Rajah & Tann Asia | Singapore Law Firm - legal services across Asia

The Legal 500 - Asia Pacific (2022)

R&T Sok & Heng Law Office – Cambodia

Leading Firm - Tier 2

R&T Sok & Heng Law Office has a strong team that frequently advises on various high-value and large-scale acquisitions in Cambodia and advises banks and financial institutions on the financing of major developments. It advises some significant international clients. Chhay Heng is a key figure at the firm, who specialises in mergers and acquisitions, banking and finance as well as real estate developments and insolvency matters. He is also adept at handling contentious matters. Tiv Sophonnora leads the firm’s capital markets practice while Sotheary Hout heads the firm’s corporate and commercial practice. Deline Sieng is recommended for his experience in banking and finance matters.

Leading Lawyers:
Chhay Heng

Leading Lawyers:
Ahmad Fikri Assegaf – Banking and Finance
Ahmad Maulana – Labour and Employment
Chandra Hamzah – Dispute Resolution
Eri Hertiawan – Dispute Resolution
Farid Nasution – Antitrust and Competition
Ibrahim Sjarief Assegaf – Restructuring and Insolvency
Kanya Satwika – Projects and Energy
Muslimin Damanhuri – Tax
Yogi Sudrajat Marsono – Real Estate
Zacky Hussein – IT, Telecoms and Fintech

Next Generation Lawyers:
Indira Yustikania – Banking and Finance
Mohammad Renaldi Zulkarnain – Capital Markets

Rising Stars:
Astrid Widyakartika – Capital Markets
Carol Lim – Corporate and M&A
Lena Simbolon – Tax
Wildan Lukman Nurmajid – Shipping

Hall of Fame:
Ahmad Fikri Assegaf – Capital Market; Corporate and M&A
Bono Daru Adji – Capital Markets

Antitrust and Competition
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners has a strong competition practice with a broad offering; the team handles a range of matters including general competition advice, compliance, cartel investigations and abuse of dominance. The team has a multidisciplinary approach and advises clients on competition litigation and antitrust compliance in the M&A space. HMBC Rikrik Rizkiyana has significant experience advising on merger clearances and representing clients before the KPPU. Farid Nasution is another key name to note and has previous experience working in the KPPU. Nasution is recommended for merger fillings and competition litigation, particularly in the telecoms, pharmaceuticals, automotive and energy industries.

Aviation
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners has extensive experience representing clients in aviation disputes, particularly in cases involving major aviation accidents. The team also handles the ground side aspects of aviation law and advises clients on ticketing, competition, consumer rights, regulatory and relations with the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Disputes specialist Eri Hertiawan heads the practice and advises on high profile aviation accidents.

Banking and Finance
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners advises across the full range of structured finance transactions, from simple secured or unsecured bilateral lending through to multifaceted and complex credit facilities. A growing area of focus for the practice is its fintech offering and the team has expertise advising on direct investment and regulatory issues. Practice head Ibrahim Sjarief Assegaf has extensive experience advising on structured finance, insolvency and debt-restructuring matters for domestic and international financial institutions. Ahmad Fikri Assegaf is experienced in project finance, M&A, and Shariah finance. Indira Yustikania is another key name to note and has a particular focus on fintech-related transactions.

Capital Markets
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners has a full-service capital markets offering and advises underwriters, financial institutions, and investment banks on both public and private debt and equity offerings. The team has substantial experience structuring and implementing a broad range of Shariah-compliant investment and financing transactions. The practice is led by Putu Suryastuti who advises on IPOs, secondary offerings, private placements, and debt offerings. Managing partner Bono Daru Adji and Mohammad Renaldi Zulkarnain are also noted, as well as Intan Paramita who advises clients in the energy, petrochemical, rubber, oil and gas, telecommunications, and agriculture sectors.

Corporate and M&A
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners has a strong domestic and cross-border corporate and M&A practice that delivers a full-service offering, from advising on the transaction structure and due diligence to the formation of new entities and regulatory fillings. Co-founding partner Ahmad Fikri Assegaf advises venture capital and private equity investors looking to invest in the Indonesian market. Managing partner Bono Daru Adji is another key individual to note. Key changes to the team include Mita Kartohadiprodjo‘s promotion to partner in 2021; Mita has a strong cross-border M&A practice and acts for both sellers and buyers’ side on complex transactions.

Dispute Resolution
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners has a sizeable disputes practice with a deep range of expertise; the team handles the full range of disputes work from commercial and competition to intellectual property, tort and employment disputes. The practice has qualified mediators and arbitrators and acts for clients internationally, including appearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. Eri Hertiawan co-heads the disputes practice and has extensive experience in commercial disputes, alternative disputes resolution, aviation and shipping sectors. Hertiawan is also a member of the SIAC Court of Arbitration. Co-founding partner Chandra Hamzah is also noted and has a strong background in banking, restructuring and anti-corruption.

IT, Telecoms and Fintech
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners has a full-service practice that covers digital technology, cyber security, telecoms, fintech, investments and M&A. The firm's TMT offering is led by Zacky Zainal Husein who has a broad range of expertise that includes fintech, OTT services, data storage, telecoms and cloud computing. Indira Yustikania focuses on fintech and is a banking and finance specialist with experience advising a wide variety of investors and fintech companies. M&A expert Bono Daru Adji is another key contact.

Labour and Employment
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners handles the full range of employment law including contracts, outsourcing, redundancy issues, employee entitlements, labour unions and employment of foreign workers. Ahmad Maulana has extensive litigation experience and has expertise in handling labour union disputes, termination of employment contracts and immigration issues.

