan
“Well-versed with contract law and court processes, meticulous and pays attention to detail.”
Benedict Teo
“Commercially savvy and he puts clients’ interests first.”
“Ben is extremely responsive and very experienced. I have appreciated his sound legal advice, and sharp legal acumen in handling the cases on our behalf. I also appreciate that he makes himself available to speak to the business representatives when needed.”
“Benedict is experienced and provides good strategic advice. His team provides good, detailed work and manages timelines well. Much to recommend, not much to criticise.”
“Responsive, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure client's requirements are met fully.”
“He is a very experienced trusted adviser and sounding board. He is commercial, responsive, insightful, and he really knows the market and knows his stuff.”
Xuan Lang Teo
“Xuan Lang has been efficient in handling our case and always provides valuable alternative options for our consideration. This is helpful as it leaves no stone unturned, which may increase the probability to succeed in the proceedings.”
“Xuan Lang is extremely sharp and thorough. He is able to distil the key issues in a dispute to achieve the most efficient and favourable outcomes for us. He has deep foresight while bearing in mind commercial realities and practical considerations. All advice from him is extremely well-thought-out and backed up by firm legal foundations. An expert in IP law, he is able to explain and argue complicated legal concepts with clarity and punch.”
Shi Yong Yang
“Provides timely responses and to-the-point advice.”
“He listens to the client and approaches the solution holistically.”
Jonathan Yap
“Jonathan is a hard-working attorney focused on delivering quality work and superior results. He has great communication skills and ensures that his clients remain happy with his services.”
Tony Yeo
“Very prompt and understanding.”
Jimmy Yim
“He is efficient, eloquent and communicates well. He is also knowledgeable and responsive.”
“Jimmy Yim is well known in Singapore and an excellent lawyer with a strong personality. He was able to turn around a case we had lost and win the case for our company.”
“Jimmy Yim was efficient, eloquent and understood the issues well. Very good courtroom manner and pleasant to deal with.”
Work highlights
Assisted the Independent Motor Dealers Association in a comprehensive review of the Telecom Competition Code and Media Market Conduct Code, and to draft and implement a harmonised competition code for the telecommunications and media industries.
Engaged by the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam to assist with the development and implementation of Brunei’s personal data protection law and regulatory framework for the private sector.
Key clients
Alibaba Group, AT&T, Cisco Systems, Google, Sprint, Tencent Holdings.
OrionW is a specialist firm dedicated to technology, media and telecommunications and fintech matters. The firm’s key expertise lies in domestic and cross-border transactions, data protection, cybersecurity, blockchain, export control matters, regulatory compliance, licensing and platform developments. Moreover, the firm works with Fortune 500, FTSE 100 and other multinational companies as well as innovative startups in the financial services, logistics, healthcare, technology, sports and retail sectors. Managing director Winnie Chang is the key contact.
Client feedback
“Fast and responsive, and they know their area of work very well.” – Labour and employment
“Clear, practical advice that is delivered promptly and punctually.” – Data protection and privacy
Winnie Chang
“Very fast and responsive on queries and very knowledgeable.”
“Approachable, deeply knowledgeable and responsive.”
Work highlights
Advised a satellite services company in Asia on regulatory compliance and licensing issues.
Assisted a digital token exchange on various regulatory compliance and licensing matters in relation to its operation.
Advised a global digital token exchange on an international sporting event sponsorship.
Rajah & Tann is arguably the most visible among Singapore’s ‘Big Four’ law firms in the southeast Asian market. It occupies the top tier across an array of practice areas and sectors with well-established teams in both the transactional and contentious arena. The firm has outstanding experience in complex and high-value cross-border matters, closely working with its R&T Asia network with specialised industry expertise. The firm has a traditional strength in dispute resolution backed by the largest litigation practice in Singapore with seven senior counsels. This year the firm proves its dominance again with its ascension into the ‘Outstanding’ tier for corporate and M&A. Key names include Angela Lim for banking and finance, Kim Huat Chia for capital markets and corporate and M&A, Kala Anandarajah for competition, Francis Xavier and Andre Yeap for dispute resolution, Arnold Tan for investment funds, Patrick Ang and Eng Beng Lee for restructuring and insolvency, and Rajesh Sreenivasan for technology and telecommunications. The construction team welcomed counsel Divyesh Menon from Mayer Brown and partner Vanina Sucharitkul from Herbert Smith Freehills. Capital markets specialist Yoke Ping Cheng and competition partner Dominique Lombardi retired during the research period. Investment funds specialist Carmen Lee departed for Chan & Goh, while one IP partner left for RPC.
