In its inaugural list of the Asia Super 50 Disputes Lawyers, ALB puts the spotlight on the top disputes lawyers in the region when it comes to client service. These lawyers were selected based on client recommendations sent directly to ALB. The list is in alphabetical order, and certain lawyers have been profiled.
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JOHN JERICO L. BALISNOMO ANUJ BERRY AJAY BHARGAVA VANITA BHARGAVA DANIEL CAI CHAN LENG SUN SC CHAU HUY QUANG MERVYN CHEONG DANIEL CHIA ALAN CHIU EMMANUEL CHUA DANIEL COHEN ROSLI DAHLAN THAWAT DAMSA-ARD IAN DE WITT YVONNE FOO YOSHIMASA FURUTA POORNIMA HATTI AMITA HAYLOCK RICHARD HEALY MERT HIFZI BLOSSOM HING AKIHIRO HIRONAKA JAMES HSIAO FRANK HUTAPEA MOHANADASS KANAGASABAI |
AMIT KAPUR BEOMSU KIM JUNU KIM KAP-YOU (KEVIN) KIM KOH SWEE YEN CHARANYA LAKSHMIKUMARAN LEONG KAH WAH LARS MARKERT MUSTAFA MOTIWALA NEVEILLE MUKERJI MULYADI RAMESH NAGARATNAM NAHENDRAN NAVARATNAM SHIRAZ PATODIA MAHESH RAI MUGI SEKIDO PRALAKORN SIWAWEJ TIMUR SUKIRNO NICHOLAS TAN VENETIA TAN CLARENCE VALDECANTOS NIRUCH WINIYAKUL LEONARD YEOH JIMMY YIM SC BYUNG-CHOL (BC) YOON |
Daniel Cai, director, dispute resolution, Drew & Napier
Cai, who started his career at Drew & Napier, is an international arbitration, banking & finance, commercial litigation, construction & engineering, criminal, corporate litigation, projects, and energy & infrastructure specialist. He has also acted for clients in relation to investigations by various regulatory authorities in Singapore.
Cai has represented multinational corporations, governments, financial institutions and individuals, and he regularly appears as a lead counsel.
He is currently acting in a SIAC international arbitration concerning valuable mining concessions in Indonesia. He also advised founder of a Singapore-listed technology company in respect of charges brought under the Penal Code and the Securities and Futures Act.
Additionally, he is acting as lead counsel for a fast-moving consumer goods company in a Singapore seated arbitration concerning a dispute over the construction of a warehouse as well as representing in an international arbitration under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules involving an apparel company and a US distributor concerning claims for breach of contract and IP rights.
Cai has been appointed by the Chief Justice as a member of the inquiry panel under the Legal Profession Act.
“Daniel is an excellent lawyer with methodical and insightful approach to litigation. I have no doubt that he will make Senior Counsel one day,” says a client.
Chan Leng Sun SC, senior counsel, Duxton Hill Chambers (Singapore Group Practice)
A senior counsel of the Singapore Supreme Court, Chan is also the deputy chairman of Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and the SGX Appeals Committee. He has been led on various matters including when he was the lead counsel for the plaintiff in JTrust Asia vs Group Lease Holdings and Others [2020] SGCA 95.
Chan also assisted Philippine law firms Mosveldtt Law and Desierto & Desierto in successfully representing Manila Water Company against the Republic of the Philippines in a PCA arbitration over water concession agreements.
Talking about his approach to clients, Chan says that he tries to try to work towards solutions that are practical as well as sensible. “It means trying to win the case when the battle has to be fought, but often times, it is also about exploring all options, not just the legal conundrums,” he says.
A client of Chan says that he is “excellent, speedy, professional and very friendly”, while another said that he was “extremely personable, quick-witted and provides solid commercially minded advice.”
Yoshimasa Furuta, partner, Anderson Mori & Tomotsune
Furuta, who has been with the firm for three decades, is a dispute resolution specialist. He has counselled numerous clients over the years on different matters.
