Hall Of Fame

Next Generation Partners

Rising Stars

Private wealth and family law – local firms in Singapore

Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow

Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow has a prestigious history in private wealth matters, frequently advising ultra-high-net worth and high-net-worth individuals and families on business, estate, and succession planning issues, along with family office launches and restructurings and the creation of vehicles and trusts to hold substantial assets. The firm also acts for a wide range of financial institutions and trust companies. Trust law, tax planning, business and general succession planning, family governance issues, and family office employment-related matters are amongst the team's areas of expertise. Praised as 'one of the top practitioners in her field in Singapore’, Dawn Quek heads the wealth management team and is also an experienced partner in international tax planning.

Responsables de la pratique:

Dawn Quek


Autres avocats clés:

Enoch Wan


Les références

‘The team are able to draw together the wider Baker network to advise clients holistically. The team are very professional and they deal with matters efficiently and quickly.’

‘I work with Dawn Quek and Enoch Wan, and both are excellent and knowledgeable. Dawn leads the team and offers expert advice and is one of the top practitioners in her field in Singapore.’

‘Dawn Quek is brilliant, and is able to make difficult concepts accessible to non-subject matter experts.’

Drew & Napier LLC

Drew & Napier LLC has developed a sub-specialty within its tax department, which focuses on wealth planning, preservation, and succession through family trusts, family offices, and other structures. It is also noted for advising high-net-worth families and institutions on the creation of philanthropic foundations and trusts. The firm draws on its position as a leader in dispute resolution to frequently act for clients in private wealth disputes. It also has strong connections across Asia Pacific, particularly China and Indonesia. Tax specialist Ong Sim Ho is a senior name in private wealth planning and Randolph Khoo heads the private client disputes group and is noted for his experience in cases involving Chinese entities. Seah Ching Ling is also noted for tax, trusts, and estate planning, while Hoon Shu Mei is rated for private client disputes.

Responsables de la pratique:

Ong Ken Loon; Randolph Khoo


Autres avocats clés:

Ong Sim Ho; Seah Ching Ling; Hoon Shu Mei; Emma Gan


Les références

‘The private wealth team is experienced, responsive and commercial-minded, which is very helpful in today’s world where matters are increasingly getting more complex.’

‘Seah Ching Ling is very experienced, commercial-minded and sensitive to client’s requirements in the area of tax and trusts, which is helpful when one has to navigate through concepts and issues which may be complex and confusing at times. She can always be counted on to provide advice that is practical and sensible.’

‘Ong Sim Ho has good commercial sense and gives practical advice.’

Principaux dossiers


  • Advised a billionaire’s family office based in Asia on the acquisition of assets in Singapore, Dubai, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and London.
  • Represented a client in a negotiation with her fiancé on a pre-nuptial Agreement, dealing with complex issues of jurisdiction and coordination of legal advice and negotiation between multiple jurisdictions.
  • Represented Bidzina Ivanishvili, former prime minister of Georgia, and his family in the Court of Appeal in respect of a claim they brought against the trustee of a $1.1bn trust.

Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP

Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP advises a substantial number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals and wealthy families in Asia and worldwide, along with a range of institutional clients. It continues to work intensively in the establishment of family offices and in business succession planning. It has a prestigious record in wills and probate, family and matrimonial law, real estate, integrated tax, and trusts and estate wealth planning and structuring, among other areas. Vikna Rajah heads the tax and trust practice, co-heads the private client group, and has an outstanding record in the establishment of family offices. Chandra Mohan Rethnam co-heads the private client team and is an experienced figure in disputes involving private wealth. Kee Lay Lian heads the family law practice.

Responsables de la pratique:

Vikna Rajah; Chandra Mohan Rethnam


Autres avocats clés:

Kee Lay Lian


Les références

‘The team are very knowledgeable on all matters trust and tax related in Singapore and are one of the first firms you think of for advice.’

‘I work with Vikna Rajah, who provides first-class trust and tax advice in Singapore.’

