Drew & Napier

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, Petrus Huang for capital markets, 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 development and implementation of a licensing, regulatory and competition framework for the liberalisation of the Bruneian Postal Sector corporate and finance space.

Client feedback

“Professional.” – Banking and finance

“Meticulous.” – Capital markets

“Proactive, they are able to anticipate issues and advise accordingly. Efficient, they controlled the board verification meetings well.” – Capital markets

“Prompt advice.” – Capital markets

“Efficient response time, commercially savvy, and easy-to-understand advice with practical solutions.” – Competition/antitrust

“Service is prompt. Advice is always well considered.” – Construction

“They are very knowledgeable with good advocacy skills.” – Construction

“Embodies commerciality and practicality.” – Corporate and M&A

“I appreciate their competence, responsiveness, effectiveness and quality.” – Dispute resolution

“D&N provide full support on the arrangements and follow through in tight timelines and communicated strategically when the MA in our matter refused to convene the EGM despite the fact we had more than the stipulated signatures on the requisition.” – Dispute resolution

“Rapid, thorough advice and action.” – Dispute resolution

“Extremely dedicated and proactive team. It is a true dispute resolution firm, not only conducting the role of solicitors.” – Dispute resolution

“Exceptional legal approach, top-notch legal research, and the preparation of court papers and witness statements are exceptional. They always produce the highest quality work at very reasonable hourly time costs.” – Dispute resolution

“Responsive and careful-thinking.” – Dispute resolution

“Shumin's team is very efficient and thorough. You feel like you can rely on them. They are also very measured and firm in their approach, which helps greatly during settlement negotiations.” – Dispute resolution

“Great legal know-how, accuracy, clarity and excellent work ethic. Superb litigation and client relations.” – Dispute resolution

“It is very accessible and provides well-considered advice.” – Dispute resolution

“Extremely professional and capable, very good at clear communication in terms of issues and obtaining instructions from us. Cavinder Bull SC is an outstanding advocate and a joy to work with and he runs an extremely well planned and organised team. They all work extremely hard to deliver results.” – Dispute resolution

“Appreciate its attention to detail. The lawyers are responsive to customer comments and requests.” – Dispute resolution

“Calculated and sound advice on procedural and strategic issues. Very responsive and able to turnaround actions very quickly.” – Dispute resolution

“I have worked with Mahesh Rai's team (so Mahesh, Jonathan Yong and Samuel Soo, in particular). They are excellent lawyers who bring significant strategic insight and close attention to detail to their work, which is efficient and cost effective.” – Dispute resolution

“Provide practical solutions and managed to help us come to a settlement after a few years of litigation.” – Dispute resolution

“They are very focused and committed. From day one they have created a clear strategy which led us to win our case against the claimants. The team members involved have taken accountability. Deliverables during the arbitration were outstanding.” – Dispute resolution

“Recommended for their curiosity to understand the business context and ability to understand the business needs and challenges. They are responsive and experts in the field.” – Dispute resolution

“Top-quality lawyers that produce excellent work. Highly efficient individuals that are clear and concise with their delivery and statements.” – Dispute resolution

“Precise, effective and professional.” – Dispute resolution

“Perfect mix of exceptional legal ability and commercial nous.” – Dispute resolution

“Brilliant legal minds, listen to client and have first-class advocacy.” – Dispute resolution

“Choosing Drew & Napier was the best decision I made for my legal needs. They not only provided expert legal advice but also showed genuine care and emotional support throughout my matter. They took the time to understand my situation, provided clear guidance and advice, and fought tirelessly on my behalf. They do well in navigating my complex and high-profile disputes.” – Dispute resolution

“Good analytical skills, judgement and advising capability.” – Dispute resolution

“Lawyers are logical.” – Dispute resolution

“Good availability and teamwork.” – Dispute resolution

“They are able to work closely with myself and provide very useful, effective advice. Able to revert in a timely manner.” – Dispute resolution

“Strong experience and technical knowledge. Very prompt and easy to work with.” – Dispute resolution