He represented Google in numerous court cases seeking orders to disclose information on certain people who had made certain postings on the internet, which included defamatory expressions and privacy and intellectual property infringements.
In a landmark case, which took place in November 1996, Furuta represented 53 Japanese nationals residing overseas in a pro bono matter, where he sued the Japanese government for their voting rights. In 2005, the Supreme Court of Japan declared that the Election Act was unconstitutional as it did not allow Japanese nationals residing overseas to vote at the national elections.
Furuta believes that a lawyer should “always be proactive and creative to secure the best interest for clients”. He says that he is motivated by his need of protecting fundamental human rights, achieving social justice and appreciation from the clients.
“He is very hard working, has excellent legal skills and is able to solve legal problems quickly,” says a client.
Blossom Hing, director, Drew & Napier
Hing has two decades of experience in disputes and restructuring & insolvency. She is an expert in oppression actions, derivative actions, contentious commercial, shareholder, employment, contractual and other disputes, appearing before the Singapore High Court and Court of Appeal, as well as SIAC, LCIA, HKIAC and IICRA hearings.
Hing sits on the SIAC and HIAC panels of arbitrators and is regularly appointed as an arbitrator. She works with clients to resolve problems in a commercially sensible and efficient way that is “in the best interests of each particular client.”
In 2020, Blossom was named Woman Lawyer of the Year (Law Firm) in the ALB SE Asia Law Awards. “I feel very privileged to be in my job; that my clients have placed their trust in me to act in their best interests. It is a tremendous responsibility and one which drives me to always go the extra mile for them,” Blossom said.
Describing her approach towards clients, Hing says that each client comes with a unique problem and her focus is always finding a solution that is in the best interests of each client.
A client praises her as “absolutely excellent. She has a brilliant mind, an exceptional work ethic and an expert commercial strategist. Absolutely the best there is.”
Kap-You (Kevin) Kim, senior partner, Peter & Kim
Kim, who was named the Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year at the ALB Korea Law Awards last year, is an international arbitration specialist. He has represented clients on key matters including assisting Mirae Asset and its affiliates in a US litigation arising from the termination of a $5.8 billion acquisition of 15 luxury hotels owned by China’s Dajia Insurance Group’s subsidiary.
Kim defended POSCO in an arbitration (ICC, Singapore) related to the development of the $35 billion New Songdo International Business District. He continues to be engaged by the Republic of Korea as lead counsel to defend the Korean state in connection with investment treaty claims by Lone Star funds.
Kim believes that his biggest motivation is “to lay a strong platform for the next generation of arbitration lawyers to build upon. As I have been fortunate to be part of the small group of people who brought international arbitration to Asia, I am resolute in helping young Asian practitioners thrive in the international arbitration ecosystem.”
“Kevin Kim is kind-hearted, diligent and meticulous, and respectful of others. He is able to come up with creative yet practical strategies for the most complicated and difficult of cases. It is always a pleasure and honour to work with him,” says a client.
Leong Kah Wah, head of dispute resolution group, Rajah & Tann Singapore
Leong, who has more than 19 years of experience, specialises in shipping & international trade, international arbitration, mediation and tax. He has advised on numerous matters including $9 million damages involving the much-publicised collision between Mercury Triumph and Cosco Shipping Leo, the world’s largest container vessel.
Leong also advised on the novel case in Singapore regarding coral reef damages in Yap State of the Federated States of Micronesia. He successfully represented Attilan Group, where the Singapore High Court agreed with the arguments in a green field area on the requirements of super priority financing in a scheme of arrangement.
Besides this, Leong was appointed as an expert witness on Singapore law in US Court proceedings in a high-profile collision between the US navy vessel USS John S McCain and the Alnic MC in the Singapore Straits.
