LVM LAW CHAMBERS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Consultant With the Firm
Alvin TAN is a Consultant with the Firm with more than 30 years' experience of practice in civil and commercial litigation with an emphasis on corporate and shareholder disputes. He has conducted numerous trials and appellate hearings in the Supreme Court as lead counsel, several of which have resulted in notable reported judgments.
Alvin was lead counsel for Mr Alan Yeo and certain members of the Yeo Hiap Seng family in successfully winding up the Yeo family holding company which held shares of the public listed company, Yeo Hiap Seng Limited in 1994. This was one of the first cases involving minority oppression issues in a family dispute over a company selling well-known Singapore beverages. The case was widely reported in the media at the time.
Alvin also acted as counsel in Vita Health Laboratories Pte Ltd and Others v Pang Seng Meng [2004] 4 SLR(R) 162 in a long and complex case where he represented a director resisting allegations of breaches of fiduciary duties in relation to a regional group of companies within the stable of an Australian public listed company. The case is now widely studied for important propositions of law on the common law duties owed by a company director. Alvin was complimented by the Court in the following terms: "Mr Tan displayed admirable diligence in single handedly dealing with the factual complexities and multitudinous documents that emerged in these proceedings. He presented the defence with commendable clarity."
Another notable shareholder dispute in which Alvin successfully acted for the minority shareholder was Lim Chee Twang v Chan Shuk Kuen Helina [2010] 2 SLR 209. The Court eventually ordered the purchase of shares of a number of companies within a group. This included companies incorporated in foreign jurisdictions and was the first known of order of such a nature, given that the jurisdiction of the Courts is normally limited to locally incorporated companies. The Court complimented Alvin's cross examination of the witness in the following terms: "Ms Chan was very upset and broke down in tears a number of times during cross examination. Two things need to be said at this juncture. First Mr Tan was very courteous, while still pushing hard, in his cross examination of Ms Chan. He exhibited the best traditions of the Bar in pushing his client's case hard but without discourtesy to Ms Chan."
Outside of the law, Alvin is an avid traveller. He once took a 3-year sabbatical to pursue this passion.
Expertise
Litigation & Appeals
Private Clients, Wealth & Trusts
White Collar Crime, Regulations & Advisory
For banking and insolvency matters, Kia Pheng acts for insolvency practitioners, banks, and debtors as well. His insolvency practice includes representing parties in cases of recognition of foreign insolvency proceedings and matters relating to US Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. A number of Kia Pheng's cases have been reported in the Singapore Law Reports for being legally significant.
Notably, in 2006, Kia Pheng acted for a debtor company to successfully argue that under the provisions of the Companies Act, an action instituted by the judicial managers of the company to challenge a transaction entered into by the company with a third party on the ground of unfair preference or being at an undervalue, cannot be continued by the liquidators when judicial management of the company was followed by a winding up order before the action was adjudicated upon. This issue was described by the Court of Appeal in its decision as "a point of insolvency law which is of considerable importance to the general creditors of an insolvent company".
Kia Pheng also acted as lead counsel for a globally renowned modelling agency incorporated in Switzerland in an international arbitration held in the SIAC in 2017 and 2018 against a BVI company that alleged breaches of an agency agreement between the parties. After successfully defending the Swiss respondent against the BVI claimant which was represented by a UK Queen's Counsel before the arbitral tribunal, Kia Pheng successfully opposed an application filed in the High Court in Singapore by the BVI claimant to set aside the arbitral award.
Kia Pheng has previously been a facilitator in the Singapore Institute of Legal Education's Preparatory Course for the Law and Practice of Arbitration subject leading to Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations.
Expertise
Insolvency & Restructuring
Litigation & Appeals
Clara LIM specialises in complex disputes and appeals and was called to the Singapore Bar in 2022.
Prior to being called to the Singapore Bar, Clara completed her Relevant Legal Training at a boutique dispute resolution firm before completing her Training Contract with LVM Law Chambers LLC.
Upon graduation, Clara has accumulated substantial experience in high-stakes disputes in the Singapore High Court. Some of the high-profile matters that Clara has been involved in include proceedings brought by a foundation on behalf of the citizens of Papua New Guinea to recover funds held in a Singapore-incorporated company; one of Singapore's longest criminal trials relating to the 2013 S$8 billion penny stock crash; proceedings to obtain a Mareva injunction against cryptocurrency exchanges; and proceedings brought by the victim of a Ponzi scheme known as SureWin4U against her uplines.
Clara has also been involved in multiple commercial mediations and has appeared as counsel before the Strata Titles Board in an evidential hearing.
Clara graduated from King's College London in 2020 with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and was the winner of the Law School Prize in Jurisprudence and Legal Theory. She also placed second on the Singapore Institute of Legal Education's Commendation List and Prize Award for Part A of the Bar Examinations (2021 Session 1) with two distinctions.
During the weekends, Clara enjoys spending time with her dogs and gardening.
Expertise
International Arbitration
Litigation & Appeals
Private Clients, Wealth & Trusts
Clara is an Associate in the China and Asia practice at LVM Law Chambers.