Real Estate
The real estate team at Assegaf Hamzah & Partners works closely with the infrastructure practice and advises on the real estate aspects of construction and infrastructure matters. The team has wide-ranging experience, covering PPPs and foreign direct investment involving commercial, industrial and residential real estate. Practice head Yogi Sudrajat Marsono advises on real estate M&A, asset management, property development and construction agreements.

Restructuring and Insolvency
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners advises corporate debtors and creditors on complex restructuring and insolvency matters, particularly in the government, financial services, energy, manufacturing and aviation sectors. Ibrahim Sjarief Assegaf and Eri Hertiawan, who focuses on insolvency litigation, lead the practice with Chandra Hamzah.

Shipping
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners has a full service maritime and shipping practice that covers ship financing, security enforcement, collisions and maritime casualties, charter parties, cargo claims, natural resources transportation and maritime insurance. The practice is led by seasoned litigator Eri Hertiawan and banking and finance expert Ibrahim Sjarief Assegaf.

Tax
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners has a broad contentious and non-contentious tax and customs practice that covers international tax, individual and corporate tax compliance, investment structuring, inbound investments, tax disputes, tax audits, appeals to the Tax Court and judicial review requests to the Supreme Court. Wibowo Mukti left the firm in 2021 and has been replaced by Muslimin Damanhuri as the current practice head; Muslimin specialises in tax advisory, tax structuring and compliance, as well as tax-related litigation. Associate Lena Simbolon is also noted and assists domestic and international clients with the tax aspects of inbound and outbound investments and cross-border transactions.

Intellectual Property
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners has an experienced contentious and non-contentious practice with a strong presence in the technology, media and communications sector. The firm has a strong media client base which includes TikTok Pte. Ltd. Co-founding partner Chandra Hamzah is well-regarded in the intellectual property space and co-heads the practice alongside Dewi Soeharto, who is another recognised intellectual property specialist. Dewi advises on all aspects of intellectual property law, from copyrights and trademarks, to patents and trade secrets.

Projects and Energy
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners has substantial experience working with the Indonesia government on infrastructure projects. Ibrahim Sjarief Assegaf heads the practice and has significant expertise in PPP projects and foreign direct investments. Banking and finance specialist Kanya Satwika has expertise advising on the financing of power plants and has a particular interest in renewables. Ahmad Fikri Assegaf is also noted and has an impressive project finance background.

Rajah & Tann (Laos) Co., Ltd. – Lao PDR

Leading Firm - Tier 2

Christopher & Lee Ong – Malaysia

Antitrust and Competition – Tier 1
Banking and Finance – Tier 2
Corporate and M&A – Tier 1
Dispute Resolution – Tier 3
Intellectual Property – Tier 1
Labour and Employment – Tier 2
Projects and Energy – Tier 1
Real Estate and Construction – Tier 3
Shipping – Tier 1
TMT (Including Fintech) – Tier 1

Leading Lawyers:
Christopher Lee – Projects and Energy
Clive Selvapandian – Shipping
Eileen Yeoh – Projects and Energy
Kim Poh Ng – Intellectual Property
Kuok Yew Chen – Corporate and M&A
Sri Sarguna Raj – Intellectual Property
Yon See Ting – Antitrust and Competition; Corporate and M&A

Next Generation Lawyers:
Anissa Maria Anis – TMT (Including Fintech)
Chor Jack – Projects and Energy

Rising Stars:
Yong Shih Han – TMT (Including Fintech)

Hall of Fame:
Deepak Pillai – TMT (Including Fintech)
Intan Haryati – TMT (Including Fintech)
Kuok Yew Chen – TMT (Including Fintech)

Antitrust and Competition
The competition and antitrust practice at Christopher & Lee Ong advises a broad roster of clients, including MNCs, Malaysian public listed companies, trade associations and government-linked companies. The full-service competition team has notable strengths in investigations by the Malaysia Competition Commission, transactional advice and due diligence, merger notifications and advice on Malaysia-specific competition legislation. The department has significant knowledge of vertical and distribution agreements containing restrictive covenants, abuse of dominance issues, joint purchasing and joint distribution arrangements as well as sector-specific expertise in telecoms, media, aviation and energy. Practice head Yon See Ting recently represented two insurance companies in a high-profile investigation brought by the MyCC; her practice covers investigations and dawn raids, merger approvals and M&A transaction counselling.

Corporate and M&A
Christopher & Lee Ong‘s corporate and M&A practice has great depth of transactional experience, advising on acquisitions and divestments, joint ventures, shareholders’ agreements, takeovers and reverse takeovers. Other core strengths include de-listings, privatisations, de-mergers and corporate restructurings as well as private equity and venture capital investments. In addition to transactional work, the team can also draw on specialised expertise in regulatory compliance, competition, antitrust and industry-specific concerns. It assists clients from sectors including energy, retail, education, manufacturing, healthcare and media and telecoms. Yon See Ting and Kuok Yew Chen jointly head the group with Lee Hock Chye, Christopher Lee, Yau Yee Ming and Por Chuei Ying.

Intellectual Property
Christopher & Lee Ong (a member firm of Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP Asia) combines a leading IP and sports and gaming practice, led by Sri Sarguna Raj who provides 'brilliant and cost-effective solutions'. The team acts for a range of Malaysian and global client in the protection and enforcement of their IP rights and its expertise extends to protection of domain names and advertising laws and regulations. Partner Ng Kim Poh leads on trademark and anticounterfeiting matters for household name clients while partner Steven Cheok handles complex patent infringements together with advising on the protection of other IP assets.

