Bird & Bird ATMD is particularly renowned for its intellectual property, technology, and labour and employment disputes capability. The firm is also active in commercial litigation and international arbitration. Clients in the aviation, construction, energy, financial services, chemicals, hospitality, telecommunications and energy industries regularly seek the firm’s dispute resolution services. The team has seen significant growth with disputes and arbitration work relating to Korea, Indonesia and India. The firm made notable strides this year in its rankings, improving in the commercial and transactions, construction and international arbitration tables. This reflects the team’s stability and increasing volume of complex contentious mandates in areas distinct from its traditional strengths. In recent years, the team’s footprint in aviation, construction and projects sectors work has expanded.
Key partners of the firm include Jonathan Choo, who is skilled in commercial disputes and international arbitration, labour specialist Seow Hui Goh and Alban Kang, who is a leading IP specialist in the market. Contentious regulatory partner Lijun Chui, commercial litigator Shaun Lee, IP partners Anan Sivananthan and Pin-Ping Oh, and construction expert Akshay Kishore are other names to note.
In a complex cross-border commercial matter, the team is acting for a business consultant partnership in a suit against an individual to enforce a foreign judgment obtained in China.
The claim involves complex issues of asset recovery against an individual who had changed citizenship and names. The proceedings involve complex issues regarding the characterisation of an action for the enforcement of a foreign judgment under Singapore law and the applicability of statutory time limitations on actions to enforce a foreign judgment in the Singapore courts. In addition, there are novel issues relating to the postponement of statutory limitations that have arisen in the factual matrix. In a technology industry battle, the firm is a representing the co-founder of a tech start-up against the present directors and shareholders of the company he helped set up.
On the IP side, the litigation team defended Novartis in an action for potential patent infringement brought by Millennium in relation to three patents. The team also acted in the client’s counterclaim against Millennium to invalidate one of the patents in-suit. The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) instructed the IP team in a judicial review proceeding in the Singapore High Court relating to a patent examiner’s decision to refuse an application to correct a patent application. The question of the proper party to the proceedings, whether it should be IPOS or the Registrar of Patents, was also raised and considered in the proceedings.
The matter was very important to IPOS as the High Court’s decision could have a significant impact on its practice and procedures relating to the correction of patents and patent applications. Also, the decision on the issue of proper party will have implications on the party to be sued in future judicial review proceedings.
Chanel, DXC Technology Service, Fox Networks, Oracle, Riot Games and Zhongshan Shengwang Electrical Appliances are notable clients of the firm.
Client feedback
“The team is proficient with the court procedures. They are proactive, understand the client's challenges and are willing to cater to such needs.” – Commercial arbitration
“Bird & Bird provides a seamless service across jurisdictions on international matters. They do this with great commercial focus and at a price point which is comfortable for clients.” – International arbitration
“Great at providing expert legal advice on novel IP issues. They are also very responsive and are able to work with a lean and efficient team to manage costs.” – Intellectual property
Jonathan Choo
“Jonathan was very proactive and commercially minded in the advice given.”
Alban Kang
“Alban has vast experience in the IP space and a wealth of knowledge and information.”
Akshay Kishore
“He is always available, adept to Indian working conditions and knows Indian clients well.”
Pin-Ping Oh
“Good knowledge and communicates well.”