Clara has expertise and a speciality in disputes in international infrastructure and construction projects, international telecommunications projects, and cross-border shareholder disputes. She is currently one of the counsels in a high-profile suit to recover loans advanced of around US$40 million which also engages issues of corporate governance and allegations of fictitious transactions. Most recently, she acted in defending an application to set aside an international commodities arbitration award.
Other notable cases by Clara are, acting for a company listed on the SGX in a claim against former directors and officers for breach of fiduciary duties in relation to 6 large-scale infrastructure, construction, and investment projects or transactions in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and acting for directors of a large energy company to strike out a claim against them involving the breach of a shareholders agreement and breach of directors' duties.
Prior to coming to the firm, Clara worked with renowned senior practitioners in a well-known construction boutique firm. Clara has also gained valuable experience and handled multimillion dollar infrastructure and construction matters at one of the big-four firms in Singapore.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate With the Firm
Dr Ivan KHOO is an Associate with the Firm. He is also a medical doctor by training.
Dr Khoo read law at the Singapore Management University's School of Law and graduated in 2019 with a Juris Doctor (Summa cum Laude). During his time at law school, he received a number of academic awards and scholarships, including the Dentons Rodyk Prize for Legal Research and Writing as well as the Kwa Geok Choo Post-Graduate Scholarship.
Upon graduation, Dr Khoo served as a Deputy Public Prosecutor with the Attorney-General's Chambers prosecuting drug, hurt, statutory, and property offences. Subsequently, Dr Khoo subsequently joined the Supreme Court of Singapore in 2020 as a Justices Law Clerk where he had the privilege to work with the judges sitting in the Singapore High Court, Appellate Division of the High Court, and the Court of Appeal on a range of cases. These cases encompassed administrative law, arbitration appeals, criminal trials, civil trials, criminal appeals, as well as disciplinary tribunals convened under the Medical Registration Act and Legal Profession Act.
The notable judgments that Dr Khoo assisted on include several landmark decisions on the scope and limits of the patient-doctor relationship, the scope of pre-action proceedings against the Government, contractual interpretation, quantification of damages in construction contracts, division of matrimonial assets, and criminal cases concerning capital punishment.
Dr Khoo is also a registered medical practitioner with the Singapore Medical Council. He graduated from the National University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine in 2010 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and served 6 years as a medical doctor at the Singapore General Hospital, Changi General Hospital, KK Women and Children's Hospital, Khoo Teck Phuat Hospital, and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
During his stint as a medical doctor, Dr Khoo worked in the fields of general surgery, general medicine, orthopaedic surgery, otorhinolaryngology and family medicine, and served as the National Advanced Trauma Life Support Committee Secretary from 2010 to 2011. Testament to his medical expertise, Dr Khoo was awarded the SingHealth Best Junior Doctors Best House Officer Award in 2013.
Dr Khoo also holds a Diploma in Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons in England.
Dr Khoo has experience working in both the private and public sector and has also volunteered his medical expertise in overseas medical mission trips. To date, Dr Khoo retains a keen interest in medicine and continues to keep abreast of developments in the medical industry.
Expertise
International Trade, Shipping & Sanctions
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate With the Firm
A part of the Firm's China & Asia practice, Edric has acted for and advised a wide range of China-based, Asia-based, and international clients, from prominent technology companies to private companies and individuals.
Edric CHIA is a Senior Associate with the Firm and specialises in complex cross-border commercial disputes, mediation and arbitration. As part of the Firm's China practice, Edric has acted for and advised a wide range of China-based, Asia-based, and international clients, from prominent technology companies to private companies and individuals.
Edric has a key interest in commodities, licensing, technology, and telecommunications disputes. He also has substantial experience in a wide variety of complex matters, spanning shareholder disputes, contractual disputes, contested high value probate and trust actions and mortgagee actions, and criminal proceedings under the Singapore Prevention of Corruption Act and Telecommunication Act. Edric has represented clients in all levels of the Singapore Courts, including the High Court of Singapore and its Appellate Division, State Courts, and in international commercial arbitration.
Edric graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2016, with a Bachelor of Law with Honours (Second Class Division One). Edric also obtained a Master of Law in Litigation and Dispute Resolution (Distinction) at University College London in 2017.
Edric was awarded GlaxoSmithKline prize for excellence in Patents and Trade Secrets for achieving the top mark in his cohort.
Edric has also previously spent time at a renowned law firms' Myanmar office where he gained valuable experience in international legal practice, international and Southeast Asian corporate and commercial transactions, and advisory matters.
Edric is an avid gamer and enjoys travelling, cycling and reading.
Expertise
China & Asia Practice
International Arbitration
Litigation & Appeals
Private Clients, Wealth & Trusts
Technology, Media & Telecommunications
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate With the Firm and Is Part of the Firm 's Insolvency
Isabel is an Associate with the Firm and is part of the Firm's Insolvency and Restructuring practice group. She specialises in complex disputes and appeals. She graduated from the Singapore Management University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Laws (cum laude), was called to the Singapore Bar in 2023, and obtained two distinctions in the 2022 Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations, emerging as one of the top 20 candidates for the year.
