Disputes Resolution Lawyer

• Resolved corporate minority oppression: Advocated for Thai and Singaporean shareholders in a longstanding oppression case against a Malaysian family enterprise, achieving a multi-million-dollar settlement through mediation.

• Handled international arbitration: Represented a commercial agent in an SIAC arbitration against an international modeling agency for unpaid commission, instructing Queen’s Counsel as a solicitor.

• Litigated elaborate love impersonation scam: Fought on behalf of a victim who suffered significant financial loss and psychiatric harm due to a love impersonation scam, obtaining a Mareva injunction to freeze the scammer’s assets and securing a substantial recovery.

• Negotiated corporate buyout settlement: Acted for a dissenting shareholder in a fintech company facing compulsory buyout by an institutional Japanese investor, successfully negotiating a settlement premium above the notice buyout price.

• Exonerated temple committee member in High Court suit: Successfully defended the client from a claim of over a million dollars in alleged loans by the former president of the temple. After a rigorous 10-day trial, the claim against the client was fully dismissed. Grounds of decision available here.

• Halted man's execution: Successfully obtained a stay of execution for a client on the day before his scheduled hanging. Persuaded the Court of Appeal, despite being appointed just 10 minutes before the hearing, by arguing insufficient notice of clemency petition rejection. The decision was reported in the media and prompted prisons to increase the notice period for clemency outcomes before execution.

• Overturned longstanding prosecutorial practice: Successfully argued before the Court of Appeal that the power to "stand down" criminal charges rests with the Court, not the Public Prosecutor, reversing decades of unquestioned legal practice. Case reported as Lim Chit Foo v PP [2020] 1 SLR 64.

• Defended accused siblings in transnational corruption case: Acted as counsel in trial and appeals involving complex issues of extraterritorial jurisdiction, admissibility of foreign evidence, money-laundering provision scope, and corruption sentencing approach. Appeal judgment available here.

• Significantly reduced prison sentence and lobbied for change in the law: Appealed on behalf of a convicted drug trafficker in the first reported decision of "foreign abetment" under the Misuse of Drugs Act, resulting in a reduction of more than a third in the prison term. The Government amended the statute after my criticism in a journal article. Case reported as K Saravanan Kuppusamy v PP [2016] 5 SLR 88.

• Represented human rights lawyer in criminal defamation case against Government Minister: Made successful representations to the Public Prosecutor's office, resulting in a conditional warning instead of prosecution. Media coverage available here.

• Advocated for fair legal representation: Represented a life-sentenced inmate appealing against his conviction, raising concerns about inadequate legal representation at trial. Resulted in the Court of Appeal establishing an assessment framework, cited in Mohammad Farid bin Batra v PP [2020] 1 SLR 907.

• Defended university graduate in anti-death penalty protest investigation: Made representations arguing that the student's actions did not constitute an offence. Police took no further action after our representations, as reported by the media here.

• Challenged police powers: Represented a human rights activist in judicial review proceedings against the use of police powers outside a criminal investigation. The case explored the legal impact of conditional warnings and the right to inspect a first information report. Reported as Han Li Ying, Kirsten v AG [2023] SGHC 137.

• Judicial review for death row inmate: Acted for a death row inmate in judicial review proceedings against the Public Prosecutor for withholding a certificate of substantive assistance. The case involved a public interest question about the applicable test for assessing substantive assistance. The inmate also sued prisons for refusing lawyer-inmate witness interviews, leading to a court ruling that information about such interviews was legally privileged. Case reported as Pannir Selvam a/l Pranthaman v AG [2022] 2 SLR 421.

• Resisted land re-possession by statutory board: Successfully defended summary judgment proceedings by raising proprietary estoppel, giving the client ample time to wind up their business appropriately during the shipyard re-possession dispute.

• Secured employment pass for critical research agency employee: After multiple rejections, successfully appealed to the Ministry of Manpower for an employment pass for a key team member, averting the imminent deportation of the long-serving employee.

• Defended performing arts group against censorship: Represented a local improv theatre company facing criminal prosecution for alleged breach of a performing arts license due to homosexual content depiction onstage. Made successful representations to the Infocomm Media Development Authority, challenging the authority's view that such content was "contrary to social norms." The Government opted not to pursue further action after our representations.

• Annulled bankruptcy order for high net-worth individual: Skillfully negotiated with a multinational Australian bank, resulting in the annulment of the bankruptcy order against the client.

• Invalidated statutory demand for insurance agent: Effectively represented an insurance agent in setting aside a statutory demand for commission clawbacks by her former agency. The agency did not pursue the claim after the bankruptcy attempt was thwarted.

• Represented a deceased Indonesian tycoon’s child in a contested inheritance dispute: Acted for a beneficiary in a lawsuit against their mother, siblings, and multiple financial institutions for breach of trust. The case involved cross-border litigation, including a successful application for advancement from the Courts of Jersey to fund the litigation.

• Defended a doctor accused of disreputable conduct: Appeared before the Court of Three Judges in a case involving allegations of sending emails criticising the Singapore Medical Council and prior disciplinary proceedings. The case is reported as Pang Ah San v SMC [2021] 5 SLR 681.