“Drew & Napier's lawyers are well-versed in the law and provide useful and strategic advice in a dispute. They communicate clearly and tell us all that we need to know, when we need to know it. Ultimately, they put the best case forward and consistently deliver the results I need.” – Dispute resolution

“The law firm is highly knowledgeable and experienced, which made me feel at peace for letting them handle my case. Their team is compassionate and empathetic, providing personalised support and making me feel valued during a stressful time. They maintained excellent communication, keeping me informed. Additionally, their commitment to justice and willingness to help, evident in them taking my case as pro bono work. I believe that their professionalism and integrity make them an exceptional law firm.” – Dispute resolution

“First-class legal strategy and adept at providing a global approach to cases that considers the most effective way to reach the end goal right from the start.” – Dispute resolution

“Drew & Napier provides excellent legal services. They guide and explain matters to us clearly. They prepare thoroughly and respond promptly to our queries and requests for clarification. We are very satisfied with their services. Throughout the proceedings, we have had a positive experience working with them.” – Dispute resolution

“Quality of service and clarity of advice.” – Intellectual property

“D&N don't shy away from difficult or complex cases. They take the time to understand the client's needs, dig into the details and develop a well thought out strategy to meet the client's goals.” – Intellectual property

“Professional communication, expertise, practical advice and cost-effective.” – Intellectual property

“Professional and insightful.” – Intellectual property

“They are knowledgeable in the law, reliable and provide services in a cost-effective manner.” – Intellectual property

“Professional, knowledgeable, sharp, quick-minded and disciplined. The team did exceedingly well in understanding my case and representing my company.” – Intellectual property

“Very detailed in their attention and high-quality service with fast turnaround.” – Intellectual property

“Professional, prompt and very experienced.” – Intellectual property

“Strong and committed team from partner to associate level that has a strong understanding of our business and fund structure, and are able to propose innovative yet fundamentally sound advice.” – Investment funds

“Fast response, good-quality work and reasonable fees.” – Labour and employment

“Client-oriented and dedicated.” – Labour and employment

“Responsive, timely and insightful. Both Kelvin Tan and Benjamin Goh have provided sharp advice on how we deal with our labour and employment matters.” – Labour and employment

“The work was led by Benjamin Gaw, who was excellent, very knowledgeable, responsive, rigorous and commercial in his approach. The whole team provided good value for money too.” – Labour and employment

“Fit for purpose, practical legal advice and recommendations. Highly responsive, able to deliver on short notice and under urgent timelines. Reasonable legal fees.” – Labour and employment

“Response time is very fast, concise and precise advice reflecting the matter at hand.” – Oil and gas

“They have experience and expertise, understand the client's needs, are practical, solutions-oriented, timely, and value for money.” – Privacy and data protection

“There is attention to detail, practical advice given by very knowledgeable lawyers, tailored to your business needs.” – Privacy and data protection

“Incisive regulatory advice.” – Privacy and data protection

“Drew & Napier is very knowledgeable and comes up with practical solutions that comply with the law while balancing the needs of the business.” – Privacy and data protection

“They produce quality work and are strategic in their advice.” – Privacy and data protection

“Efficient and thorough service. Very professional.” – Private client

“Would recommend for their industry knowledge and willingness to think creatively for solutions.” – Real estate

“Very detailed in drafting of terms and conditions that protects client interest.” – Real estate

“Professional.” – Real estate

“They are experts in the field of data protection and have a wide range of experience to draw from. They are extremely cooperative and always willing to go the extra mile to assist their clients. They are readily available to us and are always eager to answer any queries or doubts that may arise. They give us the confidence to do our job well and are committed to building a relationship with us.” – Regulatory

“Drew managed to look outside the box, understand the whole situation, analysed the risk, and recommended a few alternatives with the associated risk for us to discuss and decide.” – Restructuring and insolvency

“They were able to coordinate the various wants from different parties and stakeholders and laid out clearly the pertinent issues, and efficient in drafting the docs that follow our agreements.” – Restructuring and insolvency

“Commercial-minded, responsive and very collaborative.” – Tax

David Alfred

“Incisive regulatory advice, cuts to the heart of legal issues and solid legal recommendations.”

