Legal500

Norton Rose (Asia) LLP

1 RAFFLES QUAY, #31-01 NORTH TOWER, SINGAPORE 048583, SINGAPORE

Warsaw, Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, Shanghai, Sandton , and 28 more

What we say about the firm's legal practice in Singapore

Asset finance

Within Foreign firms, Norton Rose LLP is a first tier firm,

Norton Rose (Asia) LLP’s five-partner team advises on aviation, shipping and offshore finance. Gervais Green advised DVB Group Merchant Bank (Asia) on a $420m export credit supported loan facility to OSX 1 Leasing. Ben Rose assisted Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation with the $137m secured limited recourse project financing of the FSO Orkid. Aviation finance specialist Leigh Borello advised Standard Chartered Bank on the pre-delivery payment financing of 25 aircraft to Tiger Airways. Robert Driver was promoted to partner.

Banking and finance

Within Foreign firms, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Clients commend Norton Rose (Asia) LLP for its ‘commercial acumen, strength of advice and value for money’. Nick Merritt, who is ‘particularly gifted in dealing with complex commercial and legal issues’, and Jeff Smith advised SportsHub Pte on financing the world’s largest sports and leisure infrastructure PPP. Smith is advising Indonesian electricity utility PLN and IFC (part of the World Bank) on the 2000MW Central Java power project. Yu-En Ong advised ANZ, HSBC and Rabobank on $1.3bn and A$600m syndicated loan facilities to Wilmar International for its acquisition of Sucrogen.

Within Local firms Leading individuals

Capital markets

Within Foreign firms, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose (Asia) LLP’s practice is supported by its Singapore law capability and strong regional footprint. Ferzana Haq and Jill Gauntlett specialise in debt capital markets. Highlights included advising SportsHub Pte on the interest rate swap structuring and documentation part of the sponsor financing. Adam Summerley advised Jefferies International on Shiv-Vani’s $75m convertible bonds issue.

Corporate and M&A

Within Foreign firms, Norton Rose LLP is a first tier firm,

Norton Rose (Asia) LLP’s Jake Robson advised long-standing client, AXA SA, on it’s A$9.8bn acquisition of the Asian businesses of AXA APH. Adam Summerly led a team advising CLSA Capital Partners on an $80m investment in OSL’s shipping business. Jill Gauntlett is recommended for ‘safeguarding clients’ interests’.

Dispute resolution

Within Local firms Leading individuals

International arbitration

Within International arbitration, Norton Rose LLP is a first tier firm,

Norton Rose (Asia) LLP handles matters across Southeast Asia and India, and its QFLP licence enables it to undertake local work. The ‘hardworking, persistent’ Guy Spooner handles issues relating to culture clashes within joint ventures. KC Lye focuses on energy and aviation, recently promoted partner Robert Driver handles energy and international trade disputes, and Peter Cash specialises in pharmaceutical and regulatory matters.

Legal market overview

Within Legal market overview,

Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Herbert Smith LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, Norton Rose (Asia) LLP and White & Case LLP hold Qualified Foreign Law Practice (QFLP) licences, allowing them to practise domestic law employing Singapore-qualified lawyers. Other firms achieve this through joint law ventures, notably Allens Arthur Robinson TSMP, Baker & McKenzie.Wong & Leow, Linklaters Allen & Gledhill, Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee and Pinsent Masons MPillay LLP. In 2011, market liberalisation produced new alliances and local subsidiaries of international firms, notably Duane Morris & Selvam LLP, a joint law venture between Duane Morris LLP and Selvam LLC, and Ince & Co’s establishment of Incisive Law LLC.

Projects and energy

Within Foreign firms, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose (Asia) LLP’s highlights included advising the lenders on the financing of the Singapore Sports Hub PPP, and acting for INPEX and Total on offtake arrangements from the Ichthys LNG project in northern Australia. Daniel Reinbott and Ashley Wright are singled out for praise.

Within Local firms Leading individuals

Restructuring and insolvency

Within Foreign firms, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose (Asia) LLP’s Gervais Green, Guy Spooner, Daniel Yong, and Robert Driver advised on the Arpeni Pratama restructuring. Adam Summerly advised Bio Treat Technology on the restructuring of S$206m convertible unsecured bonds.

