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EXPERTISEOUR
Corporate and Commercial Law
We offer the full-suite of general corporate and commercial law advice and support to private individual clients and corporations including the drafting of all kinds of commercial contracts (loan agreements, shareholder and subscription agreements, joint venture agreements, licensing and distribution arrangements) and comprehensive support in mergers and acquisitions and investment transactions including the drafting of non-disclosure agreements, assistance in ‘deep-dive’ due diligence exercises and the drafting of share sale and purchase agreements or asset sale and purchase agreements and assistance in fulfilling the ‘post-closing’ requirements of transactions. Cross-border transactions in the Asia-Pacific region are facilitated through our overseas Inter Asia Law Group offices.
Financial Services Regulatory
Our financial services regulatory group broadly advises clients on the two (2) major financial services regulatory frameworks in Singapore mainly the Securities and Futures Act and Financial Advisers Act in Singapore and their related subsidiary legislation. This includes assisting clients in securing the appropriate capital markets services licence, financial advisers licence or even regulatory exemption from requiring licensing in Singapore. We have established private equity firms, family offices, hedge funds and securities businesses in Singapore. In recent times, we have been assisting clients with the structuring of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) in Singapore including the drafting of legal opinions advising on whether tokens being issued constitute a security or a utility, the review of ‘White Papers’, the drafting of pre-sale documents, token ICO documentation and on-going compliance requirements.
Technology and Start Up Law
We work with block-chain and bitcoin enterprises, e-payment system platform providers, online e-commerce transaction facilitators, virtual currency exchanges and technology firms. We provide the full range of legal and corporate support including structuring advice and options, incorporating corporate entities, the drafting of legal documentation, obtaining the relevant regulatory licenses and approvals and assist in capital-raising (Series A, B, C capital raising rounds), the drafting of shareholders and subscription agreements and website terms and conditions and privacy and personal data policies. We have a bespoke fixed-fee annual retainer package that cater to the budgetary requirement of start-up companies.
Expatriate Employment Law Advice
Our Employment law advisory service caters specifically to the needs of the expatriate community in Singapore for employment law advice in Singapore. We assist in rendering and submitting employment pass applications (including dependent pass and letters of consent) , the review of senior management level (C-suite) employment contracts and advising senior management on the more elaborate provisions and elements found in employment contracts of senior executives in the Asia-Pacific region, negotiating employment contract terms, harmonizing overseas employment contracts with local employment contracts (that are governed under Singapore law), advising on the technical aspects of employment contracts including cumulative stock option schemes, share options scheme and staff-incentive plans. We also assist corporations in terminating employees in accordance with the Employment Act (if applicable) or pursuant to contractual terms in employment contracts or employee handbooks. We understand the requirements of expatriates when re-locating out of Singapore back to their home countries and assist in the entire transition including the drafting of departure packages for expatriates, negotiating departure terms for expatriates and liaising with overseas offices and jurisdictions to facilitate the re-location of expatriates.
Insurance Law Advisory
Our highly-respected (corporate) Insurance Law advisory group provides corporate insurance law advice to multi-national general insurance companies and reinsurers. We are familiar with the Singapore Insurance Act and its related subsidiary legislation and are able to render practical legal advice to insurers including assisting insurers with corporate, regulatory and licensing issues, the drafting of complex legal opinions, obtaining insurance licenses from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, advising insurers on business growth and diversification strategy, procedures for using their insurance funds pursuant to the Insurance Act and any restrictions in their existing insurance licence and merger and acquisition assistance for the general insurance industry and the drafting of complex general insurance contracts.
Japan Desk
Tailored specifically to the requirements of Japanese private clients and corporations. We speak and write fluent Japanese and thus are able to establish a close working relationship with our Japanese clients. We assist Japanese clients in structuring their business operations, incorporation of companies, drafting of all types of corporate and commercial agreements, render employment law advice, apply for work passes and provide clients with on-going retainer support. We act as ‘external legal counsel’ to various Japanese SMEs that do not have their own in-house legal team and provide a cost-effective annual retainer model.