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Singapore In Brief
Singapore In Brief
Despite being the smallest state in South-East Asia, Singapore is economically one of the ‘Four Asian Tigers’, alongside Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea. The economy has seen five consecutive years of expansion, and is particularly strong in manufacturing, especially electronics.Singapore is also enjoying high levels of activity in the construction and financial sectors; it is the largest real estate investment trust market in Asia outside Japan, with eight new REITs listed on the Singapore Exchange in 2006, while in February 2007 the first infrastructure finance trust was also floated. The city-state is also a major foreign exchange centre, the fourth-largest in the world, according to the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
In addition, Singapore is the busiest port in the world in terms of shipping tonnage, and it is also a world-leading hub for container trans-shipment. Overall, Singapore was the fifth most economically competitive country in the world in 2006, according to Forbes, and was the most business-friendly economy in the world in 2005–2006, according to a report by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation.
This dynamic economy leads to high levels of work for the leading law firms. Lawyers from both local and international firms are featured in the following pages, and we have identified 281 eminent professionals in specific fields. They have been recommended by clients and peers, both for their local work and in some cases for work throughout the region. We have classified these experts in 22 practice areas. The following firms stood out for the depth and breadth of the expertise they command, and should be regarded as the leaders in Singapore.
Editorial
Editorial: Singapore
Editorial: Arbitration in Singapore
Commercial arbitration has been recognised for some years as a viable alternative to the court system, and the confidentiality, speed and international dimension it offers contribute to its ongoing popularity. This chapter identifies 14 individuals, whether acting as neutrals, panellists or counsel or combining these roles, that are leaders in arbitration.
Editorial: Aviation in Singapore
Our research indicates that Singapore does not possess a large pool of aviation lawyers. What our findings do uncover, however, is that the seven individuals profiled in this chapter are not only well-known on the domestic scene but – judging by the levels of international nominations – are also some of the most respected practitioners in the global market.
Editorial: Banking in Singapore
Singaporean companies remain extremely vigorous investors and the city state’s banking sector is party to some of Asia’s biggest transactions. Singapore’s high level of political stability and economic development mean that its law firms often act as a bridge between East and West, working as a hub for wider Asian business interests, hence the strong presence of joint-venture law firms in the area.
Editorial: Business Crime in Singapore
Business crime defence is an increasingly important area in Singapore, where a number of recent high-profile cases have been dominating the headlines. This chapter identifies a select group of nine lawyers with expertise in the representation of companies, corporate officers and individuals in criminal litigation arising from their business activities.
Editorial: Capital Markets in Singapore
Ten firms feature in this chapter. Allen & Gledhill LLP dominates the rankings with a formidable eight-lawyer contingent. The firm excels in both debt and equity capital markets. The “fantastic” equity team oversees the listings of companies on the Singapore Stock Exchange, including dual listings in Singapore and on NASDAQ, and gives advice to unlisted companies regarding equity, and related, fundraising for unregistered offerings of shares and options. The “very successful” debt capital markets team’s experience covers stand-alone bond issues, commercial paper programmes, medium-term note programmes and depository receipts, acting for issuers and lead managers and arrangers. Recent highlights include the DBS Bank’s issue of US$900 million upper Tier II floating-rate subordinated notes.
Profiled Firms
Firm Profiles: Singapore
Drew & Napier LLC
The law firm today known as Drew & Napier LLC can trace its roots back to John Simons Atchison and his arrival in Singapore in 1859. Atchison’s handling of a case for a naval captain against the East India Company began the firm’s connection with admiralty law, a connection which continues to this day.
Harry Elias Partnership
Harry Elias Partnership was founded in 1988 and has grown into one of the leading firms in Singapore. The firm has high levels of proficiency across a range of practice areas, and five partners gained inclusion in three chapters of this book.
KhattarWong
Leading regional practice KhattarWong was founded in 1974 and offers full-service practices in Singapore and China, as well as providing advice to clients with business interests in India, Indonesia, Thailand, the Middle East, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia. The firm boasts eight practitioners in our study of the Singapore legal market, in diverse areas of speciality ranging from corporate law to litigation.
Linklaters Allen & Gledhill Pte Ltd
Linklaters LLP has over 350 lawyers practising in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo and Thailand and the firm has been active in Asia for over 30 years. In 2000 it established a joint law venture with the prestigious Singapore law firm Allen & Gledhill and has acted for some of the region’s most significant banks and companies. Linklaters Allen & Gledhill provides four partners from their Singapore team for three of our chapters – capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and project finance.
Norton Rose LLP
The Singapore office of Norton Rose LLP was established in 1982 and is one of six locations that make up the firm’s strong Asia practice. In Singapore the firm is a recognised force in the market and boasts six partners in seven chapters. The firm has a strong reputation in the corporate finance, banking and project finance fields. This is highlighted by partners featured in the banking, insurance & reinsurance, mergers & acquisitions and project finance chapters. The firm also features prominently in the commercial arbitration, shipping & maritime and oil & gas sections of this publication.
Focus On Corporate Counsel
Corporate Counsel Q&A: Singapore
Singapore Corporate Counsel: Sharon Craggs
Head, Group Legal and Compliance DBS Bank
DBS Bank was established in 1968 as a development financing institution and is now a full-service bank with the largest network of branches in Singapore and further branch networks in Hong Kong, Indonesia, China and India. It is a specialist in banking in Asia, and is active in the corporate, retail and investment fields. It is also one of Singapore’s main sources of medium and long-term financing. DBS also has international branches or representative offices in countries such as Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, the US and the Middle East. DBS Bank is held by DBS Group Holdings Ltd, one of the largest companies in terms of market capitalisation on the Singapore Exchange.