Projects and Energy
Christopher & Lee Ong is a go-to firm across the construction, projects, infrastructure and energy sectors, both domestically and internationally. The practice has a strong track record advising on conventional and renewable energy power stations, roads and bridges, oil and gas, ports and rail systems and sewerage systems, as well as mines and mineral processing facilities. Project finance is another key area of work, as are project structuring and risk analysis, tendering procedures and disputes. Christopher Lee regularly handles government initiatives as well as private concessions, and supports clients throughout the lifecycle of a project. Siaw Wan Lim, whose practice focuses on energy projects as well as rail, joined from Wong & Partners. Chor Jack and Eileen Yeoh are both noted for petrochemical and refinery projects, and solar projects, respectively.

Shipping
Christopher & Lee Ong is a member firm of Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP, which has a network that allows the shipping and international trade department to be involved in disputes throughout the region. The four-partner team handles the full range of services extending to cargo and allied marine insurance. Notable recent matters include Clive Selvapandian’s successful representation of Marine and General Berhad and Jasa Merin (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd in obtaining a judgment in favour of the clients in the Admiralty Court. Jainil Bhandari leads the team which also advises on oil shipment and trading matters.

TMT (Including Fintech)
Christopher & Lee Ong’s TMT practice works closely with large multinational companies across the banking, financial services, technology, telecoms, energy and insurance industries. The group is also seeing growth in the fintech, e-health and application development, as well as work for traditional businesses seeking to digitalise, particularly spurred by the pandemic. In the fintech and finreg space, the department advises on the establishment of cryptocurrencies and the setting up of e-money platforms. A recent key area of expertise is in advising Malaysian telcos on acquiring companies with cloud-based and voice cloud solutions. Deepak Pillai is an expert in data protection and digital signatures; he jointly heads the department with Intan Haryati, Yau Yee Ming and telecoms specialist Kuok Yew Chen. Early career partner Anissa Maria Anis has previous in-house experience with a leading content and digital media company, while senior associate Yong Shih Han focuses on information security and data protection.

Banking and Finance
Christopher Lee and Fiona Sequerah jointly head the banking and finance practice group at Christopher & Lee Ong which, as a member firm of Rajah & Tann Asia with a geographical reach encompassing South Asia and across the Asia Pacific, is instructed on large domestic and cross-border transactions including project financing, syndicated and bilateral lending, securitisation, aircraft and asset financing, restructuring and insolvency. It handles a full range of borrower-side advisory matters to multinational and major domestic companies, with core sector strengths in energy, aerospace, construction, healthcare and technology.

Labour and Employment
Christopher & Lee Ong draws upon its deep industry knowledge in the TMT, projects, infrastructure and energy sectors to advise clients on a broad range of advisory and contentious employment matters. Contentious matters include disputes arising from unfair dismissal, breach of contract, redundancies, and business closure, and advisory work spans negotiation with trade unions, drafting of collective agreements, investigations, retrenchment, remuneration, and employment aspects of acquisitions and restructuring transactions. Yau Yee Ming and Kelvin Kho jointly lead the team, which also includes Han Li Meng who regularly represents corporate companies at the Industrial Court.

Dispute Resolution
The disputes practice at Christopher & Lee Ong conducts a wide range of general litigation, arbitration proceedings and adjudications, and is best known for handling banking, corporate and commercial, construction, employment and shipping cases. The group also has a strong track record in a broad range of other civil litigation concerning tort law, real estate disputes, wills and succession matters and insolvency and receivership claims. Practice head John Mathew is an experienced arbitrator.

Real Estate and Construction
Christopher & Lee Ong‘s corporate real estate and construction practice is known in the market for handling large real estate transactions in Malaysia and other ASEAN countries. Advising clients across the industry – including investors, property funds, government-linked corporations, REITs and sovereign funds – the group is active in matters ranging from conveyancing to commercial leasing to property development and financing. Lim Hui Ming, who concentrates on domestic and cross-border real estate agreements for multinational corporations and for individual investors, jointly leads the team with Lee Hock Chye.

Rajah & Tann Myanmar Company Limited – Myanmar

Corporate and M&A – Tier 2
Projects – Tier 3

Corporate and M&A
Rajah & Tann Myanmar Company Limited is ‘commercially minded and responsive’ according to clients and handles several high-profile mandates including advising Myanmar's largest private equity firm on investments, financings, and merger work. The group has a strong Japanese practice and is also active in banking and finance matters, employment, and litigation. Practice head Chester Toh in Singapore advises Asian corporates on investments into Myanmar whilst co-head Min Thein (who previously served as a judge) advises international investors. The firm maintains its close working relationship with government authorities and regulatory bodies.

Projects
Rajah & Tann Myanmar Company Limited advises on the full-lifecycle of projects from construction to contractual matters across Myanmar and Southeast Asia. The team is active in government-related work; including advising on multi-million-dollar public housing projects in Yangon and on landmark railways projects. Chester Toh is the name for regulatory issues and Min Thein handles investment matters. Construction and infrastructure disputes feature in the caseload. Also in Singapore is Shemane Chan who has strength in the energy, transportation, and telecoms sector.

