Harry Elias Partnership has offices in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. Built upon one of the most respected and influential litigation lawyers in the country, Harry Elias, the firm has an established reputation for its dispute resolution and family and matrimonial expertise. The firm is also notable for its construction, infrastructure, corporate and M&A, and intellectual property practices. Philip Fong, Justin Chia, Tan Chau Yee, Brian Law, Pearl Lim and Claudia Teo are key contacts for dispute resolution, restructuring and insolvency, intellectual property, construction, banking, and corporate and M&A, respectively. The construction and engineering group further bolstered its expertise with the hirings of two veteran specialists, Joanna Seetoh from LVM Law Chambers and Chua Ming Hao from Clyde & Co Clasis.
Work highlights
Engaged by Singapore Paincare Holdings to advise on the best model to expand their services, whether by way of joint venture, licensing, franchising taking into consideration how best to protect their IP assets, including their proprietary know-how, in their diagnosis methodology.
Acted for Everyday Curtains in a trademark dispute against De Art Studio in relation to the client’s proprietary design and branding of Wabi Sabi blinds.
Key clients
IFSC, Straco Leisure, The Bakery Depot.
Work highlights
Acted for the co-defendant in a suit brought by a bridging loan company attempting to enforce loan agreements and personal guarantees for sums totalling more than $30 million. This case involves novel questions about the interaction between the Securities and Futures Act and the Moneylenders Act, specifically whether a loan made to an individual who is not an “accredited investor” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Act amounts to unlicensed moneylending under the Moneylenders Act, and therefore is unenforceable at law.
Represented a client who faced concurrent criminal proceedings and a civil suit in respect of allegations of physical assault of a domestic helper from Indonesia. She faced several criminal charges and was also sued as a defendant. The case is notable as it involved the novel issue of whether a temporary stay of civil proceedings can be ordered to ensure that ongoing criminal proceedings against an accused person are not prejudiced by the conduct of the civil suit.
Work highlights
Represented HSBC Institutional Trust Services as trustee of Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust in the Hyflux Group restructuring.
Acted for First Abu Dhabi Bank in relation to the Agritrade restructuring.
Assisted DBS Bank as secured creditors of debtors TEE International and its group of companies.
Key clients
CDL Properties, GAM Kimura Commodity Trade Finance Fund, Standard Chartered Bank.
Work highlights
Advised Canadian Solar subsidiaries and Macquarie Group - Macquarie Advisory & Capital Solutions, as the joint partners of the Japan Green Infrastructure Fund, on the disposal of two solar infrastructure seed assets located in Japan.
Acted for developer Wee Hur Holdings (WHH) and its wholly owned fund management arm, Wee Hur Capital, in relation to the strategic divestment by WHH of a 9.9% stake in the Wee Hur PBSA Master Trust, its Australian-focused purpose built student accommodation fund, to a Singapore-based investment holding company backed by a global institutional investor.
Key clients
Asia-Pacific Strategic Investments, Gem XYZ, Helios Distribution, Lian Beng Group.
Work highlights
Continues to act as the claims specialist to project manager Surbana Jurong Consultants and superintending officer and employer, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, for the Tuas Terminal phase 1, which is part of the upcoming Tuas Mega Port project. The project is of national strategic importance to Singapore and the first of its kind in Singapore for decades.
Defending YTL Concrete against claims for damage caused and other losses by HSL Construction and the Public Utilities Board.
Key clients
Ministry of Health Holdings, Rich-Link Construction, SMRT Trains, Wee Hur Holdings.
