COMPANY BIO
Tang & Co. and Helmsman LLC are founded by two shipping and commodity trading law specialists. Although presently based in Singapore and Hong Kong, the firm is international in terms of clients and work. The firm routinely acts for clients in high-value commercial litigation and arbitrations across the world – in particularly Asia and Europe. We handle all of our client relationships with care and integrity. We draw on the experience of our award-winning lawyers and networks to help our clients navigate common pitfalls in business. This includes reviewing and advising on contracts and counterparties; understanding and identifying various risks in business operations; and assisting in restructuring business operations. The association with Tang & Co. in Hong Kong this year is a steady push for Helmsman LLC to embark on a significant expansion of its business in the areas of shipping and commodities trading beyond the Southeast Asian region.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Since the establishment of Helmsman LLC and Tang & Co., we have attained many accolades and achievements. Most recently, Helmsman LLC was listed as a Notable Firm in Benchmark Litigation Asia-Pacific 2020. Our Managing Director, Ian Teo, was named 30 Best of the Best Shipping & Maritime Lawyers in the World by the Expert Guides in 2019. He was also ranked in Chambers Asia Pacific 2019 for Shipping Litigation. In addition, Ian was recommended for his Maritime Law and Trade Law expertise in Best Lawyers Singapore 2020. Finally, Ian was nominated as one of the world’s leading Transport Lawyers in Who’s Who Legal: Transport 2020.
Our Managing Partner, Tang & Co. and Executive Director, Helmsman LLC, Tang Chong Jun was recommended for his Shipping expertise by Expert Guides 2019 and also cited in Legal 500.
Maureen Poh, Director, Helmsman LLC was cited in Legal 500 as a key name for charter party disputes, carriage of goods by sea and cargo claims and is ‘proactive, clear and fast in analysing specific points’.
Our Associate Director, Chen Zhida has been nominated by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers Singapore 2021 for his expertise in Maritime Law and Commodities Law.
KEY PERSONNEL
Ian Teo, Managing Director, Helmsman LLC
One of the founding directors of Helmsman LLC, Ian is an authority on commodity trading and shipping law. In 2019, he became one of the first senior accredited shipping and maritime law specialists appointed by the Singapore Academy of Law. Ian was recognised by Euromoney Expert Guides as one of the world’s 30 Best of the Best Shipping Lawyers. In 2016, Best Lawyers Singapore named Ian as Trade Lawyer of the Year. Qualified to practise in Singapore, England and Wales, Ian read law at the National University of Singapore (LL.B) and obtained his LL.M at Cambridge University. Ian is a member of the adjunct faculty at the Singapore Management University, School of Law, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration, and an Adjunct Fellow of the NUS Centre for Maritime Law. He contributes to academia regularly, and has published in Lloyd’s Maritime & Commercial Quarterly.
Tang Chong Jun, Managing Partner, Tang & Co. and Executive Director, Helmsman LLC
A founding director of Helmsman LLC and Tang & Co., Chong Jun specializes in shipping and commodities disputes and commercial advisory work. More recently, Chong Jun successfully represented a Malaysian palm oil producer on two multi-million-dollar GAFTA arbitrations: and, an American trading corporation in its claim against a Chinese company for the latter’s failure and/or refusal to take delivery of corn shipments. He was also involved in the handling of several landmark decisions in Hong Kong, including the “Apellis” [2018] Lloyds Law Reports Plus 11 and “Alas” [2015] 1 Lloyds Law Reports 211. Chong Jun is regularly invited to speak at shipping and maritime law conferences, including at the recent International Congress of Maritime Arbitrators in Copenhagen, and the 2017 Shipping Law Seminar in Shenzhen on “One Belt One Road – International Shipping Law and Policy”.
Maureen Poh, Director, Helmsman LLC
Maureen is a rising star at the shipping and commodities bar. She specialises in shipping and commodity trading work, both contentious and advisory. Besides day-to-day shipping and commodities work, she has particular expertise in advising on energy-related shipping transactions, such as crude oil, LNG and FSRU charters, and matters ancillary to these including off-take contracts. Qualified to practise law in Singapore, and England and Wales, Maureen sits on the advisory board of the NUS Centre for Maritime Law.
