Sheng Rong specialises in international arbitration and commercial litigation, with a focus on intellectual property law, technology and digital disputes.

He is frequently engaged to act in challenging and significant cases. He acted in Riot Games v NetEase, a multi-jurisdictional dispute involving breach of copyright in a global eSports video game franchise, which received the Impact Deal and Case Award at the asialaw Awards 2023. He also acted in the landmark breach of confidentiality case of I-Admin (Singapore) v Hong Ying Ting, which was named Impact Deal of the Year at the Managing IP Asia-Pacific Awards 2021. He further acted in the first-ever case before the Singapore International Commercial Court, BCBC Singapore v PT Bayan Resources, involving a dispute over a joint venture to commercialise a novel patented coal upgrading technology.

His work is regularly recognised by legal publications and clients alike. Most recently, he was named as one of Asia’s Super 50 Disputes Lawyers by Asian Legal Business 2023, and one of Singapore’s Most Influential Lawyers Under 40 by Singapore Business Review 2023. Clients describe him as “possessing a sharp legal mind and a keen grasp of every single detail”, “relentless in his pursuit of excellence”, and “an impressive advocate who is quick on his feet and invariably calm in any challenging situation”.

Prior to joining the firm, Sheng Rong was a Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Attorney-General’s Chambers, where he was a founding member of the Technology Crime Unit, tasked with investigating and prosecuting technology and cyber crime.

He was the winner of the Christopher Bathurst Prize 2011, organised by Fountain Court Chambers in London, UK. He was also the first runner-up in the ECC-SAL International Mooting Competition 2013, organised by Essex Court Chambers in London, UK.

Sheng Rong was enrolled in the prestigious NYU-NUS LLB-LLM concurrent degree programme, and graduated on the Overall Dean’s List.

EXPERIENCE

Intellectual Property Law, Technology and Digital Disputes

  • Acted for a Chinese Internet technology company against a US video game developer before the Singapore International Commercial Court in claims for breach of copyright and passing off in a global eSports video game franchise, as part of a series of cross-jurisdictional actions spanning Singapore, the UK, Germany and Brazil (Riot Games v NetEase)
  • Acted for a multinational technology company before the Singapore Court of Appeal in claims against ex-employees for the theft and misuse of proprietary software, source codes and trade secrets, which is now the landmark case for breach of confidentiality in Singapore law (I-Admin (Singapore) Pte Ltd v Hong Ying Ting and others [2020] SGCA 32)
  • Acting for a Chinese petrochemical company against a German-headquartered multinational chemicals company in a dispute over the licensing of proprietary and confidential patents, technical information and know-how which was utilised for the construction and operation of a series of large petrochemical plants in China
  • Acting for the South-East Asian headquarters of a leading online retailer of luxury goods listed on the New York Stock Exchange in a dispute with a well-known American lifestyle brand in a dispute relating to trade mark infringement and passing off in luxury bags
  • Acting for a UK-based award-winning singer, songwriter and performer against a Singapore company in a dispute over ownership of copyright in songs which were used in various Netflix dramas
  • Acting for a Singaporean manufacturer and distributor of industrial fire protection products against a Belgian manufacture of building materials and systems in a dispute regarding copyright infringement
  • Acting for a Singapore-headquartered multinational digital advertising service provider against an American digital advertising company in a dispute regarding trade mark infringement and passing off
  • Acting for an electronic payments service provider against a technology services firm in a dispute relating to an IT project involving the development, implementation and operation of a next-generation electronic payment system
  • Acted for a professional body before the Singapore High Court in relation to claims by a technology company for anti-competitive behaviour, conspiracy and unlawful interference with trade (StreetSine Singapore Pte Ltd v Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers and others [2019] SGHCR 1)
  • Advising entertainment companies and individuals operating through online channels and social media (including YouTubers, Twitch streamers and VTubers) in relation to the sale, purchase and acquisition of digital intangible assets (such as copyright, trade marks and other intellectual property rights)
  • Advising Singapore’s leading immersive dining experience provider in relation to the protection of intangible assets and intellectual property rights in Singapore and overseas markets
  • Advised senior-level executives in relation to claims by a global technology and manufacturing company for the recovery of confidential information and trade secrets
  • Advised cryptocurrency investors in relation to tracing and asset recovery of cryptocurrency tokens held in offshore wallets
  • Advised cryptocurrency investors on regulatory and contractual parameters governing the recoverability of profits realised from trading on cryptocurrency exchanges

International Commercial Arbitration

  • Acting for a Singapore-headquartered multinational trading and engineering company against a Dutch company and individuals in an SIAC arbitration involving claims in breach of contract and misrepresentation arising from an acquisition of a conglomerate of companies in various Asian countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and India, valued in excess of S$ 131 million
  • Acted for an Australian-headquartered multinational construction company against French and Portuguese companies in relation to an ICC arbitration involving claims in breach of contract and misrepresentation arising from a joint venture to design and construct an LNG project, with a claim sum in excess of AU$ 1.39 billion
  • Acted for an Australian-headquartered multinational construction company against Australian and Italian companies in relation to an ICC arbitration involving claims in breach of contract arising from a joint venture to design and conduct the widening and upgrading of major motorways in Australia
  • Acted for a Singapore-headquartered multinational company operating South-East Asia’s largest online used-car marketplace against Thai and BVI companies in an SIAC arbitration involving claims in breach of contract and misrepresentation arising from an acquisition of a Thai company operating a used car auction platform, valued in excess of US$ 30 million
  • Acted for a Cambodian company operating a Special Economic Zone in Phnom Penh, Cambodia against a group of Singapore and BVI companies listed on the Singapore Exchange in an SIAC arbitration involving claims in breach of contract arising from a joint venture project to generate, procure and supply electricity to customers within the Zone, and the impact of changes to the electricity tariff rates imposed by the Electricity Authority of Cambodia
  • Acting for a Cambodian company operating a Special Economic Zone in Phnom Penh, Cambodia against a group of Singapore and BVI companies listed on the Singapore Exchange in an SIAC arbitration involving claims in breach of contract arising from a joint venture project arising from management changes and other corporate governance issues
  • Acted for a BVI trading and investment company against a Malaysian company in an SIAC arbitration involving a shareholders’ dispute over the ownership, management and operation of a Vietnamese manufacturing and engineering company