During her practice training period with the Firm, Isabel assisted with high-stakes disputes in the Singapore High Court. Notably, she was recently part of the team acting for the liquidators of Inter-Pacific Petroleum Pte Ltd against a former director for alleged breaches of his common law duties in respect of USD 150 million when he failed to prevent significant drawdowns on banking facilities. She also acts for and advises DBS Trustee, a subsidiary of Singapore's largest local bank, in respect of ongoing investigations into the demise of the Eagle Hospitality Real Estate Investment Trust, a REIT with an aggregate valuation of US$1 billion. She continues to be involved in complex advisory work.
Isabel continues to expand her areas of expertise and is currently acting for private individuals in proceedings concerning probate, allegations of fraudulent breaches of trust, and accessory liability based on dishonest assistance and knowing receipt. During the weekends, Isabel enjoys playing Pokémon Go and serving in her church community.
Expertise
Insolvency & Restructuring
Litigation & Appeals
Private Clients, Wealth & Trusts
Job Titles:
- Director
- Contributing Editor of the Singapore Civil Procedure
With deep and wide-ranging experience in the Courts and public sector, Jean is well-positioned to provide clients with a unique perspective and valuable insight on effective dispute resolution practices.
Jean is a Director of LVM Law Chambers LLC. She has an active practice in complex civil litigation. Her clients include foreign state-owned and foreign-linked entities engaged in multi-million competing claims and cross-border disputes. Jean is also one of the few civil litigators who is equally versatile in criminal litigation. She specialises in white-collar crimes and investigations, and regularly represents private clients in complex financial crimes and regulatory matters.
Before joining the firm, Jean served as an Assistant Registrar of the Supreme Court of Singapore while holding a concurrent role as District Judge for more than nine years. She presided over interlocutory applications and matters involving complex commercial and civil disputes. These disputes include building and construction, banking and financial, shareholder and company, professional liability, insurance litigation and medical negligence matters. Having dealt with pre-trial and case management conferences during her career as an Assistant Registrar, Jean brings a wealth of experience about the courts and judicial case management system in Singapore.
Jean has partnered key industry stakeholders and financial regulators to bring about legal reforms for the insurance and legal industries during her time as an Assistant Registrar. She was a member of the Joint Secretariat of the Personal Injury (Claims Assessment) Review Committee, which is the multi-disciplinary committee which developed the first-ever Actuarial Tables (with Explanatory Notes) for Use in Personal Injury and Death Claims (SAL Academy Publishing 2021) based on data and statistics specific to the Singapore context. The reform has brought about greater certainty and precision in the assessment of damages for personal injury and death claims. She also engaged and collaborated with ministries, statutory boards, public agencies and the legal industry on various legislative projects pertaining to civil and criminal procedural laws in her capacity as an Assistant Registrar.
Prior to becoming an Assistant Registrar, Jean was also a former Deputy Public Prosecutor ("DPP") with the Attorney General's Chambers. She had prosecuted diverse cases at different levels of courts in Singapore, including the High Court as a lead prosecutor. She spent most of her stint as a DPP specializing in white-collar crimes ranging from corruption, complex corporate fraud to market misconduct and regulatory breaches. In this role, she worked with and advised the Commercial Affairs Division and the Corruption Practices Investigation Bureau on the investigation and prosecution of complex commercial crimes.
Given her deep and wide-ranging experience in the Courts and public sector, Jean is well-positioned to provide clients with a unique perspective and valuable insight on effective dispute resolution practices for civil, criminal and regulatory matters. Jean has been described as being "a safe pair of hands who helps you navigate the intricacies and nuances of complex criminal investigations and proceedings" and "very quick on the uptake in a completely new discipline and areas that are not familiar to her, while being able to competently deal with specialists, business and industry stakeholders, and public agencies across different sectors."
Jean is a contributing editor of the Singapore Civil Procedure ("White Book"), which is the leading civil procedure law text in Singapore. She is a Trainer for the Advocacy Course jointly conducted by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education and the Law Society of Singapore for Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations. She was also a Facilitator for the Civil Litigation Practice Session. During her stint in the Judiciary, she served as a Member of the Inquiry Panel, Law Society of Singapore. She also represented the Supreme Court of Singapore as a speaker for the Southeast Asia Judicial Workshop on Cybercrime, jointly organised by the US Department of Justice and the Supreme Court of Thailand.
Jean graduated from the National University of Singapore and was called to the Singapore Bar in 2004.
Expertise
White Collar Crime, Regulations & Advisory
Litigation & Appeals
Jervis specialises in complex cross-border disputes.
Jervis is an Associate in the Firm's China & Asia Practice Group. He specialises in complex cross-border commercial disputes, mediation, and arbitration. He is fluent in both English and Mandarin, which has proven especially helpful in communicating with and advising clients from China.
Prior to his admission as an advocate and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore in 2023, Jervis completed his Relevant Legal Training at a boutique full-service law firm where he was involved in a variety of matters, ranging from complex commercial disputes to criminal litigation and other advisory work. He completed his Practice Training with the Firm.
During his time at the Firm, Jervis has been involved in complex cross-border litigation and arbitration cases. Most recently, he acted as counsel for a claimant in an emergency arbitration concerning the sale and purchase of a private aircraft. Jervis was also involved in a high-profile suit to recover loans advanced of over USD 40 million which engaged issues of corporate governance and allegations of fictitious transactions.