C&G Law (Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio) – Philippines

Antitrust and Competition – Tier 1
Banking and Finance – Tier 2
Capital Markets – Tier 3
Corporate and M&A – Tier 3
Dispute Resolution – Tier 2
Labour and Employment – Tier 2
Projects and Energy – Tier 1
Real Estate and Construction – Tier 1
Tax – Tier 1
TMT – Tier 2

Leading Lawyers:
Anthony Gutierrez – Tax
Ben Dominic Yap – Dispute Resolution
Cesar Santamaria Jr – Labour and Employment
Jaime Renato Gatmaytan – Projects and Energy; Real Estate and Construction
Jesus Paolo Protacio – Dispute Resolution

Next Generation Lawyers:
Annalisa Carlota – Projects and Energy
Roxanne Tadique – Tax
Vladi Miguel S. Lazaro – Labour and Employment

Rising Stars:
Katrine Paula Suyat – Labour and Employment; Corporate and M&A

Antitrust and Competition
The competition and anti-trust team at Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) has developed a strong merger control offering, alongside its corporate and M&A practice; the two teams, in unison, provide holistic advice on Philippine competition law and M&A matters. Key services include advice on investigations related to PCC, audits, competition law compliance, and training. The team is led by Norma Margarita B. Patacsil , who is an expert in handling mergers and acquisitions, and adept at advising on competition law. Andrea Katipunan specialises in corporate transactions for local and multinational clients, public-private partnerships, and government procurement. Senior associate Jillienne Grace Sotto assists with due diligence reviews and drafting of definitive agreements.

Projects and Energy
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law)‘s projects, infrastructure and energy practice is one of its most active, advising a diverse number of both public and private companies. The team, lead by Ben Dominic R. Yap and Jaime Renato B. Gatmaytan has handled a variety of infrastructure projects ranging from liquified natural gas terminals to seaports and toll roads. Especially highly regarded in the energy sector, the firm has acted as counsel for many of the largest power generation companies operating in the Philippines such as the Aboitiz group of companies and the Lopez group of companies. The firm is representing the Aboitiz group of companies, amongst others, in proceedings before the Supreme Court regarding the validity of certain laws and regulations relating to electricity spot charges in which Ben Dominic R. Yap is one of lead partners on the matter. Annalisa J. Carlota specialises in energy, having started her legal career assisting and advising foreign and local companies in the implementation of independent power projects in the Philippines.

Real Estate and Construction
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) has a strong reputation for advising on special classes of property, complex issues related to land conversion, and regulations governing housing and property development projects. The firm is advising Ayala Land on its five-way merger with four of its subsidiaries and affiliates, with Norma Margarita B. Patacsil the lead counsel on the matter. The practice is lead by founding and managing partners Jaime Renato B. Gatmaytan and Ben Dominic R. Yap .

Tax
Led by Anthony Gutierrez, the team at Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) acts both for domestic conglomerates and multinationals, drawn from an array of sectors, in disputing tax assessments related to internal revenue taxes before state authorities, administrative tribunals, the Court of Tax Appeals and the Supreme Court. Additionally, the group specialises in tax compliance issues as well as the implementation of complex tax structures in high-value M&A, large-scale infrastructure projects and energy mandates. Another name to note is Roxanne Tadique, who also displays capabilities in tax incentive, tax treaty relief and audit investigation matters.

Banking and Finance
Advising a client base of domestic and international lenders, the banking team at Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) advises on financial structuring, documentation, closing lending and securities. In addition, it assists with IPOs, private placements, capital building exercises and advisory work in relation to both market entry and regulatory compliance. Team lead Jaime Renato B. Gatmaytan is an expert in equity investments while Annalisa J. Carlota advises on regional public sector infrastructure projects.

Dispute Resolution
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) has a strong and extensive litigation practice that handles complex and high-value commercial disputes in the Philippines. The team covers a diverse range of subjects, such as contractual disputes, torts, intra-corporate controversies, environmental law, governmental impositions, corporate rehabilitation, and banking and securities law. Ben Dominic R. Yap specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration and co-heads the team with Jesus Paolo U. Protacio, who is experienced in representing clients before Philippine courts of all levels. Tax expert Anthony Mark A. Gutierrez is another key contact.

Labour and Employment
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) provides advice on matters relating to labour standards, benefits compliance, terminations, internal investigations and various forms of misconduct. It also advises on the preparation and review of employment contracts, the formulation of company policies, redundancy and overseas deployment. The practice is led by employment litigation specialist Cesar E. Santamaria, Jr., and also includes Vladi Miguel S. Lazaro and associate Jamie Alexandria Santos.

TMT
Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) is known for its expertise in advising technology clients on compliance and regulatory issues. The firm counts an impressive number of leading social media platforms and fintech companies in its client list. Having recently separated the TMT and fintech practice from its general corporate practice group, the firm now offers highly focused services to its clients. Partner Mary Thel T. Mundin now leads the practice group and Deborah Miriam Sobrepeña-Lacson is another notable name.

Capital Markets
Steered by Norma Margarita B. Patacsil , the corporate group at Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) has a proven track record in the capital markets space. Patacsil is particularly active in follow-up offerings, IPOs, private placements, among other capital building exercises.

Corporate and M&A
The corporate team at Gatmaytan Yap Patacsil Gutierrez & Protacio (C&G Law) handles high-value commercial transactions for clients from a variety of sectors such as real estate, aviation, energy, manufacturing, logistics, and BPO industries. It assists with both, incorporation of new entities and merger/acquisition of existing entities. Other services include advice on foreign and local investments in the Philippines, governance and compliance, legal audits, and due diligence. The team is led by founding partner Norma Margarita B. Patacsil , who advises on acquisitions, foreign and local investments, and joint ventures. Andrea Katipunan specializes in public-private partnerships and government procurement.