Talking about his motivation, Leong says that he has a keen interest in the nature of the work, as well as the challenge to understand and grasp the technical aspects involved.
“His attention to detail, and his ability to doggedly pursue the best result for his client set him apart from any other lawyer I know,” says a client.
Mulyadi, senior partner, Nurjadin Sumono Mulyadi & Partners
Mulyadi, whose practice focuses on dispute resolution, has been with the firm for 15 years. Among his noteworthy cases, Mulyadi has represented a major international chain hotel in negotiating settlement with its labour union as a result of a strike involving more than 1,000 employees.
He has also been assisting a foreign-investment bank in, among others, civil litigation cases. The highlight of cases handled for the past year is defending the client in unlawful act lawsuit related to the enforcement of 12 tugboats, with material loss claimed amounting $50,000 and immaterial loss of $10 million.
With regards to his clients, Mulyadi says, “We advise clients on all alternative legal remedies possible and their ramifications as well as formulate a comprehensive and effective strategy to best advance our clients’ interests. This will greatly help the client to handle a dispute quickly, precisely and efficiently.”
Besides this, Mulyadi was the finalist in for the Dealmaker of the Year category at ALB Indonesia Law Awards in 2019 and 2020.
A client praises “his ability to understand the factual position with respect to the prevailing law. He understands the brief in a short time.”
Ramesh Bharani Nagaratnam, managing director, RBN Chambers
Nagaratnam is dual qualified and has work experience in both the law and accountancy spaces. Prior to reading law, he was practicing as an accountant and auditor for 10 years. He specialises in civil & commercial litigation, arbitration, employment and insolvency with a focus on contractual, banking, securities and financial disputes.
Nagaratnam has experience working at the SIAC, LCIA, AAA and ad-hoc administered arbitration, and has represented clients in an AAA administered arbitration in New York and an LCIA administered arbitration in London.
Among his noteworthy work, Nagaratnam successfully defended a listed company in India in an arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in New York. He also acted for a Norwegian businessman and four other Singapore incorporated entities in an appeal to the Singapore Court of Appeal against a decision by the Singapore High Court .
Nagaratnam says that he gets “a great sense of achievement and satisfaction knowing that I have assisted a client in resolving his/her legal problem” and is a reason for his motivation.
“Ramesh was always polite, professional and patient whenever he discussed legal matters with me,” says a client. “He was attentive to my concerns as a client. Ramesh always kept to deadlines and made himself available at short notice to handle urgent matters.”
Mahesh Rai, director, deputy head of construction and engineering practice, Drew & Napier
Rai, who is director at Drew & Napier, is an expert in matters including arbitration, commercial litigation, construction & engineering, corporate litigation, crime, defamation, information technology, international arbitration and international trade.
He acts as a counsel at all levels of the Singapore courts and in arbitrations (SIAC, ICC, UNCITRAL, VIAC, LCIA and ad hoc). His practice is focused on complex, high-value and cross-border disputes across a spectrum of industries including construction, infrastructure, telecommunications, IT, shipping, energy and commodities.
Some of Rai’s important cases include acting for Daelim Industrial in an ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules 2010 against ONGC Petro Additions Limited; representing a tower company which constructs, operates and maintains telecommunications towers in Myanmar; and successfully represented a shareholder in the Singapore holding company of a wholly-owned Indian subsidiary company in its investments in infrastructure and real estate projects in India.
Besides working on cases, Rai is frequently invited to speak at international conferences and panels on international arbitration and dispute resolution.
A client rates him as “10/10. Mahesh works that extra 10 percent to ensure all bases are covered, and was always three steps ahead of the defendant in my High Court litigation.”
Pralakorn Siwawej, senior associate, Weerawong Chinnavat & Partners
Pralakorn, who focuses on litigation and arbitration, has been with the firm for over six years. He has been a part of numerous deals including representing Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company Limited in an insurance dispute which shall set several new precedents in Thailand with a total claim value of approximately THB 2.154 billion.