Client feedback
“The team at Rajah & Tann is always highly responsive, consistently delivers expert and quality legal advice and, most importantly, constant assurance that they are professionals who have the backs of their clients on all transactions” – Banking and finance
“Solutions oriented, quick and customer-centric.” – Banking and finance
“Over the years, Rajah & Tann have become increasingly progressive as a law firm. They have been focusing on talent development, which has resulted in motivated lawyers who are able to apply technical legal knowledge to their clients' businesses, to render highly valuable advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“Experts in what they do, they can take pragmatic positions which are consistent with the legal framework. They provide timely advice.” – Competition/antitrust
“R&T listened carefully to the dispute and analysed the wide spectrum of issues arisen therefrom. Its advice is always for the interest of the client. They avoided dispute and offered innovative solutions. It saves costs and time for the client.” – Construction
“They understand the industry and offer practical advice.” – Construction
“Succeeded in appeal. Top-class arguments and submission.” – Construction
“Very professional, prompt and active advisory. Spot-on teamwork.” – Corporate and M&A
“Broad experience, practice-based approach.” – Corporate and M&A
“Some teams at Rajah & Tann stand out. Such as, the corporate team led by Evelyn Wee, who is very experienced and commercial in M&A transaction, with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation; the employment team led by Kala Anandarajah, who provides excellent practical advice combined with a good understanding of the commercial goals of the client; and the TMT team led by Ben Cheong, who is able to assist clients with analysing complex intellectual property situations with pragmatic advice in a short period of time.” – Corporate and M&A
“Their success depended on the flexible and practical attitude over their assistance by the leaders of the competition law team, Kala Anandarajah and Dominique Lombardi. In addition, they are very responsive. It went so well, which benefited our client and also created a name for their practice.” – Corporate and M&A
“Knowledge, experience and client focus.” – Dispute resolution
“Market leaders, client-oriented, well regarded in Singapore.” – Dispute resolution
“Responded to me promptly, managed expectations and took a balanced view.” – Dispute resolution
“They have a deep bench of experienced lawyers and have the largest network in southeast Asia.” – Dispute resolution
“They tailor solutions to each client.” – Insurance
“Comprehensive and clear advice with a commercial angle.” – Insurance
“A team of extremely skilled and competent lawyers who understand our business and the regulatory environment and market we operate in. They are quick to respond and provide commercially viable and practical advice without fudging.” – Insurance
“Highly responsive, gave sharp and balanced advice that was clear, practical and readily applicable to the circumstances.” – Labour and employment
“R&T have the strongest ’wet’ shipping practice in Singapore and, with their sister firm in Malaysia, are able to straddle the two jurisdictions in which we work. Their communication is clear, direct and modern.” – Oil and gas
“It is very customer-centric. They own the client's problem and their advice format matches commercial requirements.” – Privacy and data protection
“R&T provides good-quality service at a very good pace and at very reasonable costs. We've also been working with them for a while now, and they are very commercial and understand our needs very well.” – Private equity
“Reliability, commitment and leadership when managing a file. Rajah & Tann speedily assembles a competent team on short notice and possesses deep knowledge in the field of specialty.” – Real estate
“High level of professionalism with a can-do attitude. Very accountable and adopt a client-first approach and this really shows through across all teams. R&T will always be our number one choice law firm and we will opt to use them throughout the region wherever they have offices.” – Real estate
“R&T partners are highly competent, responsive, multi-disciplinary, fun to work with and provide commercially sensible and practical advice.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“Positive approach, motivated, knowledgeable and supportive.” – Restructuring and insolvency
“They think out of the box, analyse the matter and provide solutions.” – Shipping
“Speedy and practical advice.” – Shipping
“Able to understand the client's intention and expectations, striking a balance of achieving the client's commercial goals and at the same time safeguarding the client's interest.” – Shipping
“They think outside the box and have very strong and very well substantiated tax legal opinions.” – Tax
“Good knowledge on the GST and are able to provide the strengths and weaknesses of the case.” – Tax
“Communication is excellent, they provide expertise, good counsel and in-depth knowledge of the topic.” – Tax
“Rajah & Tann had a thorough knowledge of the GST law in Singapore.” – Tax
“Commercially oriented advice that balances between legality and practicality.” – Technology and telecommunications
Dedi Ahmad
“Detailed, practical advice with reasonable fees.”
