Kelvin Chia Partnership is a commercial law firm established in Singapore since 1995 with an established regional presence through on-shore offices in Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia. We have strong affiliations with law firms in the Philippines and Malaysia, and as an exclusive member of Terralex (https://www.terralex.org/), we have the ability to work on local and cross-border matters in a one-stop integrated manner. Given our strategic presence in the region and a strong core team of lawyers, we are well positioned to assist with multi-jurisdictional and cross border transactions in Asia and elsewhere across the globe.
Our team of experienced lawyers is committed to providing prompt and timely legal services to our clients. We combine discipline and flexibility in our provision of services, take a business approach to the practice of law and are passionately committed to achieving our clients’ commercial and legal needs. We have an international team consisting of lawyers who are qualified in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, United States, the Philippines, Malaysia, United Kingdom, Cambodia, Hong Kong, China and Myanmar. As a firm, we are therefore able to provide localized legal solutions consistent with international standards.
In Singapore, we have a full range of legal services including litigation, arbitration, corporate affairs, conveyancing, insurance and wills & probates, serving individuals and companies across a wide spectrum of industries.
Practice areas
Lawsuits & Disputes
Our litigation lawyers specialize in civil and commercial litigation, and international arbitration involving high-value corporate matters including shareholder disputes, defamation, wills and estate disputes, landlord and tenant disputes, breach of trust and fiduciary duties, building and construction disputes, contractual and tortious claims, intellectual property disputes, international trade, employment disputes, sale of goods and services, and cross border multi-jurisdictional disputes.
We also provide legal advice and representation for clients in insolvency and restructuring. We act for both individual and corporate clients across a wide range of industries, ranging from technology, e-commerce, construction, finance, shipping, telecommunications, insurance etc.
Business
Our corporate affair lawyers have extensive knowledge of corporate, commercial and business laws in Southeast Asian countries including Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Multinationals and public listed companies seek our legal advice in complex commercial projects requiring both legal skills and in-depth understanding of the clients' business needs.
Our team has completed numerous project teams in time-sensitive legal due diligence investigations and managed multi-jurisdictional acquisition and investment transactions, and accumulated a substantial portfolio of professional work including banking and finance, mergers and acquisitions, de-mergers, joint ventures, investments, corporate reorganizations and restructurings, private equity funds, equity and capital planning, debt restructuring, financing and banking transactions, securitizations and sale and purchase of businesses and undertakings.
Bankruptcy & Debt
Since 2005, our Asset Recovery & Insolvency Group (ARIG) was formed and currently represents, among others, various major banks in their recovery cases, both unsecured and secured; including business loans, housing loans, credit card debts, etc. Additionally, we provide recovery services to non-financial institutions including statutory boards, public utility companies and insurance companies among others.
Real Estate
In Singapore, our lawyers have considerable experience in the real estate area, including knowledge of security documentation, loan restructuring and security enforcement. In conveyancing, we oversee transactions such as sales, purchases, leases, and re-financing; in relation to residential, commercial and industrial properties. Our knowledge of the detailed processes for property transactions – from consumer, lender and also regulator perspectives – enables us to advise clients effectively and from a well-rounded perspective.
In regional markets such as Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand, our teams are able to advise on the structuring of investments and regulatory compliance, undertake due diligence, prepare and advise on transactional documents, attend to negotiations with third parties, as well as provides advice on a wide spectrum of legal issues.
Insurance
Our insurance lawyers represent various major insurance companies in civil litigation involving motor accident claims and policy disputes, and also provide advice to insurer clients on other classes of policies such as public liability, work injury, contractors all risks and professional indemnity. We have had notable success in trials and assessment of damages, some of which are reported.
Intellectual Property
Our firm's managing partner has litigated on trademark and design infringement, copyright protection, breach of confidentiality and misuse of trade secrets. He has also represented clients in intellectual property and trade-related disputes before the ICC in London and Hong Kong. One of the major IP matters handled by him involved disputes over a manufacturing and trade mark licensing arrangement which became the subject of arbitration in London and resulted in trademark rectification proceedings in multiple jurisdictions.