Apart from cross-border disputes, Jervis is involved in a number of local disputes in the Singapore High Court. Such matters include a claim by the major unitholder of a publicly listed Singapore business trust against a director of the trust's trustee-manager, and a claim by a Management Corporation Strata Title against the developer and contractor of its development for various defects.
Jervis graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2021 with a Bachelor of Law with Honours (Second Class Division One). Jervis also obtained a distinction in Company Law in Part A of the Bar Exams in 2022.
Expertise
China & Asia Practice
International Arbitration
Litigation & Appeals
Aviation
Jonathan MUK co-heads the International Trade, Shipping, and Sanctions practice in the Firm. He was a recipient of the prestigious Lee Kong Chian Scholarship and graduated from the Singapore Management University Yong Pung How School of Law in 2013 with a Bachelor of Laws (Summa cum Laude) and a Bachelor of Business Management (Finance) (Summa cum Laude) through a double degree programme. Jonathan was called to the Singapore Bar in 2016 after serving as a Deputy Public Prosecutor with the Attorney General's Chambers and as a Justices Law Clerk with the Supreme Court of Singapore.
Jonathan's expertise lies in high-value commercial litigation, arbitration, and mediation, specifically in the fields of banking, real estate, oil and gas, financial technology, and private equity. He specialises in cases involve investigations and uncovering of fraudulent conduct. Over the years, he has successfully represented multinational companies, major oil trading companies, technology unicorns, insurers, and listed companies. Notably, Jonathan has successfully represented clients to apply for and obtain Anton Pillar orders (also known as search orders) against defendants suspected of misappropriating confidential company information.
Given the international nature of Jonathan's practice, he has experience working with senior local and international practitioners from the United States of America, the United Kingdom, the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, and the British Virgin Islands on both contentious and non-contentious matters. He has been commended by clients for being "very attentive to the case and very prompt in providing detailed feedback, as well as clear and strategic advice on the way forward", providing a "Quick turnaround, easily available to speak to, and [giving] good practical advice", and being "very hands on the case and [knowing] it top to bottom".
Jonathan is a mediator affiliated with the Singapore International Mediation Centre, the Singapore Mediation Centre, and the Law Society Mediation Scheme. He is also a mediator and neutral evaluator with the Financial Industry Disputes Resolution Centre. In these capacities, Jonathan has been commended for managing expectations and emotions well and has received positive feedback for his "good control of the proceedings", ability to build "good rapport with the parties", and "helping explore and develop options" for the parties to amicably resolve their dispute.
Jonathan is passionate about nurturing young lawyers. He contributes to the Law Society as a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee and the Mentorship Scheme Working Group. He has also served as an adjunct faculty and a member of the Practice Advisory Committee at the Singapore Management University's Yong Pung How School of Law. Jonathan's commitment to education is further demonstrated through his contributions to leading textbooks and journal publications.
Beyond his professional commitments, Jonathan actively serves with ReadAble Ltd, a charity he co-founded which is dedicated to enhancing literacy and numeracy proficiency among children and families.
Expertise
Litigation & Appeals
International Arbitration
International Trade, Shipping & Sanctions
Private Clients, Wealth & Trusts
White Collar Crime, Regulations & Advisory
Technology, Media & Telecommunications
Insurance & Reinsurance
Job Titles:
- Independent Director
- Joint Managing Director
- Joint Managing Director of the Firm
Joseph is the Joint Managing Director of the Firm. Prior to co-founding the Firm, Joseph worked in an international law firm and a leading Singapore disputes resolution firm.
Joseph is one of the leading dispute resolution lawyers of his generation. He was ranked as 40 most influential lawyers in Singapore Aged 40 and Under by the Singapore Business Review in 2015. More recently, he has been recognised by the Legal 500 as a Next Generation Partner for dispute resolution for 2021 and 2022 and Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star for construction matters. Clients describe him as a "very astute and sharp litigator who looks at issues thoroughly and is quick at strategizing and finding solutions to protect his clients' interests", a "deep thinker" who "gets results", and an "outstanding litigator" who "brings a wealth of experience to bear on [his] advice and conduct of cases". Most recently, Joseph was described as "sharp as nails and comes up with creative arguments. He is also a consummate strategist. He fully owns his client's problems and works very hard." (Legal 500 2022)
Joseph has a broad range of advocacy experience and has appeared as lead counsel in the highest levels of the Singapore courts in cases which have shaped Singapore law in commercially significant ways. These cases include LH Aluminium Industries Pte Ltd v Newcon Builders Pte Ltd [2015] 1 SLR 648, a leading case in the interpretation of the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act, Clearlab SG Pte Ltd v Ma Zhi and another [2014] SGHC 221, a key case on equitable compensation and trade secrets, and Crest Capital Asia Pte Ltd and others v OUE Lippo Healthcare Ltd (formerly known as International Healthway Corp Ltd) and another and other appeals [2021] 1 SLR 1337, a decision notable for the principles surrounding unlawful means conspiracy, and joint and several liability.
Joseph also heads the Firm's arbitration practice. He has represented clients in arbitrations seated in several jurisdictions employing the rules of various arbitral institutions including the ICC, SIAC, AAA, HKIAC and JCAA. He has also represented clients in post-award enforcement proceedings in Singapore.
