K&L Gates Straits Law has a respected commercial litigation and arbitration practice led by five disputes-focused partners. It is able to represent clients in both local and cross-border disputes, and in the past year has worked on contentious matters across a diverse range of industry sectors around the region. The team routinely acts for multinational corporations, financial institutions, local corporates and individual litigants in their local, regional and global disputes. The firm has seen an uptick in force majeure mandates, as well as insolvency-related instructions. Its investigations practice continued to expand last year, covering not only large cross-border investigations but also more diverse domestic white-collar crime matters.
Managing partner and senior counsel Sreenivasan Narayanan is the key contact for disputes at the firm. Other practitioners to note are partners Palaniappan Sundararaj, a specialist for complex tort and banking and trade litigation, international arbitration expert Raja Bose, and corporate disputes lead Valerie Ang. Muralli Rajaram is the go-to lawyer for restructuring and insolvency litigation.
The team continues to act for the former judicial managers and now liquidators of Ocean Tankers, the sister company of oil and commodities trader Hin Leong Trading. It additionally assisted Alternative Advisors Investments (AAI) in its claim to recover monies under a loan agreement and a personal guarantee, both of which have been assigned to AAI. The assignor of the loan and personal guarantee was previously a co-plaintiff to the suit.
In a complex, cross-border labour matter, the team is representing an individual in an unfair dismissal claim against Verifone Singapore. There are several documents that govern the relationship between the parties. These documents contain conflicting jurisdiction clauses and dispute resolution clauses. Accordingly, the key issues include what applicable law and dispute resolution mechanism may govern the dispute. Concurrent proceedings will likely be held in litigation and arbitration between Singapore and the US.
In another restructuring and insolvency matter, the team was instructed by a construction company for its scheme of arrangement proposed to its creditors. The scheme was a highly unusual one in that it envisaged payment to the creditors from the proceeds of several dispute proceedings that were under way or yet to be commenced. The scheme passed and, in a related arbitration proceeding, a favourable award was issued on behalf of the client and an appeal against the award was successfully resisted.
The white-collar crime team has been busy representing a Malaysian national and businessman who faces 189 charges under the Securities and Futures Act, Penal Code and Companies Act for various market misconduct and related offences. This matter has been highly publicised and the size and complexity of the case is unprecedented. It has been described by the Singapore authorities as “the most extensive case of market manipulation and securities fraud in Singapore”.
Core active clients include Alternative Advisors Investments, Bank of India, LS Cable & System, Indian Overseas Bank, Right Angle Media, UGL, SK Group and Union Bank of India.
Client feedback
“The team has a very good understanding of international law, the ability to get to the main and critical issues quickly, and the lawyers are very meticulous in their approach.” – International arbitration
“They give practical and commercial advice.” – International arbitration
Muralli Rajaram
“He is extremely well-focused and meticulous. He gets to the key issue of the case quickly.”
Sreenivasan Narayanan “Good at strategising.”
