We are a specialist team of lawyers dedicated to meeting the wide array of legal needs of high net-worth clients and their families, as well as owners of closely held businesses.
We have expertise in specialist areas which are geared towards private wealth management, preservation and business succession planning and provide a “one-stop shop” of personalized legal services in the following areas:
- Business succession planning
- Wills & probate
- Family and matrimonial Law
- Real Estate
- Integrated tax, trusts and estate wealth planning and structuring
- Philanthropy & charitable giving
- Immigration
We also have expertise in advising trust companies as well as local and international charitable and non-profit organizations.
In the event of legal disputes, our clients can rely on an exceptionally strong team of commercial litigation lawyers who have acted in some of the largest and most complex domestic and cross-border disputes.
Our full-service practice provides our clients with the ability to draw on our legal experience and holistic service, as well as our close working relationship with accountants, auditors, investigators dealing with asset tracing, and financial institutions.
WITHIN THIS PRACTICE
Practice areas
We have the skill and discretion to handle the most complex and sensitive legal matters in the following specialist areas:
Business Succession Planning
We have expertise in advising individuals and families on business succession planning. We advise and assist clients on establishing continuity of family businesses through the creation of strategic ownership and management succession planning.
We understand our clients’ tax concerns in preserving their businesses for the next generation and are able to assist in all aspects of structuring and restructuring of such closely held businesses.
Wills and Probate
We have expertise in advising individuals and families with multi-jurisdictional assets and complex trust arrangements in planning and drafting their wills and trust agreements.
We advise on succession issues and also represent families, executors, administrators, trustees and beneficiaries in both contentious and non-contentious probate, trust and estate matters.
We also advise on the following:
- establishing and restructuring of trusts and setting up private trust companies
- creation of all forms of trusts and their use in tax planning and asset protection
- contentious trusts and probate matters
- local and offshore succession disputes
- duties of fiduciaries
Our lawyers have accumulated considerable experience relating to complex and high-profile probate matters. We have represented clients in various disputes concerning the interpretation of wills, gifts, trusts and conflicts between beneficiaries and the executors of estates.
Family and Matrimonial Law
We have expertise in advising on and drafting complex pre- and post-nuptial agreements and work closely with our clients to provide personal and effective advice on their wealth planning and preservation desires in the context of marriage.
We advise clients on issues involving judicial separation, divorce, custody, care and control, maintenance as well as on complex financial and ancillary relief proceedings. We have expertise in handling matters which involve high net-worth and multi-jurisdictional assets.
We also advise on public and private children’s law matters ranging from international adoption, guardianship and child abduction matters.
Real Estate
Property transactions in Singapore and elsewhere in Asia are at an all-time high and we have the expertise to assist you throughout the various stages involved. We advise high-net-worth clients in all aspects of residential and commercial property, advising on planning, construction, tax or contentious matters that may arise in the course of such transactions.
Integrated Tax, Trusts and Estate Wealth Planning and Structuring
We have expertise in advising on all aspects of tax, trusts and estate wealth planning and structuring, whether it is a need for advisory services on funds and umbrella holding structures, wealth management and international tax and offshore trusts.
We have advised high net worth individuals and families, both within and outside Singapore, on the establishment of family trusts, family offices, charitable trusts and foundations. We have also advised clients globally on establishment of family or asset protection trusts within or and outside of Singapore. Additionally we regularly advise various global and European private banks and trust companies on setting up their private wealth management operations and trust company business in Singapore.
On a taxation front, our involvement includes working with multinational families in ensuring compliance with international and local tax laws and minimising taxation of offshore assets.
Philanthropy and Charitable Giving
We have extensive expertise in advising local and international charities, foundations, non-profit organizations (NPOs) and professional/trade associations.
We advise individuals, charitable and not-for-profit organisations:
- on maximising tax-efficiency of charitable giving, tax incentives, compliance and fund-raising
- on suitable charitable vehicles for individual needs
- on establishing and registering grant-making foundations and operating charities in the form of charitable trusts, societies and companies limited by guarantee in Singapore
- on registration as a charity, both under local charities regime and other charity schemes
- on charity law and responsibilities of charity trustees
- on facilitating lifetime and charitable giving and assisting clients establish and maintain non-profit and family foundations
- on deregistration of registered charities in Singapore
Immigration
We have expertise in advising our foreign high net worth individuals and families in applying for Singapore citizenship or permanent residency status under various schemes available in Singapore.
We also advise on work pass issues for individuals looking to migrate to Singapore, including assistance in obtaining visas for family members and staff.
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