WongPartnership LLP

A heartfelt thank you to all who joined us for our recent WongPartnership alumni reunion. It was heartwarming to reconnect and reminisce over canapes and drinks at Jiak Kim House, bringing back many cherished memories. It was also wonderful to hear about everyone’s journeys and successes since your time with us. We look forward to future opportunities to stay connected with our alumni, and to many more meaningful reunions. Let’s keep these connections thriving!

A Winning Partnership could be in your Future. As one of the top-tier law firms in Singapore and a proud recipient of the top Asia-Pacific Firm in "Innovation in Training & Development" award at the 2023 Financial Times (FT) Innovative Awards, WongPartnership is dedicated to nurturing the brightest young legal minds. We are committed to guiding our lawyers towards their potential through professional development, mentorship and innovative training. Come join us and discover how we will make for a Winning Partnership together. We will be accepting applications from 1 August 2024. For more information, please click on the link here - https://lnkd.in/gisQZmeG Applications are open to third-year law undergraduates from local and overseas scheduled universities. Training contracts commence in 2027/28 (to be admitted to the Singapore Bar in 2027). We are excited about your future.

WongPartnership wishes to congratulate Yi Shu Lim and Darren Ang from National University of Singapore, who emerged as the champions of the WongPartnership Transaction Competition 2024, with Darren being awarded the title of “Best Negotiator”. The runners-up were Shieh Wensy and Theodore Kuah, also from National University of Singapore. Among other prizes, the winning team walked away with a cash prize of S$3,500, while the runners-up received a cash prize of S$2,500.   Organised by the SMU Corporate & Commercial Law Club and the United Kingdom Singapore Law Students' Society, and sponsored by WongPartnership, this year’s competition involved the negotiation of a joint venture between a private equity firm and a healthcare company to make a bid for a potential acquisition.   Thank you to our judging panel comprising our Chairman and Managing Partner Wai King Ng, Ee Ping KHOO (Chief Corporate Development Officer, Sheares Healthcare) and Shawn Chen (Partner, Deloitte Singapore, and General Counsel, Southeast Asia).   Huge congratulations to all winners and participants of the competition. 

In October 2023, the Indonesian Supreme Court issued an implementing regulation of Law No. 30 of 1999, namely the Supreme Court Regulation Number 3 of 2023 on Procedures for the Appointment of Arbitrators by the Court and the Rights of Recusal, amongst others. What would be the impact of this development and how are similar legal issues dealt with in Singapore and other common law jurisdictions?   Our Partner, Md Noor E Adnaan, in the Firm’s Indonesia and Restructuring & Insolvency Practices will share his insights on these developments as a panellist at an upcoming conference titled “The Outlook of Arbitration in Indonesia” organised by the BANI Arbitration Center on 25 July 2024 at the Pullman Jakarta.   Reach out to Adnaan if you wish to meet us there.

We congratulate our Corporate and Commercial Disputes and International Arbitration Partners who have been recognised for two Awards in the latest July issue of Asian Legal Business (ALB).   Our Head of International Arbitration Koh Swee Yen, S.C., has been listed as one of ALB’s Super 50 Disputes Lawyers. Swee Yen was also recently awarded the Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year at the ALB SE Asia Law Awards this year. These awards are testimony to Swee Yen’s stellar reputation in the field of dispute resolution built on high-profile cases, stellar client feedback and commendations, and outstanding peer recognition. Additionally, Teck Wee Tiong, our Commercial & Corporate Disputes and International Arbitration Partner and Co-Head of our Sustainability & Responsible Business practice, was also named as one of ALB’s Rising Stars Singapore. Teck Wee's inclusion in the list reflects the depth and breadth of his work and his skills and expertise both in dispute resolution and advising clients on ESG-related issues.   ALB Super 50 Disputes Lawyers celebrate the best disputes lawyers based on their high-profile cases, clients’ recommendations, standout deals, and feedback from the market, while the Rising Stars list recognises lawyers under 40 years of age who are doing high-quality work, and in the process earning accolades from their colleagues, superiors and clients. Read more at this link here. https://lnkd.in/gj2u2_uG

