Singapore is a country with no shortage of good law firms. According to research carried out by The Straits Times in collaboration with German-based international research firm Statista, about 1 in 10 law firms practising in all of Singapore have managed to achieve the Best Law Firm grade in one category or another. This is indicative of a generally high standard of legal representation in the country. In this edition, Top 10 of Asia shares its list of the top ten most excellent law firms (presented in no particular order) in the cosmopolitan city-state, whether it be for their prestige, dedication to the cause, or undoubted professionalism in the legal field.
Allen & Gledhill
Allen & Gledhill is led by Jerry Koh, Managing Partner of the firm that has a regional network of associate firms operating in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Besides being known as one of the largest law firms in Singapore, it is also one of the oldest in the country, having been founded in 1902. Particularly renowned for its expertise in the banking & finance, capital markets, and corporate and M&A sectors, it provides excellent guidance on related transactional and advisory matters. The firm caters to a whole host of clients including MNCs, local companies, financial institutions, and individuals. Allen & Gledhill has been regularly ranked in the top tier by legal directories and publications. The award-winning firm’s network includes over 650 lawyers regularly working on cross-border transactions in the cities of Southeast Asia and worldwide.
Rajah & Tann
Led by its Managing Partner, Patrick Ang, Rajah & Tann has 12 offices across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, China and the Philippines. Rajah & Tann has practices in banking, corporate governance, corporate finance, dispute resolution, information technology, infrastructure, insolvency, insurance, mergers and acquisitions, shipping, telecommunications and trade. The firm is additionally known for its China, Japan and South Asia specific practice groups. Its network also includes R&T Asia Resources which procures project-specific in-house lawyers to support the firm’s clients and R&T Technologies, a consulting firm that is focused on cybersecurity, data breach readiness and response, a virtual law academy and other legal tech services. Its clientele ranges from multinational, Fortune 500 corporations to emerging high-tech enterprises and start-ups.
Silvester Legal LLC
Established in 2018 and led by Managing Director Walter Silvester, Silvester Legal LLC is a fast-growing Singapore-based law firm that excels in disputes and corporate matters, specialising in shareholders’ disputes. Its service is aimed at business owners and companies, providing proactive and strategic legal counsel and services to help resolve legal issues. Silvester Legal offers the services of a full-service business law firm. It has practical experience throughout the business life cycle because its lawyers have served as both outside and inside legal counsel with start-ups, early and growth-stage companies, as well as family-owned and mid-market businesses across Asia Pacific.
Baker & McKenzie Wong & Leow
Led by Managing Principal Andrew Martin, the lawyers at Baker & McKenzie Wong & Leow in Singapore are featured in the world’s leading legal directories for their work on high-profile transactions. With over 30 years of experience in the field, it is the go-to firm for many major Singapore companies, multinationals and financial institutions that use Singapore as the hub for their Southeast Asia operations. The firm is able to deliver domestic and international expertise from a single legal team to find the best solutions for its clients in corporate transactions, major project financings, complex disputes, IP enforcement, and tax planning and structuring. The firm has expertise in all areas of corporate and securities, including M&As, private equity, capital markets, insurance, real estate, IT and communications, employment and, antitrust and competition.
Bird & Bird
Led by CEO Christian Bartsch, Bird & Bird was formed in 2009 through an association with a leading local firm, Bird & Bird ATMD, a leader in Singapore’s legal market. With over 50 lawyers in its ranks, it provides high-quality advice across all major areas of practice and expert sector knowledge in the automotive, aviation, energy and utilities, financial services, life sciences and healthcare, media and entertainment and, technology and communications spaces. Bird & Bird is experienced in handling a range of local and cross-border issues. It works closely with large multinationals, government agencies and regulatory bodies being changed by the digital world and the knowledge economy.
Eugene Thuraisingam LLP
Eugene Thuraisingam LLP is an award-winning law firm in Singapore founded in 2012 that was established by Eugene Thuraisingam. The firm’s vision is to provide first-class representation in commercial and criminal disputes. It has won cases of unusual commercial complexity, cases involving novel questions of law of public interest, as well as cases in which liberty or even lives are at stake. The law firm provides services in criminal litigation, commercial litigation, commercial arbitration and, corporate and commercial cross-border matters.
WMH Law Corporation
WMH Law Corporation is led by its Joint Managing Directors, Wilbur Lim and Mark Lee. The medium-sized boutique full-service law firm has won numerous awards and specialises in dispute resolution and corporate law. It is equipped with strong regional capabilities via the WMH Regency network in Greater China, Indonesia, and Malaysia. WMH Regency is a network of structured regional practice groups conceptualised with the aim of providing clients with first-class legal representation in this globalised world. WMH has been recognised by Thomson Reuters’ Asian Legal Business as one of the leading boutique law firms in South East Asia.
IRB Law LLP
Founded by Mohamed Baiross, IRB Law LLP was founded with a vision to build a law firm that delivers effective and efficient legal services to everyone. IRB Law has over 50 employees and the firm offers top-quality legal services. Its areas of practice range from family, probate, criminal, personal injury, and personal debt recovery, to international arbitrations, construction and infrastructure, start-ups, mergers and acquisitions, commercial agreements, asset tracing, and enforcement actions. IRB also provides services in Syariah law practice. It advises and represents clients in all aspects of Syariah law, such as wills and inheritance matters and divorce. On civil and commercial matters, IRB has represented clients at all levels in the Singapore Courts, including the Court of Appeal. Its international arbitration team worldwide has been representing large international contractors, companies and consultants in arbitrations in Singapore, Malaysia, as well as in more distant jurisdictions such as India, China and Romania, primarily in construction, infrastructure, engineering and commercial disputes.
Duane Morris & Selvam LLP
Duane Morris & Selvam LLP is led by Krishna Ramachandra, the Managing Director of the firm. Duane Morris’ office in Singapore provides clients with access to legal services in markets throughout the Asia Pacific region and the rest of the world. Selvam LLC is regularly ranked among Singapore’s top corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions law practices by Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Chambers and Partners, Leading Lawyers and the International Financial Law Review 1000. The firm’s attorneys in Singapore represent businesses, ranging from small entrepreneurial enterprises to multinational corporations with operations in Asia, as well as businesses seeking to establish investments in Asia. Duane Morris also leverages its global platform to facilitate Singapore-based companies’ entry into markets such as the United States, Latin America and the United Kingdom.
PKWA Law Practice
Founded by Christopher Song, PKWA Law Practice is an award-winning law corporation that was established in 2004 to take over the practice and business of its predecessor, a law firm established in 1988. PKWA Law was named as one of ‘Singapore’s Best Law Firms’ in 2021 and 2022 in a nationwide survey by the Straits Times in partnership with Statista. PKWA Law scored the maximum 5 stars for its excellence in family law. With more than 30 years of experience, PKWA Law has established itself as one of the leading law firms in Singapore. It is focused on providing top-quality and affordable legal services in conveyancing, divorce law, family law, wills, probate, litigation, corporate services and insurance law.