Rajah & Tann Singapore – Singapore

Antitrust and Competition – Tier 1
Asia Pacific: Regional International Arbitration: Leading Firms – Tier 3
Banking and Finance – Tier 1
Capital Markets: Equity and Debt – Tier 2
Capital Markets: Structured Finance, Derivatives and Securitisation – Tier 1
Construction – Tier 1
Corporate and M&A – Tier 2
Dispute Resolution – Tier 1
Financial Services Regulatory – Tier 1
Insurance – Tier 1
Intellectual Property – Tier 2
International Arbitration – Tier 2
Investment Funds – Tier 1
Labour and Employment – Tier 1
Private Wealth and Family Law – Tier 1
Projects and Energy – Tier 1
Real Estate – Tier 1
Restructuring and Insolvency – Tier 1
Shipping – Tier 1
Tax – Tier 2
TMT – Tier 1
White-Collar Crime – Tier 1

Leading Lawyers:
Angela Lim – Banking and Finance
Anne Yeo – Investment Funds
Chia Kim Huat – Capital Markets: Equity and Debt
Desmond Wee – Labour and Employment
Elaine Tay – Insurance
Francis Xavier – Dispute Resolution
Hamidul Haq – White-Collar Crime
Kala Anandarajah – Antitrust and Competition
Lau Kok Keng – Intellectual Property
Lee Eng Beng – Dispute Resolution
Leong Kah Wah – Shipping
Muralidharan Pillai, SC – Labour and Employment
Norman Ho – Real Estate
Patrick Ang – Restructuring and Insolvency
Rajesh Sreenivasan – TMT
Raymond Tong – Capital Markets: Equity and Debt
Regina Liew – Capital Markets: Structured Finance, Derivatives and Securitisation; Financial Services Regulatory
Sandy Foo – Corporate and M&A
Shemane Chan – Construction; Projects and Energy
Simon Goh – Insurance
Steve Tan – TMT
Thong Chee Kun – White-Collar Crime
Toh Kian Sing, SC – Shipping
Vikna Rajah – Private Wealth and Family Law; Tax
Wee Hann Lim – Corporate and M&A

Next Generation Lawyers:
Benjamin Cheong – TMT
Benjamin Liew – Capital Markets: Structured Finance, Derivatives and Securitisation
Jasmine Chew – Investment Funds
Philip Yeo – Investment Funds

Rising Stars:
Ho Mei Shi – Banking and Finance
Phang Hwee Guang – Antitrust and Competition

Hall of Fame:
Andre Yeap SC – International Arbitration
Arnold Tan – Investment Funds
Lee Eng Beng, SC – Restructuring and Insolvency

Antitrust and Competition
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP handles an impressive mix of contentious and non-contentious matters. It handles an impressive range of cases in the areas of merger notification and competition investigations. The team played significant roles in a series of headline mergers and cartel investigations. It also has an excellent record in regional roles beyond Singapore. Kala Anandarajah has an outstanding reputation and leads the team, having influential roles on many of Singapore’s key merger notifications and is noted for her expertise in regional matters. Tanya Tang is the firm’s chief economic and policy adviser and has a particularly strong record in the TMT sector.

Capital Markets: Structured Finance, Derivatives and Securitisation
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP brings together banking and finance and financial institutional regulatory experts to take on transactions involving listed and unlisted derivatives and financial products. The group is known for its regulatory prowess and its ability to handle novel issues, such as blockchain-related products. Jointly taking the lead are Regina Liew, head of the financial institutions group and expert in financial services laws and regulations; and Larry Lim who is increasingly active in the fintech and digital currencies space. Benjamin Liew is recommended for his regulatory and licensing expertise.

Construction
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP has an illustrious record in complex construction disputes, coupled with a strong presence in infrastructure and power projects in Southeast Asia, South Asia and North Asia. The firm has acted for clients in a series of disputes relating to the construction of data centres and landmark projects in Thailand, Singapore and elsewhere. Clients include a range of developers and contractors. Soh Lip San and Ng Kim Beng both have more than two decades of experience in construction disputes and transactions. Shemane Chan and Sim Chee Siong are prominent figures in construction contracts and procurement platforms.

Dispute Resolution
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP's ‘approachable and commercial team covers a wide range of disputes with a vast team of specialists in industries such as real estate, energy, finance, military, and shipping. The team is experienced in representing clients before Singapore courts. Lee Eng Beng SC’s recent success before the Court of Appeal concerned the application of the restitutionary rule in a matter where multiple defendants are held jointly at trial; the team also included Jansen Chow. Francis Xavier and Alina Chia are experienced in multi-jurisdictional commercial litigation, including cases before the new SICC. Danny Ong, Tan Chuan Thye, and Murali Pillai are experts advising financial institutions on contentious regulatory matters.

Financial Services Regulatory
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP's practice revolves around advising financial institutions on regulatory issues relating to financial products, including listed and unlisted derivatives. The group is also increasingly active in the payment services space, recently advising Singapore Telecommunications on a multijurisdictional matter relating to its proposed cross-border payments system. Regina Liew leads the group alongside her deputy Larry Lim . Benjamin Liew is another name to note.

Insurance
At Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP, lawyers are well equipped to handle contentious and non-contentious insurance matters, with strong regulatory capabilities, and rights of audience before courts at all levels in Singapore. In terms of disputes, lawyers act for both claimants and insurer clients, with a particular specialism in personal injury and workplace injury cases. The group can also handle asset recovery, investigations and crisis management matters. Non-contentious specialisms include insurance-sector M&A and restructuring. Simon Goh heads the team, and handles contentious and non-contentious matters, as well as regulatory issues. Elaine Tay has developed expertise in property and energy insurance issues, including in relation to coverage issues. Ying Shuang Wang is noted for both regulatory matters and transactional work.

