Category: Singapore Legal News and Analysis

Executing your law firm business development plans during the coronavirus outbreak

Like a hurricane that swept across the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our lives. It is fair to say that most of our lives right now are different when compared to 2020 beginning. Case in point: Most of you are probably reading this at […]

The unique value proposition of document automation platforms for law firms and the general counsel. An interview with Malik Anwar, Director of Asia operations, Clarilis

Legal technology business Clarilis recently opened an office in Singapore, appointing industry veteran Malik Anwar as Director of Asia operations. In this interview with Asia Law Portal, Anwar outlines the value proposition of document automation platforms to law firms and the general counsel. Clarilis’ future plans […]

The current state of legal innovation in Singapore. An interview with Josh Lee Kok Thong, Chairperson, Asia Pacific Legal Innovation and Technology Association (ALITA)

Josh Lee Kok Thong is Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Legal Innovation and Technology Association (ALITA). In this interview with Asia Law Portal, he provides his unique insights into the current state of legal innovation in Singapore. And what’s in store for the future. Based in […]

Lawyer-to-lawyer document marketplace launched: Lexub

New shared-economy legal document marketplace offers lawyers democratisation of precedents and monetisation of documents

Singapore’s first online personal legal services platform. An interview with Alvin T’ng, Founder, WillCraft

 WillCraft (WillCraftNow.com) is Singapore’s first online personal legal services platform.  In this interview with Asia Law Portal, Founder Alvin T’ng explains what motivated WillCraft’s founding, its’ services offer, how it works with local law firms, how customers find the service, T’ng’s transition from legal practice to […]

Neota Legal Tech networking event set for Singapore, Thursday, March 19

Neota invites their valued customers, partners and anyone with an interest in Neota and the LegalTech space, to a chance to network and learn from each other, as well as the Neota team at their Neota Network (N²) event in Singapore on Thursday 19th March. Thank you Neota […]

More pathways could be opened to Singapore Bar – what does this mean for NewLaw?

Last week, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon made an exciting announcement. An initiative that could revolutionise the legal profession in Singapore. CJ Menon called for there to be different routes into the Singapore Bar. Whether that’s mid-career switchers from non-law backgrounds or students who study Science, Technology, […]

Technology and IP partner Jonathan Kok hired as part of Withers tech’s expansion in Asia

Withers KhattarWong LLP is the Singapore office of international law firm Withers. He has boosted its Technology and Intellectual Property (IP) capabilities in Singapore with the hire of partner Jonathan Kok. Jonathan joins Withers from RHTLaw Taylor Wessing, where he was the Head of its Intellectual Property & […]

How legal business development and marketing is evolving in Asia. An interview with Roy Ang of Withers

Roy Ang is Head of Marketing and Business Development (Asia Pacific) at Withers. In this interview with Asia Law Portal, he explains the unique opportunities and challenges of the role, the differences between legal marketing in the private and public sectors, how he helped quadruple the […]

How elite law firm Withers KhattarWong LLP is navigating Singapore’s highly competitive legal market: An interview with Managing Partner Deborah Barker

After a lengthy collaboration and formal alliance between Withers LLP and the former KhattarWong LLP, Withers KhattarWong LLP came into being in early 2019. The alliance has created the second largest law firm in Singapore, offering a full range of legal services to corporations, institutions and […]

Funding boost and award win for Australian legal tech company

Brisbane-based legal technology company Lawcadia announces that it has recently raised $1.3 million in a pre-Series A round from a number of private investors and Artesian, a leading Australian alternative investments and venture capital firm.

New legal tech company CodeLex aims to streamline the practice of law

Legal technology company CodeLex is a developer of legaltech projects as part of the Irbis Ventures (formerly ‘M Lab’​) ecosystem. Incorporated in Mongolia and Singapore, and with a core team based in Ulaanbaatar, Singapore and Tokyo, CodeLex projects aim to streamline and add value to the […]

Time to embrace co-working

What are the key ingredients for a great co-working space? Trendy, young hipsters making steaming coffee with cacti and succulents abound, prosecco on tap and Scandi style interior design? Maybe, yet these spaces can benefit all types of workers with a creative and comfortable place to […]

ASEAN Insiders Series 2019 – Personal Data Protection

DATA PROTECTION IN ASEAN Technology and the rise of the digital economy has transformed our lives for the better in many ways. However, data breaches and data security threats loom over us. The incident involving Cambridge Analytica in 2018 where millions of Facebook users’ data were […]