Kala Anandarajah
“Kala is very passionate about her work and CSR activities. Kala makes it a point to understand her client's business thoroughly in order to provide highly practical legal advice. In addition, she has been building a team of lawyers who have a very progressive mindset and understand the client's needs fully.”
“Kala is a veteran lawyer with years of experience under her belt. She is a guru in competition law in Singapore and beyond. I trust her advice. She takes pains to understand your business in order to calibrate the risks. ChatGPT can tell you what the law says but Kala will customise it to suit your business.”
“Kala listens well and understands the nuances of the circumstances. She is able to maintain a clear objectivity, and at the same time provides her opinion based on a well-balanced assessment of the relevant facts.”
Patrick Ang
“Highly competent, responsive, fun to work with and offers commercially sensible and practical advice and solutions.”
Jainil Bhandari
“Jainil is extremely bright, has great knowledge of the areas of law within which he operates, and is very personable and easy to deal with.”
Shemane Chan
“Proactive, very knowledgeable and good communications.”
Benjamin Cheong
“Benjamin has proven time and again to be adaptable and he understands the commercial structure and interests when providing legal advice.”
“He has great customer engagement; he owns the customer's problem.”
Beng Chye Chua
“Great communication skills, extremely client-focused, technically strong and able to generate creative solutions.”
Norman Ho
“Responsible manager with deep industry knowledge that takes on tight timelines and leadership.”
Xin Mei Lee
“Xin Mei is our go-to lawyer for highly structured and complex leveraged and acquisition financings. She is a high-calibre and top-tier legal talent with an extremely astute mind. She is always able to grasp quickly the nuances in highly complex transactions and is extremely knowledgeable on both legal and commercial issues. She is extremely dedicated, always responsive and highly reliable – you can always count on her to deliver high-quality work even under compressed deadlines. She is also highly personable, connects well with her clients and demonstrates great leadership. She is solution-oriented and is always patient in taking the time to explain concepts to clients.”
“Solutions-oriented, quick and customer-centric.”
Kah Wah Leong
“Able to listen and understand the client's position well enough, and provides sound legal and commercial solutions.”
Murali Pillai
“Murali is an extremely skilled, competent and intuitive lawyer. He is able to catch on to the issues very quickly and provide clear, sensible, practical and commercially viable solutions and advice. He also has excellent interpersonal skills and is able to be empathetic and a good listener.”
Avinash Pradhan
“Impressed by his knowledge and skills. Top-class lawyer in construction cases.”
Vikna Rajah
“Very kind man who is very well educated, experienced, responsive and gives you the feeling he will do everything he can to help the case to a successful solution.”
“Very good tax knowledge and he is able to apply it to actual business transactions.”
“We appreciate his communications and depth of knowledge.”
“Vikna was able to advise on the best arguments to take at various stages of litigation.”
Chee Siong Sim
“Chee Siong's client relationship is very good, always responsive and accessible. He is very creative and offers innovative solutions all the time. I am very impressed by his advice and work.”
Lip San Soh
“Has industry knowledge and picks up quickly on issues. Able to articulate advice clearly.”
Zixiang Sun
“Zixiang is very client oriented and understands our needs well. He's very communicative and also brings to the table a wealth of expertise and knowledge about the industry.”
Kevin Tan
“Kevin Tan is an excellent lawyer. He is extremely bright, commercially savvy, responsive to clients’ needs, and adept at handling complex legal issues while keeping our interests at the forefront of any legal strategy. He was crucial to achieving a great result for us.”
“Responsive, thinks well in his responses.”
“Kevin is a first-rate lawyer, far above the rest. I found he was able to provide pinpoint solutions each and every time.”
“Kevin is a very clear-thinking lawyer, who is extremely well-prepared and researched for his dispute resolution cases. He is also very eloquent in court and is able to respond very quickly and pick apart witnesses in cross-examination.”
Kendall Tan
“Provides solutions as problems arise, thinks out of the box.”
Elaine Tay
“Responsive and thorough. Client-focussed and a problem-solver.”
Benjamin Tay
“My go-to lawyer for all deals where possible.”