Investment Funds
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP has a principle emphasis on private funds, most notably funds formation and regulatory engagements. It is at the forefront of the trend to bring funds onshore into Singapore. It has experienced further growth in private equity funds, along with an increase in M&A and joint-venture arrangements. Arnold Tan has an outstanding reputation in the market, thanks to his experience and commitment to the investment funds segment. Anne Yeo is also highly rated, particularly for her regulatory expertise. Jasmine Chew and Philip Yeo are key names amongst the next generation.

Labour and Employment
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP has a large team of employment experts, covering the full spectrum of non-contentious and contentious matters. The firm has impressed in advisory matters, including employment policies and incentive plans, along with restructuring and retrenchment exercises, big-ticket employment disputes (including wrongful dismissal claims), and investigations. Desmond Wee is a leader in retrenchment exercises, employee terminations and incentive plans. Jonathan Yuen and Muralidharan Pillai, SC are at the forefront of employment disputes.

Private Wealth and Family Law
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP continues to up its emphasis on private wealth work, particularly in light of the growing number of engagements coming from ultra high net-worth families in India, China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. The team has an especially strong record in tax structuring thanks to the presence of Vikna Rajah, who has excellent connections to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Economic Development Board. Chandra Mohan is an experienced name in matrimonial and trusts disputes.

Projects and Energy
Sponsors, contractors, service providers, financiers and government regularly instruct the team at Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP to advise them on the full gamut of projects issues, particularly those concerning energy and resources, across the Asia-Pacific region. The practice, under the leadership of Soh Lip San, is especially well regarded for its dispute resolution expertise in the projects space. On the non-contentious side, Shemane Chan is the name to note for issues relating to procurement, while Larry Lim is a noted advisor on energy and commodities trading. In other key developments, Matthew Koh, Alessa Pang and Devathas Satianathan all made partners in January 2021.

Real Estate
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP continues to make an impression in major commercial and residential real estate transactions, along with collective real estate sales and real estate financings. It represents an impressive number of corporates, developers and investment funds, among others. While Singapore deals remain its core focus, the firm is increasingly active in other markets such as Cambodia and Myanmar. Norman Ho is one of the most experienced real estate specialists in the market, while Elsa Chai is another with an established record in conveyancing. Benjamin Tay now leads many of the firm’s key deals.

Restructuring and Insolvency
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP‘s large and established team is highly rated for restructuring and insolvency. It has acted for key parties in a large proportion of major restructuring and insolvency matters involving the Singapore profession. It has recently cemented its standing with a series of headline engagements in the maritime and offshore sector, with Asia network chair Lee Eng Beng SC and Singapore managing partner Patrick Ang acting for the Hin Leong group, one of Asia’s largest oil traders, on a cross-border billion-dollar debt restructuring. Sim Kwan Kiat, Mark Cheng and Tan Chuan Thye SC are standout figures in the team.

Shipping
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP is a t the forefront of maritime disputes, offering a sizeable team of shipping experts, many of which have many years of experience. The focus on marine and international trade includes an in-house Master Mariner, while its international client base features banks, shipowners, P&I Clubs, charterers and commodity houses. The firm has landed a series of headline engagements in shipping sector restructurings, liquidations, allegations of fraud, and instances of judicial management. Toh Kian Sing SC and Leong Kah Wah have outstanding reputations in shipping and international trade disputes.

TMT
Its breadth of expertise marks out the practice at Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP; data protection issues, fintech developments, regulatory matters, disputes and green technology projects all make up key parts of the firm’s regular workload. Rajesh Sreenivasan heads up the department, ably supported by deputy Steve Tan – the two also play key roles in Rajah & Tann Cybersecurity, a one-stop shop which combines legal and technical expertise to allow clients to mitigate against cyber attacks, minimise disruptions from security breaches and deal effectively with such incidents. Other core team members include Lionel Tan, who is regularly involved in cases dealing with internet defamation, fraud and misappropriation of trade secrets and confidential information. Transactional specialists Benjamin Cheong and Tanya Tang hold extensive regulatory experience, making them well placed to advise on competition and policy issues.

White-Collar Crime
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP’s white-collar crime portfolio spans an extensive spectrum of white-collar defence, fraud investigations and advisory work, with the team widely recognised for its expertise in advising corporations and individuals in complex, and often multijurisdictional matters. It also has extensive experience in advising clients in major cases involving securities fraud such as market manipulation and insider trading, cybercrime, as well as corruption-related offences and criminal breach of trust and cheating offences. Hamidul Haq has previously completed stints at the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Commercial Affairs Department and is noted for his work in securities offences, business crimes, anti-money laundering, fraud and asset seizure litigation. Thong Chee Kun has extensive experience acting for clients in cases involving corporate and compliance breaches, corruption offences, and tax-related offences.

Banking and Finance
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP houses a practice that combines transactional experts, led by Angela Lim with financial services regulatory lawyers, headed by Regina Liew, enabling it to provide a one-stop-shop to banks and financial institutions. Areas of transactional expertise include acquisition, trade, project, structured and property finance, in addition to Islamic banking structures. On the regulatory side, the team is deeply involved in the fintech sector, as well as advising on financial products and services offerings. Qualified in Singapore, England and Malaysia, Sey Ming Ng is a transactional finance lawyer with extensive cross-border experience. Cheryl Tan is a specialist in acquisition and venture debt financing deals; Ho Mei Shi is increasingly active in the green and sustainability-linked finance space.