‘R&T team takes a practical and sound approach to its legal advice. In an increasing complex regulatory and fast evolving legal changes, R&T maintains its agility and is at the forefront of keeping clients informed. ’

Withers KhattarWong LLP

Withers KhattarWong LLP is a major player in private wealth and family law in Singapore and as part of a global firm that leads the market in this area. The Singapore team represents a high proportion of the wealthiest individuals and families in the jurisdiction. It has been at the forefront of advising family offices on the use of the Singapore Variable Capital Company for the structuring of family funds. The Singapore office has detailed knowledge of the Singapore tax landscape, along with other international tax regimes, and it has extensive experience in trusts, wills and probate, and immigration matters. Fernando Gandioli is a US-qualified international tax and estate planning specialist, while Stacy Choong is an international estate and wealth planning expert with a background as a senior private banking professional. Ivan Cheong is ‘a seasoned family lawyer‘ and Connie Yik Kong is a go-to for international tax and succession planning.

Responsables de la pratique:

Stacy Choong; Ivan Cheong


Autres avocats clés:

Fernando Gandioli; Deborah Barker SC: Connie Yik Kong; Hon Yong Sheng; Shriveena Naidu


Les références

‘Ivan Cheong is pragmatic, extremely hands-on, efficient and detail-oriented. He is very thoughtful and sensitive to the clients’ requirements, but will rein in unreasonable expectations or demands. A seasoned family lawyer who is discreet and discerning.’

‘Stacy Choong is the most exceptional partner in the team, with an unparalleled ability to understand and navigate the complexities of the UHNW families. Fernando Gandioli is also a trusted safe pair of hands who is able to explain complex US tax rules in simple layman terms with clarity and certainty.’

‘This team has been very approachable in more ways than one. They are quick to respond to your queries and eager to hear what you have on your mind. This makes the partnership comfortable in difficult times especially when one is undergoing very brutal and tough legal proceedings, particularly within family laws. ’

WongPartnership LLP

WongPartnership LLP has a highly-developed private wealth practice with extensive experience in the structuring of trusts, succession planning, estate and probate litigation, and philanthropic structures. It acts for high-net-worth families and individuals across Southeast Asia, including those based in Singapore and Indonesia, and advises a range of institutional clients and trust companies. The highly-rated Sim Bock Eng heads the private client disputes practice with over 20 years of experience in trust, estate and family matters, including both contentious and non-contentious issues. David Chee is another key figure in private wealth and succession planning matters.

Responsables de la pratique:

Sim Bock Eng; Hui Choon Yuen


Autres avocats clés:

David Chee; Aw Wen Ni


Les références

‘Sim Bock Eng and her team have been very professional and yet attentive to every clients’ needs. From will writing to trusts, she and her team ensure client’s objectives are met.’

‘Sim Bock Eng is the person I recommend to clients.’

‘Generally good depth in the private client teams. ’

Principaux clients

HSBC Trustee (Singapore) Limited


DBS Trustee Limited


Trident Trust Company (Singapore) Pte. Limited


UBS Trustees (Singapore) Ltd.


LGT Bank (Singapore) Ltd.


Zedra Trust Company (Singapore Limited)


Vistra Trust (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


Morgan Stanley


SG Trust (Asia) Ltd.


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised an ultra-high-net-worth client on his succession planning and business continuity.
  • Advising an ultra-high-net-worth family in the shipping industry on their wealth management and succession planning, and the reorganisation of their business structure, taking into account the commercial and business risks of their underlying operating businesses and investments.
  • Acted for the eldest son of a successful Indonesian businessman in the auto parts industry, in an interconnected series of estate and mental capacity disputes between different camps in the family within a fractured family dynamic where the second son had sought to take over the family business and side-line other family members.

Allen & Gledhill LLP

Allen & Gledhill LLP is an emerging force in private wealth, representing a large number of ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, and family offices in wealth preservation, asset management, tax advisory, charity and philanthropy work, and family and matrimonial matters, among other areas. It is also noted for contentious issues, including disputes over the distribution of estate assets, matrimonial assets, and the custody and care of control of minor children during divorce proceedings. Lim Pek Bur co-heads the private wealth team, focusing on tax and wealth planning for ultra-high-net-worth clients. Goh Eng Cher also co-heads the group and has a background in estate and wealth planning, structuring, regulatory issues, and governance, and also advises a number of trust companies; she is especially noted for her expertise in advising Chinese clients.