Emmanuel Aw

“He has the impressive ability to quickly acquire a deep and comprehensive understanding of the relevant facts and to propose a logical and commercially sensible approach. He is a great communicator and his advice was always clear. He managed the case well, met all deadlines and constantly kept us informed. Most importantly, he led us to a successful outcome.”

“He is highly knowledgeable and experienced in employment law, which ensured that every aspect of my situation was handled with expertise. His strong analytical skills allowed him to quickly grasp the points from a pile of documents and shared strategies. He is also extremely compassionate and empathetic, always taking the time to listen to my concerns and provide support throughout the process. This personal approach made me feel valued and understood during a very stressful time. He also has excellent communication skills as I was always kept informed, and he was always available to answer my questions when I needed. Importantly, his willingness to take on my case pro bono demonstrated not only his dedication to his profession but also his genuine desire to help.”

“First-class legal mind. Fantastic team player. Excellent communication. Highly adept at devising a winning strategy for the client from the start of the case all the way to its conclusion.”

Manoj Belani

“Very knowledgeable, responsive and always available.”

Cavinder Bull

“Top lawyer.”

Daniel Cai

“Extremely responsive and knowledgeable.”

Anastasia Su-Anne Chen

“Professional, experienced, deep expertise, wide knowledge of other jurisdictions' laws, taking ownership of client's problems and solutions-oriented.”

Ron Cheng

“Strong understanding of the industry, our business and fund structure, patient and committed, strong risk management, innovative and has a strong team.”

Voon Jiet Chia

“Highly professional, good demeanour, extremely quick on his feet and knows the business well enough to give practical and sound advice.”

“Professional, thorough, knowledgeable and empathetic.”

Desmond Chng

“Very up-and-coming and bright lawyer. Client-focused and commercial minded.”

Christopher Chong

“Positive and realistic approach to problems and solutions.”

“Very knowledgeable and helpful, and commercially sound.”

Andrew Chua

“Wonderful personality.”

“Very focused on his work and able to give me timely and effective advice.”

Yuet Min Foo

“Overall management of the team and the case.”

“Very approachable, competent and experienced.”

Benjamin Gaw

“Professional and gives quality advice.”

“Easy to work with, responsive, down-to-earth and offers pragmatic solutions.”

“Benjamin was excellent, responsive, technically knowledgeable and very commercial. He was also very down-to-earth and easy to work with.”

“Benjamin is very easy to work with. He is knowledgeable in employment and data privacy matters. He is responsive and gives answers that are straight to the point.”

Benjamin Goh

“Responsive and understanding of our business concerns. Benjamin does well in providing quick and concise advice and is responsive to our time-sensitive issues.”

Blossom Hing

“Combination of exceptional legal ability, commercial nous and integrity.”

Man Er Kong

“She is a director at D&N and a good lawyer. She has excellent case and client management skills. She manages her team well and prepares all court papers meticulously. She has strong legal skills and formulates effective case strategies. She is always well-prepared and guides clients efficiently. She is knowledgeable about all case details and delivers excellent presentations when making arguments before the tribunal. She is a very hard-working lawyer, and a patient and good-natured person.”

Rakesh Kirpalani

“Responsive, effective, efficient, comprehensive, skilled, knowledgeable and understands the industry.”

Meryl Koh

“She is a star! She is community builder and a champion for SMEs. She has a strong sense of mission, and she wants to make a difference in the world with her work. She is very curious and prioritises understanding the business context – that is client-centricity. She is a pragmatic problem-solver and doesn't overcomplicate the issue and hence wins trust of the client.”

Wilson Koh

“Wilson is a game-changer for me. I have worked with many lawyers and know how frustrating it can be to work with some of them. In contrast, working with Wilson has been a breeze. He has a full grasp of the law at his fingertips and thus can adapt quickly to fast-moving situations, no matter how intricate the issues at hand.