Breach of Directors’ Duties and Shareholder Disputes

  • Acted for an Australian public-listed company against an Indonesian public-listed company in the first-ever litigation case in the Singapore International Commercial Court arising out of a failed joint venture to construct and operate a coal upgrading plant involving the commercialisation of novel patented technology, with over S$1 billion in dispute (BCBC Singapore Pte Ltd and another v PT Bayan Resources TBK and another [2022] SGHC(I) 2)
  • Acting for the Chairman and founder of an Indian public-listed company against a Singaporean public-listed company in litigation in the Singapore High Court arising out of a failed joint venture to establish educational institutions across India (Raffles Education Corporation Limited v Shantanu Prakash [2023] SGHC 89)
  • Acted for ex-employees in litigation in the Singapore Court of Appeal in claims by an international travel services company for breaches of directors’ duties, employment duties and non-competition clauses
  • Acted for an Indian-headquartered multinational coal mining company in litigation in the Singapore High Court in claims against ex-employees for fraud and conspiracy to divert profits and business opportunities

Fraud, Investigations and Asset Tracing

  • Acting for a Singapore-headquartered multinational trading and investment company in investigations and asset tracing across multiple jurisdictions, including Taiwan, Cambodia, Mauritius, Belize, the BVI and Singapore
  • Acting for American and Chinese individuals in investigations and asset tracing relating to a fraudulent investment / Ponzi scheme across multiple jurisdictions, including China and Singapore
  • Acted for a Singapore company engaged in the business of oil bunkering in litigation in the Singapore High Court in claims to trace and recover loans that had been wrongfully extended for the purpose of speculative trading by rogue ex-directors
  • Acted for an Australian-headquartered global energy resources company in relation to investigations by the Commercial Affairs Department into a fraudulent conspiracy by employees to divert and misappropriate secret profits
  • Acted for a Japanese-headquartered global private bank in relation to investigations into ex-employees for breach of confidentiality relating to sensitive financial and confidential information
  • Advised a global luxury watch brand in relation to investigations by foreign authorities pertaining to customs and tax regulations for the import and sale of consumer goods

Other Notable Disputes

  • Acting for a UK-headquartered financial services company which provides financial and brokerage services against a Japanese-headquartered group of trading and investment companies in litigation in the Singapore High Court in relation to an unexpected surge in nickel prices which forced the London Metal Exchange to take the unprecedented step of halting trading and cancel all trades in nickel-related products
  • Acting for a French-headquartered global private bank in litigation in the Singapore High Court in relation to civil and criminal proceedings for the freezing and recovery of assets held in Singapore bank accounts pursuant to diplomatic mutual assistance rendered in support of Brazilian and Spanish criminal investigations and proceedings (including under the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 2000)
  • Acted for a Swiss-headquartered global private banks in litigation in the Singapore High Court in relation to claims against high networth individuals for losses sustained through margin trading
  • Acted for an international shipping company in litigation in the Singapore High Court in relation to claims against trade brokers for breaches of fiduciary and contractual duties (Commodities Intelligence Centre Pte Ltd v Mako International Trd Pte Ltd and others [2022] SGHC 131)
  • Acted for Serbian manufacturing companies in litigation in the Court of Appeal in relation to claims by a Panama investment company to garnish monies held on trust for a Yugoslav state-owned entity (The State-Owned Company Yugoimport SDPR (also known as Jugoimport-SDPR) v Westacre Investments Inc [2016] SGCA 51)
  • Acted for a Singapore construction materials manufacturer against a Japanese-headquartered multinational construction company in litigation in the Singapore Court of Appeal in relation to claims under a supply contract which was frustrated by the unexpected imposition of an export ban on sand by the Indonesian government, now considered the leading case on contractual frustration under Singapore law (Alliance Concrete Singapore Pte Ltd v Sato Kogyo (S) Pte Ltd [2014] SGCA 35)
  • Acted for a Singapore law firm in litigation in the Singapore High Court in relation to professional negligence claims pertaining to failed property investments in South America
  • Acted for two Singapore-based chartered accountants in litigation in the Singapore High Court in relation to judicial review of determinations made in professional disciplinary proceedings pertaining to the audit of two companies listed on the Singapore Exchange
  • Acted for the trustees of a Muslim charitable trust (wakaf) in contentious proceedings before a statutory body – the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) – in relation to a rogue trustee’s mismanagement of trust affairs and breach of trust
  • Acted for the trustees of a Muslim charitable trust (wakaf) in litigation in the Singapore Court of Appeal in relation to the rights of MUIS over the wakaf

MEMBERSHIPS / DIRECTORSHIPS

  • Advocacy Trainer, Law Society of Singapore

PUBLICATION

  • Contributor, Chapter on “Role of Court”, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, ed., Arbitration in Singapore: A Practical Guide (Sweet & Maxwell) (2nd ed., 2018; 1st ed., 2014)

Location(s)

Practice Area(s)

Qualifications

  • LLM, New York University School of Law
  • LLB (Hons), National University of Singapore
  • Advocate & Solicitor, Singapore

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