Capital Markets: Equity and Debt
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP's capital markets group is known for its expertise across the waterfront of equity and debt transactions, and hybrid instruments. The group has significant experience in cross-border transactions, utilising the firm's regional office network, with recent deals including listings on the Hong Kong stock exchange main board. In 2020, debt-side specialists acted in a number of ground-breaking catastrophe bond transactions arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. In February 2021, the team benefitted from the arrival of Raymond Tong from Clifford Chance, who is a veteran of equity deals across south east Asia. Kim Huat Chia is the corporate and transactional group regional head and has experience in Singapore listings and take-private transactions. Evelyn Wee coordinates the capital markets group, known for advising listed companies on compliance issues and their transactions.

Corporate and M&A
Clients note Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP as ‘one of the most impressive law firms across the Asia-Pacific through its strong ASEAN footprint.’ The firm has offices in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Viternam, among other locations, and is geared to handle all manner of transactions, from acquisitions, divestments and takeovers to mergers, de-mergers and restructurings. Lawrence Tan possesses an extensive track record in competing takeover offers of public-listed companies while Wee Hann Lim ’s practice often sees him engaged on multi-jurisdictional transactions involving biotechnology, pharmaceutical and healthcare companies. The duo jointly head the practice which is also active in the banking, real estate, technology, insurance and telecommunications fields and includes Sandy Foo, a lawyer who complements her M&A knowhow with banking and finance expertise.

Intellectual Property
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP has a strong focus on the areas of technology, new media, sports and gambling. The IP group operates at the more premium end of the market, notably in software licensing agreements and domain name disputes with a lesser of an emphasis on trade mark and patent registrations. Department head Lau Kok Keng is a leading name in the sports and gambling sectors, both in disputes and transactions. Nicholas Lauw is a key figure in technology, media and data privacy; this includes licensing and software agreements, and patent and copyright disputes.

International Arbitration
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP‘s international arbitration practice group combines strong regional coverage across South East Asia with local law capabilities. It has a particular reputation for handling disputes involving States and those within oil and gas sector, as well as arbitration-related litigation. Senior partner Andre Yeap leads the practice alongside Kelvin Poon who counts India-related disputes, construction and projects arbitrations among his areas of specialism. Other key contacts include Francis Xavier for investment-related claims and the ‘strategic‘ Ng Kim Beng for disputes arising from construction and infrastructure projects.

Tax
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP cemented its position as a leader in tax dispute resolution with the hire of Foo Hui Min, the former head of IRAS’s law division. She has joined the leader of the tax department Vikna Rajah, who himself has a background with IRAS and has had a pivotal role in elevating the firm’s status in the tax disputes arena over the last few years. This has led to a significant increase in engagements from large multinationals. Aside from disputes, the department has a flourishing advisory and transactional practice, including a significant uptick in the establishment of family offices in Singapore. It is also known for tax-driven capital markets transactions, including catastrophe bonds.

Asia Pacific: Regional International Arbitration: Leading Firms
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP has a strong reputation for investor-state disputes and energy sector international arbitration; it is regularly instructed on China, India, Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines related multimillion-dollar arbitrations. Practice heads Andre Yeap and Kelvin Poon are key contacts in Singapore, as is the regional head of dispute resolution group Francis Xavier, SC, while in Vietnam Chau Huy Quang is noted for investor-state disputes. It counts construction and healthcare disputes among its other areas of expertise.

R&T Asia (Thailand) Limited – Thailand

Banking and Finance – Tier 3
Customs and International Trade – Tier 1
Dispute Resolution – Tier 2
Labour and Employment – Tier 2
TMT – Tier 2

Leading Lawyers:
Melisa Uremovic – Customs and International Trade

Rising Stars:
Yingrak Treesaranuwattana – TMT

Hall of Fame:
Surasak Vajasit – Banking and Finance

Customs and International Trade
R&T Asia (Thailand) Limited handles both contentious and non-contentious matters relating to customs and international trade, customs disputes as well as anti-dumping mandates. The practice is led by Melisa Uremovic, who represents clients in customs, anti-dumping and safeguard proceedings, as well as undertaking advisory work in this space. Surasak Vajasit assists multinational clients in customs-related disputes, and Supawat Srirungruang provides advice in litigation proceedings relating to trade agreements.

Dispute Resolution
R&T Asia (Thailand) Limited's recent caseloads include a mix of commercial litigation, tax and customs disputes, as well as administrative proceedings. Managing partner and litigator Surasak Vajasit has years of experience in the Thai market, and Sui Lin Teoh handles insurance and construction disputes. Kittikun Soontarerat and Chotiwit Ngamsuwan are further names to note.

Labour and Employment
R&T Asia (Thailand) Limited handles both contentious and non-contentious employment matters, including litigation in the Thai courts, particularly regarding terminations of employment, as well as advising on employment contracts and conducting reviews of HR policies on the non-contentious side. Led by Saroj Jongsaritwang and Piroon Saengpakdee, the practice also includes key contact Sui Lin Teoh, who advises Thai subsidiaries of international companies on the termination of employment of senior executives and on reorganisations.

TMT
R&T Asia (Thailand) Limited acts for multinationals and Thai conglomerates on PDPA implementation projects, as well as advising on a range of corporate and commercial matters. Supawat Srirungruang heads the practice group and has notable experience in the telecoms space, while Saroj Jongsaritwang handles e-commerce matters. The team counts Charoen Pokphand Group and AP Honda Co Ltd among its key list of clients. Senior associate Yingrak Treesaranuwattana is noted for her expertise in e-payments and e-commerce mandates.