One of the most invaluable traits that he possesses is his ability to envision all possible scenarios and evaluate the risks and benefits to each approach before I even have time to think about them. This is a rare trait that I have not seen in many lawyers, who in my humble experience often wait for me to ask what decisions I can take and how my decisions will affect me. Instead, Wilson will always give me multiple options to consider and explain the risks associated with each choice. This helps me make informed decisions within a short amount of time. He helps clients who have hectic schedules to make the right judgement call every single time.

He is able to do this because he is an excellent listener who can cut through distractive situations and focus on the crux of the issues. By being so attuned to my interests and objectives, he can “read my mind”. Thus, he understands my key points easily, which puts us on the same page in terms of strategy. Whereas many lawyers need me to provide lengthy explanations before they understand, Wilson is able to grasp what I am saying with ease. His strategic and calm advice helped to alleviate the intense pressure I felt during my extremely high-profile case, and that has been the difference between my successes and failures.

Finally, he understands that many complex cases often carry deep personal significance to clients, who may be anxious. He goes the extra mile by being available at any time. I have encountered lawyers who charge expensive fees but are unavailable or slow to reply. In contrast, Wilson picks up the phone even when I call at inconvenient hours and is incredibly patient. Many deals were closed after spontaneous phone calls or WhatsApp messages between us. The accessibility of your legal adviser can be the difference between a successful deal and a failed one.

In summary, Wilson is a lawyer that you want on your side. His deep understanding of the law and ability to adapt quickly make working with him a breeze. He anticipates scenarios, evaluates risks and presents multiple options with clarity and patience, helping me make informed decisions swiftly. His ability to navigate complex situations and alleviate pressure is exceptional. No amount of superlatives will reflect how strongly I commend Wilson. I hope that legal directories like you can give him a platform to receive the appreciation he deserves.”

Julian Kwek

“Julian listens and understands clients’ needs. He does not say no to any suggestion but is always willing to think outside the box to provide creative solutions and highlights the associated risk with such solutions.”

Sok Hiang Lau

“Responsible and professional.”

“Excellent industry knowledge.”

“Enthusiastic and responsive.”

“Very good knowledge in providing advice. Detailed in drafting of T&Cs protecting clients’ interests.”

Gerui Lim

“Gerui Lim is an exceptional talent; spot-on analysis and strategic thinker, excellent research and writer. And has always produced expected results.”

Siau Wen Lim

“Professional and sharp.”

“She is knowledgeable in the law and responsive when there are queries.”

Chong Kin Lim

“Practical, efficient, extremely knowledgeable with great client relationship development.”

“He is extremely knowledgeable and is able to explain complex concepts in easily understandable terms. His professionalism instils confidence in his clients.”

Shumin Lin

“She is quick and sharp. She identifies the issues quickly and accurately and provides very good advice and solution. She is also prompt in her work.”

“Shumin is a force of nature, I think she pushes settlement negotiations through very well. Would have liked to see her doing cross-examination.”

“Lin Shumin was prompt with her advice, she identified the issues quickly and accurately and provided sound advice that helped us in our matter.”

Adam Maniam

“Excellent responsiveness. Amazing ability to grasp and recall details. Excellent in court.”

Sushil Nair

“Sees the big picture and understands the issues all parties have.”

Pei Tong Ng

“Soft spoken but effective.”

“Patient and listens well. Forthcoming and on time.”

“Very responsive and prompt.”

“Good listening skills and problem-solving.”

Siraj Omar

“Very professional, top of his game.”

Ken Loon Ong

“I find Ken Loon to be one of the most collaborative tax partners in Singapore. Pleasure to work with. She speaks her mind and gives you transparent advice that is implementable.”

Mahesh Rai

“Very hard-working, responsive, easy to work with and results-oriented. He is also very bright and solution-oriented.”

“Mahesh is a strategic thinker who directs his team to do effective and efficient work.”

