Drew & Napier LLC

01 October 2007

Drew & Napier LLC in Who's Who Legal: Singapore

Isaac Swinburne Bond was heir to Atchison’s practice, and became the first lawyer to join the ranks of Singapore’s Legislative Council in 1877. He was joined by Alfred Henry Drew in 1881. Three years after Bond’s retirement in 1886, Drew was joined by Walter John Napier, thus forming Drew & Napier. Today the firm has grown to encompass a main office in Singapore, with a branch office in Shanghai and trademarks and patents offices in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. In 2000, the firm entered into a joint venture with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer to form Freshfields Drew & Napier, adding a further international dimension to its practice.

Drew & Napier is one of the leading firms in the research – its total of 26 listings in 15 chapters is second only to Allen & Gledhill in terms of breadth of expertise and total number. As the chart demonstrates, the firm’s areas of competence are impressively diverse. The largest contingent is in the commercial litigation chapter, and Drew & Napier was praised for its “history of excellence” in this field, as well as the “consummate professionalism and depth of knowledge” of its litigators.

Cavinder Bull was commended to researchers as “one of the rising stars of his generation”. Indranee Rajah SC is highly regarded for both her litigation and labour and employment work (she also appears in that chapter). Managing director of the firm Jimmy Yim SC has represented many household names in this field. The fourth nominee is Davinder Singh SC, described as a “formidable litigator, capable of handling the most complex cases”. He is one of only four individuals to gain inclusion in four chapters, and both he and Yim also appear among Singapore’s leading arbitration experts. Yim has a “very high profile in this area, and deservedly so”, while Singh recently successfully obtained an award relating to a S$25 million dispute regarding the construction of a desalination plant. In addition, Singh was also recognised for his business crime defence practice as one of ten featured individuals in that chapter, and he is also said to be a “leading light” in the area of insolvency and restructuring work; he worked on behalf of Asia Pulp & Paper in one of the largest debt restructurings ever to take place in Asia. Sushil Nair was the lead partner in that US$16 billion debt restructuring and served as lead counsel in the restructuring of the former Citiraya Industries. Also in the insolvency and restructuring chapter, Manoj Sandrasegara was described as an “immensely skilled individual”.

As previously mentioned, the firm maintains trademarks and patents offices in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Manila, and its IP capability in Singapore is also well known. Morris John is head of the intellectual property department and of the patent division within that department, and has been lead counsel in a number of large patent cases. The firm is also home to a “very large, efficient and well regarded trademark practice”. John also appears in the trademarks chapter and is “highly esteemed”. Dedar Singh Gill is head of the trademark business group and is “fabulous for litigation, registration, oppositions and rectification work”.

Another director to feature in more than one chapter is Lim Chong Kin, who co-heads the competition law practice group and was also recommended for his experience in the telecoms sector. The final individual from the firm to appear in multiple areas is the “highly knowledgeable” David Ang, who appears in the M&A and banking chapters. In the former area he is known for his international work, and is joined by the “sensible and effective” Gary Pryke. Valerie Kwok is also listed in the banking chapter. Our sources recognised her “sterling reputation” for project loan work.

The firm is also strong in construction and real estate. Tan Liam Beng heads the building and construction business group and is a “superb lawyer”. Also a qualified engineer, he is known for both his domestic and international work. His colleague Lawrence Tan is “one of the best around” for contentious work in litigation and arbitration, as well as being “first class” for drafting work. On the real estate side, Chua Bee Lan is the “excellent, very astute” senior director of the firm’s corporate conveyancing department, and she counts royalty, local and foreign companies, developers, foreign governments and local and foreign banks among her clients.

Drew & Napier is one of only three firms to gain more than one inclusion in the corporate tax chapter. Teoh Lian-Ee heads the firm’s tax and trust business group and formerly worked at the Inland Revenue Department, including as assistant commissioner of Inland Revenue. Stacy Choong also appears, and both she and Teoh are well known in the market. Elsewhere, the “very switched-on” Ian Koh heads the shipping and international trade business group and is included in the related chapter. “It’s hard to think of anyone better,” says one of our sources.

Overall, the strength of Drew & Napier’s practice across a wide range of areas, coupled with the high regard in which the firm’s depth of expertise is held, means that it should be considered among the very best in the region.

It is not possible to buy entry into Who's Who Legal

terms and conditionscontact us