Helping law firms create intuitive knowledge platforms:  The story of Singapore’s INTELLLEX

INTELLLEX was founded in 2015 in Singapore with the aim of helping law firms create intuitive knowledge platforms.  In this interview with Asia Law Portal, INTELLLEX Co-Founder and Chief Business Development Officer Ellery Sutanto explains how the company began, it’s vision for the future of legal […]

ASEAN Insiders Series 2019 – Foreign Direct Investment

ASEAN – Open for business Since its formation in 1967, ASEAN has grown from an underdeveloped region into one of the globe’s most diverse and dynamic economic drivers. Located at the heart of the Asia-Pacific region and strategically nested across several major trade routes, ASEAN is […]

Going Public in the ASEAN-5: Snapshot of IPO and Listing Requirements

The key economic purpose of the capital markets is to give companies access to different sources of financing to grow their businesses. An initial public offering (IPO) is one of the main ways for a company to raise equity capital by using the primary public equity […]

Law business structures – challenges in ASEAN

In 2014, the IBA commissioned a mammoth report on Global Cross Border Legal Services that comprehensively covers information about over 90 countries and 160 jurisdictions on the regulation of the domestic and cross-border legal practice.   What the report confirms is the transformation of legal practice, and […]

Interview with HFW Shanghai Head on China’s Legal Market

International law firm HFW maintains one of the most significant Asia-Pacific presences for a foreign-headquartered firm – with a total of 7 offices in the region.  And not long ago, the firm launched a transactional practice in Shanghai. In this Q&A interview with Asia Law Portal, […]

A Year of Big Changes: Latest Employment Trends in Singapore and Japan

2018 saw the biggest changes in the employment law regimes of both Singapore and Japan. Both jurisdictions have recently gone through a fundamental change to the key legislation concerning employees’ rights. This includes a wider coverage of employees who are entitled to statutory benefits, and the […]

Cryptocurrencies

ASEAN’S Regulatory Environment for Cryptocurrencies and Initial Coin Offerings.

Initial coin offerings (ICOs) are gaining further momentum as an alternative form of crowdfunding globally. Yap Lian Seng, Managing Partner of ZICO Insights Law LLC (a member of ZICO Law) together with Senior Associate, Heng Jun Meng, share their views on the emergence of cryptocurrencies, exchanges, […]

Singapore hotels

Third Annual Law Firm Management Forum Oct 19, 2018 Singapore: A Preview

The Australasian Legal Practice Management Association (ALPMA) along with the Law Council of Australia’s Law Management Group will hold the third annual Regional Law Firm Management Forum on October 19, 2018 in Singapore at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The Singapore Academy of Law is the event Knowledge Partner […]

Hanim hamzah (ASEAN Workplace)

ASEAN workplace: Addressing diversity and intersectionality.

In this column, I highlight issues and solutions that arise within the legal context of ASEAN and which impact the diversity of the region’s social, economic, cultural and political life. Human rights are a contentious subject for many, presenting a number of challenges to companies and […]

Third Regional Law

Third Regional Law Firm Management Forum set for Singapore, Oct 19, 2018

The Australasian Legal Practice Management Association (ALPMA) along with the Law Council of Australia’s Law Management Group will hold the third annual Regional Law Firm Management Forum on October 19, 2018, in Singapore at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The Singapore Academy of Law is the event […]

Esplanade singapore

Singapore – A City Guide for Lawyers and Legal Professionals

Singapore is a thriving multicultural home to some of the world’s most stunning architecture and landscapes, exquisite gardens, no traffic jams, lack of corruption, and a great history. It is a land of modern wonders, known for its rapid development and an attractive destination for business […]

Capital of south korea

Work life balance across Asia – and how things are changing

South Korea is well-known across Asia for its long hours and ‘workaholic’ culture. According to statistics from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, South Korean employees worked for an average of 2,024 hours in 2017 – meaning the country places third in the world rankings […]

Oliver moul

How has NewLaw developed in Asia over the last 10 years? An interview with Oliver Mould of LOD – Lawyers On Demand

As NewLaw firm LOD – Lawyers on Demand (LOD) approaches its’ 10th anniversary, Asia Law Portal interviewed Oliver Mould, the firm’s Head of Asia about the state of NewLaw in Asia and what he sees ahead for the next 10 years: LOD is approaching its 10th […]