Shipping

Within Foreign firms, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose (Asia) LLP’s Guy Spooner handles shipping disputes, and recently promoted partner Robert Driver undertakes non-contentious work. Gervais Green advised DVB Group Merchant Bank (Asia) on a $42m export credit supported loan facility to OSX 1 Leasing. Stephen Begley transferred from the Hong Kong office. Clients recommend Kate Sherrard.

Within Local firms Leading individuals

What we say worldwide

Please choose another Norton Rose LLP office to view full details of what we say in that region, or choose from this list to view a specific editorial reference in context.

United Arab Emirates

Offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Australia

Offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Perth, and Brisbane

Belgium

Offices in Brussels

Bahrain

Offices in Manama

China

Offices in Beijing and Shanghai

Czech Republic

Offices in Prague

Germany

Offices in Munich, Frankfurt, and Hamburg

France

Offices in Paris

Greece

Offices in Athens and Piraeus

Hong Kong

Offices in Hong Kong

Indonesia

Offices in Jakarta

India

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

Italy

Offices in Milan and Rome

Japan

Offices in Tokyo

Kuwait

Legal market overview : Legal market overview

London

Offices in London

Libya

Legal market overview : Legal market overview

Morocco

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

Netherlands

Offices in Amsterdam

Poland

Offices in Warsaw

Qatar

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

Russia

Offices in Moscow

South Africa

Offices in Cape Town, Sandton, and Durban

Singapore

Offices in Singapore

Saudi Arabia

Offices in Riyadh

Thailand

Offices in Bangkok

Tunisia

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

Search News and Articles

Legal Developments in Singapore

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

SINGAPORE COMPETITION LAW WATCH

On 23 November 2011, the Competition Commission of Singapore (“CCS”) released an infringement decision against 11 modelling agencies in Singapore for breaching Section 34 of the Competition Act (Cap. 50B) (“Act”). Section 34 of the Act prohibits, amongst other things, price fixing activities.

- Drew & Napier LLC
TRADE MARKS CAMPOMAR WINS THE RACE

The issue before the Court of Appeal was whether the registration of the trade mark NIKE should have been rejected on the ground that as of the registration date of the NIKE mark, there existed another identical earlier mark on the trade mark register. The appellant, Campomar SL ("Campomar"), was the proprietor of the earlier mark and had appealed against the decision of the High Court Judge, who had refused to overturn the decision of the Principal Assistant Registrar of Trade Marks ("PAR"), and allowed the trade mark NIKE to proceed to registration.

- Drew & Napier LLC
PATENTS PROSECUTION HIGHWAY

It is a common practice for companies to seek patent protection in various jurisdictions for the same invention. As each of these patent applications would need to undergo search and/or examination by the different patent offices, it is therefore not only a costly process for applicants but also one which requires significant time and effort from the patent offices to perform.

- Joyce A. Tan & Partners
ASSET-BASED LENDING IN SINGAPORE

To what extent are asset-based lending structures used (e.g., revolving and term loan facilities secured by present and future accounts and inventory, with the amount of loans available at any time based on the value of such assets)?

- Joyce A. Tan & Partners
NEW REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR CREDIT RATING AGENCIES

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (“MAS”) has issued a set of subsidiary legislation and regulations creating a new regulatory framework for credit rating agencies (“CRAs”).

- Drew & Napier LLC
PROPOSED CONSOLIDATION OF REGULATORY CONTROLS OF WESTERN MEDICINES UNDER THE HEALTH PRODUCTS ACT

The Health Sciences Authority (“HSA”) is holding a public consultation on its proposal to consolidate the legislative provisions regulating western medicine into a single statute. Currently, the regulatory controls are found in separate pieces of legislation, including the Medicines Act and the Poisons Act. It is proposed to transfer these provisions into the Health Products Act.

- Drew & Napier LLC
GUIDANCE PROVIDED ON MALAYSIAN COMPETITION LAWS

IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPETITION LAW IN MALAYSIA Competition law in Malaysia will become a reality next year, with the Malaysia Competition Act 2010 (“Act”) due to take effect from 1 January 2012.

- Drew & Napier LLC
Proposed consumer data protection regime for Singapore

On 13 September 2011, the Singapore Government released a public consultation paper on the proposed introduction of a consumer Data Protection (DP) regime in Singapore.

- ATMD Bird & Bird LLP
The restraint of trade doctrine does not apply to forfeiture-for-competition clauses

By Venisha Lakshmi Nair

- ATMD Bird & Bird LLP
New WIPO-IPOS mediation option for trade mark disputes

By Deryne Sim

- ATMD Bird & Bird LLP