Besides the courts and arbitral tribunals, Joseph also regularly appears before quasi-judicial tribunals such as the Strata Titles Board, the Appeals Board for Land Acquisitions and the Income Tax Board of Review.
While Joseph's practice covers a multitude of sectors, he has developed particular expertise in the fields of construction, oil and gas, commodities, international trade, banking, and governmental institutions. In particular, Joseph has a "strong following among clients in China and Hong Kong" (Legal 500 2021) given his excellent grasp of Mandarin and a keen understanding of Chinese business culture. He regularly acts for numerous state-owned enterprises and blue-chip companies listed in China and Hong Kong.
Outside of the law, Joseph has served as an independent director with a publicly listed company and on the Disciplinary Panel of the Council for Estate Agencies, the Law Society of Singapore, as well as the Singapore Dental Association.
Expertise
Aviation
Building, Construction & Infrastructure
China & Asia Practice
International Arbitration
International Trade, Shipping & Sanctions
Insolvency & Restructuring
Insurance & Reinsurance
Litigation & Appeals
Private Clients, Wealth & Trusts
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate of the Firm
Joshua LING is an Associate of the Firm. He is a dual-qualified advocate and solicitor admitted in the Supreme Court of Singapore and the Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia.
Joshua completed his training and was called to the Singapore Bar in 2021 during his time with the Firm. He advises both private and corporate clients across a variety of complex civil litigation, appeals, and international arbitration matters. Such matters include aviation, insurance, employment, insolvency, oil and gas, company law and property disputes.
Joshua has appeared and argued applications in both the State Courts and Supreme Court of Singapore. Notably, Joshua was part of the team helmed by Mr Lok Vi Ming S.C. in CVG v CVH [2022] SGHC 249 which successfully resisted the enforcement of a Pennsylvanian-seated ICDR emergency award in the Singapore High Court on the basis of a breach of natural justice.
Joshua graduated in 2018 from the prestigious Australian National University with a Bachelor's Degree in both Law and International Relations. He graduated in the top two percentile of his Bachelor of Laws (Honours) cohort.
As an undergraduate, Joshua won multiple academic prizes in law. He also represented his university in various interstate and international competitions, including the prestigious Philip C. Jessup Moot and the Intercollegiate Negotiation and International Arbitration Competition held in Tokyo, Japan. In addition to this, he was a senior student editor with the Australian Federal Law Review and the Australian Yearbook of International Law, and has published a comparative essay on the topic of unjust enrichment at the undergraduate level.
Joshua is an active volunteer lawyer with the community legal clinics conducted by the Singapore Law Society Pro Bono Services. In his free time, he enjoys travelling, cycling, boxing and submission-grappling sports.
Expertise
International Arbitration
Insolvency & Restructuring
Litigation & Appeals
Justin has an active court and international arbitration practice, covering a wide range of complex, high-value, and multi-jurisdictional disputes.
Justin Chan is an Associate Director at LVM Law Chambers LLC.
Justin has an active court and internal arbitration practice, covering a wide and diverse range of complex, high-value, and multi-jurisdictional disputes. Most recently, Justin was nominated and among the final 5-shortlisted candidates for Young Lawyer of the Year at the ALB SE Asia Law Awards 2022. Clients have commended Justin as "possess[ing] a deep understanding of the law… [he] works diligently to meet the client's needs", and "a sharp practitioner who can appreciate a client's overall commercial consideration in a dispute and provide feasible and cost-effective solutions backed by sound legal basis".
Justin co-leads the firm's restructuring and Insolvency practice, and has and continues to work closely with insolvency practitioners within the industry. Justin specialises in identifying and managing claw-back claims to recover assets for insolvent companies. Justin is presently part of the team acting for the liquidators of Inter-Pacific Petroleum Pte Ltd in on-going proceedings against a former director for alleged breaches of his common law / fiduciary duties in respect of USD 150 million which arose due to the director's failure to prevent significant drawdowns on banking facilities on the strength of what were in fact non-existent transactions.
Aligned with his insolvency practice, Justin has extensive experience managing investigations concerning corporate fraud. Justin is also part of team looking into the demise of Eagle Hospitality Real Estate Investment Trust, a REIT with an aggregate valuation of USD 1 billion.
Beyond his insolvency practice, Justin also specialises in advising domestic and foreign clients on the intricacies of jurisdictional challenges and the enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitral awards in Singapore. Justin was involved in the seminal High Court decision (upheld on appeal to the Court of Appeal) of Humpuss Sea Transport Pte Ltd (in compulsory liquidation) v PT Humpuss Intermoda Transportasi TBK [2015] 4 SLR 625 clarifying the law on service of Singapore process overseas. More recently in 2021, Justin successfully obtained for a national flag carrier a declaration that the Singapore courts had no jurisdiction in respect of claims which fell within the Warsaw Convention of 1929.
In addition to his institutional clientele, Justin represents and advises private individuals on a range of subject-matters, including minority shareholder oppression claims and other shareholder-related disputes, claims of breaches of family trusts, contests over validity of wills.