Ian lim

Singapore’s new employment regime – a brave new world

By this time next year, Singapore will have a rather different employment regime from any it has had since independence. One aspect of this needs to be carefully thought through. About ten years ago, a distressed Norwegian client consulted me. His company’s Singapore office had a […]

Adrian tan

Privacy is Dead

But we never wanted it anyway, muses Adrian Tan. Over the past few weeks, our inboxes were bombarded by emails about privacy. Companies wrote to us, in a state of panic, because of the General Data Protection Regulation. That is a new European Union law that […]

Kai niklas

Driving innovation in the legal industry

Introduction Emerging technologies are creating significant waves of disruption impacting economies, industries and societies across the globe. Companies are struggling to keep pace with technological developments, whether maintaining agile business environments to leverage advanced technologies or creating the right risk and compliance strategies to plan and […]

Barry and mohan

Reed Smith and Resource Law Managing Partners explain the strategy behind their Singapore alliance

Reed Smith formed an alliance with Singapore’s Resource Law in 2016 to strengthen its local expertise and client offering of a one-stop-shop service, and to help it stand out amid a highly competitive environment for both international and local firms in Singapore. The alliance has also […]

Night time

Today’s Lawyers Need Technology Training

Introduction Back in November, a group of people gathered in Hong Kong to brainstorm on using blockchain technology in legal transactions. They discussed Ethereum and cybersecurity, before debating the benefits and dangers of Artificial Intelligence (AI). These weren’t computer programmers looking to create a new start-up […]

Businessman

NewLaw firm Vario to expand into Singapore

Pinsent Masons will launch its NewLaw flexible consulting service, Vario, in Singapore in mid-2018. Vario was first established in the Asia-Pacific region in Australia in July 2017.  The firm reports it is witnessing increased client demand for its flexible lawyer solution globally, including in Asia. In […]

Maxwell chambers

Singapore’s Maxwell Chambers becomes the world’s first smart hearing facility

Maxwell Chambers recently announced that it is set to become the world’s first smart hearing facility by the end of 2018, in a bid backed by the Ministry of Law to boost Singapore’s position as an international dispute resolution hub.  In this Q&A interview with Asia […]

Marina city park

TechLaw.Fest to take place in Singapore, April 4-6, 2018

TechLaw.Fest, scheduled to take place in Singapore, April 4-6, 2018, will bring together more than 3000 attendees, including leading thinkers in the space of Technology Law and Legal Technology. Thanks to Corp Agency for sponsoring this post. Jointly organized by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) […]

Stefanie yuen thio

Stefanie Yuen Thio of Singapore’s TSMP Law explains how to build a successful boutique legal practice

Stefanie Yuen Thio is the Joint Managing Director of TSMP Law Corporation in Singapore, leads the firm’s M&A and corporate practice and co-manages the firm. TSMP is regarded as one of Singapore’s handful of “go-to” independent firms for cutting-edge Wall Street work and was named SE […]

Marina

Key takeaways from the 2nd Singapore Law Firm Management Forum

The Second Regional Law Firm Management Forum took place Friday November 3, 2017, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Singapore.  This year’s Forum focused on how non-legal professional in law firms can become critical contributors to firm strategies.  Andrew Barnes, President of Forum sponsor Australasian Legal Practice […]

Matthew kay

Contract lawyering – the global gig economy for lawyers

Transport for London’s recent decision to revoke Uber’s licence meant the gig economy was back in the headlines, and not for positive reasons. Indeed, some business’ abuse of employment rights under the guise of the gig economy has meant that for some, this term has become […]

Esplanade theatres on the bay

Second Regional Law Firm Management Forum set for Singapore, Nov 3, 2017

The Australasian Legal Practice Management Association (ALPMA), along with the Law Council’s Australian Law Management Group, held its inaugural Regional Law Firm Management Forum in Singapore late last year.  The Second Regional Law Firm Management Forum is now set to take place Friday November 3, 2017, […]

Singapore

Second Annual Asia Private Equity-Venture Capital Summit set for Singapore, Sept 21-22, 2017

For the second year in a row, the Asia PE-VC Summit will be held in Singapore. The event is an unprecedented global meeting place for top investors to discover companies in Asia’s fast growing economies.  Set to take place September 21-22 at the Marina Bay Sands […]