Elder Law
Our lawyers specialize in the area of probate and administration, wills and trusts. In this regard, we have acted for executors and administrators of deceased persons' estates, in terms of obtaining the necessary grants from the courts, and providing legal support in the course of the administration and distribution of the estates. We also advise on estate planning and succession planning and carry out the drafting of the necessary documentation.
Our Partners and Associates
Kelvin Chia
Managing Partner
Kelvin is the managing partner of the firm and actively engages in both contentious as well as non-contentious work.
His practice extends to a wide range of commercial matters with particular focus on intellectual property litigation, cross-border commercial transactions and arbitration. He has litigated on trademark and design infringement, copyright protection, breach of confidentiality and misuse of trade secrets. He has also represented clients in intellectual property and trade-related disputes before the ICC in London and Hong Kong. One of the major IP matters handled by him involved disputes over a manufacturing and trade mark licensing arrangement which became the subject of arbitration in London and resulted in trademark rectification proceedings in multiple jurisdictions.
Kelvin is sensitive to the differences presented by the varied legal environments in Asia. He has arbitrated in and managed legal actions and proceedings overseas, and worked on many challenging projects in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, North Korea and Cambodia. He has specific expertise in mining investments and projects, and real estate acquisition exercises. Kelvin manages our offices in Vietnam, where he has built up an extensive network with both government and non-government entities. He was also instrumental in the setting up of offices in Pyongyang.
Kelvin has experience in the area of banking litigation, where he has defended banks against lenders' liability and other claims arising from banking operations. He has also represented individual and institutional clients in complex banking-related disputes involving substantial monetary claims.
Kelvin's understanding of clients' business needs, unflagging personal attention and practical problem solving skills have led to innovative and successful strategies for many otherwise unworkable situations. Kelvin is a member of the International Trademarks Association, International Association for the Protection of Industrial Property and The Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys.
Kelvin was named one of Singapore's Top Lawyers in 2018.
Cheah Swee Gim
Senior Partner, Head of Corporate & Commercial
Swee Gim leads our Corporate and Commercial Department and is in charge of our Mergers and Acquisition Division, overseeing work assignments undertaken by our Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam offices.
Her extensive knowledge of corporate, commercial and business law covers Southeast Asian countries including Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Multinationals and public listed companies seek her legal advice in complex commercial projects requiring both legal skills and in-depth understanding of the clients' business needs.
She has spearheaded numerous project teams in time-sensitive legal due diligence investigations and managed multi-jurisdictional acquisition and investment transactions.
With more than 30 years of legal practice, Swee Gim has accumulated a substantial portfolio of professional work. This includes mergers and acquisitions, de-mergers, joint ventures, investments, corporate reorganizations and restructurings, private equity funds, equity and capital planning, debt restructuring, financing and banking transactions, securitizations and sale and purchase of businesses and undertakings.
Swee Gim is also well-versed in commercial transactions where information technology plays a fundamental role. Her degree from New York University is in intellectual property studies. She advises on technically complex agreements in the areas of trade secrets, confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, hardware and software licensing, franchising, licensing, copyright assignment, electronic banking, electronic commerce transactions and in many other internet-related areas.
She also advises on telecommunication and media law issues.
Swee Gim has been cited in The Legal 500 and was recognized as an Elite Practitioner of Corporate M&A in Asialaw.
Lee Ying Ying
Partner, Head of Banking & Finance
Ying Ying is a partner in our Corporate Department and heads our Banking and Finance Division.
Her areas of practice include banking and finance, joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions, with a particular focus on cross-border transactional work. She combines her extensive exposure to corporate and commercial transactions, excellent drafting skills and in-depth understanding of the legal, regulatory and business environment in Singapore and other countries to provide effective legal solutions that meet the business needs of her clients.
In Vietnam, Ying Ying spearheads the firm’s banking and real estate work. Her team advises on the structuring of investments and regulatory compliance in Vietnam, undertakes due diligence, prepares and advises on transactional documents, and attends to negotiations with third parties, as well as provides advice on a wide spectrum of legal issues.