Outside of practice, Justin is a regular tutor in the preparatory course for the Singapore Bar Examinations run by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education, where he teaches modules on insolvency and ethics. He was also previously an adjunct faculty member of the School of Law of the Singapore Management University (2013-2017). In 2016, Justin was appointed as amicus curiae under the Supreme Court's Young Amicus Curiae scheme. His involvement and efforts were recognised in the reported decision in Cher Ting Ting v PP [2017] 3 SLR 1009 where the High Court Judge acknowledged Justin's contributions to be "thoughtful and thorough". Justin also advised the Singapore Management University's Yong Pung How School of Law as a member on its Practice Advisory Committee.
Justin has also contributed to a number of local leading publications, including the Singapore Civil Procedure and the Singapore Academy of Law Journal.
Justin graduated from the Singapore Management University and was called to the Singapore Bar in 2013. In 2018, Justin obtained his LL.M. from the University College London, scoring Distinctions in Insurance Law, The Law of Unjust Enrichment and International Commercial Litigation.
Expertise
Aviation
Building, Construction & Infrastructure
China & Asia Practice
International Arbitration
Insolvency & Restructuring
Litigation & Appeals
Private Clients, Wealth & Trusts
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate With the Firm
May Ning is a Senior Associate with the Firm. Clients have described her as "very attentive to the case and very prompt in providing detailed feedback, as well as clear and strategic advice on the way forward" (Asialaw 2022).
Since joining LVM Law Chambers, May Ning has appeared before the highest court in Singapore. She has acted in matters before the Court of Appeal and argued as first chair in matters before the High Court. Some of these matters have led to landmark decisions rendered that relate to commercial and arbitration law, such as Charles Lim Teng Siang v Hong Choon Hau [2021] SGCA 43 (involving "no oral modification" clauses) and CVG v CVH [2022] SGHC 249 (involving the enforceability of emergency arbitration awards).
May Ning is also familiar with arbitration rules across various institutions, having played an active role in high value arbitrations before the SIAC, AAA, ICDR, ICC and JCAA. One of May Ning's arbitration matters involve a Singapore health products company against a global multinational company supplying health supplements.
May Ning has worked with a number of clients specifically in the distribution sector - leading supermarkets, wholesalers, franchisees and franchisors. Her experience working with such clients has led her to be familiar with the legal nuances of wholesale and retail trade, such as jurisdictional challenges, stay of proceedings pending hearings in concurrent forums, cross-border business operations, and internal disputes between shareholders.
Prior to joining LVM Law Chambers, May Ning trained at the commercial disputes group at one of Singapore's largest law firms under two leading Senior Counsel. She graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in 2019. In university she was the winner of numerous Best Memorial and Best Speaker prizes in moots such as the Willem C. Vis East Arbitration Moot, the Drew & Napier Advocacy Cup, the Allen & Gledhill Mallal Moot and the Dentons Rodyk Moot. May Ning was also Chief Editor of the Singapore Law Review, Singapore's oldest student run legal publication, and obtained Distinction in Part B of the Singapore Bar Examinations.
Outside of the law, May Ning enjoys dancing and scuba diving.
Expertise
International Arbitration
Litigation & Appeals
Michelle YEO is a dual-qualified Singapore advocate and English solicitor. She runs a broad-based contentious and advisory practice, drawing on her diverse experience in both the public and private sectors. She has been described by clients as "hard working" with "strong knowledge" of their cases.
Michelle's focus on white-collar defence matters is anchored by her prior experience in the Attorney-General's Chambers, where she began her career in 2011 as a Deputy Public Prosecutor and where she served as lead prosecutor on a wide range of criminal matters at all levels of the judicial system. Michelle has specialised expertise in corruption defence and economic sanctions work.
While she is comfortable with conducting advocacy before various courts and tribunals, Michelle has also acted as second chair in long-running and complex criminal matters. Adopting a pragmatic approach to advice, Michelle uses her understanding of the criminal justice system to help her clients weigh their chances of success against the economics of pursuing their cases in court. She has navigated the plea-bargaining system to obtain reduced sentencing positions for her clients. Her clients include State-owned companies, high net worth individuals, statutory bodies, and foreign High Commissions.
Michelle has also acted in complex international arbitration and civil litigation matters. She has recently represented and advised companies in high-value cross-jurisdictional disputes including shareholder disputes, cases involving minority oppression, alleged breaches of warranty, and breaches of contract and helps her clients reach careful decisions in highly acrimonious situations.
Regulatory advisory work forms another significant part of Michelle's practice. She has advised banks and large private companies on sanctions obligations under international and Singapore law, personal data protection, and other areas of regulatory compliance. While at the Attorney-General's Chambers, she spent several years in the Legislation Division translating policy into law and advising the Singapore Government on its domestic and international legal obligations. As part of the Legislative Division, Michelle drafted legislation spanning a wide range of policy areas, including remote gambling, unmanned aircraft, autonomous vehicles, Prisons, international sanctions and manpower regulations. This has honed her deep expertise in principles of statutory interpretation and the policy considerations underlying various statutes.
As one of the Firm's in-house trainers on legal writing, Michelle brings a passion for clear and calibrated communication to her work, which she believes is essential to written and oral persuasion. Her fluency in Mandarin Chinese makes her a particular asset to the firm's China practice.
Michelle is a happy mother of one. She also volunteers with ReadAble Ltd, a children's literacy charity that she co-founded.