The enforcement of arbitral awards against States, whether in investor-state or commercial cases, is rife with challenges. Issues including sovereign immunity, the lack of assets directly held by States, and attempts to rely on domestic laws to resist enforcement, often plague enforcement efforts. According to the Report on Compliance with Investment Treaty Arbitration Awards 2023, unpaid investor-state awards have surged from 36 in 2022 to 60 in 2023, with at least US$70.5 billion remaining unpaid.   Together with International Law Association SG and NUS Centre for International Law, WongPartnership will be hosting a panel discussion on "Enforcement of Awards against States" on 24 July 2024 at our offices. The panel will feature our Head of International Arbitration Koh Swee Yen, S.C., Scott Tan, Deputy Senior State Counsel at the Attorney-General's Chambers, Singapore, our International Arbitration and Commercial & Corporate Disputes Partner Joel Quek, Dr Jean Ho, Associate Professor of Law at National University of Singapore and Duncan Watson KC, Managing Partner of Quinn Emanuel Singapore. The panellists will share their experience and perspectives on the difficulties and pitfalls in enforcing arbitral awards against States, as well as practical tips on how these difficulties can be overcome to achieve effective enforcement.   Registration begins at 4.30pm and there will be networking drinks after the panel discussion sponsored by our firm. To register, please click here https://lnkd.in/gtuNFpU2

Singapore has retained its status as the leading mergers and acquisitions (M&A) dealmaker in Southeast Asia, generating approximately 35.8% of the M&A deals in the region in 2023, despite one of the most bearish markets in recent memory. Following on from this, pent-up buyer demand and a build-up in seller assets, coupled with strengthening financial markets, augur well for M&A activity and acquisition financing in 2024. This article “Singapore: Trends and Developments” authored by Susan Wong (Partner, Banking & Finance), Christy Lim (Head, Banking & Finance) and Felix Lee (Partner, Banking & Finance) delves into recent trends and developments in the Singapore acquisition financing market. These include developments relating to add-on acquisitions, private equity and private credit and Islamic financing, as well as updates in relation to the green loans and sustainable financing space. An area of particular interest this year is the private credit space, which the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) identified as “the next key driver of growth in private markets”, where significant growth is anticipated despite competition from more traditional lenders. The article first appeared in Chambers and Partners Global Practice Guides – Acquisition Finance 2024. Click below to view the full update.

A former Dean of two prestigious law schools with a stint on the bench as well as the Military Court of Appeal, WongPartnership’s Senior Consultant Professor Cheng-Han Tan SC had much to keep our interns enthralled over a lunchtime fireside chat.   Alongside humorous anecdotes, Professor Tan emphasised the values essential for aspiring lawyers, namely, embracing lifelong learning for continuous growth, upholding honesty and integrity, and consistently choosing the ethical path. The grind may be real but the practice of law can be rewarding if one maintains a good sense of humour and displays respect and decency to all, including opposing counsel. Professor Tan challenged our interns to seek opportunities that would take them out of their comfort zone. At WongPartnership, we are excited to facilitate this journey for our future lawyers.

Our Head of International Arbitration practice, Koh Swee Yen, S.C. has been appointed as a member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration. Swee Yen will serve a three-year term commencing on 1 July 2024.   ICC is one of the world’s leading arbitral institutions, with more than a 100-year history. To find out more, please click on the link https://lnkd.in/e2pdvXgn    We congratulate Swee Yen on her significant appointment. #ICC Arbitration

Organised by the Perkumpulan Ahli Dewan Sengketa Konstruksi (Institute of Dispute Board for Construction) and Society of Construction Law (Indonesia), the upcoming PADSK – SCLI 2024 International Conference will see our Partners sharing their expertise on dispute avoidance and resolution in large-scale construction projects.   As a gold sponsor of this event, the conference themed “Synchronising the application of FIDIC Contracts with specific related project country’s regulation to avoid disputes” promises to be an insightful and informative one, with a particular emphasis on the FIDIC suite of contracts which remain at the forefront of large-scale construction projects across the globe.   Our Head of Energy, Projects & Construction and International Arbitration Partner Peng Cheng Tay will speak on Day 1 about “The Importance of Particular Conditions to Avoid Disputes”. On Day 2, Md Noor E Adnaan, our Partner in the Firm’s Indonesia and Restructuring & Insolvency Practices will share his thoughts on “Alternative Dispute Resolution by Mediation, Arbitration and Dispute Avoidance & Adjudication Board”.   We are looking forward to catch up with our valued clients, colleagues and friends from Indonesia and the region during the Conference. Reach out to our attending Partners Tay Peng Cheng, Adnaan Noor and Vishi Sundar if you wish to meet us there.   WongPartnership's Construction group has enjoyed top-tier rankings and accolades by leading legal publications such as Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and IFLR1000 from as early as 2003. The group has also been consistently recognised as an “Outstanding Firm” for Construction and Infrastructure in Singapore by asialaw Profiles, and “Construction Firm of the Year” by both Benchmark Litigation and Asian-mena Counsel.