Responsables de la pratique:

Lim Pek Bur; Goh Eng Cher


Autres avocats clés:

Aaron Lee; Tan Kai Liang


Les références

‘Lim Pek Bur and Goh Eng Cher are both very experienced in private wealth issues and bring to the table sound legal advice that is practical and useful. ’

‘They have a full legal practice which was very helpful to UHNW clients with various needs. For example, we had a client that was setting up a trust to hold real estate and they could assist with both the trust advisory as well as the conveyancing work related to the property acquisition.’

‘Goh Eng Cher brings fresh perspectives to private client legal work as she has extensive experience as an in-house trust counsel in a major financial institution for many years.’

Dentons Rodyk

Dentons Rodyk has broad regional coverage, advising ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families across Southeast Asia and beyond, including China and Taiwan. It is also connected to trust companies and private banks. The team continues to advise clients on the creation of family offices and the launch of VCCs, and it is further noted for estate administration and disputes, succession planning and family wealth preservation, and philanthropic programmes. The immensely experienced Edmund Leow SC heads the tax group and is a prominent name in succession and estate planning, trust launches, and the creation of family offices. Kia Meng Loh specialises in both contentious and non-contentious matters, including wealth and estate planning and the establishment of family offices.

Responsables de la pratique:

Edmund Leow SC; Kia Meng Loh; Tien Wah Ling


Autres avocats clés:

Ling Yi Quek; Nicolette Lee


Les références

‘Knowledge of market and prompt delivery of services.’

‘Ling Yi Quek provides prompt responses and high-quality legal services.’

‘Professional practice on all counts. Does the profession credit.’

Principaux clients

Standard Chartered Trust Singapore Pte Ltd


Lion Trust Pte Ltd


UBS


Credit Suisse


VP Bank


UOB Private Bank


Bank of Singapore


DBS Private Bank


Julius Baer


Trident Trust


Prime Asia Asset Management Pte Ltd


Naga Capital Pte Ltd


FOZL Group Pte Ltd


Triton AO Pte Ltd


One Heritage Group


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Prime Asia Asset Management as external retained counsel on legal issues with regards to its business, such as regulatory licences, compliance, funds structures, and their regional expansion.
  • Assisted the widow of a wealthy Indonesian businessman based in Singapore with the application for the grant of letters of administration of her husband’s estate in Singapore.

Harry Elias Partnership

Harry Elias Partnership has a substantial presence in family and divorce cases with experienced partner Foo Siew Fong specialising in this area. The team has a proven record in contested and uncontested divorces, as well as custody disputes. The firm also has a private client advisory practice dedicated to personal wealth and succession planning, among other areas.

Responsables de la pratique:

Foo Siew Fong


Tan Rajah & Cheah

Tan Rajah & Cheah has a major presence in family law, notably divorce proceedings and child custody and access battles. Given the firm’s high standing in dispute resolution, it has appeared in a series of headline and high-value divorce cases. Imran Khwaja is a senior litigator with decades of experience in family law cases. Han Kee Fong provides further expertise in wills, trusts and probate, and the highly-rated Sudhershen Hariram is a newly elected partner with a specialism in family law.

Responsables de la pratique:

Imran Khwaja


Autres avocats clés:

Han Kee Fong; Sudhershen Hariram


Les références

‘This firm is a one-stop solution provider with various specialities under one roof, e.g. in dealing with a divorce matter, the divorce specialist is able to call in the conveyancing specialist to shed light on the sale of the matrimonial property.’

‘The firm has also embraced technology in enhancing its research capabilities such that in the midst of a discussion, they are able to pull out the relevant statutory provisions and previous court decisions. ’

‘The individuals exude confidence and show much empathy. In formulating a solution, they consciously weave in the concept of therapeutic justice. This is a tacit recognition of the reality that there is life after divorce especially where there are children and it is unconscionable to burn the bridges during the divorce proceedings. ’