Expertise
China & Asia Practice
White Collar Crime, Regulations & Advisory
International Trade, Shipping & Sanctions
Technology, Media & Telecommunications
International Arbitration
Prior to coming to the firm, Huey Hien trained and worked with eminent Senior Counsel in an international firm during the formative years of her career.
Huey Hien is an Associate Director at LVM Law Chambers. Huey Hien has a niche practice, co-leading the Firm's China and Asia practice which serves clients mostly in the South East Asia Pacific region.
Huey Hien also advised the Singapore Management University's Yong Pung How School of Law as a member on its Practice Advisory Committee. She is an adjunct lecturer at SMU. Huey Hien is one of the authors in the Singapore Civil Procedure 2022.
Expertise
Aviation
Building, Construction & Infrastructure
China & Asia Practice
International Arbitration
Litigation & Appeals
Technology, Media & Telecommunications
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Senior Associate
Samuel is an Associate at LVM Law Chambers. His practice is focused on complex civil and commercial litigation, as well as white collar criminal defence work, with a specialty in corruption matters.
Samuel has acted in a variety of cases involving complex cross-border disputes, conflicts of laws, high value contracts, commercial fraud investigations, trusts, as well as shareholder disputes. He has experience handling matters in both the High Court (including the Singapore International Commercial Courts), as well as the State Courts. He also regularly advises clients on mediation, negotiation, and general litigation matters.
Samuel's notable recent cases include a matter with the Singapore International Commercial Court involving a China state-level entity in a contractual dispute with various Pakistani and China entities and individuals which engages issues of conspiracy, conflicts of law, and other aspects of corporate governance and fraud investigations. He is also acting for a Singapore family in a multi-million-dollar shareholder dispute which engages issues of trusts, contractual interpretation, and limitation periods.
Samuel started his legal career in capital markets at one of the largest firms in Singapore, before transitioning to undertake dispute resolution work. His previous practice has given him a firm grasp of how large corporations make commercial decisions and how listed companies operate, which he has leveraged on in his disputes work where cases involve listed companies or commercial entities. His experience in conducting commercial due diligence and corporate advisory work has also honed his instincts to ferret out commercial fraud and has enabled him to advise clients on white collar crime and investigation matters.
Samuel holds a Bachelors (Honours) Degree in Business from the Nanyang Technological University's Nanyang Business School, and a Bachelors (Honours) Degree in Law from the National University of Singapore's Faculty of Law. He was called to the Singapore Bar in 2018.
As a lawyer, Samuel believes that justice should be accessible to all, and towards that end, does pro bono work for litigants who are unable to otherwise afford legal services. Outside of the courtroom, he likes to paint, sculpt, and make things.
Expertise
Aviation
Insolvency & Restructuring
Litigation & Appeals
Private Clients, Wealth & Trusts
White Collar Crime, Regulations & Advisory
TAN Kah Wai was admitted to the Singapore Bar in 2020. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and a Master of Laws (International Business Law) from King's College London.
As one of the top students in his cohort at NUS, he was placed on the Overall Dean's List and received 12 academic prizes and scholarships, including subject prizes for Company Law, Tort Law, the M Karthigesu Memorial Gold Medal and Prize for Shipping Law and the Maritime Law Association of Singapore Prize for Carriage of Goods by Sea.
Kah Wai has been emplaced on the Supreme Court's Young Independent Counsel Scheme 2024. The prestigious scheme presents aspiring young advocates with opportunities to assist the courts in cases involving novel or cutting-edge issues of law.
Kah Wai's practice encompasses all areas of commercial litigation and arbitration, with an emphasis on international trade and commodity disputes. A highlight of his practice is his role as an instructed counsel for a major Chinese state-owned oil trader in multiple interpleader proceedings arising from the USD 3.5 billion collapse of Hin Leong Trading (Pte.) Ltd.
Separately, Kah Wai also has specialist experience in private wealth and mental capacity disputes. He has advised Deputies, Administrators, Executors, Trustees and beneficiaries in various litigation matters. Kah Wai is also a prominent academic commentator in Singapore mental capacity law whose works were cited in both legal and medical journals. He is a member of the Law Society of Singapore's Probate Practice Committee since 2021.
Prior to joining the Firm, Kah Wai was in one of Singapore's leading insolvency practices where he acted in some of the nation's most high-profile disputes including the USD 1.1 billion liquidation of the Envy Companies. He also has experience in other areas of litigation such as banking and security, commercial fraud, intellectual property and shareholder disputes.
Kah Wai regularly publishes articles in local and international academic journals, one of which was cited in Palmer's Company Law, the authoritative looseleaf commentary on English Company Law. He is also a contributing editor of the forthcoming Singapore Civil Procedure 2023 (commonly known as the White Book) and was recently appointed by the Singapore Management University as a graduate mentor for legal academic writing.
As a recipient of the Prime Minister's Book Prize, Kah Wai is effectively bilingual. He is an award-winning writer whose Mandarin short stories are featured in local and international magazines. He also recently published his debut short story collection which received a publication grant from the Singapore National Arts Council.
Expertise
China & Asia Practice
Insolvency & Restructuring
International Arbitration
International Trade, Shipping & Sanctions
Litigation & Appeals
Private Clients, Wealth & Trusts
Ying Xuan graduated from Singapore Management University in 2019 and was admitted as an Advocate and Solicitor of the Singapore Bar in 2020.
