Mayer Brown Launches Joint Law Venture With PK Wong & Nair

January 13, 2023
Mayer Brown officially launched its joint law venture (JLV) with Singapore law firm PK Wong & Nair on January 1, 2023, becoming the first JLV established in Singapore since November 2016.  To be known as Mayer Brown PK Wong & Nair, the JLV received formal approval from the Singapore Legal Services Regulatory Authority last year. The JLV currently has over 30 lawyers, including 17 partners, with plans to double headcount over the next two years. The JLV will provide clients with an integrated service, offering seamless advice on international and Singapore law. PK Wong & Nair will provide all Singapore court litigation and related advice. Mayer Brown opened its Singapore office in 2011, growing to over 25 lawyers, including 13 partners, since then. Regularly ranked as a leading international firm in Singapore by the main legal directories, the office advises clients on a broad range of cross-border transactions, projects and disputes across Southeast Asia.  Tracing its roots back to 1986, PK Wong & Nair is a highly regarded full-service Singapore law firm with over 20 lawyers, including eight directors. The firm has a strong track record of advising on cross-border transactions for multinational corporations, acting as Singapore counsel in multi-jurisdictional disputes, and also in high-value, complex international restructuring and insolvency...

Thong Chee Kun and Jansen Chow head Rajah & Tann’s Fraud, Asset Recovery & Investigations practice

December 12, 2022
Rajah & Tann Singapore (R&T) has named Thong Chee Kun and Jansen Chow as co-heads of its Fraud, Asset Recovery & Investigations practice, effective December 1, 2022. Mr Thong will oversee the criminal aspects, while Mr Chow will handle the civil aspects.  Thong is former Deputy Public Prosecutor before joining R&T in 2007. A well-known white-collar crime specialist, he focuses in financial and regulatory crimes and offences, and has advised clients in offences ranging from corporate and compliance breaches, criminal breach of trust, corruption and cybercrimes to market manipulation and securities fraud.  He has also represented many individuals and corporations in enforcement proceedings initiated by local and overseas regulators and agencies. He was also involved as one of the lead lawyers relating to the recent cases involving German payment services provider Wirecard, as well as 1MDB.  On the other hand, Chow is a leading practitioner in anti-corruption investigations and international fraud disputes, with a growing specialisation in cryptocurrency. He acted in a highly publicised corruption scandal in Brazil, which won an award for the firm in 2018.  Most recently, Mr Chow acted successfully in Singapore’s first reported case of a worldwide mareva injunction against “Persons Unknown” and disclosure orders against third party exchanges in relation to stolen crypto assets. The case has been widely reported for the novel legal and jurisdictional issues involved.  “Chee Kun and Jansen have vast experience in many high-profile, complex and multi-jurisdictional investigations and fraud cases, and we are delighted that they have agreed to take up the mantle of co-heads of one of Rajah & Tann’s key practice areas,” said R&T Managing Partner Patrick...

Kennedys Strengthens Aviation Team in Singapore

November 24, 2022
Kennedys has further bolstered its aviation team in Singapore with the designation of Anita Quy as Head of Aviation, Asia Pacific (APAC), and the addition of Tristan Thompson as a new partner. Joining the firm in 2014, Anita has specialised in the aviation sector for more than 20 years, and is highly respected across APAC and the London Market. She advises a range of clients, including insurers, airlines, general aviation operators, regulators, ground handlers and maintenance organisations.  Anita has been engaged as lead counsel in a number of cases involving catastrophic losses and regularly handles complex, high-value work, such as hull subrogation claims. She also has extensive dispute resolution experience in cross-border litigation, and regularly advises on non-contentious issues, such as contractual liability, risk management and regulatory matters.  She takes over the role following the departure of Peng Lim, who has moved in-house to long-standing Kennedys’ client, Liberty Specialty Markets, as Head of Aviation Claims. Anita will work alongside new partner, Tristan Thompson, who recently joined the firm from DLA Piper, where he spent the last three years principally working on complex aviation and aerospace product liability claims and hull subrogation claims. Prior to that, Tristan spent eight years at Clyde & Co, where he trained and qualified into their aviation team. An English qualified lawyer, Tristan specialises in handling contentious aviation and aerospace matters on behalf of operators and their (re)insurers across multi-jurisdictions. His experience includes dealing with major airline and helicopter losses, attritional claims, coverage issues and pursuing recovery actions for (re)insurers and...

CAM Welcomes Pranav Mago as Director – International Arbitration

October 17, 2022
Mr. Pranav Mago will be joining Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas as a Director – International Arbitration. He will be initially based in Delhi, and will relocate to Singapore in early 2023. A graduate of Amity Law School (IP University) in 2010, Mago has previously worked as Head (South Asia) for Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC). Prior to SIAC, he was with the International Arbitration and Dispute Resolution team of UK Magic Circle firm Clifford Chance in Singapore, where he worked on several SIAC, ICC, LCIA and ICSID arbitrations and also advised clients on mediation matters. He has been appointed secretary to the tribunal for SIAC arbitrations. In addition to arbitration matters, he has been part of a team to undertake global investigations of regulatory breaches and has worked on insolvency and restructuring matters. “I am very excited to be joining CAM and becoming a part of a highly experienced arbitration team, as well as lend a hand in building the Singapore disputes profile for the firm. I am grateful to Mr. Cyril Shroff for entrusting me with this very exciting responsibility. I look forward to using my experience in the field of arbitration, as well as the valuable insight I gained in the field of litigation finance, to contribute to the continuous growth of the international arbitration practice of the firm,” Mago said. “Pranav joining us shows our commitment to the growth of our International Arbitration practice. His vast experience will also strengthen our Singapore presence and our capabilities to advice clients on cross border disputes. I welcome him on board and look forward to working with him,” said Cyril Shroff, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas...

Goodwin Launches in Singapore

October 17, 2022
Goodwin opened its Singapore office in the city’s central business district. It is the firm’s second location in Asia and the 15th office globally. The Singapore office, which serves clients raising, deploying and lending capital in the region and around the world, is chaired by private investment funds partner Greg Barclay. He is joined by private equity partner Abhishek Krishnan, counsel Ananth Lakshman and a team of associates. Goodwin’s Hong Kong-based lawyers also support the new office and the firm’s clients in Singapore and the wider region. Private investment funds partner Elyn Xing will spend significant time in Singapore over the coming months. “Singapore is a key hub for the technology, life sciences, real estate, private equity and financial services industries for Southeast Asia and India. Our new office in Singapore is important to our strategy of working with investors and companies in these key sectors,” said Yash Rana, chair of Goodwin’s Asia practice and co-chair of the global Private Equity practice. The firm’s Hong Kong office opened in 2008 and today includes nearly 50 lawyers and global operations team professionals. The top-ranked practice is consistently recognized for excellence. The Hong Kong and Singapore offices will work together seamlessly to meet the needs of the firm’s clients. “Goodwin’s global platform is uniquely positioned to serve clients at the busy intersection of capital and innovation, and Singapore – a magnet for both start-ups and capital flows – is at the heart of this intersection. We are thrilled to launch the office and assist our clients with achieving their strategic objectives,” said Greg Barclay. The team brings with it decades of cross-border transaction experience. Barclay’s practice focuses on the formation of...