WITHIN THIS PRACTICE
Family practice
Our lawyers handle a wide range family matters. We are particularly adept at handling complex issues involving conflict of law, cross border dispute and custody dispute.
We have represented clients in family law cases involving judicial separation, spousal adultery, harassment cases, child abductions, tracing of assets (including fraudulent siphoning of funds from a bank account by a spouse), injunctions over a spouse’s property, multi-jurisdictional litigation involving court proceedings in both Singapore and elsewhere. Some of these matters also involved multi-million dollar asset division issues and we have acted for parties in proceedings involving assets amounting to S$200 million.
Our lawyers also provide advice on Islamic matrimonial law (Syariah law) relating to divorces, maintenance, custody and division/distribution of matrimonial property, primarily under the Administration of Muslim Law Act. In addition, we also have the capacity to advise on Islamic inheritance laws and complex Islamic trusts issues.
Probate practice
Our lawyers have accumulated considerable experience relating to complex and high-profile probate matters. We have represented clients in various cases involving disputes on construction of wills issues, presumption of advancement and inter vivos gifts.
We act as counsel and advisors to wealthy families on succession issues and we also represent families, executors, administrators, trustees and beneficiaries in both contentious and non-contentious probate, trust and estate matters. This includes advising on / drafting of Singapore wills as well as coordinating with foreign legal counsel on the preparation of wills covering assets in multiple jurisdictions.
Our recent engagements include representing an executrix in claims made by the first wife of the testator against the estate, advising in a beneficiaries’ action for account and inspection of documents, acting for beneficiaries in the removal of trustees, representing executors and descendants in challenges to the validity of wills, representing executors in gaining control of family companies controlled by outsiders.
In all these matters, our lawyers regularly deal with issues relating to assets spanning multiple jurisdictions and multiple laws. Our lawyers were also involved in an estate dispute that resulted in a series of complex administration proceedings, including one of Singapore’s last appeals to the Privy Council.
Trusts practice
We have advised high net worth individuals and families, in Singapore and further afield, on the establishment of family trusts, family offices, charitable trusts and foundations.
We’ve also helped European, South American and Asian clients in establishing family or asset protection trusts in and outside Singapore.
We have advised European private banks and trust companies on setting up their private wealth management operations and trust company businesses in Singapore. This includes advising on the Singapore trust regime and also in reviewing their trust documentation.
We also routinely advise and assist our foreign high net worth individuals and families in applying for Singapore permanent residency status under various schemes available in Singapore.
Our lawyers have acted in contentious matters relating to trusts and some of our matters involve complex private international law issues. We managed the recent Singapore High Court case involving issues of constructive trust and resulting trust.