Bala V
“Warmth and people skills.”
Ying Shuang Wang
“Practical and commercial.”
Desmond Wee
“Easy and approachable, very knowledgeable and always available. Listens carefully and closely and derives the crux of the matter sharply and quickly. Always spot on, he’s a great counsel.”
Evelyn Wee
“Evelyn has been a star among the R&T team. She is very experienced and commercial in M&A transactions with a good understanding of the commercial needs of the client and an ability to keep her cool no matter the situation. She has excellent negotiation skill and is in control of every situation.”
Work highlights
Advised ByteDance and its subsidiaries in their expansion into southeast Asia.
Assisted Ant Financial Group on its launch of a blockchain-backed smart contract platform for cross-border trade by small and medium enterprises.
Key clients
Bayer, Starbucks Coffee.
RHTLaw Asia is a full-service firm that has a well-respected technology practice. Its IP group has been gaining more traction, with the firm climbing up one tier in the rankings. Boasting partners that are qualified in multiple jurisdictions such as China, US, Hong Kong, Australia and Malaysia, the firm routinely handles complex cross-border transactions. The firm is organised around eight industry groups: consumer brands, healthcare and life sciences, private wealth, technology and media, construction and projects, financial institutions and technology, transportation and logistics, and education. The technology group specialises in tech infrastructure, blockchain, data processing and telecommunications. The key contacts include corporate partners Erwan Barre and Eu Jin Yang, IP partner Rizwi Wun and disputes leader Nandakumar Renganathan. The disputes also group houses senior counsel, Leslie Chew.
Client feedback
“Expertise is good, and their customer centricity is excellent.” – Corporate and M&A
“They can provide services in multiple jurisdictions.” – Intellectual property
“Knowledgeable about local laws and regulations, easy to understand.” – Regulatory
“Positive attributes of RHTLaw are its expertise and knowledge in the legal field and its professionalism and commitment to ethical standards. The lawyer is patient in explaining the case, the client's interest and rights, and providing appropriate advice.” – Real estate
Sandra Han
“Sandra always provided expert legal advice and guidance to my case. She is patient to understand the case and uses her knowledge and skills to analyse the legal issues. She always acts in her client's interest and respond to clients as soon as she can.”
Rizwi Wun
“He is very accommodating and tries his best to assist us with our needs for legal services.”
“Quick to respond with good knowledge.”
Eu Jin Yang
“Professional approach, knowledgeable and open to ideas. Good communication skills.”
Work highlights
Represented Generix in the acquisition of the 50% holding of a group of partners in a JV in Portugal.
Acted for Knorex in their latest rounds of a Series 3 funding and convertible notes financing.
Advised Singapore Post on the acquisition of Parcel Santa and a divestment transaction.
Assisted Jaguar Land Rover Singapore to conduct the annual review of its InControl system and app terms and conditions for compliance with applicable Singapore laws.
Key clients
Actility, China Mobile, DPD Group, Macnica Networks, PropertyGuru
TLB focuses on commercial and corporate transactions, capital markets and corporate reorganisations involving both private and public companies, non-profit organisations and entrepreneurs. Due to the founder’s long track record of experience as an in-house counsel at a telecoms company, the firm has deep expertise in the telecommunications industry. Clients seek the team out for advice on the financial and emerging technologies area, as the lawyers are well versed in blockchain technologies and crypto-tokens, as well as related services and the attendant legal and regulatory implications. Its clients range from founders of layer-1 or 2 public blockchains, non-profit token foundations, dApps, DAOs, web 3 companies, private investment funds and crypto-exchanges to centralised and decentralised financial intermediaries. Philippe Taverne and Mathilde Broustau are key contacts. They are qualified to practice Singapore, French and UK law.
Client feedback
“TLB is committed to best serving its customers and helping them with the legal domain. They go the extra mile to help, which is really appreciated.” – Corporate and M&A
Mathilde Broustau
“Mathilde has a particularly developed sense of listening, which helps to quickly translate and establish a legal framework in accordance with the laws in force. I can only recommend their services.”
Work highlights
Advised Infinity Conglomerate Group on the token regulatory framework in view of its token listing.
Acted for Karma Innovations on its Zone Token, a web3 and Gamefi company.
Assisted WooTech, a trading platform for cryptocurrencies, in relation to the buyback of their proprietary tokens held by Three Arrows Capital.
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