In addition, he advised ICONSIAM, an unrivalled world class department store and major corporation in Thailand, in complex legal issues and strategies concerning commercial contracts in a mega project of the company.
Besides advising clients, Pralakorn has also been a guest lecturer at several national law schools. Talking about his clients, he says, “I see my clients as my friends. Therefore, I wish to help them solve their obstacles, conquer their challenges, and share the successful path throughout the life cycle of their business.”
Pralakorn says that “a feeling of accomplishment and a desire to push a case beyond the expectations of a client” keeps him motivated.
A client calls him “thorough, practical and professional,” and praises his “excellent turnaround time.”
Clarence Darrow C. Valdecantos, partner and head of labour and employment practice, ACCRALAW
A labour and employment law and labour litigation law specialist, Valdecantos has been in the legal space for more two decades. Among his noteworthy work, he successfully defended a multinational BPO company in a high-profile case for illegal dismissal and money claims filed by a former high-ranking officer. He also concluded a contentious CBA negotiation with the rank-and-file union in a leading banking institution, despite the serious challenges posed by the pandemic in the country.
Valdecantos regularly guides top management and HR practitioners in implementing their employment policies. He also gives risk mitigation advice in relation to corporate restructuring and has been recently advising a significant number of companies which have started up operations in the country, particularly on the hiring of employees and establishment of company rules and regulations.
He has been successfully defending multinational and domestic corporations in different industries from complaints filed by employees for alleged illegal dismissal, illegal suspension, unfair labour practice, and money claims.
A client describes Valdecantos as a “highly competent lawyer who gives clear and precise advice.”
Niruch Winiyakul, partner, Kudun and Partners
Niruch is well versed in dispute resolution, litigation and arbitration as well as restructuring and insolvency. He has represented not only some of the largest leading companies in Thailand but also foreign companies investing in Thailand on various landmark disputes in Thailand in all courts of Thailand and arbitration centres in Asia.
Among the matters he advised on, Niruch represented a public listed telecommunications company concerning breach of agreements, amounting to about $111.7 million. He counselled an international joint venture in claiming one of the most complicated construction disputes against a state enterprise at the Thai Arbitration Institute (TAI).
Niruch has been actively involved in various pro bono and public speaking engagements. He finds his motivation in any “opportunity to help others with their legal problems. It provides me with the intellectual challenge, allowing me to continuously find new and innovative ways to help my clients.” He adds, “My wife and son are what pushes me beyond my boundaries to strive to be one of the best lawyers in the region.”
“Niruch explains the complete situation to us, including the legal aspects and the risks we might face, very clearly. He always has ample time for us, and he is never annoyed if he has to answer the same question twice - or more,” says a client.
Jimmy Yim SC, chairman and managing director of dispute resolution practice, Drew & Napier
Yim specialises in arbitration, commercial litigation, construction & engineering, corporate litigation, hotels & leisure, international arbitration, international trade, mediation, projects, energy & infrastructure and real estate litigation. He also has SICC expertise and has been with Drew & Napier for more that three decades.
He has represented clients on many noteworthy matters and says that his motivation has always been a desire to “help my client vindicate, advance and uphold his rights under the rule of law.”
Among his important cases, Yim represented a Thai telecommunications giant in a dispute against an air transport communications and IT giant. He also advised a Korean EPC contractor in an ad hoc arbitration under the UNCITRAL Rules 2010 against an Indian state-linked petrochemical company, and successfully represented a consortium of Chinese companies which manufacture polymer parts for Apple products, against their Singapore partners/counterparts.
Yim says that his approach to client service has been to serve the client with utmost legal dexterity and integrity such that, in the end, the client can say that “he is really glad to have engaged me as his lawyer in the matter.”
“Mr. Yim is extremely genial, but at the same time can be strong and very persuasive. He has an ability to quickly grasp complex technical issues,” says a client.
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