“Both from a personal and a professional point of view, I found Mahesh as someone impressive and genuine. He has great analytical skills, able to listen well, and very good in communication, as I often saw him carry himself so well in the court or in any kind of joint discussions. He provides me as a client with great sensitivity, tending the needs of my case in his best way. Mahesh also always comes up with great strategy, showing his creativity as a veteran lawyer.”

“Good problem-solving skills and decision-making.”

“Mahesh Rai is exceptional, bright, and very responsive.”

“A superb advocate and on par with other senior counsels.”

“Professional, knowledgeable and approachable. His quick and laser mind would do well in any subject-matter.”

Chern Yang See

“Chern Yang is a highly competent, intelligent and astute individual and lawyer who has from the onset of our first meeting proven to be 100% committed to achieving our goals while constantly reminding us to remain commercial in all our decisions and not to get carried away with emotions, which will end up with fighting aimlessly. The first objective would always be to find an amicable resolution and only when all else fails should we turn to the courts to have the matter resolved. He has vision and deep knowledge of the client, facilitating advice and making the processes adjust to the realities faced, with the objective to be more efficient in the case management.

He is our go-to lawyer as we know we will always receive excellent advice in a timely manner. He understands our structure intimately and is able to rally a global team to provide advice on any jurisdiction through his network of contacts whilst acting as an interface for us. They consistently deliver a very high level of support, often on an urgent basis, and provide a holistic view which takes into account other areas of risk for us. He is also very fortunate to be supported by a skilled team that helps him rise up above the rest.”

Kelvin Tan

“Amazing subject-matter expertise, depth and breadth of experience. Practical and relevant advice that can be adopted as compared to theoretical, ideal legal positions which are often not feasible for clients. Prompt and responsive.”

Benedict Teo

“Comprehensive and systematic.”

Ruby Tham

“We value her responsiveness, straightforward advice and that she is client-oriented.”

Shu Yan Woo

“She is a very able and personable lawyer, and Cavinder Bull's number two on the case. I really enjoyed working with her and the rest of the large team on this case.”

“Responsive and strategically minded. Leads her junior team members very well.”

See Chern Yang

“Whilst the firm's branding does play a part, it is See Chern Yang that is the sole reason why we engaged D&N and will keep engaging him for all our dispute resolution and litigation matters.”

En Li Yap

“Very responsive to calls and comments. Provides useful comments and feedback and thoughts on matters.”

“Easily accessible, hard-working and responsive. Produces high-quality work that is clear and concise.”

Javier Yeo

“Very fast work rate and able to grasp the core of the matter very well.”

“Javier Yeo has good commercial sense and a quick turnaround rate.”

Tony Yeo

“Experienced in the matter and has had a long relationship with us.”

“Tony is the lawyer you want in all your complex IP cases. He doesn't sit on the fence when giving his opinion. He takes the case as it is, digs into the facts and comes up with the best strategy for the situation.”

“Tony is very knowledgeable and approachable, able to explain complicated legal concepts in simple terms for ease of understanding. He has the attention for detail, able to see both the larger picture and the smaller details. Top-notch.”

“Professional and very experienced.”

“Strategic and has a great depth of knowledge of his specialty, which is IP. He’s a great litigator.”

Jimmy Yim

“Brilliant advocate who understands the issues. His written pleadings are excellent, advocacy is excellent and he demonstrates first-class client relations.”

Yang Shi Yong

“Had good understanding of the matter and reverted back with advice in a prompt manner. Always accessible.”

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

Aboitiz Equity Ventures, ATH Holdings, Bulten Holding, Chuan Hup Holdings, Dale Ventures, Flame Gold International, IBS Software, Metis Energy, MOL Chemical Tankers, THM Partners, Yokogawa Electric Corporation

Work highlights

Advised the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam

Key clients

ADB BVBA, Chevron, Deliveroo, Heliconia Capital Management, Info-Communications, Temasek, Visa Worldwide, Volkswagen

Work highlights

Assisted the Infocomm Media Development Authority 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, PCCW, Singapore Telecommunications, Tencent Holdings