Singapore’s Ministry of Law has extended White & Case’s Qualifying Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licence for four more years until April 2019.
White & Case was one of six international law firms to receive the first round of QFLP licences in 2009, after the Singapore government introduced the QFLP scheme in 2008 to open up the country’s legal sector to foreign firms. Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Latham & Watkins, Norton Rose Fulbright and Herbert Smith Freehills were the other recipients of the licences.
The QFLP licence allows foreign firms to practice permitted areas of Singapore law.
In early 2014, the Ministry renewed the QFLP licences for Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Latham & Watkins and Norton Rose Fulbright for five more years. Herbert Smith Freehills did not apply for a renewal. At the same time, White & Case was awarded a one-year conditional licence, to be extended for a further four years subject to the firm being able to meet certain quantitative targets set by the Ministry.
“Singapore is a key international business hub and our office in Singapore plays a major role in our ability to provide critical solutions to clients’ complex cross-border and local business challenges,” said Eric Berg, White & Case’s newly-appointed Asia head, in a statement.
In February 2013, the Ministry of Law awarded four more QFLP licences to Linklaters, Jones Day, Sidley Austin and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.
