Gag Orders: What’s in a Name?
This article provides an overview of statutory and court-ordered restrictions on publication of information, which are more commonly known as gag orders. With a focus on criminal proceedings, the...
View ArticleEntitlement and Eligibility – Regulating Trusts Over HDB Properties
This article critically examines the legal controversy that arose in a recent spate of cases on the proper interpretation of s 51(10) of the Housing and Development Act, which regulates resulting and...
View ArticleThe Civil Justice Reforms and the New Rules of Court
The new Rules of Court have been in the making for some time and were previously slated to come into operation by end 2021. On 1 December 2021, the new Rules of Court (ROC 2021) were gazetted and were...
View ArticleThe Rise of the SPAC Wave on Singapore’s Shores
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies or “SPACs” have seen a phenomenal rise in recent years with SPACs listings making up more than half of the public listings in the US in 2021. We also see...
View ArticleListing Chinese Companies in Singapore
Recent developments in the US and China have led to growing uncertainty as to whether Chinese companies can continue to list in the US, and if existing companies may be forced to delist. In recent...
View ArticleWhen Big Data Meets Personal Data – Anonymisation Plays Matchmaker
The volume of accessible data is growing today. Big data is attractive. It promises insights that many assume have the potential to unlock business opportunities and to help improve products and...
View ArticleUnauthorised Practice of Law – What Constitutes Acting or Practising as a...
This article analyses the contrasting judicial approaches in recent Singapore and Malaysian decisions on what amounts to acting or practising as a solicitor. The author suggests that although the...
View ArticleThe Impact of Rules of Court 2021 on the Service-Out Jurisdiction in Singapore
The new Rules of Court (ROC 2021) in Singapore were gazetted on 1 December 2021, and will come into operation on 1 April 2022. This entry assesses the impact of the new civil justice regime on the...
View ArticleDisclosure of a Prosecution Witness’s Prior Statements
A Commentary on Pigg, Derek Gordon v Public Prosecutor [2022] SGHC 5. The High Court has held that a prosecution witness’s prior statements can fall within the ambit of the prosecution’s Kadar...
View ArticleWhen Destiny Does Not Favour the Gambler
A Commentary on the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore Bill and the Gambling Control Bill It is apt and timely that Singapore tightens the reins over problem and pathological gambling that runs...
View ArticleChoice of Law for Torts in the Virtual World and the Future of Virtual...
What law applies to torts and non-contractual wrongs in the online virtual world when the parties and acts traverse different jurisdictions? How does the choice of law rules operate? What novel...
View ArticleData Privacy Strengthened – Perspectives from China and Singapore
This article examines the latest developments in China data privacy regime, from the point of view of how the draft Network Regulations advance the rights of data subjects in various aspects. As both...
View ArticleIs There a Basis to Punish Parents for Their Children’s Misbehaviour?
The article discusses whether there is a basis to punish parents for their children’s misbehaviour by considering China’s recent family education promotion law where parents can be punished for their...
View ArticleLegal Responsibilities Borne by Wills-Drafting Lawyers That are Not Apparent...
The prevalence of DIY Wills online and Wills-drafting services by non-lawyers makes Wills-drafting appear deceptively simple. Yet, the Court of Appeal in Low Ah Cheow cautioned that Wills are among the...
View ArticleThe Point of COMPASS: Guiding in the Right Direction
On 4 March 2022, the Minister for Manpower announced the Complementarity Assessment Framework (COMPASS), a points-based system intended to lend greater transparency to the existing employment pass (EP)...
View ArticleApplication for Letters of Administration in Cohabitation Situations: Points...
Wills are widely recognised as tools of estate planning or as a clear statement from the testator on how his/her assets should be divided after death. They are arguably even more important in cases...
View ArticleNew Wine in Old Wineskins: Adapting the Law for the New Digital Economy
Note1Adapted for the Law Society from the keynote address delivered to the Oxford Digital Assets Conference 2022. I am grateful to my law clerk, Nikhil Coomaraswamy, for his assistance in the...
View ArticleSizing Up the Law Firms
I have been in (practically) uninterrupted legal practice in the more than three decades since I was called to the Bar in 1990 focusing entirely on litigation work. In that period, I have moved from...
View ArticleEthical Dilemmas and Where to Find Them
A hearty welcome to you, my new compatriot at the Bar. I have been asked to write a few words about ethical issues and how a young lawyer can deal with them. When I was called, I remember thinking, not...
View ArticleFinding Meaning in Practice
Heartiest congratulations on being called to the Bar, and a warm welcome to those entering the legal fraternity in Singapore. It is hard to picture this right now, but some of you are about to enter a...
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