Banking and Finance
R&T Asia (Thailand) Limited's ‘responsive and helpful’ practice advises on loan facilities, securities agreements and commercial lending transactions. Managing partner Surasak Vajasit's client roster includes banks, other financial institutions and publicly traded companies. Piroon Saengpakdee focuses on project development and finance, while Pakpoom Suntornvipat advises clients as borrowers on facility agreements.

Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers – Vietnam

Banking and Finance – Tier 3
Corporate and M&A – Tier 2
Data Protection – Tier 1
Dispute Resolution: Arbitration – Tier 2
Dispute Resolution: Litigation – Tier 2
Labour and Employment – Tier 1
Projects and Energy – Tier 3
Real Estate and Construction – Tier 1
Shipping and Aviation – Tier 1
Tax – Tier 1
TMT – Tier 1

Leading Lawyers:
Chau Huy Quang – Shipping and Aviation; Tax; Dispute Resolution: Arbitration; Dispute Resolution: Litigation
Vu Thi Que – Labour and Employment; Real Estate and Construction; TMT

Next Generation Lawyers:
Logan Leung – Corporate and M&A; Dispute Resolution: Arbitration

Data Protection
Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers' data protection offering is a subset of its TMT practice. The firm is particularly prominent in advising social media and e-commerce companies, and it is noted for its expertise in assisting with data protection reviews, cybersecurity issues and regulatory matters. Practice head Vu Thi Que is experienced in advising Chinese and Japanese investors.

Labour and Employment
Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers’ team is equally skilled in contentious and non-contentious employment work, including restructurings, investigations and the employment aspects of corporate transactions. It is notably active in sectors such as insurance, financial services, healthcare and technology. Practice head Vu Thi Que has particular experience of advising Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese investors that are investing in Vietnam. Logan Leung is another key individual in the team, as is senior associate Le Quynh Nhi.

Real Estate and Construction
Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers' practice is led by Vu Thi Que, who is a fluent Mandarin speaker, and is sought after by clients from mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. She has experience of advising Chinese developers on tie-ups and acquisitions of Vietnamese real estate companies. Also notable is that the firm attracts a steady flow of work from developers based in Singapore, including Mapletree and Keppel Land. Elsewhere, contentious matters are another key workstream; Chau Huy Quang is an expert in construction and real estate tenancy disputes. Newly promoted partner Trinh Minh Duc is another name to note at the firm.

Shipping and Aviation
Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers' practice, which is jointly led by managing partner Chau Huy Quang and Logan Leung, is particularly active in wet shipping matters. Its work in this space covers vessel arrests, salvage, collisions, cargo damage claims, liquidations, financings and regulatory compliance. With the firm having an extensive network of offices across Southeast Asia, it is well-placed to handle cross-border matters. Tran Thi Phuong Thao has joined Allen & Gledhill (Vietnam).

Tax
Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers is particularly active in contentious tax matters, particularly in the context of investigations by the Vietnamese tax authorities and appeals against their decisions. Chau Huy Quang, who heads up the team, has extensive experience of defending clients against the General Department of Taxation and local customs authorities. Trinh Minh Duc was recently promoted to partner.

TMT
Reflective of its presence in the technology industry, Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers acts for global technology companies, start-ups and rising players. Led by Vu Thi Que, its team advises clients on issues concerning software, hardware and the Internet of Things. Logan Leung is experienced in handling tech-related M&A and venture capital transactions. Elsewhere, the firm is a major player in the fintech arena; its work in this area covers securities trading platforms, bitcoin, cryptocurrency, P2P lending and payments. Trinh Minh Duc was recently promoted to partner.

Corporate and M&A
Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers' corporate and M&A team is notably active in private equity transactions and matters with a nexus to real estate, as well as handling a steady flow of general M&A work. With the firm having a wide regional footprint across Asia, it is often seen in projects of a similar scale. The practice is led by Vu Thi Que, who is a fluent Mandarin speaker and regularly acts for Chinese clients. She is supported by Logan Leung and Trinh Minh Duc, who were promoted to the partnership in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

Dispute Resolution: Arbitration
Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers' team undertakes advocacy in Vietnam, which involves all major institutional rules. In addition, with the Vietnam practice forming a key part of the wider regional offering, it is well-placed to advise on multijurisdictional disputes across Southeast Asia. Chau Huy Quang has an interest in investor-state disputes in Vietnam. Another key individual is Logan Leung, who has experience of acting as counsel in arbitration cases adjudicated under the rules of the ICC, SIAC and CAA, among others. The firm's recent cases spanned areas such as construction, healthcare and energy.

Dispute Resolution: Litigation
Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers has a strong track record in real estate and construction disputes, with other core strengths including logistics, manufacturing, consumer goods and insurance cases. Managing partner Chau Huy Quang has experience of construction and foreign investment matters, among other areas. Senior associate Quach Vu An Khoa is also recommended.

Banking and Finance
Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers is a first port of call among many financial institutions across Asia, as well as corporate borrowers. The team has been increasingly active in project finance mandates recently, particularly in relation to energy projects. Regulatory work has also been an area of growth, notably in the fintech space, where the group's expertise includes cryptocurrency, P2P lending and payment intermediation. The team is jointly led by Nguyen Dinh Nha and Vu Thi Que. Trinh Minh Duc made partner in June 2021.

Projects and Energy
Rajah & Tann LCT Lawyers is at the forefront of advice to foreign investors investing in Vietnam's growing clean energy industry. Practice head Vu Thi Que is experienced in advising investors from China, Taiwan and Japan. The team, which includes recently promoted special counsel, also demonstrates regulatory and projects expertise in the oil and gas industry. Nguyen Dinh Nha is a project finance expert. Trinh Minh Duc made partner.