Prior to joining the firm, Ying Xuan was a litigation associate in a mid-sized firm known for its shipping, commodities and international trade practice. She has represented clients in various commercial disputes, with a particular focus in shipping and admiralty disputes and cross-border litigation work. Her experience with these clients has led her to be familiar with the aspects of admiralty disputes such as jurisdictional challenges, cross-border issues given the multi-jurisdictional nature of the industry, arrests and detentions of vessels and issues arising from the sale and supply of goods and services.
Ying Xuan's experience involves acting for a state-owned multinational corporation for a cargo mis-delivery claim valued at over US$65 million and had successfully resisted an application for summary judgment at first instance. She has also advised and acted for the judicial managers of Xihe Holdings (Pte) Ltd in the restructuring of the Xihe Holdings group of companies, following the collapse of Hin Leong Trading (Pte.) Ltd and Ocean Tankers (Pte) Ltd. At present, Ying Xuan acts for a Chinese state-owned entity in multiple interpleader proceedings which arose from the collapse of Hin Leong Trading (Pte.) Ltd and a Singaporean bank on a mis-delivery claim relating to contracts of carriage with damages amounting to more than US$35 million.
In addition to admiralty disputes, Ying Xuan represents clients in various complex litigation matters, advising clients on commercial contracts, trust, property law and insolvency and restructuring matters. A number of Ying Xuan's cases also involves investigations and the uncovering of fraudulent conduct. Among these, she assisted in a claim against her client for more than US$8 million on the issues of trust and property law and successfully defended her client before the Appellate Division of the High Court (Wei Ho-Hung v Lyu Jun [2022] SGHC(A) 30). She has also successfully applied for and executed an Anton Piller order (or a search order) on behalf of a client against ex-employees in a claim for misappropriation of confidential information.
Ying Xuan volunteers with the Community Legal Clinics organised by the Law Society and provides advice on probate, matrimonial and family issues, community disputes and contractual disputes. A strong believer in pro bono work, she was one of the top Community Legal Clinics volunteers for 2021.
In her spare time, Ying Xuan plays the piano.
Expertise
International Trade, Shipping & Sanctions
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Senior Associate With the Firm
Walter is a Senior Associate with the Firm. Prior to joining the Firm, he trained in a prominent Big Four Singapore law firm. He specialises in high value and complex disputes and has special expertise in conducting comprehensive commercial investigations.
Walter has a demonstrated history in acting and advising private clients, banks, financial institutions and international conglomerates in domestic and international matters and has acted in matters in all levels of the Singapore Courts, including in the Singapore International Commercial Court.
Walter's primary practice area is in insolvency, investigations, and dispute resolution. He has acted for CIMB Bank Berhad in various actions regarding the assignment of invoices from an insolvent customer to the bank, as security for banking facilities (being Italmatic Tyre & Retreading Equipment (Asia) Pte Ltd v CIMB Bank Bhd [2021] 2 SLR 416, and CIMB Bank Bhd v World Fuel Services (Singapore) Pte Ltd and another appeal [2021] 1 SLR 1217). He has also successfully applied for and obtained a scheme of arrangement for a publicly listed company in financial distress.
Many of Walter's matters involve fraud and investigations. He has had conduct of a matter brought by a shipping company in liquidation against its former director for damages in the region of US$150 million. He is deeply involved in investigations into the demise of Eagle Hospitality Real Estate Investment Trust, a REIT with an aggregate valuation of US$1.27 billion. Notably, he also has conduct of a matter in the Singapore International Commercial Court which involves a well-known China state-level entity in a contractual dispute with various Pakistani and China entities and individuals. The matter engages issues of conspiracy, conflicts of law, and other aspects of corporate governance and fraud investigations.
Walter was previously Associate Editor of the Asian Journal of Comparative Law, published by Cambridge University Press. He has held research positions at both the National University of Singapore's Faculty of Law and the Singapore Management University's Yong Pung How School of Law. He is actively involved with writing for legal publications, including the Law Quarterly Review. His research has been cited in numerous publications, including in several leading English and Singapore law texts, and judges writing in an extrajudicial context.
Expertise
Aviation
Insolvency & Restructuring
Litigation & Appeals
Private Clients, Wealth & Trusts
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate With the Firm
Upon graduation, Xiao Wei has represented clients at all levels in the Singapore court and before arbitral tribunals for contractual, banking and financial, insolvency and charterparty disputes. Presently, Xiao Wei acts for a large state-owned oil trading company in multiple High Court matters relating to the fallout from the Hin Leong scandal and acts as counsel in a death penalty case. Xiao Wei is also involved in defending a claim in conflict of interest and breach of confidence made by ex-directors of the Hin Leong and Ocean Tankers against their ex-lawyers.
Xiao Wei is a Senior Associate with the Firm and has substantial experience in commercial litigation and arbitration. Prior to joining LVM, Xiao Wei was part of a disputes team that specialised in shipping, commodities and international trade.
Xiao Wei graduated from the University of Leeds in 2020 and was a recipient of the Law School Merit Scholarship for academic excellence.
Expertise
International Arbitration
International Trade, Shipping & Sanctions
White Collar Crime, Regulations & Advisory