With her detailed knowledge of Vietnam law and practice and her extensive experience in international transactions, she is well-placed to provide her clients with international standard legal solutions that comply with local laws and practices.
Sarjeet Singh
Partner, Head of Insurance
Sarjeet heads our Insurance Department representing ten insurance companies. He has been in legal practice since 1993.
Starting off his career in civil litigation, road traffic and industrial accident claims, probate and administration, matrimonial, landlord and tenant and criminal law, he has had many reported decisions for cases he has handled.
For more than the last decade, Sarjeet has focused on insurance claims and represented many insurance companies in accident claims and policy disputes. At Kelvin Chia Partnership, he has had notable success in trials and assessment of damages, two of which are reported.
Outside of his legal work, Sarjeet contributes motoring reviews for a newspaper and a magazine.
Harry Zheng
Partner
Harry specialises in commercial litigation and international arbitration involving high-value corporate matters including shareholder disputes, defamation, wills and estate disputes and landlord and tenant disputes. He also provides legal advice and representation for clients in insolvency and restructuring.
In his practice, Harry acts for both individual and corporate clients across industries, ranging from technology, e-commerce and start-ups.
Harry focuses on obtaining practical outcomes for his clients, keeping in mind the commercial goals of the clients.
Jasmine Yong
Partner
Jasmine is a versatile disputes resolution lawyer who has an active practice in both commercial litigation and arbitration, and family law. She is adept at working with clients from diverse backgrounds and industries, ranging from financial institutions, international conglomerates to individuals holding prominent public positions.
Her commercial practice covers a wide spectrum of areas ranging from cross-border insolvency, complex financial products, payment processing technologies to mismanagement of funds. She is experienced in both trial and appellate work, and has appeared before all levels of the Singapore Courts, including the Singapore International Commercial Court, the High Court of Singapore, the Appellate Division of the High Court and the Court of Appeal of Singapore.
In the area of family law, Jasmine has acted in contentious matrimonial matters relating to the division of matrimonial assets and children’s care arrangements, including applications for relocation orders. She has also worked with counsel from the United Kingdom and the United States to determine the appropriate forum for divorce proceedings, assist in the enforcement of foreign Court orders and to prepare nuptial agreements.
Jasmine is fluent in English and Mandarin. She has advised Mandarin-speaking clients on various matters including fraud investigations, joint ventures, estate distribution and family disputes.
Yeh Siang Hui
Partner
Siang Hui has a specialty in the area of probate and administration, wills and trusts. In this regard, he has acted for executors and administrators of deceased persons' estates, in terms of obtaining the necessary grants from the courts, and providing legal support in the course of the administration and distribution of the estates. He also advises on estate planning and succession planning and carries out the drafting of the necessary documentation.
He also practises in the area of conveyancing, where he oversees transactions such as sales, purchases, leases, and re-financing; in relation to residential, commercial and industrial properties.
Pua Lee Siang
Partner
Lee Siang has been actively involved in civil and commercial litigation across various matters for over 20 years.
These include: breach of trust and fiduciary duties, shareholder disputes, defamation, wills and estate disputes, building and construction disputes, contractual and tortious claims, intellectual property disputes, international trade, employment disputes, sale of goods and services, landlord and tenant disputes and cross border multi-jurisdictional disputes.
She has acted in arbitration proceedings in Singapore and London.
Lim Yee Ming
Partner
Yee Ming’s legal practice is primarily in telecommunications, technology and intellectual property laws. He also engages in insurance and construction matters.
Notably, he has acted with Queen's Counsel and US computer experts in an international copyright infringement case; acted for a US multinational in a computer patent infringement case; acted with Queen's Counsel in an international ICC arbitration in London concerning a dispute between a trademark and know-how licensee and its licensor; and was seconded as acting in-house counsel to a large US multinational telecommunications company.
Yee Ming has successfully handled complex, multi-million dollar disputes for multinational construction companies, state enterprises, telecommunications companies and airlines, involving arbitration, negligence actions and insurance losses.